The Top-down Path

Top-down path

It's going to be a tough sell to convince academics to pursue Alternative Notations without any evidence that they are worthwhile. If some Alternative Notations were already showing some promise as a result of a bottom-up path (even though not yet in the mainstream), then that might provide some fuel. Of course, Klavar could be the inspiration, but it's vertical timeline may be a problem for many.

For this discussion, let’s assume the concept of Alternative Notations is sold on its merits without yet a lot of feedback from the musician user community. The figure summarizes the top-down path. People involved in this path include the Alternative Notation project team, academics, music instructors, and the user (student) community.

But even if the academic community is sold on the idea, it will still remain a huge challenge to convince front-line music instructors to use, or even try out, Alternative Notations. But this is exactly the goal of the top-down path.

In the top-down path, schools of higher education research, compare, and evaluate existing Alternative Notation designs as well as individual elements in them. This could include informal and formal evaluations involving beginning students (perhaps best to start with adults for ethical reasons). An obvious approach is to work with students who have given up playing music due to the barrier of reading sheet music. Evaluation results are then published in research and educator journals, presented in music education conferences and professional organizations, and discussed on online fora. Inspired by the results, music schools and instructors would then try out them out and report/discuss results on the same platforms. With success, instructors eventually adopt notations that proves themselves as effective. The resulting supply of instruction then attracts new students who are looking for an easier way to read music.

Academia

In this path, Alternative Notations in general, or perhaps a single one, inspire a researcher to consider whether they have the potential to make a big difference in beginning student education. Perhaps just reviewing the history of Klavar is enough to pique an interest (first however, they must know it exists). The first step may be to justify research by conducting a survey of current as well as former students to quantify the extent to which students have difficulty reading Traditional Notation. This may provide insight into why students have given up playing.

There are many notations available to investigate as described in the History section above. Most of the designs are not fully developed and there may not be much (if any) sheet music available for them. The researcher will want to consider investigating individual aspects of notation reforms of staff and rhythm or focus only and/or complete designs. The researcher might also want to contact designers directly to discuss ideas. Perhaps designers have experimented with using their notations in student instruction (I know that some have).

Once convinced enough to proceed, the researcher might start by performing some formal or informal evaluations with subjects that do not already know how to read music. Even better might be to do so with subjects who really struggle to read music or have already given up playing because it. The results might lead to more in depth analysis with a wider range of audience ages, sheet music reading experience, and student aspirations. Throughout the studies, the researcher might want to give feedback to the designers and discuss further analysis. These ongoing results might validate existing designs and/or inspire new or modified designs.

But wait, here is a sidebar to this discussion. There is also the possibility that a truly inspired researcher decides to get directly involved with the development of an Alternative Notation. Read here the advantages of such a strategy.

Music schools and instructors

With some research conclusions completed, publication in academic journals and conferences would follow. A wider audience might lead to further public discussion and debate among academics, Alternative Notation designers, and music schools and instructors. As a result, the latter might try out their favorites and publish the results in music educators’ journals and teacher professional organization publications.

Of course, the degree to which instructors can proceed is limited by the maturity of a notation’s development. Some amount of sheet music must be available or created to enable evaluations. The outlook for the notation to continue development should also be considered. To be widely useful, there must be a significant amount of sheet music and instruction materials. The sheet music dependency can be resolved with screen device display apps as described earlier. Sufficiently inspired instructors might want to develop their own instructional materials.

Hopefully, there would be an ongoing feedback loop among all camps that would lead to greater refinement in designs and strategies. And with greater notation development, there would be the potential for wider audiences and social media buzz.

User Community

In the top-down scenario, students and prospective students find out about Alternative Notations through music schools and private instructors. One could say they are driven by the supply of these alternatives to Traditional Notation. A student’s development path will then be guided by the instructor who works with the student to decide when or if the student tackles Traditional Notation.

Of course, this is in contrast to the bottom-up path where the students themselves discover the notations and request their music instructors to use them (who are thus driven by demand).