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Keyboard (or 7-5) Trigram Notation
by Richard Parncutt, 1989

Chromatic scale from C to C. C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

A group of three solid lines alternates with a group of two ledger lines. The staff has a 7-5 line pattern much like the Mirck version of Klavar. The notes in the spaces between the lines are the notes of the C major scale (the white piano keys), and the notes falling on the lines are the the other five notes of the chromatic scale (the black piano keys). Between the groups of two and three lines there are two adjacent spaces without a line separating them that represent the notes E, F, and B, C. The physical distance between the two groups of lines is equal to 1.5 spaces so that the vertical spacing of the notes is even and pitch-proportional.

Earliest documentation: 1989

Source: Directory of Music Notation Proposals, section/page: 13/63

Other Similar Notations: 6-6 Tetragram by Richard Parncutt, 6-6 Trigram by Richard Parncutt

→ Next Two Notation Systems →

Chromatic scale from C to C in Avique Notation by Anne and Bill Collins C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Avique Notation by Anne and Bill Collins

Chromatic scale from C to C in 0-5-7 Notation by Richard Parncutt C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

0-5-7 Notation by Richard Parncutt

← Previous Two Notation Systems ←

Chromatic scale from C to C in Klavar, Dekker Version by Antoon Dekker C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Klavar, Dekker Version by Antoon Dekker

Chromatic scale from C to C in Tonnetz-Based 4x3 Notation by Joe Austin C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

ChromaTonnetz by Joe Austin

Notation System Groups

  • Lines a Whole Step Apart, 5 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Whole Step Apart, 4 or 3 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Whole Step Apart, 6 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Whole Step and Major 3rd Apart, 4 per Octave
  • Lines a Minor 3rd Apart, 3 or 4 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Major 3rd Apart, 3 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Major 3rd Apart, 2 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Major 3rd Apart, 2 per Octave, Compact Staff
  • Lines a Tritone Apart, 2 per Octave, or 1 Line per Octave
  • 7-5 Line Pattern, 3, 5, or 6 Lines per Octave
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