Examine the role of notation in the development of skills and understanding in music, drawing on your own experience and music traditions known to you.
Support your theories with reference to current research and approaches to music learning.
INTRODUCTION
In this essay I will look at music notation, its functions, and its influences on musicians who use it.
Although Western staff notation, which has been virtually unchanged for about 200 years, is used across most of the world and is often thought of as a universal system, there are many other forms of music notation which are used in the Western world and in other parts of the world. I will briefly explore some of the other popular systems for writing down music, and their different uses.
I will look at how different ways of writing music on can lead to different types of understanding, and I have also studied solfa, a notation for singers, to look at the understanding that this notation promotes, and compared this to Staff notation.
Obviously, it is useful to have ways to record music, to help to remember it, especially for complicated music, longer pieces, and arrangements for large groups.
However, there are certain skills related to creative and expressive music making which are neglected by musicians whose musical education relies too heavily on literacy skills. I will be examining the advantages and disadvantages of notation, and in particular the two forms of notation I am familiar with.
My argument is that whilst notation is useful for musicians and has a place in music education, an over-emphasis on visual symbols as opposed to actual sound, is un-musical and can lead to sterility in music.
Carl Orff says:”a child must be able to feel and make rhythms and melodies before being called on to read and write music. ... )
300 words
WHAT IS NOTATION?
Music notation is the practice of using symbols to write down something about the music. The purpose is for the composer to remember what has been played, or for someone else to be able to play some music which they have not composed themselves. Notation is a visual representation of the music and depending on its accuracy and sophistication, it attempts to enable the musician to play the music that a composer has written in the way that the composer wants it to be played.
“the function of notation…. ... In staff notation, other information such as tempo, expressive elements, dynamics are written in above or below the stave, traditionally in Italian.
Apart from staff notation, other forms of notation have developed including notations for vocal music such as Solfa in Europe and Sargam in India which concentrate on pitch; instrument specific notations called tablatures which use visual representations of the musical instrument; and more recently graphic notations which may convey a mood or tell a story, leaving the exact pitch, rhythm and other musical elements for the musician to decide.
To link to this page, copy the following code to your site:
All Papers Are For Research And Reference Purposes Only!
You may not turn these papers in as your own! You must cite our web site as your source!
