Нотация музыкальной азбуки Брайля

Braille form of musical notation

Braille music is a braille code that allows music to be notated using braille cells so music can be read by visually impaired musicians. The system was incepted by Louis Braille. Braille music uses the same six position braille cell as literary braille. However braille music assigns its own meanings and has its own syntax and abbreviations.

Braille music, as with print music, uses a notation system to transcribe the notes, rhythm, and other aspects of a piece of music. Because blind musicians may need both hands to play their instrument, braille music is designed to ease the memorization of a score. Some aspects of the system are therefore more logical or simplified compared to print music; for example, identifying Middle C requires simply reading the written note rather than understanding where it falls on a staff. Visually impaired musicians can begin learning braille music about the time they have reasonable competence reading literary braille.

Braille music for beginners, like print music for beginners, is quite simple. Music teachers with no previous knowledge of braille music can easily learn the rudiments of braille music notation and keep a step or two ahead of the student who is learning braille music. Some common print method books have a version in braille so both books can be used alongside each other. However, many visually impaired musicians need music that has never before been transcribed to braille music. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and many other countries a network of braille music transcribers transcribe such music. Another option is to use a braille output computer music system. Most such software automatically converts print notation (sheet music) into braille.

Braille music tends to be rather bulky. Because of this, a system of repetition symbols—much more extensive than that in print music—exists to reduce page turns, size of scores, and expense of printing. The repetition symbol (dots 2,3,5,6) is used like the printed intra bar symbol to indicate that a beat, half measure, or full measure is to be repeated. In addition, braille music often includes instructions such as "repeat measure 2 here" or "repeat measures 5–7 here". Such are in addition to the commonly used repeat marks and first and second endings.

Unlike print music notation, braille music is a linear format. Therefore, certain conventions must be used to indicate contrapuntal lines and chords (where more than one note is played simultaneously within a staff).

Independent contrapuntal lines within a staff are indicated via whole or part measure in accords. The first of the contrapuntal lines is given, then the second, enclosed by the in accord symbols. The in accord symbols indicate that the two lines are to be played simultaneously.

Printed music is often written on simultaneous staves. For instance, piano music is typically written on two which compose the grand staff: one for treble clef (which soprano singers use) and one for bass clef. Standard choral work uses this mainly where they do not cross or four where they do, as for string quartet music (the most common added clefs are alto and/or tenor). The notes in different staves that play simultaneously are aligned vertically. Because of the linear nature of braille music and the fact that the blind musician can typically read only one staff at a time, multiple staves are handled in several ways depending on the complexity of the music and other considerations. Bar over bar format is most similar to print music with right hand notation on the top line and left hand notation on the bottom line. Some degree of vertical alignment between the right and left hands is maintained. Other ways of dealing with multiple staff music are: line over line format, section by section format; paragraph style; and bar by bar format. As a rule these take up less space on the page but require more of the musician in working out how to fit the staves together. For instance, in a piano score notated in section by section format, the right hand part may be written out for the first 8 measures, followed by the left hand part. No attempt is made to align the parts. The same procedure is followed for measures 9–16, and so on, section by section, throughout the score. The blind musician learns and memorizes one section right hand alone, then left hand alone, then works out the hands together by memory and referencing various spots in the braille score to work out how the sections fit together. A note from the transcriber often clarifies the format used. However, with many older and more complex scores the format must be determined by examination of the music and context.

Over the years and in the many different countries, a variety of minor differences in braille music practice have arisen. Some have preferred a different standard for interval or staff notation or used different codes for various less common musical notations. An international effort to standardize the braille music code culminated in updates summarized in the Music Braille Code 1997 and detailed in New International Manual of Braille Music Notation (1997) However, users should be aware that they will encounter divergences when ordering scores from printing houses and libraries because these are often older and from various countries.