On the Evolution of Music Notation in Network Music Environments

Abstract

Over the past two decades the computer music community has observed the gradual development of network music performance environments that encompass a large spectrum of features ranging from audio streaming to the rendering of scores in various styles. This article gives a short historical overview of these developments and elaborates on two environments created by the authors: Java Music Specification Language (JMSL) by Nick Didkovsky, and Quintet.net by Georg Hajdu. MaxScore, a recent adaptation of JMSL's standard music notation package to the graphical programming environment MaxMSP, has provided the tools for sophisticated real-time music notation in network music performance which, accompanied by conducting tools (instant messaging, annotations, cursors, metronomes, light controllers), facilitate rehearsals and performances of music in computer networks.