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Do-Re-Midi: Funkamentals of a Text-Based Musical Notation
version 1.0
Do-Re-Midi allows musical
ideas, melody lines, riffs, arrangements, and even full scores to be
easily shared via e-mail or other text-based (ASCII) English
communication. Now, when a friend writes asking how that bass
line of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams" goes, you can type it out and save
humming it over a long-distance call. Or you can compose a new
song on an airplane when all you have is a PowerBook with a word
processor. No special composing software or music font is
needed. Each voice of a composition is typed as if in sentences
using familiar and intuitive syllables, symbols, and phonemes.
Novices can read Do-Re-Midi more easily than standard musical notation,
as no more than a rudimentary familiarity with the musical scale is
requisite.
An example of a famous music passage written in Do-Re-Midi follows the full description of this notation below.
A standard fixed-width font (e.g. Courier) is required for writing and displaying Do-Re-Midi.
Note: A shareware program to automatically convert MIDI files into Do-Re-Midi is in the early stages of development.
Suggestions for revision are welcome.
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Contents:
I. Notes
II. Duration
III. Rests
IV. Octaves
V. Dynamics
VI. Time Signatures
VII. Other Tones, Sound Effects, and Noises
VIII. Other Notation
IX. Do-Re-Midi Example
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I. Notes:
do = C
re = D
mi = E
fa = F
so = G
la = A
ti = B
do# = C sharp or D flat
re# = D sharp or E flat
fa# = F sharp or G flat
so# = G sharp or A flat
la# = A sharp or B flat
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II. Duration:
do = quarter note
re = quarter note
mi = quarter note
fa = quarter note
so = quarter note
la = quarter note
ti = quarter note
doo = half note
ree = half note
mii = half note
faa = half note
soo = half note
laa = half note
tii = half note
dooo = dotted half note
reee = dotted half note
miii = dotted half note
faaa = dotted half note
sooo = dotted half note
laaa = dotted half note
tiii = dotted half note
doooo = whole note
reeee = whole note
miiii = whole note
faaaa = whole note
soooo = whole note
laaaa = whole note
tiiii = whole note
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III. Rests:
: = quarter rest
:: = half rest
::: = dotted half rest
:::: = whole rest
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IV. Octaves:
-do = low C
-re = low D
-mi = low E
-fa = low F
-so = low G
-la = low A
-ti = low B
do = middle C
re = middle D
mi = middle E
fa = middle F
so = middle G
la = middle A
ti = middle B
+do = high C
+re = high D
+mi = high E
+fa = high F
+so = high G
+la = high A
+ti = high B
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V. Dynamics:
do = piano
re = piano
mi = piano
fa = piano
so = piano
la = piano
ti = piano
Do = forte
Re = forte
Mi = forte
Fa = forte
So = forte
La = forte
Ti = forte
DO = fortissimo
RE = fortissimo
MI = fortissimo
FA = fortissimo
SO = fortissimo
LA = fortissimo
TI = fortissimo
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VI. Time Signatures:
4/4
3/4
2/4
(and so on)
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VII. Other Tones, Sound Effects, and Noises:
ah
bz
ch
mm
oo
ft
pr
sh
ss
ts
zp
zz
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VIII. Other Notation:
^ = slur
x = drum hit (specify type)
X = drum hit accented
* = cymbal (specify type)
5 = hand clap
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IX. Do-Re-Midi Example (four seconds of a famous song)
In the example below, each
voice of the piece is typed from left to right on its own line.
Voices which sound simultaneously are aligned vertically. Notice
that the melody has two lines to indicate harmony. The
arrangement of the piece can be easily altered in Do-Re-Midi by moving
the notations left or right, just as notes are adjusted in sequencing
software.
"Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" by Eurythmics (P) 1983
4/4 (180 bpm)
(lyric)
Sweet
dreams are made
of this
(melody)
:: Ree#
Ree# Doo Re#
Reee# Re#^Reee
:: Soo
Soo Ree# So
Sooo Soo^Faaa
(bass)
-DOO do do re# re# do do -so# -so# -so# do -so -so -la# do
(bass drum)
x : x :
x : x : x
: x : x
: x :
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