Johnston–Copper notation
Based on Johnston's ideas but extended by means of key signatures, this is the notation used by William Copper in the works composed by the techniques of intonalism
Johnston takes as a just intonation basis the staff notation without accidentals (white keys on the piano) so that there are three 4:5:6 chords (F major, C major, and G major). Copper extends this system so that the same three 4:5:6 chords are transposed according to a key signature. In the key of C major, the Johnston and Copper systems are the same. In the key of one sharp, G major, the three 4:5:6 chords are changed so that the basis of just intonation becomes C major, G major, and D major. Any note found in this basis and not altered by a special accidental is tuned according to 5-limit just intonation: the third of the triad, or the '5' of the 4:5:6 chord, is a pure major third from the root; the fifth of the triad is a pure perfect fifth from the root.
Beyond the unaltered basis associated with any key signature, individual notes may be altered by means of accidentals. The standard sharp, flat, and natural signs have the same effect as in common practice notated Western music. A sharp put before a note will either take that note out of the diatonic system indicated by the key signature, or return a note into the diatonic system. For example in C major, the sharp before an F makes the note F#, out of the basis of the key. In G major, where the F is already a sharp as defined by the key signature, the sharp may be used to indicate a return to the key signature if the prior measure of notated music used a different notation, or if the complexity of the music requires a cautionary indication that this note is indeed to be F #. All this is just as in common practice.
When the music demands a note to be tuned differently than the 'basis' then special accidentals are used: an altered sharp sign, an altered flat sign, two altered natural signs (up and down) and two neutral signs (up and down). In Johnston-Copper Notation each such change is exactly a comma, the specific comma indicated by the ratio 81/80 and often called a Syntonic comma .
An example from Johnston shows the use of a form of a 'neutral' sign. Johnston Quartet 4 -01 and an example from Copper shows the same usage with a somewhat altered symbol.
In Johnston's hand-engraved score the neutral sign looks somewhat like a thick dash or hyphen; in Copper's notation, made with the Score computer engraving program ( scor4) , it is an arrow with a flag at the top (used for the 'down one comma' neutral indication). Both are used for exactly the same purpose: in C major, Johnston's score, the note D if unaltered would sound too high, since it is tuned by default as a perfect fifth above the G according to the three 4:5:6 chords. in beginning as he does, he wants the D to be tuned lower and in fact, tuned exactly to the open D string. In D major, Copper's score, the equivalent note is an E , a perfect fifth above the A according to the same three 4:5:6 chords in D major; and for the same reason, the note E if unaltered would sound too high in bar 3 if not altered down by a comma. This gives a first orientation toward understanding how Johnston's notation is modified by Johnston-Copper notation: the addition of a key signature changes which notes need alteration. Copper's notation in C major is identical to Johnston's, with the minor difference of symbol designs.
To indicate a 'neutral' comma higher, Johnston uses two symbols: the same thick dash or hyphen plus a small arrow pointing up. In Johnston-Copper Notation, this symbol is condensed into the simpler flagged arrow pointing up. Johnston also uses (especially in later works, such as the 6th string quartet) a modified sharp sign with a down arrow; Johnston-Copper notation uses the same symbol to indicate a note that is 'sharp', according to the key signature, and tuned down by a comma. In a flat key, such a note is indicated by a natural sign modified to add a small down arrow on the lower 'leg' of the natural sign. When a note is modified by a flat sign and at the same time must be tuned higher by a comma it is notated as a flat sign with an additional up-pointing arrow head. In a sharp key, such a note is indicated by a natural sign modified to add a small up arrow on the upper 'leg' of the natural sign.