5th string Symbol Preference

[Jody Stecher]

What is the preferred symbol for an open 5th string among(st) the members of this forum?

The flag as in Grimshaw?

The zero as in Bradbury and Bauer?

The circled number 5? 

I personally like to see the flag, as it "flags" my attention,  but it sure is easier to enter the other options when preparing a score on a computer using Musescore. 

[Trapdoor2]

I like the flag. It takes me a minute to recognize that little zero and remember what it's for.

Of course, I use Tab when playing. No issue there. :-)

The flag's been in use since Briggs. Did Converse invent it?

[Jody Stecher]

Trapdoor2 said:

I like the flag. It takes me a minute to recognize that little zero and remember what it's for.

Same here. The flag recognition is instant.

Of course, I use Tab when playing. No issue there. :-)

The flag's been in use since Briggs. Did Converse invent it?

That's a question for Joel. I 'spect he'll know.

BTW. I'm getting better/faster at 5th string flags on Musescore. I've learned how to kick aside some gremlins. 

[Trapdoor2]

Page 11 of the 1855 Briggs Banjo Instructor. See the note at the bottom of the page. Tuning was dGDF#A...

[Jody Stecher]

Some have 1 flag, some have 2 and there are flags on lower strings. How should this be read? One flag for 5th string symbol and another for time value?  And the 5th string is also symbolized by zero.

A bit muddy and compli-ma-cated.

Trapdoor2 said:

Page 11 of the 1855 Briggs Banjo Instructor. See the note at the bottom of the page. Tuning was dGDF#A...

[Trapdoor2]

I think this is the first usage...making it up, IOW. Two forms of indication, the paired flag (one up, one down) and the fret position O. This is also just the introduction. Later, only the flags are used.

You can see that the fret numbers peter out by the bottom of the page.

Here, the 5th is a D note, and you can see the author (unknown but may have been 17yr old Frank Converse) is matching flag with time value. This was dropped for the double flag in later works.

[Banjowaif]

Zero. Consistent with other open string use. You could make it bold for extra visibility 

[Joel Hooks]

I’m in the double flag camp.  It is a special feature and fast to read.  Also seems to be unique to banjo music where all the other edits are taken from guitar music.

Strangely enough, Converse scraps the double flag in his analytical method for a “x”.