Quote:
Originally Posted by adXok
Numbers are better suited for intervals (relations between two or more notes). The two letters T and Y are fine, but Y is a vowel
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Ok that is a good point about Y.
For numbers, the current "standard" music system varies usage regarding numbers. These differences are also largely because of typesetting limitations too (fonts or scribes). In my newer theory textbook (published 2015), the scale degrees are labelled with a caret (^) above the digit, and this indicates that the number is a scale degree. In mathematics this symbol is called a "hat", so you would say, "1 hat, 2 hat, 3 hat" : ..it doesnt seem like I can type it in unicode. It would look like  but using ^1 ^2 ^3 etc.
However it is nonstandard because older music theory books use the opposite: scale degrees as normal numbers (1 2 3) and intervals as ^1 ^2 ^3. And many older music books with older typesetting technology either uses the same notation for both (confusing) or avoids the problem by not using numbers for scale degrees at all (also confusing).
Mathematics has many various ways of distinguishing numbers depending on context. There is hat. There is also bar, a number with a horizontal bar (like _) over top. There is also dot, a hollow circle above a number, "1 dot, 2 dot, 3 dot". So use of different context with numbers should not be considered a problem. The main problem is, which ones are easy to type on a keyboard in unicode today..
Overall, scale degrees (position within the scale) seems more important notationally than the intervals in theory analysis, plus intervals are referred to as "the 2nd", "the 3rd", etc. which distinguishes them in numeric context. Standard theory today would say, "C and G are separated by a 5th". Using numbers for the notes makes interval calculations easy, because the intervals is just math between the note numbers. Get rid of the major-minor distinction in scale degree, "it's a minor 3rd. Or a major 3rd. No, it's a minor 3rd. Or actually it is augmented 2nd."
What's important as well, is discarding any use of the roman numeral system which is...well there's a reason no one uses VII for 7 and IV for 4 today, these should be obvious. There is one main reason for the use of the roman numeral system in music theory: because it can be used Uppercase for Major and lowercase for minor (I IV V or, i iv v or, i iv V) which is "supposedly" convenient.
Ultimately I find it extremely frustrating and annoying that the computer vendors and internet companies of the world will have a global conference on unicode and emoticons to decide what token should be next added to represent a hamburger font character or a butterfly character but no one seems to care about unicode musical notation. The only symbols in the extended character-set now available being flat and sharp. Music is so incredibly important in the world and yet there is an emoji for obscure items like ����*♀️ "woman elf" or �� "playing card ace of hearts" but nothing even close to allow for " Esus4addb9 ". The world has poor priorities.