Sagittal notation: Difference between revisions

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[[file:sagittal_sample.gif]]

'''Sagittal notation''' is a [[musical notation]] system capable of notating almost any conceivable tuning. It was developed by [[Dave Keenan]] and [[George Secor]] with significant contributions from numerous others.

'''Sagittal notation''' is a [[musical notation]] system capable of notating almost any conceivable tuning while preserving, as much as possible, the notation of harmonies across different tunings. It uses arrow-like symbols made up of four simple components whose visual size is proportional to their alteration and whose alterations sum. It was developed by [[Dave Keenan]] and [[George Secor]] with significant contributions from numerous others.

== Flavors of Sagittal notation ==

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The '''Evo''' flavor (short for "evolutionary", previously called "mixed") uses only single-shaft Sagittal symbols, e.g. {{sagittal| /| }} {{sagittal| \! }} {{sagittal| |) }} {{sagittal| !) }}, alone or in combination with conventional sharps and flats and their doubles. Only the large variant of the double sharp {{sagittal| x }} (U+E47D) is considered to be stylistically-compatible with Sagittal symbols. Evo is much easier to learn, but it results in a greater number of symbols on the sheet, which can give it a more cluttered appearance, particularly with chords, and it may be confusing when two symbols alter the same note in opposite directions.

A sub-flavor of Evo is '''Evo-SZ''' (Evo with Stein–Zimmermann). This is where any sagittals that are notating exactly half the alteration of a sharp or flat (most often {{sagittal| /|\ }} {{sagittal| \!/ }}) are replaced by the Stein–Zimmermann semisharp {{sagittal| > }} and narrow reversed flat {{sagittal| < }}, and the corresponding combinations (most often {{sagittal| /|\ }}{{sagittal| # }} and {{sagittal| \!/ }}{{sagittal| b }}) are replaced by {{sagittal| ># }} and {{sagittal| <b }}. The narrow variants of the fractional flats {{sagittal| < }} (U+E284) and {{sagittal| <b }} (U+E285) are preferred because they preserve the Sagittal principle that the visual size of a symbol should indicate the relative size of its alteration and they reduce left-right confusion.

A sub-flavor of Evo is '''Evo-SZ''' (Evo with Stein–Zimmermann). This is where, in tempered systems, any sagittals that are notating exactly half the alteration of a sharp or flat (most often {{sagittal| /|\ }} {{sagittal| \!/ }}) are replaced by the Stein–Zimmermann semisharp {{sagittal| > }} and narrow reversed flat {{sagittal| < }}, and the corresponding combinations (most often {{sagittal| /|\ }}{{sagittal| # }} and {{sagittal| \!/ }}{{sagittal| b }}) are replaced by {{sagittal| ># }} and {{sagittal| <b }}. The narrow variants of the fractional flats {{sagittal| < }} (U+E284) and {{sagittal| <b }} (U+E285) are preferred because they preserve the Sagittal principle that the visual size of a symbol should indicate the relative size of its alteration and they reduce left-right confusion.

In tempered systems, Evo-SZ {{sagittal|>}} {{sagittal|<}} {{sagittal|>#}} {{sagittal|<b}} accidentals ''may instead'' be distinct from Sagittals like {{sagittal| /|\ }}{{sagittal| \!/ }}, when the apotome can be split in two equal parts as in [[Hemipyth|Hemipythagorean]] as literal half-sharps and half-flats, with a distinction between mapped neutral thirds like [[11/9|~11/9]] or ~[[16/13]] and [[Sqrt(3/2)|hemififths]] which might be mapped to another interval like [[49/40]] in particularly fine-grained EDOs like [[270edo|270]] or [[311edo|311]]. There is no need for this in coarser EDOs like [[24edo|24]], [[31edo|31]] or [[41edo|41]], where in this case the [[243/242|rastma]] is tempered out, and thus the mappings of the irrational hemififth and [[11/9]] coincide.

=== Revo ===

The '''Revo''' flavor (short for "revolutionary", previously called "pure") only requires one accidental per note. Revo therefore takes up less space on the sheet and presents a cleaner appearance, and it clearly indicates the direction of the overall alteration. It discards the conventional sharps and flats and their doubles and replaces them with these multi-shaft arrow-like symbols: {{sagittal| /||\ }} {{sagittal| \!!/ }} {{sagittal| /X\ }} {{sagittal| \Y/ }}. Adding a sharp or flat to a Sagittal is achieved by adding two more shafts, e.g. {{sagittal| /| }}{{sagittal| # }} becomes {{sagittal| /||| }} and {{sagittal| !) }}{{sagittal| b }} becomes {{sagittal| !!!) }}, as expected. [[2187/2048#Notation|''Apotome'']] ''complements'', that arise when the Sagital accidental alters in the opposite direction to the apotome, do not have a simple rule in Revo. One must simply memorize ~~any~~ complements one needs, as shown below.

The '''Revo''' flavor (short for "revolutionary", previously called "pure") only requires one accidental per note. Revo therefore takes up less space on the sheet and presents a cleaner appearance, and it clearly indicates the direction of the overall alteration. It discards the conventional sharps and flats and their doubles and replaces them with these multi-shaft arrow-like symbols: {{sagittal| /||\ }} {{sagittal| \!!/ }} {{sagittal| /X\ }} {{sagittal| \Y/ }}. Adding a sharp or flat to a Sagittal is achieved by adding two more shafts, e.g. {{sagittal| /| }}{{sagittal| # }} becomes {{sagittal| /||| }} and {{sagittal| !) }}{{sagittal| b }} becomes {{sagittal| !!!) }}, as expected. [[2187/2048#Notation|''Apotome'']] ''complements'', that arise when the Sagital accidental alters in the opposite direction to the apotome, do not have a simple rule in Revo. One must simply memorize the complements one needs, as shown below. For example, {{sagittal| \! }}{{sagittal| # }} becomes {{sagittal| ||\ }} (flag swaps sides) while {{sagittal| !) }}{{sagittal| # }} becomes {{sagittal| ||) }} (flag stays on same side).

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 [[file:sagittal_sample.gif]]
-'''Sagittal notation''' is a [[musical notation]] system capable of notating almost any conceivable tuning. It was developed by [[Dave Keenan]] and [[George Secor]] with significant contributions from numerous others.
+'''Sagittal notation''' is a [[musical notation]] system capable of notating almost any conceivable tuning while preserving, as much as possible, the notation of harmonies across different tunings. It uses arrow-like symbols made up of four simple components whose visual size is proportional to their alteration and whose alterations sum. It was developed by [[Dave Keenan]] and [[George Secor]] with significant contributions from numerous others.
 == Flavors of Sagittal notation ==
@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 The '''Evo''' flavor (short for "evolutionary", previously called "mixed") uses only single-shaft Sagittal symbols, e.g. {{sagittal| /| }} {{sagittal| \! }} {{sagittal| |) }} {{sagittal| !) }}, alone or in combination with conventional sharps and flats and their doubles. Only the large variant of the double sharp {{sagittal| x }} (U+E47D) is considered to be stylistically-compatible with Sagittal symbols. Evo is much easier to learn, but it results in a greater number of symbols on the sheet, which can give it a more cluttered appearance, particularly with chords, and it may be confusing when two symbols alter the same note in opposite directions.
-A sub-flavor of Evo is '''Evo-SZ''' (Evo with Stein–Zimmermann). This is where any sagittals that are notating exactly half the alteration of a sharp or flat (most often {{sagittal| /|\ }} {{sagittal| \!/ }}) are replaced by the Stein–Zimmermann semisharp {{sagittal| > }} and narrow reversed flat {{sagittal| < }}, and the corresponding combinations (most often {{sagittal| /|\ }}{{sagittal| # }} and {{sagittal| \!/ }}{{sagittal| b }}) are replaced by {{sagittal| ># }} and {{sagittal| <b }}. The narrow variants of the fractional flats {{sagittal| < }} (U+E284) and {{sagittal| <b }} (U+E285) are preferred because they preserve the Sagittal principle that the visual size of a symbol should indicate the relative size of its alteration and they reduce left-right confusion.
+A sub-flavor of Evo is '''Evo-SZ''' (Evo with Stein–Zimmermann). This is where, in tempered systems, any sagittals that are notating exactly half the alteration of a sharp or flat (most often {{sagittal| /|\ }} {{sagittal| \!/ }}) are replaced by the Stein–Zimmermann semisharp {{sagittal| > }} and narrow reversed flat {{sagittal| < }}, and the corresponding combinations (most often {{sagittal| /|\ }}{{sagittal| # }} and {{sagittal| \!/ }}{{sagittal| b }}) are replaced by {{sagittal| ># }} and {{sagittal| <b }}. The narrow variants of the fractional flats {{sagittal| < }} (U+E284) and {{sagittal| <b }} (U+E285) are preferred because they preserve the Sagittal principle that the visual size of a symbol should indicate the relative size of its alteration and they reduce left-right confusion.
-In tempered systems, Evo-SZ {{sagittal|>}} {{sagittal|<}} {{sagittal|>#}} {{sagittal|<b}} accidentals ''may instead'' be distinct from Sagittals like {{sagittal| /|\ }}{{sagittal| \!/ }}, when the apotome can be split in two equal parts as in [[Hemipyth|Hemipythagorean]] as literal half-sharps and half-flats, with a distinction between mapped neutral thirds like [[11/9|~11/9]] or  ~[[16/13]] and [[Sqrt(3/2)|hemififths]] which might be mapped to another interval like [[49/40]] in particularly fine-grained EDOs like [[270edo|270]] or [[311edo|311]]. There is no need for this in coarser EDOs like [[24edo|24]], [[31edo|31]] or [[41edo|41]], where in this case the [[243/242|rastma]] is tempered out, and thus the mappings of the irrational hemififth and [[11/9]] coincide.
 === Revo ===
-The '''Revo''' flavor (short for "revolutionary", previously called "pure") only requires one accidental per note. Revo therefore takes up less space on the sheet and presents a cleaner appearance, and it clearly indicates the direction of the overall alteration. It discards the conventional sharps and flats and their doubles and replaces them with these multi-shaft arrow-like symbols: {{sagittal| /||\ }} {{sagittal| \!!/ }} {{sagittal| /X\ }} {{sagittal| \Y/ }}. Adding a sharp or flat to a Sagittal is achieved by adding two more shafts, e.g. {{sagittal| /| }}{{sagittal| # }} becomes {{sagittal| /||| }} and {{sagittal| !) }}{{sagittal| b }} becomes {{sagittal| !!!) }}, as expected. [[2187/2048#Notation|''Apotome'']] ''complements'', that arise when the Sagital accidental alters in the opposite direction to the apotome, do not have a simple rule in Revo. One must simply memorize any complements one needs, as shown below.
+The '''Revo''' flavor (short for "revolutionary", previously called "pure") only requires one accidental per note. Revo therefore takes up less space on the sheet and presents a cleaner appearance, and it clearly indicates the direction of the overall alteration. It discards the conventional sharps and flats and their doubles and replaces them with these multi-shaft arrow-like symbols: {{sagittal| /||\ }} {{sagittal| \!!/ }} {{sagittal| /X\ }} {{sagittal| \Y/ }}. Adding a sharp or flat to a Sagittal is achieved by adding two more shafts, e.g. {{sagittal| /| }}{{sagittal| # }} becomes {{sagittal| /||| }} and {{sagittal| !) }}{{sagittal| b }} becomes {{sagittal| !!!) }}, as expected. [[2187/2048#Notation|''Apotome'']] ''complements'', that arise when the Sagital accidental alters in the opposite direction to the apotome, do not have a simple rule in Revo. One must simply memorize the complements one needs, as shown below. For example, {{sagittal| \! }}{{sagittal| # }} becomes {{sagittal| ||\ }} (flag swaps sides) while {{sagittal| !) }}{{sagittal| # }} becomes {{sagittal| ||) }} (flag stays on same side).
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