Integer Notation doesn’t reinvent music theory, it just gives a different way to describe the notes. I’ve been thinking lately about how it might clash with other systems using numbers, like the Nashville Number System for chords or the tab system for guitar. Both of these are too useful to discard for a whole new system and maybe it’s too complicated to be using more than one at a time.

But I think as long as it’s clear what system it is at what time, it’s a small mental adjustment to use the same numbers for different things. For example, the names of the intervals. They do not need to change, in fact we can make them clearer by translating the difference between two numbered notes into the traditional names:

unison = 0

minor 2nd = 1 (2-1)

major 2nd = 2

minor 3rd = 3

major 3rd = 4 (3+1)

perfect 4th = 5 (4+1)

tritone = 6 (3 whole tones)

perfect 5th = 7 (5+2)

minor 6th = 8 (6+2)

major 6th = 9 (6+3)

minor 7th = 10 (7+3)

major 7th = 11 (7+4)

octave = 0 (12 = 8+4)

Man do I hate how WordPress works anymore. Can’t make a simple list? Well that’s my one idea for now.