The Parsons code, formally named the Parsons Code for Melodic Contours, is a simple notation used to identify a piece of music through melodic motion—the motion of the pitch up and down. Denys Parsons developed this system for his 1975 book, The Directory of Tunes and Musical Themes. Representing a melody in this manner makes it easy to index or search for particular pieces.
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The code
The first note of a melody is denoted with an asterisk (*), although some Parsons code users omit the first note. All succeeding notes are denoted with one of three letters to indicate the relationship of its pitch to the previous note:
- u = "up," if the note is higher than the previous note
- d = "down," if the note is lower than the previous note
- r = "repeat," if the note is the same pitch as the previous note
- ∗ = first tone as reference (very important)
Some examples
- "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star": *rururddrdrdrd
- "Silent Night": *udduuddurdurdurudddudduruddduddurrudduuddduddd
- "Love Me Tender": *uduududdduu
- "White Christmas": *udduuuu
- First verse in Madonna's "Like a Virgin": *rrurddrdrrurdudurrrrddrduuddrdu
- First verse in "We Are the World": *rduduururdrddrududuu
- Verse in theme for "Att angöra en brygga": *uuudddduddududduddudduuuuuuuddddddududdu
- First verse in Shakespears Sisters "Stay": *dduuuuuuuddddu
References
- The Parsons Code for Melodic Contours. Musipedia.
- Parsons, Denys (1975). The Directory of Tunes and Musical Themes. S. Brown. ISBN 0-904-74700-X.
