Shifting complexity from one form to another form doesn't really deal with unnecessary complexity in the first place. For example, shifting the complexity of dots on multiple lines and spaces to instead using many more symbols on a single line is really just shifting the problem to a new form. If the design goal is to make notation that is easier to read, I think this approach doesn't meet the goal. Although, I do like the idea of single line notation, because it
can be much simpler. See the tbon notation mentioned earlier in the thread.
In any notation system the main two things that need to be represented are pitch and time. Here is a modification to the tbon system from Michael Ellis, but with a separate line for time:
Code:
Key = G
Time = 3/4
G G | A G C | B G G | A G D | C |
8. 16 | 4 4 4 | 2 8. 16 | 4 4 4 | 2 |
The fractional denominator is on the second line, where '8' = 1/8th, etc., '.' is the same as in standard notation, and '|' marks the end of a bar.