grid notation and counting
for beginners and dabblers
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Many music teachers may cringe at the idea of an alternate method of notation - I get it. Standard musical notation is precise and efficient.
The notation presented below is a simplified grid notation, used often by hand drummers and other percussionists. It is not meant to take the place of standard staff notation, but to provide a more accessible alternative for learning and sharing music.
C - F - G - C
C - F - G - C
While letters can represent chords, that is the only information provided here. The letters above indicate which chords are played but they don't tell you if the chords are played one right after the other, if there are rests between chords, or how long each of these chords or rests last.
Musical notation gives us a way to provide this information.
Musical notation is a written language used to place sounds in time.
Musical notation is a written language used to place sounds in time.
We use notation so we can refer back to a piece of music and be able to play it the same way later. We also use notation to share music with others.
If you are new to music and songwriting this new language can be a bit overwhelming.
In this short post, we will explore a simplified notation method that allows beginners - and dabblers - the opportunity to write, replay and share music.
Standard Notation
4 beats to a measure and a quarter note gets one beat
Simplified Rhythm Notation aka Grid Notation.
Simplified Rhythm Notation uses
•A table rather than staves.
•Beats are counted across the table header.
•Each row of the table is a bar, or measure.
•Each cell represents a beat in the measure.
In the first two rows (measures), you are playing each of the chords the same duration, one beat each.
In the last two measures, there is a rest ( / ) on the last beat of each measure.
This may not be very exciting musically but chords, rests, and their durations are clearer.
cell in this table = 1 beat
each row = one measure or bar
letters = chords
and
/ = rest
Let's go a step further and double our possibilities. Instead of each cell representing one beat, each cell will now represent a half-beat. This is known as dividing.
Instead of 1 - 2 - 3 - 4, we now have 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.
If you want to indicate a chord for one full beat you would have to use a line, showing that chord across two cells.
There are still 4 beats to a measure, but we now have eight possibilities rather than just 4.
In the first table (1-2-3-4), the chords in each cell would be equivalent to quarter notes and in the 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & table, each cell would be equivalent to an eighth note.
in our new table the above sequence would be written this way:
You can take this even further, subdividing with 1 e and a 2 e and a 3 e and a 4 e and a, where each cell is now equivalent to a sixteenth note.
Pick up your songwriting notebook and draw any of these tables - fill them in with some common chord progressions and just play.
This simplified notation in no way replaces modern staff notation. It is a way to allow beginners and dabblers the opportunity to explore notation. Write down your music and be able to either share it, or pick it up later and play it again.
Music students and beginner - intermediate songwriters, Songwriter’s Companion Notebook contains common chord progression charts and 2-page spreads for song building. Just enough how-to to start, and plenty of room to create. There’s also space to brainstorm rhymes and a convenient place to park music (now with simplified rhythm notation tables) and lyric hooks. Numbered pages make it easy to find notes, songs and reference information. Choice of Ukulele, Piano or Guitar.
bound notebook
You now have the option of using rhythm notation tables on your music hooks pages.
No need to create your tables - just fill them in.
Happy Music-ing!
Happy Music-ing!
Try writing rhythms - play with 2 Tones.
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