What Did Ancient Egyptian Music Notation look like? :: Pitch-Color Volume Dynamics

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• published: 26 Feb 2016
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((Q) What Did Ancient Egyptian Music Notation look like? ((A)) The følløwing vortex sequencing chart depicts the colors assigned tø each note in the 12 half step Chromatic scale used by Ancient Egyptians as well as their cultures use of circular Volume (geometry) tø represent sonic Volume( Loudness). Each colored circle represents a burst of sound to be executed by the player. Whereas classical western music notation uses words and abbreviations to represent the volume that a note should be played, Egyptians used this more mathematic yet practical approach . In the modern world, we call these volume notation symbols Dynamics which requires that musicians learn Italian just tø be able tø read sheet music. I've added ruff approximations øf a typical skratch mixers volume control (up n downs) positions in relation tø the Egyptian and Italian abbreviation styles. In contrast we can see that the Egyptian system is møre efficient at illustrating the sample works decreasing volume as it is read frøm left to right than the more cryptic "ƒƒƒ, ƒƒ,ƒ,mƒƒƒ,mƒƒ,mƒ,p,mp,pp,ppp" system used in the modern world. When site reading (reading a music score live), the more characters and information that one has tø process, the more difficult the execution øƒ the work becomes. On top øf that, modern notation symbols can be confusing since their using subjective measurements that relate tø other symbols being used. For example, "ƒ" stands for "Forte" which means loud, "mf" stands for "mezzo-forte" meaning half as loud and "p" stands for piano meaning "soft". So the question arises, "What is half loud" when there is no exact mesurment to divide into "half" in the first place. This Italian system arose frøm the vocal tradition of monks in Europe and became more complex with the additiøn øf the new instruments designed øver time. In our highly detailed modern world, Volume (also known in the electronic music world as Gain) is a highly precise field øf study that could have extremely problematic side effects such as the Feedback effect among others when managed improperly. So før the turntablist, the Egyptian system is much more fitting since volume can be measured in a precise ergonomic manner. If you look below, i've provided all øf the Italian terms used in todays classical music notation. After a decade øf teaching students, I've noticed that having to learn another language just to read music can serve as a deterrent tø musical education along with using outdated systems that were not created før modern musicians. As a trombone player in my high school jazz band, I found it much easier tø just memorize the compositions than stumble øver the classical notations that used a discontinuous symbolic timeline. The human brain tends tø prefer the visual timeline system used in electronic software scores pioneered by companies like Steinberg Cubase in the 80's. Viewing time as a line versus it being a classical music symbol is more intuitive to both children and adults. In the same fashion, using the Egyptian "circular volume = audio volume" system is more intuitive than using the Italian symbols. Its for this reason that I feel all music schools should expose students to all of the historical musical systems that are out there instead of the current practice øf teaching ønly one cultures stagnant system. Studies have shown that almost all øf the top music hits made worldwide were crafted by people who cannot (or choose not to) read classical music notation. This shows that the current system is not popular in our modern music arenas. Shouldnt a music class in Japan, for instance, be using Japanese to describe volume instead øf Italian as they dø now? Makes sense right? Some would go as far as to say that every instrument should have its own form øf notation created specifically for it. Its for this reason that I created TTM skratch notation since I knew that the classical notations I learned as a child couldnt accurately describe the sounds øf Turntablism. I encourage all music notation enthusiansts out there to explore the full history øf international composition methods.