IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL NOTATION OR SYMBOLIZING MUSICAL SOUNDS, TO BE PRINTED OR REPRESENTED ON PAPER OR OTHER MATE- SELE Voimam mu NING A VIEW TO FACILITATE THE READING
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Vincent Rola, of Southampton, Professor of Music,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL NOTATION OR SYMBOLIZING
MUSICAL SOUNDS, TO BE PRINTED OR REPRESENTED ON PAPER OR OTHER MATE-
SELE
Voimam mu BRANING on Musia
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Vincent Rola at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th April 1860.
I, VINCENT ROLA, of Southampton, Professor of Music, do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL NOTATION, OR SYMBOLIZING
MUSICAL SOUNDS, TO BE PRINTED OR REPRESENTED ON PAPER OR OTHER MATERIAL,
WITH A VIEW TO FACILITATE THE READING OF MUSIC," to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference partly to the stave or series of lines, including
also those termed ledger lines, on which musical notes or characters are
expressed, and partly to the notes or characters to be placed on the lines.
My improvements in the stave or series of lines on which the notes or
characters are expressed, consist in the production of a peculiar combination
or grouping together of the lines, some of which (for the purpose of such
peculiar combination) are to have a distinctive or characteristic feature, so as
to render them readily distinguishable from the others. And the said peculiarity
of grouping consists in producing every eighth line (computing from any line

page_text: as a commencement) of or with the same distinctive or characteristic feature,
that is to say, producing the lines in a series of sevens, whereby, by assigning
any particular note to a particular description of line and maintaining this
system throughout (whether in a treble bass or any other clef), the character
or mark placed on the particular line indicating such note may more easily
than heretofore be recognized or read, particularly when it happens to occur
outside of the stave proper, that is to say, on the ledger lines above or below
it, the only difference being that, though nominally the same note, two such
marks placed on similar lines may express an interval of two octaves, but
the signification of which will readily appear from their relative position. It
is, however, to be understood that a corresponding facility of reading will
result from notes placed on the spaces or lines adjoining, or in proximity to
such distinctive line. I would remark that this improvement need not at
all interfere with or alter the signification of musical notes as at present
expressed, but will nevertheless materially assist the eye of the performer.
In practice I consider that five descriptions of or distinct characteristic lines
will be sufficient, as I purpose more particularly explaining in the complete
Specification of my Invention, and the said lines may be rendered distinctive
the one from the other by producing them as wave lines, or thick, or thin,
or dotted lines, or two fine lines close together (to be reckoned as one line),
or otherwise, as may be preferred. Thus the necessity which obtains under
the existing system for counting the lines, whether in stave, or above or
below it, is dispensed with, the particular note intended being readily
recognized, and ambiguity avoided.
My improvements in the notes or characters to be placed on the lines or
spaces to express distinct musical sounds have reference to the intervals or
semitones, which heretofore have required the assistance of auxiliary characters,
such as sharps and flats to represent them, namely, the five semitones or
intervals, which in the scale or key of C are known as B flat, E flat, A flat,
D flat, and G flat, or as the same sounds may be otherwise called, A sharp,
D sharp, G sharp, C sharp, and F sharp respectively.
Now, my improvements with reference to these semitones, notes, or sounds,
consist in introducing and producing, as and where required, any five distinct
and characteristic symbols, one for each respectively, but each of which
shall, whenever and wherever it occurs, represent its own particular tone or
sound, and no other, as regards the particular octave or pitch within which it
may be situate, and which will be readily apparent from its position. By this
system I dispense altogether with the ordinary auxiliary symbols termed
flats, sharps, naturals, double flats, double sharps, and the like, and cause

page_text: each of the twelve sounds or tones in an octave (tuned to equal temperament)
to be distinctly and separately represented, that is to say, by introducing
five special characters as above explained; the remaining seven will also have
a "natural" fixed and definite signification, and no other.
. In practice I consider that the five special characters or symbols to be
used as aforesaid may be the vowels of the alphabet, a, e, i, o, and u; thus, a
may represent B flat or A sharp; e'may represent E flat or D sharp; 'i may
represent A flat or G sharp; o may represent D flat or C sharp; and u may
represent G flat or F sharp; and I purpose adding to them circles or marks
around them, and tails or other marks where necessary, to express the
duration of the notes, whether as semibreves, minims, crotchets, quavers, or
subdivisions of these, in the same manner in which the duration of the notes
is expressed in ordinary music.
I would remark that these my said improvements may be produced upon
and printed from engraved or embossed plates, or by any other convenient
ordinary process for producing printed music, and that the music so produced
does not necessarily require more than one printing, as it may be entirely
black or of any one uniform color.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Vincent Rola in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, VINCENT
ROLA, of Southampton, Professor of Music, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Vincent Rola, Her special licence that I, the said Vincent Rola, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Vincent Rola, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel:
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL
NOTATION, OR SYMBOLIZING MUSICAL SOUNDS, TO BE PRINTED OR REPRESENTED ON
PAPER OR OTHER MATERIAL, WITH A VIEW TO FACILITATE THE READING OF MUSIC,"

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Vincent Rola, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Vincent Rola, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative Drawing, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon for the purpose of such reference,.
that is to say :-
My Invention has reference partly to the stave or series of lines, including
also those termed ledger lines, on which musical notes or characters are
expressed, and partly to the notes or characters to be placed on the lines.
My improvements in the stave or series of lines on which the notes or
characters are expressed, consist in the production of a peculiar combination
or grouping together of the lines, some of which (for the purpose of such
peculiar combination) are to have a distinctive or characteristic feature, so as
to render them readily distinguishable from the others. And the said pecu-
liarity of grouping consists in producing every eighth line (computing from
any line as a commencement) of or with the same distinctive or characteristic
feature, that is to say, producing the lines in a series of sevens whereby by
assigning any particular note to a particular description of line, and maintain-
ing the system throughout (whether in a treble bass or any other clef), the
character or mark placed on the particular line indicating such note (or a
character or mark placed on a line or space in proximity thereto) may more
easily than heretofore be recognized or read, the facility being especially
afforded when the note happens to occur outside of the stave proper, that is
to say, on the ledger lines above or below it, in which positions the greatest
difficulty ordinarily occurs. I would remark that this improvement need
not at all interfere with or alter the signification of musical notes as at present
expressed, but will nevertheless materially assist the eye of the performer.
In performing this feature of my Invention, seven characteristics may be
adopted for the lines to be employed; thus, the seven characteristics shewn in
Figure 1 may be grouped as shewn in Figure 2, but in practice I consider
that five will be sufficient, thus the five characteristics shewn in Figure 3
may be grouped as shewn in Figure 4, by using one of the five more
frequently (or distinctive colours for the several lines may be used, if

page_text: preferred). I have shewn in Figure 5 the appropriation of the lines and
spaces to particular notes (which I purpose adopting) in juxtaposition with
the ordinary method of notation. Thus line 1 in the Figure gives the signifi-
cations; lines 2 and 3, the ordinary method of notation, and lines 4, 5, and 6,
the improved notation; the corresponding notes (in the several lines) being
placed immediately one under the other. It will be seen that the necessity
which obtains under the existing system for counting the lines, whether in
stave, or above or below it, is almost, if not entirely, dispensed with by the
improvement, ambiguity being avoided, and the particular note intended being
readily recognized, without the necessarily employing any clef or key for
fixing its signification. Thus, a wave line, wherever it occurs, will always
represent the note now called "sol" (G) and no other note, and the spaces in
proximity thereto, immediately above and below it, will always represent
"la" (A) and "fa" (F) respectively, and no other notes; and the same system
applies throughout, as exemplified in the Figure, and throughout all the clefs.
My improvements in the notes or characters to be placed on the lines
or spaces to express distinct musical sounds have reference to the intervals
or semitones, which heretofore have required the assistance of auxilliary
characters, such as sharps and flats to represent them, namely, the five semi-
tones or intervals, which in the scale or scale of "do" (C) are known as "si"
(B) flat, "mi" (E) flat, "la" (A) flat, "re" (D) flat, and "sol" (G) flat,
or, as the same sounds may be otherwise called, "la" (A) sharp, "re" (D)
sharp, "sol" (G) sharp, "do" (C) sharp, and "fa" (F) sharp, respectively.
. Now my improvements with reference to these semitones, notes, or sounds
consist in introducing and producing, as and where required, any five distinct
and characteristic symbols one for each respectively, but each of which shall,
whenever and wherever it occurs, represent its own particular tone or sound,
and no other, as regards the particular octave or pitch within which it may be
situate, and which will be readily apparent from its position. By this system
I dispense altogether with the ordinary auxilliary symbols termed flats, sharps,
naturals, double flats, double sharps, and the like, and cause each of the
twelve sounds or tones in an octave to be distinctly and separately represented,
that is to say, by introducing five special characters, as above explained; the
remaining seven will also have a fixed and definite signification and no other,
which hitherto they did not possess.
In practice I consider that the five special characters or symbols to be used
as aforesaid may be the vowels of the alphabet, a, e, i, o, and ; thus, a may
represent B flat or A sharp, e may represent E flat or D sharp, i may re-
present A flat, or G sharp, o may represent D flat, or C sharp, and u may

page_text: represent G flat or F shaft. But it will be found desirable to make the note o
representing D flat or C sharp, modified in shape (rather than making it
round) in order to distinguish it from the open dot or mark employed for other
notes. And the distinction which at present is made between the notation of
the sound, whether as sharp or flat, may still be retained by observing a dis-
tinction in the manner of placing the new characteristic, that is to say, on the
particular corresponding line, or particular corresponding space, which is to
give the name of the note, of which it is to be considered a sharp or flat
interval, as will be observed in the Figure 6, in which I have represented the
same sounds expressed in different ways placed one under the other; thus,
lines 1 and 2 give the significations, lines 3. and 4 ordinary notation, and
lines 5 and 6 the improved notation. And to these particular notes I propose
adding circles or marks around them, and tails or other marks necessary to
express the duration of the notes, whether as semibreves, minims, crotchets,
quavers, &c., or subdivisions of these (as exemplified in Figure 7), in the same
manner in which the duration of the notes is expressed in ordinary music.
I wish it to be understood that any other] method of performing my Inven-
tion or either part thereof, may be adopted by varying the details, whether as
to the characteristics to be used for the lines or notes, or the employment of
distinctive colours for the lines or notes, or in any other particular, so long as
the nature or distinctive character of my Invention or of either part thereof
be retained; and I would remark that the printing or representation on
paper, or other material of my improved musical notation, or symbolizing of
musical sounds, may be effected by the processes ordinarily employed, such as
embossing, lithographing, transferring, type printing, manuscript writing, or
in any convenient manner, and that I believe music so printed or represented
may be read with greater facility than if printed or represented in the
ordinary manner; and I also wish it to be understood that the two parts of
my said Invention.may be used either separately or in combination.
In witness whereof, I, the said Vincent Rola, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
VINCENT ROLA. (L.S.)