NOT NUMBERS: Understanding, How to Read, Examples

One of the most important elements in learning music is notes or notations, be it numeric notes or musical notes. Although for song lovers, understanding the notes is not an essential thing. However, if you plan to study music, then you must understand the notation of numbers and blocks.

In a book entitled Proficient in Playing the Keyboard, Jenark Kidjing clearly states that number notation is the writing of songs using numbers as symbols. Number notation is used to write the notes 1 (do), 2 (re), 3 (mi), 4 (fa), 5 (sol), 6 (la), 7 (si), (do).

What Are Numbers?

Songwriting using the numeric notation method was first discovered by a French musician named Guide D'Arezzo. As the name implies, this method uses numeric symbols in reading musical notation and is very appropriate when used when learning to sing or vocalize.

Number notation is a reference for a musician in producing musical works. In this case, each number has a different volume and symbol in its use. The series of lows and highs in the numbers 1 through 7 sound very different.

According to Thursan Hakim in the book Regional Songs in Classical Pop Guitar Games (2006), it is stated that number notation is a tone symbol consisting of numbers 1 to 7.

Furthermore, it is explained that the number notation uses several signs to clarify its writing, namely as follows:

Read: Music Art

1. Horizontal Line

In numeric notation, horizontal lines play the role of marking the division of the number of beats.

2. Upright Line

Generally used as a bar limit. This is a segment of a melody line that indicates how many beats in that part.

3. Slash

In numeric notation, a slash is used to indicate a pitch that is down or up half the pitch of the original. In descending notes, use a slash to the left (\), while in ascending notes the slash to the right (/).

4. Point (.)

This sign has two functions, namely:

• The sign of the number of beats, precisely applied to the addition of the number or length of beats in a note.
• As a sign of low and high notes. If the dot is at the bottom, it means a low note. Meanwhile, if the dot is above, it indicates a high tone.

Read: Types of Musical Ensemble

How to Read Numbers

A prospective musician is required to understand how to read number notation to facilitate the learning process and be able to apply these notes in the process of making music. From this, it can be concluded that mastering number notation is a basic skill for every musician.

How to read number notation is actually not that difficult, especially if you already understand the basic symbols of notation. In numeric notation, the dot symbol can be interpreted as a beat.

If there is a dot on a number, it means that the note has one beat. However, if there are two dots after the number, it means that there are two beats in the note.

In addition to the dot symbol, number notation also has a line symbol. If the line is below two numbers, it is read as half a beat. So, the fewer the lines, the more beats in a note. So far, do you understand?

Difference between numeric notes and block notes

There are two ways to write song or music notation, namely using number notation and block notation. When writing the rhythm of a song, you definitely need musical notes and numeric notes that can be selected as needed to create harmony in the music.

The most notable difference between number notation and block notation lies in the writing of symbols. If in numeric notation symbols are written in numbers, then block notation uses images as symbols. However, basically the purpose of the two notes is the same, namely to produce rhythm.

The block notation symbol consists of images with round stems such as (d) and (p). In writing, the tone of the song is arranged using five lines which are known as staves. While the distance between the lines can be used as a tool to measure the period of time and the height of the notation.

Meanwhile, in numeric notation you must understand the dot and line symbols used in writing. If the high and low notes on the musical notes are located on the stave line, then to know the high and low rhythms in the numeral notation can be seen through the dot symbol.

The difference between numeric notation and other block notations is based on how they are written. If numeric notation uses numbers. In contrast to block notation, which tends to use letters and pictures in reading or playing music.

Read: Traditional musical instruments

Example of Song Number Notes

For those of you who are studying elements of music, especially number notation. The example of the number notation for the National Anthem of Indonesia Raya below can be used as reference material:

Learning the number notes in a song, of course, requires perseverance and high intensity. Only then will you be able to understand and play a song full of feelings.