The Uses of Space in Music Notation

Abstract

Space is an essential notational dimension in music. The use of space in orthochronic notation (accepted today as the standard system) is described in some detail. The historical development of this use is outlined, with examples from earlier systems. The major uses of space are to provide means of notating pitch and duration, and to indicate the sychronization of concurrent musical events. The question of how one might evaluate different ways of using space in music notation is then treated with reference to three levels of analysis: 1) the information about the music which needs to be represented, 2) the nature of the symbols (and their spatial characteristics) chosen to represent the information, and 3) the requirements of the reader.