NUMERICAL NOTATION. Tn modern music, a system used in theoretical works on music, of indicating single tones or entire chords by means of numerals. Every tone of a musical instrument can be denoted by a numerical sign indicating accurately its pitch. Middle C (the first note of the treble-clef requiring a leger-line helmr, or the first note of the hass-elef requir ing a leger-line above) is denoted by the small letter c with the number I placed on the night side above, et. The tones of the octave below this middle C are indicated by the small letters of the alphabet. ally numbers, c, d, e. f. g, a, b: the next lower octave by the capital let ters, C, 1), E, F, A, It; the octave below this by capitals with the number I (either on the right side above, or, better, on the left side below), C. ,1), ,E. or Tr. E', etc. The octave beginning with middle C adds the num ber I to the small letters, e', e', etc.: the next octave adds 2, etc.; the next 3, e', etc. This system of notation is espe cially used in indicating the range of various instruments. The range, therefore, of the piano can briefly 1w indicated as from ,A The pitch of the different strings of the violin is aecurately indicated by g, a', of the cello by C, el a.
Arabic figures are also used to indicate the fingering in compositions. For on the violin only four numbers are used. as the thumb is not used in playing that instrument. 1 refers to the index, 2 to the middle finger, etc.
In marking the fingering of piano compositions the thumb is indicated by 1, lite index by 2.
middle linger 3, etc. The older system of marking the thumb by x, and the other lingers as in violin-music, has fallen into complete dis use. For use of figures in figured bass notation, se(' 11WD In violin music the Roman numerals 1. 11, III, IV represent the strings ee, a, d, g, respee tkely, but ordinarily lhatian figures are employed to indicate chords. A large figure indicates a major. a small a minor. triad. The Milne of the key is placed before the figure, a capital letter to denote a major, a small letter to denote a minor key. Thus A IV means the sub dominant. of A major (a major chord on the fourth degree of A) ; C in, the minor triad on the third degree of C major; a V, the dominant Of A minor (a major triad on the fifth de gree). A diminished triad is marked by a small figure with a 0 on the upper right side; an augmented triad, by it prime ('). Thus Dvit° means the diminished triad on the seventh degree of 1) major (c:, e, g) ; the augmented triad on the third degree of F minor (a b, c. e). Chords of the se%entli are indicated as the triads with an Arabic 7 on the lower right side; CIV, means the eliord of the dominant seventh in fl (d, a, e) ; chord of the diminished seventh in I! minor (a:. er.. e, g). This system was introduced by the eminent theorist G. Weber.