Improvements in Musical Notation and in Type for Printing same.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Musical Notation and in Type for Printing same.
I, HANS WAGNER, of I, Graben 10, Vienna, in the Empire of Austria,
Professor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The notation hitherto in use for writing or printing musical compositions is very
intricate, having the defect of being hard to comprehend, which difficulty can only
be overcome by long practice.
The first cause of this want of clearness lies in the absence of accordance
between the written or printed length of the divisions of the bar and the spaces
separating from each other the notes and rests they contain relatively to the
duration of the same.
In the system now in use, the notes or rests printed or engraved are arranged
irregularly, that is, at undetermined intervals. The more notes or signs a division
of the bar has to contain, the longer it must be made, and it thus happens that
one bar or division of the bar becomes two, four or sixteen times longer than
another. But one division of the bar has, for the car, exactly the same
duration as another, consequently there is a want of conformity between the music
and the notation.
Further, great inconvenience arises owing to the complication of the signs.
Considering the numerous signs representing notes and rests, with or without tails,
without cross-lines or with one, two, three, four or five of the same, which are in
most cases intermingled in several groupings, there is no wonder that some thought
is needed for making out the nature of the different sounds. Skilled artists alone
are capable of rapidly deciphering musical pieces written according to this method;
unskilled people being afraid of attempting to read them at first sight.
The objects of this invention are, first, to remedy the defects pointed out above,
and, secondly, to produce types and matrices of peculiar forms by means of which
the improved notes are printed or engraved, the notes being disposed on the same
lines as before and with the usual keys.
Instead of marking the duration of the sound represented by a note by means of
cross lines or of appendages added to the head of the note, the principal divisions
of the bar are shewn by equidistant vertical lines (or linear types), and within the
equal spaces the relative positions of the notes illustrate the duration of the sounds
they represent.
In this novel system, the signs, b, 4, x, bb are no longer needed, owing to the
use of notes having their heads differently shaped.
As a general form for the heads of the notes, the usual oval shape is retained;
the notes being full (black) or empty (white).
The principles on which this new system is founded are as follow:-
(1). The black notes represent the sounds obtained by striking the black keys
of the finger-board.
(2). The white notes represent the sounds obtained by striking the white keys
of the finger-board.
(3). The notes having heads sloping toward the left correspond to the natural
notes in the key of C natural, to notes in the sharpened keys and to sharpened
notes; the black notes being used for raising the sound by a semitone.
(4). The notes having heads sloping toward the right correspond to the natural
notes in the flattened keys and to flattened notes; the black notes being used for
lowering the sound by a semitone.

page_text: The rests of whatever length are always marked by the same sign, for instance
by that shewn at 6 in Fig. 1.
For the purpose of practically producing this novel notation, any of the
processes hitherto made use of may be resorted to.
If it be desired to print the notes, special types are employed; these being
either cross types or long types.
The cross types carry the five lines and the required note (with the ledger lines
in case of need) or the sign representing the rest.
The breadth of the types is exactly proportional to the duration the printed
note or rest is intended to represent. This being the case, four crotchet-types
will fill up the entire length of a bar, and a crotchet-type will be twice as wide
as a quaver-type, four times as wide as a semi-quaver-type (Fig. 2), and eight
times as wide as a demi-semi-quaver-type, etc.
Each type of greater breadth may, however, be formed of two or more types of
less breadth.
The cross types are arranged horizontally one against the other:
In addition to the aforesaid types, others, which carry the vertical lines intended
for shewing the bars and the principal divisions of the bar, are needed. The
divisions of the bar may be represented by special lines (double lines, or others)
and the bars by thicker lines, making it easy for them to be recognised at once.
The upper part of Fig. 5 shows the first notes of the voice at the beginning of
one of Schubert's songs, written according to the usual method. The lower part
of that figure illustrates the same notes written by means of printing types
according to my new method.
The two first bars are represented as they would appear if printed by means
of cross types; the two last bars being printed with long types or with corre-
sponding matrices.
At
The long types (Fig. 4) carry only one line, with or without a note or rest.
least five types of this description are always required to form a line of printed
music (without including the types which may be needed for the ledger lines).
The length of these types is exactly in the same proportion as the breadth of the
cross types hereinbefore described.
In order that not too many types may be required for forming a single division
of the bar, use is also made of long types having either a note placed in the
middle, or two or more equidistant notes.
If the notes be engraved or obtained in any other similar way, they will no
longer be set apart at irregular intervals, as was hitherto necessary in order to
insert the sharps, flats and naturals, but they will be placed at intervals depending
upon their duration (and corresponding to the breadth of the types previously
described). The principal divisions of the bars are marked, as already explained
with reference to the printing process, by means of vertical lines.
For engraving the notes, matrices are made use of, in which the notes are cut in
the form shewn in Fig. 1, with heads turned up or down, and which also, when they
are substituted for cross types, carry the longitudinal lines.
These cross matrices are pressed into the plate, instead of the lines being cut
and the notes afterwards punched into the same, as was previously the case.
The notes hitherto employed being retained, it is easy to understand the new
notation without any special study.
This novel musical notation is distinguished from the system now in use by the

page_text: following advantages: -The usual signs indicating sharps, flats, naturals, rests,
points of time, protracted (tied) and redoubled (dotted) notes, as also note-tails
and brackets, are dispensed with; the principal divisions of the bar being repre-
sented by equal spaces. The cost of production is reduced owing to the printing
or cutting of the notes in the new system being performed more quickly and easily
than in the old one.
Dated the 31st day of May 1892.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Musical Notation and in Type for Printing same.
I, HANS WAGNER, of I Graben 10, Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, Professor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The notation hitherto in use for writing or printing musical compositions is very
intricate, and consequently has the defect of being hard to comprehend, which
difficulty can only be overcome by long practice.
The first cause of this want of clearness lies in the absence of accordance
between the written or printed length of the divisions of the bar and the spaces
separating from each other the notes and rests they contain relatively to the
duration of the same..
In the system now in use, the notes or rests printed or engraved are arranged
irregularly; that is, at undetermined intervals. The more notes or signs a division
of the bar has to contain, the longer it must be made, and it thus happens that one
bar or division of the bar becomes two, four or sixteen times longer than another.
But one division of the bar has, for the ear, exactly the same duration as another,
consequently there is a want of conformity between the music and the notation.
Further, great inconvenience arises owing to the complication of the signs.
Considering the numerous signs representing notes and rests, with or without tails,
without cross-lines or with one, two, three, four or five of the same, which are in
most cases intermingled in several groupings, there is no wonder that some thought
is needed for making out the nature of the different sounds. Skilled artists alone
are capable of rapidly deciphering musical pieces written according to this method;
unskilled people being afraid of attempting to read them at first sight.
The objects of this invention are, first, to remedy the defects pointed out above,
and, secondly, to produce types and matrices of peculiar forms by means of which
the improved notes are printed or engraved, the notes being disposed on the same
lines as before and with the usual keys.
Instead of marking the duration of the sound represented by a note by means of
cross lines or of appendages added to the head of the note, the principal divisions
of the bar are shown by equidistant vertical lines (or linear types), and within the
equal spaces the relative positions of the notes illustrate the duration of the sounds
they represent.
In this novel system, the signs "I, b, 4, x, bb" are no longer needed, owing to
the use of notes having their heads differently shaped.
The drawings hereinafter referred to are those filed with the Provisional
Specification.
As a general form for the heads of the notes, the usual oval shape is retained;
the notes being full (black) or empty (white).
-
The principles on which this new system is founded are as follow:-
(1). The black notes represent the sounds obtained by striking the black keys of
the finger-board,

page_text: (2). The white notes represent the sounds obtained by striking the white keys of
the finger-board.
(3). The notes having heads sloping toward the left correspond to the natural
notes in the key of C natural, to notes in the sharpened keys and to sharpened
notes; the black notes being used for raising the sound by a semitone.
(4). The notes having heads sloping toward the right correspond to the natural
notes in the flattened keys and to flattened notes; the black notes being used for
lowering the sound by a semitone.
by that shown at 6 in Fig. 1.
For the purpose of practically producing this novel notation, any of the processes
hitherto made use of may be resorted to.
If it be desired to print the notes, special types are employed; these being
either cross types or long types.
The cross types carry the five lines and the required note (with the ledger lines
in case of need) or the sign representing the rest.
The breadth of the types is exactly proportional to the duration the printed
note or rest is intended to represent. This being the case, four crotchet-types will
fill up the entire length of a bar, and a crotchet-type will be twice as wide as a
quaver-type, four times as wide as a semi-quaver-type (Fig. 2), and eight times as
wide as a demi-semi-quaver-type, etc.
Each type of greater breadth may, however, be formed of two or more types of
less breadth.
The cross types are arranged horizontally one against the other.
In addition to the aforesaid types, others, which carry the vertical lines intended
for showing the bars and the principal divisions of the bar, are needed. The
divisions of the bar may be represented by special lines (double lines, or
others) and the bars by thicker lines, making it easy for them to be recognised
at once.
The upper part of Fig. 5 shows the first notes of the voice at the beginning of
one of Schubert's songs, written according to the usual method. The lower part
of that figure illustrates the same notes written by means of printing types
according to my new method.
The two first bars are represented as they would appear if printed by means
of cross types; the two last bars being printed with long types or with corre-
sponding matrices.
-
At
The long types (Fig. 4) carry only one line, with or without a note or rest.
least five types of this description are always required to form a line of printed
music (without including the types which may be needed for the ledger lines). The
length of these types is exactly in the same proportion as the breadth of the cross
types hereinbefore described.
In order that not too many types may be required for forming a single division
of the bar, use is also made of long types having either a note placed in the middle,
or two or more equidistant notes.
If the notes be engraved or obtained in any other similar way, they are no longer
set apart at irregular intervals, as was hitherto necessary in order to insert the
sharps, flats and naturals, but they are placed at intervals depending upon their
duration (and corresponding to the breadth of the types previously described). The
principal divisions of the bar are marked, as already explained with reference to
the printing process, by means of vertical lines.

page_text: For engraving the notes, matrices are used, wherein the notes are cut in the form
shown in Fig. 1, with heads turned up or down, and which also, when they are
substituted for cross types, carry the longitudinal lines.
These cross matrices are pressed into the plate, instead of the lines being cut
and the notes afterwards punched into the sanie, as was previously the case.
.
The notes hitherto employed being retained, it is easy to understand the new
notation without any special study.
This novel musical notation is distinguished from the system now in use by the
following advantages:-The usual signs indicating sharps, flats, naturals, rests,
points of time, protracted (tied) and redoubled (dotted) notes, as also note-tails
and brackets, are dispensed with; the principal divisions of the bar being repre-
sented by equal spaces.
•
The cost of production is reduced owing to the printing or cutting of the
notes in the new system being performed more quickly and easily than in the
old one.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The herein-described method of recording musical sounds according to which
the notes and rests are placed in spaces representing the principal divisions of
the bar, the duration of the sound or of the rest being indicated, not by the form
of the symbol, but by its position in the space, the reading of the music being
thereby facilitated.
2. The improved type for recording musical sounds, substantially as herein
described.
3. In a system of musical notation in which long notes are employed, turning the
same either upwards or downwards according to whether the sounds they represent
are raised or lowered, thus enabling the usual signs (, b,, x, bb) to be dispensed
with, substantially as herein described.
4. In graphically representing musical notes, the employment of types or
matrices carrying one or more music-lines or rests, or one or more round or oval
note-heads, with or without music-lines, the said types or matrices, in cases where
they bear music-lines, having their breadth or their length exactly proportional to
the duration assigned to the sounds or to the rests indicated by the signs they
carry, substantially as herein described.
Dated the 28th day of February 1803
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.