Stromian Tuplet Notation: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Stromian tuplet notation 1.jpg|thumb|Nested tuplet from polyriddim by phonon|200x200px]] | [[File:Stromian tuplet notation 1.jpg|thumb|Nested tuplet from polyriddim by phonon|200x200px]] | ||
[[File:Stromian tuplet notation 2.jpg|thumb|Nested tuplet used frequently in The Black Page by Frank Zappa|199x199px]] | [[File:Stromian tuplet notation 2.jpg|thumb|Nested tuplet used frequently in The Black Page by Frank Zappa|199x199px]] | ||
'''Stromian tuplet notation''' is a system for expressing ''' | '''Stromian tuplet notation''' is a system for expressing '''tuplets'''. STN’s main purpose is to convey complicated tuplet ideas over text. The system strikes a balance between legibility and efficiency. | ||
11[8:6+5]:8 —> 11[8:6+5]:8/8 | |||
When written with STN, the exact length of the tuplet can be ambiguous. If there’s a 4 in the denominator, that could mean that the tuplet is 4 ''quarter notes'' long, but it could also be 4 ''eighth notes'', 4 ''sixteenth notes'', etc. This ambiguity can be solved by writing the denominator as a '''time signature''' instead of a plain number. | |||
11[8:6+5]:'''8''' —> 11[8:6+5]:'''8/8''' | |||
The notation system used on the Metr tool on chambercode.com is very similar to STN, the main difference being that it doesn’t have STN’s redundant numerators. | The notation system used on the Metr tool on chambercode.com is very similar to STN, the main difference being that it doesn’t have STN’s redundant numerators. | ||
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|+ | |+ | ||
! | ! | ||
!Tuplet | |||
!Notation | !Notation | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Stromian Tuplet Notation | |Stromian Tuplet Notation | ||
|11:8 with a nested 8:6 at the beginning | |||
|11[8:6+5]:8 | |11[8:6+5]:8 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Metr | |Metr | ||
|11:8 with a nested 8:6 at the beginning | |||
|[8:6+5]:8 | |[8:6+5]:8 | ||
|} | |} | ||
Revision as of 03:59, 20 June 2026
Stromian tuplet notation is a system for expressing tuplets. STN’s main purpose is to convey complicated tuplet ideas over text. The system strikes a balance between legibility and efficiency.
When written with STN, the exact length of the tuplet can be ambiguous. If there’s a 4 in the denominator, that could mean that the tuplet is 4 quarter notes long, but it could also be 4 eighth notes, 4 sixteenth notes, etc. This ambiguity can be solved by writing the denominator as a time signature instead of a plain number.
11[8:6+5]:8 —> 11[8:6+5]:8/8
The notation system used on the Metr tool on chambercode.com is very similar to STN, the main difference being that it doesn’t have STN’s redundant numerators.
| Tuplet | Notation | |
|---|---|---|
| Stromian Tuplet Notation | 11:8 with a nested 8:6 at the beginning | 11[8:6+5]:8 |
| Metr | 11:8 with a nested 8:6 at the beginning | [8:6+5]:8 |
Limitations
A triplet inside of a nested triplet is pretty easy to conceptualize when reading it on sheet music, as opposed to STN, where it would be written like “3[3[3:2+1]:2+1]:2”. STN has its limitations, but it allows those familiar with it to glance at “11[6+9:5]:8” and think “ah yes, a 11:8 tuplet with a nested 9:5 at the end”.