SPECIAL Key Maps

The special key maps linked to this page are identical to key maps found on other pages of this site, except that on these versions, the rhythm is enhanced by color coded highlights within each note. These are the same colors used to indicate rhythm in our Singing Keyboard (SK) series. 

White notes are 1 beat or multiples of 1 beat. 

Yellow highlights are based on 1/2 beat: 1/2;   1 1/2;   2/12,   3 1/2 beats, etc.

Green highlights are based on 1/3 beat: 1/3;   2/3;   1 1/3;   1 2/3;  2 1/3 beats, etc.

Blue highlights are based on 1/4 beat: 1/4;   3/4;   1 1/4;   1 3/4;   2 1/4 beats, etc.

Red highlights are based on fractional denominators of fifths or higher numbers (rare).

Observe that the physical length of the note on the timeline continues to determine the length of each note. The color shading is an ENHANCEMENT. It reinforces the rhythmic nature of a note; it does not change it.

Less frequent use of colored shading in the notes are the following. Staccato notes can simply be drawn as very short notes, or staccato may be indicated by a gray fill in each note. Another use of colored fill is for very long "white" notes which seem to disappear among the vertical lines next to them. These long notes (over 1 inch long) are often filled with a tan shading simply to make them more visible.

One other note coloring technique is used for all of our notation versions. This technique is not related to the timing of the note but relates to which hand is to play the note. This is the use of red borders on some of the notes. The basic plan for hand use in our notation versions calls for the right hand to be used for Middle C and higher - and the left hand for keys below Middle C. There are no indicators for this hand placement. The red borders reverse this hand placement. Notes for Middle C and above having red borders are to be played by the LEFT hand. Notes below Middle C with red borders are to be played by the RIGHT hand.

Some of the pieces and collections linked to this page show left-hand chord symbols instead of the standard notes. These chord symbols do not show rhythm and are enhanced with a different color code. Most of these chord symbols show 3 notes (triads). One of these three notes is the root of the triad, and this root is colored to identify it as the root and to show its mode - major mode - yellow;   minor mode- green;   dominant 7th - red; or other - pink. 

Why the color enhancements?  We mainly do the color enhancements because we like the way that the music looks on the page. Obviously, music is an art form. Why not treat the notation as an art form too? We also think that the colored highlights may, at times, help in the reading of the notation, especially in the fast passages and where many notes must be played at the same time. You can judge this for yourself. In any case, we hope that you get some extra pleasure from playing from these special versions.