Self-invented notation systems created by young children

Abstract

This longitudinal study investigated self-invented notation systems created by young children aged four to six. The researcher showed the children how to feel various pitches and rhythms through singing, eurhythmy, instrumental playing, rhymes and music appreciation. The children were then provided with opportunities to create music notations and share them with peers, all without showing any conventional musical notations by the researcher. A method of qualitative study was employed, and the data from the children's notations and interviews were collected and analysed. The results found that children employed quantitative sizing, graphic patterns and literal symbols as notational strategies to create systems to notate pitches or rhythms. When children simultaneously notated pitches and rhythms, they created two modes for writing music. First, they employed one notation system, as mentioned above, to write pitches and added indications such as dots, underlines or circles to refer to different timing. Secondly, the children combined two systems to write pitches and rhythms such as combining two graphic patterns, combining a graphic pattern and literal symbols, combining a graphic pattern and conventional rhythmic notations or combining conventional rhythmic notations and literal symbols. These self-invented notation systems document how young children's musical thinking becomes more complex through exploring notational strategies.

Keywords:

• music expression
• music notation
• music representations
• self-invented notation