Rastrum

A rastrum (or raster) is a five-pointed writing implement used in music manuscripts to draw parallel staff lines. The word "raster" is derived from the Latin for "rake". Rastra were used to draw lines on paper that had not been pre-ruled, and achieved widespread use in Europe until printed staff paper became cheap and common in the nineteenth century. Some rastra were designed with the capability to draw more than one staff at a time. Rastrology, the study of the use of the rastrum, is a branch of music manuscript studies that seeks to use information on the use of the rastrum to aid in dating and provenance of musical materials.

In recent years, rastra made of five ballpoint pens have been marketed to students and composers.

Is common in primary and secondary schools to use rastrum that employ the use of chalk on a chalk board for the purpose of music education.

References

*Randel, ed. "The New Harvard Dictionary of Music" (1986; 9th printing, 1999), p. 681.