Course detail

Music Notation

FEKT-BPC-KPNAcad. year: 2025/2026

The course consists of the revision of the basics of music notation and the study of scores of historic and contemporary chamber, orchestral and vocal music. Students will become familiar with less common ways of musical notation, such as graphics, proportional and aleatoric notation. Part of the course is a practical introduction to Sibelius notation software.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing.MgA. Edgar Mojdl, Ph.D.

Department

Hudební fakulta (HF JAMU)

Entry knowledge

The knowledge of basic concepts of musical acoustics, tempo, expression and dynamic signs, and musical instruments tuning is required.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Evaluation of study results follows Rules for Studies and Examinations of BUT and Dean's Regulation to the Rules for Studies and Examinations of BUT. Credit is given for analysis of score during interview.
To obtain the credit it is necessary to complete at least 10 exercises during semester. Other forms of the checked instructions are specified by a regulation issued by the guarantee of the course and updated for every academic year.

Aims

The aim of the course is to familiarize students with common and less common types of music notations, scores of chamber, orchestral and vocal music, and basic work with Sibelius notation software.
The student will be able to:
- explain the meaning of the symbols in musical notation,
- analyze scores of historic chamber, vocal and orchestral music,
- explain the meaning of the symbols used in graphic scores, the principles of proportional notation and other less common ways of notation,
- characterize the scores of the second half of the 20th century and briefly orient him/herself in them
- know the basics of work with Sibelius notation software.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Ivo Zelingr: Notografie, Supraphon, Praha 1986 (CS)
Loudová, Ivana - Moderní notace a její interpretace, AMU Praha, 1998 (CS)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPC-AUD Bachelor's

    specialization AUDB-TECH , 3 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    specialization AUDB-ZVUK , 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Fundamentals seminar

9 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing.MgA. Edgar Mojdl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  1. Notograpgy - sound vs nusic visualizing adn annotation systems. 
  2. Notation principles, tablatures and alfanumeric systems, traditional notation,  graphiic score elements - information value
  3. History of notation - beginning to renaissance -choral notation reading.
  4. Tablature - history, principles, contemporary variations and formats - reading and writing exercise.
  5. Chord symbols in detail, basso continuo - reading exercise, concose harmony writing.
  6. Pitches, clefs, tranpositions, rhythm, beaming, musical form sigbs, repetition - rules of inteligiibility.
  7. Graphic score - principles and usage - exercise in creating readabel graphical presentation of musical piece.
  8. Notation SW, feaatures and usability for different purposes, Lilypond, ABC, MusicXML, relation of midi and notationvztah notace a midi systému, data formats and compatibility, further editing possibilities in graphical SW.
  9. Scorewriters Sibelius and Musescore - common features and differences, basic usage reference and tips.

Students are welcome to contribute to any of the topics according to individual  experience.  

Exercise in computer lab

4 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing.MgA. Edgar Mojdl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  1. Sibelius scorewriter, mastering GUI, entering musical data, text fields and chord symbols.
  2. Instruments and parts, percussion notation, score layout modification possibilities.
  3. MIDI to score conversion, simplifying and editing, using other import and export formats.
  4. Detailed transcription of complex notation exactly - voices, symbols, positioning etc.