The Importance of a Good Notation
In his 1911 book An introduction to mathematics, Alfred North Whitehead wrote (p. 59):
By relieving the brain of all unnecessary work, a good notation sets it free to concentrate on more advanced problems, and in effect increases the mental power of the [human] race. Before the introduction of the Arabic notation, multiplication was difficult, and the division even of integers called into play the highest mathematical faculties.
Probably nothing in the modern world would have more astonished a Greek mathematician than to learn that, under the influence of compulsory education, a large proportion of the population of Western Europe could perform the operation of division for the largest numbers. This fact would have seemed to him a sheer impossibility. The consequential extension of the notation to decimal fractions was not accomplished till the seventeenth century. Our modern power of easy reckoning with decimal fractions is the almost miraculous result of the gradual discovery of a perfect notation.
----------------
Great quote, isn't it?
It clarifies the two essential benefits of a good notation, to wit, that it:
1. Enables domain specialists to advance the state of the art; and it
2. Enables a higher percentage of non-specialists to master the domain's fundamentals.
That's a pretty powerful combination, which explains why notational improvements have been the key to so many of humanity's great leaps forward.
Likewise, JIMS Isomorphic Music System (JIMS)
1. Enables creative artists to advance the state of the art (through such novel effects as Dynamic Tonality), and
2. Enables a higher percentage of non-musicians to master the musical domain's fundamentals.
Or, at least, that's my claim. Time will tell. ;-)
In the meantime, today's music education establishment will continue to argue -- as Greek mathematicians did in their day -- that their domain's high failure rate is due to the inherent difficulty of their domain, not due to the imperfection of their notation (and instrumentation). Perhaps JIMS, too, will astonish domain experts by doing the impossible.
By relieving the brain of all unnecessary work, a good notation sets it free to concentrate on more advanced problems, and in effect increases the mental power of the [human] race. Before the introduction of the Arabic notation, multiplication was difficult, and the division even of integers called into play the highest mathematical faculties.
Probably nothing in the modern world would have more astonished a Greek mathematician than to learn that, under the influence of compulsory education, a large proportion of the population of Western Europe could perform the operation of division for the largest numbers. This fact would have seemed to him a sheer impossibility. The consequential extension of the notation to decimal fractions was not accomplished till the seventeenth century. Our modern power of easy reckoning with decimal fractions is the almost miraculous result of the gradual discovery of a perfect notation.
----------------
Great quote, isn't it?
It clarifies the two essential benefits of a good notation, to wit, that it:
1. Enables domain specialists to advance the state of the art; and it
2. Enables a higher percentage of non-specialists to master the domain's fundamentals.
That's a pretty powerful combination, which explains why notational improvements have been the key to so many of humanity's great leaps forward.
Likewise, JIMS Isomorphic Music System (JIMS)
1. Enables creative artists to advance the state of the art (through such novel effects as Dynamic Tonality), and
2. Enables a higher percentage of non-musicians to master the musical domain's fundamentals.
Or, at least, that's my claim. Time will tell. ;-)
In the meantime, today's music education establishment will continue to argue -- as Greek mathematicians did in their day -- that their domain's high failure rate is due to the inherent difficulty of their domain, not due to the imperfection of their notation (and instrumentation). Perhaps JIMS, too, will astonish domain experts by doing the impossible.
Labels: JiMS, music theory, notation
posted by JimPlamondon | 3:35 PM
2 Comments:
Very thoughtful post.
"In the meantime, today's music education establishment will continue to argue -- as Greek mathematicians did in their day -- that their domain's high failure rate is due to the inherent difficulty of their domain, not due to the imperfection of their notation (and instrumentation)."
Similarly to the Music Notation Project's premise (http://musicnotation.org/), you've articulated it well that music notation has many inherent disadvantages "accepted" by tradition which ought to be given the careful and justifiable consideration for an alternative method.
Scott R. Evans
www.stringtheorychords.com
You are most kind. Thanks for the comment.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home