Quartertone Notation
Quarter tone notation has been a subject of discussion, with many different inputs for quite some time. There exists a standardization on how to represent our current 12 tones that we use. There is a general consensus that a sharp symbol has a standard appearance much like the # sign, and the flat symbol has an appearance much like the letter b. Chords or intervals can be written such as A-C#-E or C-Eb-G using nothing more than a simple computer keyboard. These accidentals are also easily recognizable and easy to differentiate between. In addition, anyone who is familiar with reading music has very likely seen and encountered these symbols before.
However, quarter tone notation is not quite a simple as twelve pitches with two single modifier symbols, or in the case of a double sharp or flat two additional modifiers, as we now have to incorporate things such as a quarter-sharp into our notation, or even something like an e three-quarters-flat. These new additions can pose new challenges to both notation as well as the readability in a performance or analytical setting.
Many methods have been proposed with varying degrees of acceptance, success, and widespread use. Nearly all of these proposed solutions make use of the symbols that we already know such as the sharp and flat, with a slight variation or addition. Some of the systems proposed create entirely new symbols, doing away with the sharp and flat completely.
In a very informative and insightful dissertation by Myles Skinner, many different aspects of quarter tones are explored. A collection of different proposed notations is shown below.
However, quarter tone notation is not quite a simple as twelve pitches with two single modifier symbols, or in the case of a double sharp or flat two additional modifiers, as we now have to incorporate things such as a quarter-sharp into our notation, or even something like an e three-quarters-flat. These new additions can pose new challenges to both notation as well as the readability in a performance or analytical setting.
Many methods have been proposed with varying degrees of acceptance, success, and widespread use. Nearly all of these proposed solutions make use of the symbols that we already know such as the sharp and flat, with a slight variation or addition. Some of the systems proposed create entirely new symbols, doing away with the sharp and flat completely.
In a very informative and insightful dissertation by Myles Skinner, many different aspects of quarter tones are explored. A collection of different proposed notations is shown below.
While the first three of these systems have been used quite often in the composers' own work as well as in others, I prefer Skinner's notation as this notation is widely recognized by music engraving software such as Sibelius or Finale. Skinner's notation is also easiest for me personally to use when sketching ideas or writing down passages as it retains the same style and structure that conventional accidentals possess. Further writings and documentation on this site will also use this notation format.