Introduction to Notation Systems: Difference between revisions
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==Objectives== | ==Objectives== | ||
*Student will be able to critically assess the difference between an aural cue and its visual representation | *Student will be able to critically assess the difference between an aural cue and its visual representation | ||
*Student will learn the definitions of etic vs. emic; prescriptive vs. descriptive notations | *Student will learn the definitions of etic vs. emic; prescriptive vs. descriptive notations | ||
*Student will be able to identify the emic/etic and descriptive/prescriptive aspects of various notations | *Student will be able to identify the emic/etic and descriptive/prescriptive aspects of various notations | ||
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*J. Bennett. [https://www.wqxr.org/story/how-was-musical-notation-invented-brief-history/ "How was musical notation invented? A brief history."] (''How To Classical'' Blog, 2017) | *J. Bennett. [https://www.wqxr.org/story/how-was-musical-notation-invented-brief-history/ "How was musical notation invented? A brief history."] (''How To Classical'' Blog, 2017) | ||
*V. Williams. [https://www.mymusictheory.com/reference/345-the-evolution-of-music-notation "The Evolution of music notation."] (''My Music Theory'' Blog) | *V. Williams. [https://www.mymusictheory.com/reference/345-the-evolution-of-music-notation "The Evolution of music notation."] (''My Music Theory'' Blog) | ||
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**[https://fasola.org/resources/ Sacred Harp Shape Note Singing] | **[https://fasola.org/resources/ Sacred Harp Shape Note Singing] | ||
**Drum Notation: [https://web.archive.org/web/20131206152241/http://www.drumbook.org/drum-lessons/beginner-drums/drum-notation/ "Drum Notation."] (''Drum Book'' 2013) | **Drum Notation: [https://web.archive.org/web/20131206152241/http://www.drumbook.org/drum-lessons/beginner-drums/drum-notation/ "Drum Notation."] (''Drum Book'' 2013) | ||
**Graphic Notation: D. Hall, [http://davidhall.io/visualising-music-graphic-scores/ "The Art of Visualizing Music."] | |||
*Common popular music notations | *Common popular music notations | ||
**Jazz Chart Notation: [https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/how-to-read-jazz-chords/ "How to read jazz chords and lead sheets."] (''Jazz Guitar Online'') | **Jazz Chart Notation: [https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/how-to-read-jazz-chords/ "How to read jazz chords and lead sheets."] (''Jazz Guitar Online'') | ||
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**Javanese Gamelan cipher notation: [https://sumarsam.web.wesleyan.edu/Intro.gamelan.pdf Sumarsam: Introduction to Gamelan] (Piece database: [http://www.gamelanbvg.com/gendhing/index.php Gendhing Jawi: Javanese Gamelan Notation Database]) | **Javanese Gamelan cipher notation: [https://sumarsam.web.wesleyan.edu/Intro.gamelan.pdf Sumarsam: Introduction to Gamelan] (Piece database: [http://www.gamelanbvg.com/gendhing/index.php Gendhing Jawi: Javanese Gamelan Notation Database]) | ||
**[[wikipedia:Gongche_notation|Chinese Gongche Notation]] | **[[wikipedia:Gongche_notation|Chinese Gongche Notation]] | ||
**Ewe Yewevu Drumming (Western Analytical Notation: [https://sites.tufts.edu/yewevu/ D. Locke. "Yewevu in the Metric Matrix"]) | |||
*Various modalities | *Various modalities | ||
**Braille notation | **Braille notation | ||
Revision as of 22:34, 16 July 2020
| This lesson is part of the Fundamentals of Sound & Music module. |
Objectives
- Student will be able to critically assess the difference between an aural cue and its visual representation
- Student will learn the definitions of etic vs. emic; prescriptive vs. descriptive notations
- Student will be able to identify the emic/etic and descriptive/prescriptive aspects of various notations
- Student will assess the functionality of different notation system(s) according to specific goals (i.e. performativity vs. representation)
- Student will be familiar with various notation systems and the main sonic aspect they represent, notably: guitar tablature, lead sheet notation, braille music notation, and electronic notation formats such as Standard MIDI File and MusicXML.
Resources
Readings
Notation Explained
- Handout on Prescriptive/Descriptive and Etic/Emic notations
- A. Granade, "Cracking the Code: What Notation Can Tell Us About Our Musical Values" (Open Access Musicology, forthcoming)
- C. Rowbury, "Music Notation: What is it good for and why does it matter?" (From the Front of the Choir Blog, 2011)
- C. Rowbury, "The song is not the sheet music!" (From the Front of the Choir Blog, 2010)
- C. Rowbury, "Using sheet music to teach and learn songs: the Pros and Cons" (From the Front of the Choir Blog, 2011)
- "Specifying the information you want." (Global Notation Website, 2020)
Histories of Western Notations
- J. Bennett. "How was musical notation invented? A brief history." (How To Classical Blog, 2017)
- V. Williams. "The Evolution of music notation." (My Music Theory Blog)
Individual Notation Types
- Western notations through history
- Chant Notation(s)
- Rhythmic Modes
- Protonotation: Shaffer et al. "Protonotation" (Open Music Theory)
- Figured Bass Notation
- Sacred Harp Shape Note Singing
- Drum Notation: "Drum Notation." (Drum Book 2013)
- Graphic Notation: D. Hall, "The Art of Visualizing Music."
- Common popular music notations
- Jazz Chart Notation: "How to read jazz chords and lead sheets." (Jazz Guitar Online)
- [1]Jazz Chord Charts Database
- Slash Notation
- Nashville Notation: "Nashville Number System." (Guitar Thinker)
- Tablatures (historical and worldwide):
- Guitar Tablature: "Guitar Tab Explained." (Music Notes Now Blog)
- Ultimate Guitar Tabs
- Chinese Gugin Tablature: P. Chang "PeiyouQin"
- Other World Musics
- Ancient Greek notation (i.e. Epitaph of Seikilos: Wikipedia Article)
- Javanese Gamelan cipher notation: Sumarsam: Introduction to Gamelan (Piece database: Gendhing Jawi: Javanese Gamelan Notation Database)
- Chinese Gongche Notation
- Ewe Yewevu Drumming (Western Analytical Notation: D. Locke. "Yewevu in the Metric Matrix")
- Various modalities
- Braille notation
- MIDI signals
- XML (or other computer-coded notations)
- DAW visualizations
- Dance notation
Tools
- MIDI Monitor (Software; Mac only)
- MIDIOX (Software; Windows only)
- Audacity (Software)
Class Activities
- Discussion and demonstration of different notation systems and their individual purposes, strengths and weaknesses
- Transcription of a simple melody in guitar tablature (given fretboard diagrams) and braille music notation
- Demonstration of the creation of various electronic notation formats
- Demonstration of MIDI signals using MIDI monitor software
- Listening and "quick" transcription of musical examples: compare to score and discuss differences based on notation's function.
- In-class interpretation of various notations on different instruments.
- If you have a Javanese gamelan: Have students perform from gamelan notation and illustrate non-written practices
Assignments
- Notating short melodies in different notation systems
- Transcription assignment: ask students to transcribe examples from various musical traditions with different aims and/or given different parameters (i.e. "notate the pitch parameter.")