Re: what about simplifying music notation?

[David Rogers]

* Marc Weber <address@hidden> [2011-03-14 04:01]:

> -- O -- (O is the body of a note here)
> -- O --
>
> the interval between both pitches depends on the location.
> Why?
>
> Why should e-g be different from g - h ?
>
> Wouldn't it be easier to assign notes (c,d,e,..) natural numbers?
> then define
>
> could be:
> ---O- nr 16
> ---O- nr 12
> ---O- nr 8
> ---O- nr 4
> ---O- nr 0
>
> to be always 4 semitones?
>
> Then many tasks such as transposing music to a different key would
> become a simple math operation: simply add a number.
>
> Many musicians who play occasionally only would benefit a lot.
>
> Has anyone else thought about this before?



Sure, various people have come up with several interesting and
useful (at least potentially useful) systems. I think in the end the
trick is not so much coming up with a good system as getting people to
adopt it. The "installed base" (to mis-use a term) of traditional
notation is very large, and people who already know any system at all
are reluctant to learn another unless it will bring them large and
immediate benefits.

In other words, your system is good but everybody will ignore you
anyway. Sad, and not ideal, but I think it's true.


--
David