Notation
From www.oscarvandillen.com
Definition
Notation, or Music notation is the written or printed visualization of what a performer needs to do to produce a certain piece of music. Notation indirectly represents music, by using a system of visual symbols.
Notation does not directly symbolize sound nor what can be heard, but rather that which has to be performed, so that sound is indirectly symbolized. Notation captures precise actions to produce sounds: notation is music that can be seen and read, and can thus be transferred in time or space so others can learn a piece of music without directly copying or even hearing another's, among which a composer's or a teacher's, playing.
Notation eventually also in part implies writing down what is to be percieved, what is to be heard. In this sense, notation means writing down what can be heard (both internally as imagination and externally as perception) for the reading, playing or performance, by other musicians, with symbols for sounds, tones and silences.
Forms of notation
Worldwide there are and have been various forms of music-notation, each specific for the World music tradition it has or had been developed for, each emphasizing certain important elements and leaving out others. All systems were developed by performers in their oldest forms; most use a set of 7 basic tones.
Especially the system of Western notation has spread worldwide and has been adopted by and adapted for many different traditions and styles.
Based on this system, slightly different contemporary notations have developed which will be described separately:
Differing forms of notation which will be briefly described later are:
See also
- Special:Browse/Notation - browse this page to find whiteboards treating notation.
- Lilypond
