This video offers an introduction to TTM (turntablist transcription method), a system of notation designed for notating turntable-based music.

TTM is derived from a graph of the rotation of the record vs. time. The vertical axis of the staff represents the rotation of the record, and the horizontal axis represents time.

About The TTM System

The Turntablist Transcription Method, also known as TTM, appears to be the most popular method of transcribing turntablism. This structure consists of a grid that subdivides the beats of the song being played. This grid consists of thicker lines to separate the beats, and thinner lines for subdivisions within the beat. Lines are drawn going in an upward motion to indicate that the record is going forwards and downward to indicate that the record is going backwards. This method is read from left to right and the lines drawn represent the scratches, which slant from left to right. Slower movements are always slanted but appear to be 45 degrees or less from the horizontal axis and faster movement appear greater than 45 degrees but never can fully reach a 90 degree angle from the horizontal access. Due to the fact that a turntablist is always scratching a music sample, the word or name of the sample is listed to the left of the grid. The beginning of this sample is present at the bottom of the grid and the end of the sample is at the top, with all the subdivisions of the sample being subdivided by the grid that appears vertically. The name of the record being scratched is listed above and to the right of the grid. Although this method is extremely unique in its notation structure, it does use conventional dynamic markings such as crescendo and diminuendo. These are listed underneath the grid and appear to be the only characteristic similar to that of standard music notation. Another unique characteristic of this system is the use of drum scratching. When scratching drums, a unique symbol is given to the kick, snare, or hi-hat and these are drawn on the grid along with lines indicating if the record is going backwards or forwards. When a record is simply played, lines are drawn from the lower left corner of the grid section representing each beat to the upper right corner.

This method has many strong points that can allow a turntablist to utilize its methods. Any DJ with scratching experience can learn this system in a relatively short period of time. With practice, a DJ could possibly sight read with some efficiency but there are some factors that could prevent one from doing so. This method features a way to notate scratching on a turntable but may prove more difficult when focusing on a song in its entirety. It is true that two of the TTM staffs can be used to identify a song with one record being scratched and the other record being played. Sight-reading various scratches is possible but notating or reading a full-length song could prove to be difficult and extremely lengthy. In order for a DJ to read a full-length song, he would be constantly flipping through multiple pages, even if the song only appeared to be very short. This would require a turntablist to flip through many pages, which is similar to when a guitarist reads guitar tab. A lengthy song would be difficult to keep on a music stand. For this reason, sight-reading using this method might only appear useful for learning scratching techniques or short etudes. The only other downside to reading using this method for a full song would be that it doesn’t appear to address sections of a full-length song. Measures can be numbered but due to it’s lengthy use and absence of defining sections of a song, it would be easy for the turntablist to become lost when reading the song.

This is not to say that reading using this method is impossible, but would require one to be quite familiar with the song before attempting to read it. As noted earlier, the turnablist will face the same challenges that appear when a guitar player attempts to read guitar tab. If the player has heard the song already, he will have a much easier time reading the song. Without hearing the song, the player may be able to play something similar to the song that the composer intended but it would require lots of practice and the turntablist would face some limitations when sight reading.

The TTM system is a revolutionary method that allowed the turntablist to notate music for the first time. Despite it major differences from that of standard music notation other than its use of crescendo and diminuendo, it appears to be an effective way of transcribing turntable music.

via TTMethod

The International Music Score Library Project is a cool site that lets you download public domain music scores for free:

MSLP attempts to create a virtual library containing all public domain musical scores, as well as scores from composers who are willing to share their music with the world without charge. You can read the full list of goals that IMSLP will try to achieve.

IMSLP also encourages the exchange of musical ideas, both in the form of musical works, and in the analysis of existing ones. Therefore, feel free to create/edit a page with your analysis of a particular piece (please use the “Discussion” link on the work page of that particular piece).

The site already offers over 17,000 scores.

Unfortunately, the “modern” category (post 1945) is woefully underrepresented, because of copyright laws.

I was able to download a PDF of Terry Riley’s In C, one of the seminal works of minimalist music, but only 69 composers are currently represented at all in this category.

If you’re creating music that uses traditional, or even non-traditional, notation, check out the IMSLP and consider sharing your scores via the site.

IntelliScore Ensemble listens to prerecorded or live music (in WAV, MP3, WMA, or CD format) and creates a multiple-track MIDI (.mid) file containing the notes played, broken down by instrument. The MIDI file, in turn, is suitable for notation, cleanup/editing, and playback.

Version 7.1 adds improved support for Windows Vista and an enhanced help system.“Many have considered multi-instrument conversion to be the ‘holy grail’ of music recognition,” said Joe Kohler, president of Innovative Music Systems. “Now, that quest is finally a reality with intelliScore Ensemble.”

In addition to supporting multiple instruments, the latest intelliScore provides other new helpful features. For example, if the audio recording is a drum track, intelliScore can create a MIDI file to indicate where the beats are. It also now supports WMA (Windows Media Audio) files and the converting of several audio files at the same time.

If you’ve had a chance to use IntelliScore, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

• Start with music you find on the Internet (tens of thousands of free MIDI files).
• Customize and arrange the music to fit your or your group’s particular needs -fake book lead sheets, custom parts (which stay connected with the main score), instruments or voices in your group, easy-notes for learning.
• Use Composer to compose from scratch as well – it’s designed to help you compose, not just print music you’ve already written.

Notation Musician

• Follow the musical notes on your screen as you listen to the music, and print your own sheet music for performance.
• Set up practice loops, change lyrics, transpose to suit your instrument or vocal range, and use Musician as your accompanist.
• Learn musical notation by watching the notes as you listen to familiar songs.

Notation Composer
Composer has all the features of Musician, and additionally

• Extensively and intuitively edit the musical notation – Composer gracefully places music symbols so you can concentrate on your creativity.
• Produce clearly written sheet music to share with others.
• Add and edit notes, including performance aspects such as volume, tempo, and other areas easily in a graph that overlays the notation. You can see and hear exactly where you edit the performance.
• Create music using an electronic keyboard, or a computer keyboard and mouse, depending on which method you are most comfortable with.

Notation Composer and Notation Musician run on Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP (Vista support is coming soon). Notation Musician 2.0 ($49.9 5USD) and Notation Composer 2.0 ($149.95 USD) can now be purchased online.

Among the new scoring features in Notion 1.6 are support for lyrics, chord symbol entry and playback, special note entry (x, triangle, and slash), and forced “page-turns” as well as improvements to tempo markings, beaming, ties, tuplets, and overall rendering of score appearance. The handling of repeats has been improved as well as NOTION’s ability to read and interpret articulations and imported data.

To coincide with the release of Sessions: Rhythm Section, the company’s first sound expansion kit featuring pop and rocks sounds and recordings, Notion now includes the ability to notate for drum set. This includes multiple instruments on one staff, alternate note heads, “stir” feature for realistic sounding jazz brush techniques on snare drum, ghost note notation and performance, and cross-stick and rim-shot notation and performance for snare drum.

Notion 1.6 features a number of additions and improvements for file handling including Music XML import and export, MIDI file import, step MIDI input, and improved .WAV mixdown.

Notion is designed for students, composers, and musicians on all levels as a tool for composition, learning, practice, and live performance. It combines a full-featured music notation system with interpretive algorithms linked to a proprietary playback engine that offers samples of thou¬sands of individual notes and articulations played by the London Symphony Orchestra and recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

NAMM 2006 Winter Show

“The new MP102 is a feature-packed unit and the perfect solution for mobile DJs and clubs in search of a comprehensive player offering MP3 support,” said Numark CEO John O’Donnell. “With its rackmount capability, the MP102 can be transported easily or secured in a club’s equipment cabinet. ”

With the ability to play both standard audio CDs and MP3 CDs, the new MP102 provides outstanding versatility. With support for the MP3 media format, DJs can now fit substantially more music onto a single CD; dramatically reducing the volume/weight of the music library they transport—making their work easier. The MP102 also features buffered Anti-Shock memory protection to ensure the music plays exactly as it should, even when the dance floor is packed. And DJs will appreciate the ability to create seamless loops—for both CD audio and MP3 files as well as true buffered instant start and stutter start capability with settable stutter points.

The unit features a large, easy-to-read, backlit LCD that includes text display for identifying song names, BPM counters, and other pertinent information. The user-friendly MP102 also provides ± 8/16% pitch bend capability via its pitch bend/jog wheel. For programming music sets, the MP102 supports true continuous playback and is also track sequence programmable. With support for both folders and ID3 tags, locating and identifying tracks is easy. This unit also provides balanced and unbalanced output capability, plus a digital output for interfacing with external digital equipment.

The MP102 rackmountable CD player is will be available Q2 of 2006 with a suggested retail price of $399.

More information is available at the Numark site.