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Exploring Alternative Music Notation Systems

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Lines a Whole Step Apart, 6 Lines per Octave

If there were six standard lines per octave, it would be very difficult to discriminate pitches when reading music on two contiguous staves. So some inventors substitute bold or dashed lines in the place of some of the normal lines. This permits the use of six lines per octave without sacrificing the ability to “stack” multiple staves contiguously for a greater pitch range.

Chromatic scale from C to C in Untitled by Klaus LieberC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Untitled by Klaus Lieber, 1983

Chromatic scale from C to C in Notation for the System of Equal Tones... by Gustave DecherC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Notation for the System of Equal Tones by Gustave Decher, 1877

Chromatic scale from C to C in Untitled by Franz GrasslC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Untitled by Franz Grassl, 1983

Chromatic scale from C to C in Ambros System by August AmbrosC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Ambros System by August Ambros, 1883

Chromatic scale from C to C in Douzave System by John Leon AchesonC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Douzave System by John Leon Acheson, 1936

Chromatic scale from C to C in Notagraph by Constance VirtueC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Notagraph by Constance Virtue, 1933

Chromatic scale from C to C in Note for Note by Walter H. ThelwallC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Note for Note by Walter H. Thelwall, 1897

Chromatic scale from C to C in Proportional Chromatic Musical Notation by Henri CarcelleC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Proportional Chromatic Musical Notation by Henri Carcelle, 1977

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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