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Exploring Alternative Music Notation Systems

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Lines a Whole Step and Major 3rd Apart, 4 per Octave

In these systems the lines are either a whole step or a major third apart. The bold lines help the eye discriminate between different lines, facilitating pitch identification. An alternating 6-6 notehead ‘color’ (hollow or solid noteheads) makes it even easier to differentiate between pitches. See the Using Notehead Color for Pitch for more about this strategy and how it affects rhythmic notation.

Chromatic scale from C to C in Isomorph Notation by Tadeusz WójcikC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Isomorph Notation by Tadeusz Wójcik, 1952

Chromatic scale from C to C in DA Notation by Rich ReedC C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

DA Notation by Rich Reed, 1986

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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