John Howell asked:
Why do you want to do this?
in larger percussion setups it's quite useful to differentiate between instruments, or instruments types, especially when they change often during the piece. generally, i only use 5-line staves in the percussion section for pitched instruments (and drumset), so there is an immediate visual cues that something changes when different staffline formats are used within the same instrument, or across a number of instruments notated on different staves.
check out pp2-3 of the following example: http://newmusicnotation.com -> examples -> spahlinger
percussionists are used to reading from a 5-line staff like everyone else.
first, they are not like everyone else, and secondly, they are in fact used to reading whatever is thrown at them... because that is generally what happens. they are also quite used to reading 1-line staves (see berlioz, ravel, stravinsky...). however, i have spoken with numerous (new music) percussionists about this, and all appreciate the lightening of the score that comes about as a result of using 1-, 2-line etc. staves when it is warranted,eg. only 2 cymbals? use above and below a one-line, or on the lines of a 2-line staff. keep in mind i am concerned with new music notation, and that some "standards" from 100 years ago are largely defunct - or somewhat more evolved - today.
the 4-line staff is also particularily useful to unambiguously indicate playing behind the bridge: using pitches of the open strings on the standard 5-line staff not only risks misinterpretation, it doesn't properly represent what is really being done.
jef
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