graphic notation

Graphic notation in music refers to visual symbols that represent musical sounds or instructions for performance. Unlike traditional staff notation, which uses notes and lines to indicate pitch and rhythm, graphic notation can employ a wide range of symbols, including curves, lines, dots, and even drawings.12

These notations originated from early neumatic systems used to indicate the rise and fall of the voice in plainchant. Over time, graphic notations have evolved to accommodate new musical styles and technologies. In the 20th century, developments like integral serialism, indeterminacy, and electronic music led composers to create new notational systems or adapt existing ones to convey complex musical ideas, unconventional playing techniques, or elements of chance. These systems can range from modified accidentals for microtonal intervals to "space-time notation" where spacing on the page dictates duration.345