> Music notation is actually terrible, even musicians agree to that. Terrible for what? My understanding is that it is quite good at accomplishing its intended

> Music notation is actually terrible, even musicians agree to that. Terrible for what? My understanding is that it is quite good at accomplishing its intended purpose (ie transcribing western music in a dense manner that can be rapidly understood by a professional with only a glance). I don't know much about music theory myself but the topic of alternative "improved" musical notations came up on HN regarding a music related Show HN that made the front page. Frustratingly I can't seem to dig it up right now. In that discussion many points were made regarding a number of tasks including simultaneously sight reading rhythms and chords, on the fly transposition (I think this was somehow related to symmetry?), and notational density.