Method of representing rhythm in music notation and display therefor

Abstract

A music notation display system that adds distinguishable timing bars to standard music notation assists students learning to read music and assists musicians to correctly play rhythms in music. Each timing bar corresponds to an equally timed portion of a measure of written music, such as a certain number of beats or half-beats. The timing bars may be depicted as differently shaded, patterned, or otherwise differentiated background areas to the notes and rests of the music. Musical notes and rests that fall within a timed portion of the music that corresponds to a timing bar are displayed within a space defined by the timing bar. The widths of timing bars across a musical staff may be equal, or may vary, such as to accommodate printing associated lyrics of different lengths or to comfortably fit in the notes of the timed portion. Embodiments of the system are usable with various music notation systems, such as Braille and/or computer-implemented music notation systems.

1 . A method of displaying rhythm in musical notation, comprising:
 displaying upon an electronic display device at least one musical staff upon which musical symbols representing music can be displayed; and   displaying a plurality of timing bars along the musical staff, each timing bar extending across the musical staff, wherein adjacent timing bars are distinguishable from one another, each timing bar corresponding to an equal timed portion of the music and defining a space on the musical staff within which one or more musical symbols corresponding to musical notes and rests to be played during the equal timed portion of the music can be displayed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjacent timing bars are visually distinguishable from one another. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , where adjacent timing bars have different background shadings. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a plurality of the timing bars have colored background shading. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one timing bar with a colored background shading is adjacent to at least one timing bar without background shading. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein adjacent timing bars are differently colored from one another. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of the timing bars have different background patterns. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying one or more musical symbols corresponding to musical notes within at least one space defined by at least one timing bar. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the location of at least one musical symbol corresponding to at least one musical note within the space defined by at least one timing bar communicates information about when the musical note should be played with respect to the corresponding equal timed portion of the music. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising printing the musical staff and the plurality of timing bars on paper. 
     
     
         11 . A method of representing rhythm in a music composition using an electronic display device, the method comprising:
 displaying upon an electronic display device a musical staff comprising five horizontal lines;   displaying on the musical staff a musical composition comprising a plurality of musical notes, each musical note being associated with a number of beats, or a portion of a beat, wherein the musical notes are positioned on the musical staff and are divided amongst a plurality of measures, each measure being defined, at least in part, by one or two measure bars placed across the musical staff in a direction perpendicular to the five horizontal lines, each measure further representing an equal number of beats of the musical composition; and   displaying upon the electronic display device a plurality of timing bars positioned on the musical staff, each timing bar representing an equal number of beats within a measure, wherein each timing bar is distinguishable from a timing bar adjacent to it along the musical staff, and wherein the one or more musical notes of the measure are displayed within the timing bars, based, at least in part, on the number of beats or portions thereof associated with each of the one or more musical notes.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each timing bar corresponds to one beat of the musical composition. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each timing bar corresponds to one half-beat of the musical composition. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising printing the musical staff and the plurality of timing bars and the plurality of musical notes on paper. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing at least two musical staffs, wherein at least one timing bar extends across the at least two musical staffs. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the timing bars extends below the staff and wherein at least one musical note can be displayed below the staff and within the space defined by at least one timing bar. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the timing bars extends above the staff and wherein at least one musical note can be displayed above the staff and within the space defined by at least one timing bar. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , additionally displaying the musical staff and timing bars in a non-electronic format. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each timing bar is tactilely distinguishable from its adjacent timing bars. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the timing bars are embossed, such that the timing bar is distinguishable by the distance to which the timing bar is raised or lowered in comparison to at least one adjacent timing bar. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the music notation is Braille music notation.