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Topics - Mike Shawaluk

1
General Discussion / Best wishes to all here
It has only been mentioned briefly in one thread that I have seen, but I wanted to offer my thoughts and prayers for all of the forum members, especially those in areas especially hard-hit by COVID-19. So far, I've experienced a number of inconveniences (closed businesses, cancelled church services, and a few minor shortages such as toilet paper).  But I need to remind myself that I am still healthy, and things are much worse elsewhere. At this point there isn't much to do but hunker down and weather the coming storm.

I hope everyone who is reading this is doing well. If you are able, please share a few words with the rest of us so we will know how you are doing.

Best,

Mike
2
Object Plugins / TempoEquation.ms 0.2
This is a tempo equation object, as discussed in this thread.  It has been modified to handle just single-note equations. The built-in help describes the various parameters.

To get started, paste this clip into NWC 2.75a or later, and go to Tools > Manage Objects... to install the plugin:

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|User|TempoEquation.ms|Pos:9.5|Right:"Eighth Dotted"
|Bar
|Rest|Dur:Whole
|User|TempoEquation.ms|Pos:9.5|Left:"Eighth Dotted"|Center:N
|Bar
|Rest|Dur:Whole
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

As discussed in the aforementioned thread, the double-note equations (used for swing rhythms) are now part of the Tempo.ms object, which is described here.

I've included a few editing bells and whistles that I found useful while developing this. Besides the normal "spin" keys of + and - (which increase/decrease the scale factor), you can using the numeric keypad to toggle the various parameters:

1, 7 - toggle through left side values
3, 9 - toggle through right side values
0 - toggle "center on =" option
Z - set all parameters back to their default values (scale = 100%, quarter notes on each side, center on =)

Please let me know how you like this, and if there are any problems or additional features that I may have missed.
3
Object Plugins / AllNotesOff.ms (0.1)
This plugin plays a MIDI "All Notes Off" message, at the playback position at which it is inserted. It uses the staff's port and channel number. This page includes a description of the various MIDI messages.

The following clip demonstrates the object's operation. The two tied half notes create an intentional stuck note (the second note is muted), which can be heard playing during measure 2. The AllNotesOff.ms at the start of measure 3 will stop the stuck note.

!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:1^
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:1|Opts:Muted
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-3
|User|AllNotesOff.ms|Pos:-5
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-3
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

It occurs to me that this object could be expanded into a more general "channel mode message" object, which could be used to generate other MIDI messages such as All Sound Off, Reset All Controllers and Local Control On/Off.  If there is interest in these options, I can make the necessary changes (which would most likely result in a different named object).
4
Object Plugins / Banjo.ms (0.1)
In the spirit of GuitarChord and Ukulele, there is now a Banjo object for creating chord charts for that instrument. It is basically a simplied version of the GuitarChord object, with playback and associated parameters removed. It currently has 96 predefined chords for G-tuned 4 string banjos. I may add support for 5-string banjo chords, as well as C-tuned predefined chords, if there is demand for that.

Refer to the built-in help file for more information on the parameters.

Here are a few sample chords to get you started:
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|User|Banjo.ms|Pos:5|Name:C|Finger:"2:2 o 1:1 2:3"|Size:2.5
|Rest|Dur:Half
|User|Banjo.ms|Pos:5|Name:Eb7|Finger:"1 3 2 5"|Frets:5|Size:2.5
|Rest|Dur:Half
|User|Banjo.ms|Pos:5|Name:Bdim|Finger:"3 4 3 3"|Barre:1:4|TopFret:3|Size:2.5
|Rest|Dur:Half
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
6
Tips & Tricks / Banjo chords
Hello all,

Many people here will know that I created the plugins that let you create guitar and ukulele chord charts. I've recently been contacted by someone who would like to be able to create banjo chords. On the surface, the Ukulele object could probably be used, since I've been told that the 5th banjo string is rarely fingered. However, from my meager investigations, there are several different ways of displaying banjo chord charts, and on the ones I've seen, there are different ways of showing the 5th string. Also, in those charts, that string is either open (o) or not played (x).

The purpose of this message is to ask if there are any other banjo players here. If so, could you possibly help me determine which of the chart formats is most common? As I said, doing a Google search on the subject has shown different formats of charts, and I want to be sure I'm picking the "right" one if I create a variant on my plugin for banjo players.

Thanks in advance,
Mike
7
Object Plugins / Test object: Ukulele.test (0.4)
Hello all,

At the suggestion of another NWC user, who is not a member of this forum, I am working on an enhancement to the Ukulele.ms object. Because of several changes to the existing behavior/appearance of the object, I am posting it first as a "test" object, to gauge feedback to these changes. If there are no significant objections, I'll retire this thread and post an update to the original Ukulele.ms object.
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|User|Ukulele.test|Pos:7|Name:Asus2|Finger:"2 4 5 2"|TopFret:2|FretPos:3|Size:2
|Rest|Dur:Whole
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
Following are the changes and additions being implemented in this version:
  • The predefined chords now include versions for C tuning (soprano, concert and tenor) and G tuning (baritone) ukuleles.
  • The number of chords (for each tuning) has been expanded from 35 to 180. These new chords are selected in a manner similar to the updated GuitarChord.ms object, and replace the previous chord set, and were created from downloadable chords charts on http://ukuchords.com.
  • The fret number displayed for chords not played at the top fret has been moved from the left to the right side of the chart.
  • An additional parameter is available to control the fret number to receive the above position label.
  • An additional parameter is available to offset the vertical position of the chord name.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated (especially if you are a ukulele player).
8
General Discussion / NWC Viewer Soundfont Crash
I have observed the following issue with the NWC 2 Viewer 2.75.a.2. Upon further testing, it seems to do this both for regular NWC scores and for MIDI files. I can reproduce the issue at will, when you do the following steps in the specified order. This assumes that soundfont FluidR3_GM has been previously loaded (because I can't find a way to "unload" a soundfont).

  • Run NWC 2 Viewer
  • Go to Tools > Options... and select Play back device of Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
  • Open a typical score (I used the sample "Anchors Aweigh")
  • Click the Play button, and confirm that it plays with the GS Wavetable synth (and sounds cheesy)
  • Go to Tools > Options... and select Play back device of <Internal: FluidR3_GM.sf2pack>
  • Click the Play button, and confirm that it plays with the soundfont (and sounds much nicer)
  • Go to Tools > Soundfont... and rechoose the FluidR3.GM.sf2pack sound font file.
  • Click the Play button. There can be one of two outcomes: you will either get no playback, with the music scrolling by, or the program will stop working.

I am running Windows 10 Version 1703, 64-bit


10
Object Plugins / Ukulele.ms (0.5)
This object can be used to draw ukulele chord charts above a note or chord. This is a simplified version of GuitarChord with a number of options removed (barres, capo, numbered dots, etc.) and several changes to handle differences in ukulele charts.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|User|Ukulele.ms|Pos:6|Name:A|Finger:"2 1 o o"|Size:2|Style:Sans
|Rest|Dur:Whole
|Bar
|User|Ukulele.ms|Pos:6|Size:2|Name:C|Finger:"o o o 3"|LabelOpen:N
|Rest|Dur:Whole
|Bar
|User|Ukulele.ms|Pos:6|Size:2|LabelOpen:N|Name:Ddim|Finger:"1 2 1 x"
|Rest|Dur:Whole
|Bar
|User|Ukulele.ms|Pos:6|Size:2|Name:Fm9|Finger:"o 5 4 3"|TopFret:2|Style:Swing
|Rest|Dur:Whole
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

When adding a new chord, the user can choose one of 180 predefined chords, for each of Standard and Baritone tunings. Or, they can choose "(Custom)" to create a chord chart from scratch. When a chord is added to a staff, if there is another Ukulele object earlier in the staff, it will inherit the style and properties of that object.

Following are the parameters used to configure the chart:

Chord Name: Name of the chord, drawn above the chart. It is displayed using a font which displays 'b' and '#' as flat and sharp symbols.
Font Style: The font style to be used for the chord name and label text. The possible values are Serif (MusikChordSerif, Times New Roman), Sans (MusikChordSans, Arial) and Swing (SwingChord, SwingText). The default setting is Serif.
Fingerings: Contains the fret position for each string. o = open, x = don't play. Default value is blank.
Chart Size: Size of the chord chart. This value can be thought of as a scale factor. Default value is 1.
Frets to Show: Number of frets to show in the chart. Default value is 4.
Top Fret: Top fret displayed in the chart. When the value is 2 or more, the fret number is displayed to the right of the chart. Default value is 1.
Label Open Strings: Determines whether 'o' is displayed above open strings. Default value is true.
Fret Number Position: For charts where the top fret is greater than one, the fret position which
will be labeled to the right of the chart. The default is 1.
Chord Name Offset: The vertical offset for the chord name, ranging from -5.0 to 5.0. The default is 0.
11
General Discussion / Slur placement anomaly
I have encountered an anomaly for slur placement for certain split-voice chords:

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Chord|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Up,Slur=Downward,Beam=First|Dur2:4th|Pos2:0
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Up,Slur=Downward,Beam=End
|Chord|Dur:4th|Pos:-1|Opts:Stem=Down|Dur2:4th|Pos2:1
|Chord|Dur:4th,Slur|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Down,Slur=Downward|Dur2:4th|Pos2:2
|Chord|Dur:4th|Pos:-1|Opts:Stem=Down|Dur2:4th|Pos2:1
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

Note that the beginning point of the first slur is directly below the stem. I can move it upward with a marker, but then it collides with the stem. It seems to do this when there is a beamed note on the other voice for that chord.

The slur on the final two notes is what I would expect the first slur to look like.

Mike
12
Tips & Tricks / Object plugins and "multi-spin"
Hello all,

Recently, I have updated several of my object plugins to allow modification of multiple parameters using custom menus in conjunction with the + and - "spin" keys. While I announced the changes in the Object Plugins board, I did not go into much detail in those posts, so I thought I would provide a brief description here of what I am calling "multi-spin".

First, I should probably describe what the Spin function is for a custom object, for those who are unfamiliar. When an object is selected in the score, it can optionally respond to the user pressing the + or - keys. If this feature is active for the object, these keystrokes will increase or decrease one of the object's settings, such as the Span parameter.

A while ago, I had the idea of allowing this Spin function to modify several different parameters, rather than a single parameter. I do this by using a custom menu selection to choose the parameter to be "spun" with the + and - keys. When an object has a custom menu, it is accessed either by right-clicking on the object's marker icon, or by selecting the object and pressing the "J" key. The latter method is required for multi-spin to work, since the object needs to be highlighted in order for the + and - keys to work. From the menu, the user can select a "spin target" to identify the parameter to be adjusted with the + and - keys. This allows the user to interactively "tweak" multiple parameters for an object, seeing the changes on-screen after each keypress. For certain objects, including Hairpin, Slur and SlurCubic, I temporarily add anchor boxes to provide a visual cue to the user during the adjust process. (These boxes only appear during editing, and are removed by pressing the F9 key when editing is complete.) In a few cases (specifically, for the slur objects) I have also provided a way to adjust multiple parameters with each + or - keypress.

The best way to learn how the multi-spin interface works is to insert an object and play with it. For each multi-spin object, the custom menu has a section labeled "Choose Spin Target:" which identifies which parameters can be adjusted via the spin keys. Select the desired parameter in the menu, and with the object selected, use the + and - keys to adjust it, observing the results in the edit window. Once you have adjusted one parameter, press J to redisplay the menu and choose another parameter to adjust. (You can do this with the mouse, but I think the keyboard works better for this.)

As of this writing, the following objects have some form of multi-spin support:

Slur.ms
SlurCubic.ms
Hairpin.ms
Brace.ms
GuitarChord.ms

I am interested in hearing feedback from users of these objects, to find out if they find this feature useful or helpful, or if they might have suggestions for improving on this. I will probably add this functionality to my other objects, especially those with numerous numeric parameters.

Thanks,
Mike
13
Object Plugins / Brace.ms (2.0)
This plugin will draw a brace of configurable size, weight and direction. This can be useful for lyrics and other purposes.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposer(2.75)
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:12|BoundaryBottom:18|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:1
|StaffInstrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Lyrics|Placement:Bottom|Align:Standard Rules|Offset:0
|Lyric1|Text:"One two three\n"
|Lyric2|Text:"Four five six seven\n"
|Lyric3|Text:"Eight nine ten\n"
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up
|Bar
|User|Brace.ms|Pos:-12.5|Offset:3.7|Height:11.5
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up
!NoteWorthyComposer-End

For details on the object's parameters, refer to the context-sensitive help on object's properties page.
14
Object Plugins / SlurCubic.ms (2.1)
This object is based on Slur.ms, but instead uses cubic Bezier curves, which offer finer control over the shape. The snippet below shows a cubic slur with example settings, compared with a balance-adjusted Slur.ms and native slur.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Text|Text:"SlurCubic.ms"|Font:StaffItalic|Scale:75|Pos:10
|User|SlurCubic.ms|Pos:2|Dir:Upward|LeftBalance:0.4|RightBalance:0.8|LeftStrength:0.8|RightStrength:0.9
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:4
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:0
|Bar
|Text|Text:"Slur.ms (balanced)"|Font:StaffItalic|Scale:75|Pos:10
|User|Slur.ms|Pos:1|Balance:0.1
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:4
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:0
|Bar
|Text|Text:"Native"|Font:StaffItalic|Scale:75|Pos:10
|Note|Dur:Half,Slur|Pos:4
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:0
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
For details on the object's parameters, refer to the context-sensitive help on object's properties page.
15
Object Plugins / CueHeads.ms (1.0)
This plugin draws cue noteheads in the positions of any blank note space noteheads on a subsequent chord. If Class is set to StaffSig, then multiple chords will be notated, up to the next object occurrence. The size of the cue noteheads can be adjusted via a Size parameter.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|User|CueHeads.ms|Pos:1|Class:StaffSig|Size:70
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Chord|Dur:Half|Pos:-7z,-4z,-3,-2,1,2
|Chord|Dur:4th|Pos:-2,1,3z,5z
|Chord|Dur:8th|Pos:-2,1,3z,5z|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Chord|Dur:8th|Pos:-2,1,3z,5z|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Bar
|RestChord|Dur:4th,Dotted|Opts:Stem=Down,ArticulationsOnStem|Dur2:Half,Dotted|Pos2:-2,-1,1z,3z
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

There are a currently several known limitations/exclusions for this object:
  • The noteheads on the upper and lower portions of a split stem chord do not line up, since they are drawn relative to the existing stems.
  • The sizes of beams, flags, accidentals, ledger lines and augmentation dots are not adjusted/affected. You may wish to manually shorten the stems of notes/chords if they consist solely of cue noteheads.
  • All noteheads drawn by the object will be in the item color of the custom object.

I created this object primarily for use in choral scores, where there are alternate vocal parts or optional descant notes. Please let me know if you find other uses, or encounter any bugs.
16
User Tools / User Tool: Mark as 8va.lua (0.4)
This user tool is designed to be used in conjunction with the Ottavamatic.ms object plugin. A range of notes is selected and the tool run; it will prompt the user for the type of marking to be added (8va, 8va bassa, 15ma, 15ma bassa, 22ma, 22ma bassa). It then inserts instrument changes around the selection to effect the marking. It assumes that the Ottavamatic.ms object has already been added to the beginning of the staff.
17
User Tools / User Tool: Make TremoloSingle.ms.lua (0.1)
This user tool will insert a TremoloSingle.ms object immediately before each note/chord in the current selection. The tool will prompt the user for the number of beams, and will use that value for all objects that are added.
18
User Tools / User Tool: Make Tremolo.ms.lua (0.2)
The attached user tool will perform the following over a selected range of notes/chords:

  • Convert each non-split-voice note/chord to a rest chord, whose rest duration is half of the chord's duration. The rest will be hidden and the chord will be muted. Any dot on the source chord will be preserved in the rest chord. Also, if the original chord's duration was eighth, the destination note duration will be set to quarter (to suppress the flag).
  • For each pair of converted chords, insert a Tremolo.ms object before the second one.

If the original chords have a forced stem direction, the stem direction for converted chords will be preserved. Otherwise, it will be set to Down. The inserted Tremolo.ms objects will have the default parameters (3 beams, Play=true).
19
Object Plugins / Hairpin.ms (1.2)
This object draws a crescendo or decrescendo hairpin at a specified location on the score. The gaps at both
ends, line type and weight are user adjustable, as well as the horizontal and vertical positions of the end points.
This object is ornamental only, and does not affect playback.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|User|Hairpin.ms|Pos:-8.5|Span:5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-3
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-2
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
For details on the object's parameters, refer to the context-sensitive help on object's properties page.
20
Object Plugins / BarLabel.ms (1.1)
This object creates bar labels for a score, similar to those created with the BoxMarks fonts. The font can be any of the available NWC font classes, and the size of the box and text can be scaled. The text can either be user specified, or if left blank, the measure number of the prior or next bar will be used.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Rest|Dur:Whole
|Bar
|User|BarLabel.ms|Pos:8|Which:prior
|Rest|Dur:Whole
|User|BarLabel.ms|Pos:8
|Bar
|Rest|Dur:Whole
|Bar
|Rest|Dur:Whole
|User|BarLabel.ms|Pos:8|Text:A
|Bar
|Rest|Dur:Whole
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
For details on the object's parameters, refer to the context-sensitive help on object's properties page.
21
General Discussion / Minor anomaly: extra note spacing with whole notes
 I am creating "practice scores" for our choir, in which each voice is on its own staff. Since the soprano/alto and tenor/bass parts each share a staff in the printed score, I am layering them so they will have the same appearance as the printed music.  I've noticed that when Extra Note Spacing is applied to a whole note, it appears to only add enough spacing for a regular notehead, so the resulting notes overlap a bit more than they should. Please see the following clip for an example of this. The top staff shows a chord with the two notes, which correctly compensates for the whole note widths. The notes on layered staves are a bit too close together.

I know of available workarounds (e.g. including a separate layer with the chorded notes) but I am presenting this as something that might be handled better in a future version of NWC (i.e. one that allows fractional extra note spacing values).

Thanks,
Mike

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposer(2.75)
|Editor|ActiveStaff:1|CaretIndex:1|CaretPos:0
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:12|BoundaryBottom:12|Lines:5|Color:Default
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:-3,-2
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-1"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:10|Lines:5|WithNextStaff:Layer|Color:Default
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-3
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-2"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:10|Lines:5|Color:Default
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Down,XNoteSpace=1
!NoteWorthyComposer-End
22
General Discussion / Note spacing/layering question
Hello all,

I am creating a score with a piano part, and am having some difficulties getting a few measures to look the way they do in the original sheet music. It is basically a "split voice" chord where a half-note is on the same beat as a dotted quarter, but the notes overlap, so extra note spacing is needed; please see the attached clip to see what I'm talking about. I am using layered staves and extra note spacing, but of course that spacing increment has to be whole note space values, so the spacing between the two notes is a bit more than I want; in the original music, the spacing is closer to 1.5 noteheads.

I've tried to insert spacers in lieu of (and in addition to) extra note spacing, but I can't get that to have the desired effect, because it seems to always move both notes/chords together. I thought I would ask the experts here (especially those whose initials are RG) to see if there is a trick I'm missing.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

P.S. The answer to this might be "your original piano arrangement is doing it wrong." I am okay with that being the case.

EDIT: I have added a nwctxt clip below; sorry for the previous omission.
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposer(2.75)
|AddStaff
|StaffProperties|WithNextStaff:Layer
|Clef|Type:Treble
|Key|Signature:F#|Tonic:G
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Chord|Dur:4th,Dotted|Pos:0,7|Opts:Stem=Down,XNoteSpace=2
|Chord|Dur:8th|Pos:-1,6|Opts:Stem=Down
|Chord|Dur:4th|Pos:1,2,5|Opts:Stem=Down
|Chord|Dur:4th|Pos:1,2,6|Opts:Stem=Down
|Bar
|AddStaff
|Clef|Type:Treble
|Key|Signature:F#|Tonic:G
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Up
|Rest|Dur:Half|Opts:Stem=Up|Visibility:Never
|Bar
!NoteWorthyComposer-End
23
Object Plugins / Trill.ms (2.2)
An object which draws and optionally plays a trill ornament on the staff.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75a, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|User|Trill.ms|Pos:9|AccStyle:2|Span:1|WhichFirst:Auxiliary
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:1|Opts:Muted
|User|Trill.ms|Pos:9|AccStyle:3|Accidental:Flat|LineType:Jagged|Span:1
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:1|Opts:Muted
|Bar
|User|Trill.ms|Pos:9|AccStyle:2|Accidental:Sharp|LineType:Jagged
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:2|Opts:Muted
|User|Trill.ms|Pos:9|Accidental:"Double Flat"|LineType:Jagged
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:0|Opts:Muted
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
For details on the object's parameters, refer to the context-sensitive help on object's properties page.
24
Avant-garde / Welcome to the Guitar Tab Forum :)
All kidding aside, it would appear that a number of people have been experimenting with ways to do guitar tab in NWC for some time now. I thought it might be useful to compare & contrast the 3 approaches that have been posted recently. I will do this in order of the original post date.

Rick G. - this approach was created before there were custom objects, hence this is the only approach that will work in version 2.51a. It uses a separate 1-line staff for each string, and uses text objects for the fret numbers.  It is also the only approach of the three which provides rhythm marks. Although the attached score does not include a notation staff, one could be added. This approach allows the tab staff line spacing to be controlled separately from a multi-line staff.

Mike - this approach uses two custom objects (TabClef_ms.test, Tab_ms.test) to do its work, and uses a custom six-line staff. It requires that a mute, blank notehead, zero-stem-length note or chord be placed on the tab staff lines, and an instance of the Tab.ms custom object be inserted in front of each note. This custom object is configured with the fret numbers for that note/chord. The object draws the fret numbers at the notehead locations, and optionally plays back the tab note. A single TabClef.ms object is placed at the beginning of the custom staff, and will replicate the TAB clef across multiple systems. This approach has the disadvantage of having the same staff line spacing as would a notation staff, if one were present, so the tab staff lines would be a bit too close together when there are both types of staff in a system.

NWO - this approach also uses two custom objects (TabStaff.test, TabFret.test), but does not require a separate staff. The actual notes for the tab part are added to a regular notation staff. The user increases the upper or lower margin for this staff to reserve room for the tab staff. A single TabStaff.test object is then placed at the beginning of the notation staff, which draws the TAB clef, 6 staff lines, and bar lines in the reserved margin area. This object also allows the tab staff line spacing to be adjusted. An instance of the TabFret.test object is placed in front of each note; parameters in this object specify the note numbers to be drawn on each of the tab staff lines for that note. Object-driven playback is not required by this approach, because the notation staff already provides this.

If I have misstated or left out any important details, please feel free to post a correction.

Thanks,
Mike
25
Object Plugins / Tempo.ms (version 2.0)
This plugin creates a visual tempo marking with a number of enhancements:

  • The tempo value can be general text, rather than just numbers
  • The text font can be specified
  • Several types of swing tempo equation can be included
  • Both leading and trailing text can be included
  • A text scale factor can be applied

Note that this tempo marking is visual only, and does not change the tempo of the score. A regular tempo marking with Visibility set to Never may be used in conjunction with this object.

To install the object, copy the following clip, and paste as a new file in Noteworthy 2.75:
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|User|Tempo.ms|Pos:8.5|PostText:"but not too much"|PreText:"With feeling"|Tempo:"ca. 60"|Font:StaffItalic|LeftSwing:"Double Eighths"|RightSwing:"Triplet Quarter + Eighth"
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
Then, press Ctrl-J, or go to Tools > User Objects...  This will display a list of user objects that you currently have installed, as well as objects that require installation. Find "Tempo.ms" in the list, and double-click that line. This will display the object script in a window. Click the "Install" button to complete the installation.

For details on the object's parameters, refer to the context-sensitive help on object's properties page.
26
Object Plugins / Glissando.ms (2.3)
This will draw a glissando line between two notes, with optional text above the line. If either of the notes is a chord, the bottom notehead of that chord will be the starting or ending point of the line. Effective with NWC version 2.75a, the object can optionally be configured for playback.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75a, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-6
|User|Glissando.ms|Pos:0
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:8
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:8
|User|Glissando.ms|Pos:0|Pen:wavy
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-6
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

For details on the object's parameters, refer to the context-sensitive help on object's properties page.
27
Tips & Tricks / Locked topics in User Plugins sub-forum
All,

You may have noticed that a number of topics in the User Plugins sub-forum have become locked as of today, as part of updates to user objects I have made. I wanted to let people know that I did not lock the topics because I don't want feedback; rather, I want them to be references for the objects and their changes, not for general discussion. If you have problems with any of these objects, or suggestions on new features or other changes, please post that information here, in the parent "Tips and Tricks" forum. As I mentioned before, I am committed to supporting and improving these objects, both in the current beta release as well as the upcoming 2.75 general release.

Thank you,
Mike
28
General Discussion / Arpeggio question
Hello all,

I am in the process of updating my Arpeggio.ms user object (for NWC 2.75, coming to a theater near you soon!) and I had a "style" question I'm hoping someone can answer. I've tried searching both in the forums and in Google-land, with no meaningful results.

When an arpeggiated chord is played on the piano, it seems to me that it can be played two ways: 1) with the first note starting at the chord's normal "play position", and each successive note slightly later, or 2) with the last note played at the chord's normal play position, and the previous notes coming slightly earlier.

Arpeggios created in NWC by using tied grace notes would generally be of the former variety, since grace notes "steal" from the following note. I'm not sure how easy it would be to create the latter playback using NWC notation, but the reason I am asking this question is that I'm adding playback to Arpeggio.ms, and I should be able to achieve both playback options. What I want to know is: are there names for these two playback styles, or ways that they are notated? Something like "leading" or "trailing" perhaps?

Thanks,
Mike
29
Object Plugins / Slur.ms (2.1)
This object can be used to draw slurs of various types and shapes. Here are its properties:

Note Span: Number of notes to span. Default = 2
Line Type: Type of line (solid, dash, dot). Default = solid
Direction: Direction of slur (Default, Upward, Downward). Default = 'Default', which uses the starting note's Slur Direction property.
Start Offset X:
Start Offset Y: Used to adjust the starting point of the slur. Each coordinate is between -100 and 100. Default = 0, 0
End Offset X:
End Offset Y: Same as above, except for the ending point of the slur.
Strength: Strength of the curve; a positive value between 0 and 100. Default = 1
Balance: Left/right balance of the curve's shape; a value between -0.5 and 0.5. Default = 0 (center)

To add a slur to your score, position the cursor immediately before the note where you want the slur to start, and insert the object.

The following keys can be used to interactively adjust various parameters, while the Slur object marker is selected:
  • + and - increment/decrement the Note Span parameter.
  • The 5 key actives "edit" mode and toggles the current parameter pair between the left, middle and right ends of the slur. Square "edit" boxes will appear on the slur when edit mode is active, and the current parameter pair will be indicated by a filled in box.
  • The 2, 4, 6 and 8 keys will move the selected point in the specified direction. For the slur's left and right end points, the keys increment/decrement the slur's Start Offset X & Y and End Offset X & Y, respectively. For the middle point, the slur's Strength and Balance are adjusted. For keyboards with a numeric pad, these keys are generally labeled with arrow symbols in the specified direction.
  • The 3 and 9 keys (labeled as PgDn and PgUp on the numeric pad) will move the entire slur downward or upward, by simultaneously adjusting both endpoints.
  • The 0 key will reset the selected parameter to its default values (0, 0 for start or end offset, 1, 0 for Strength/Balance)
  • Pressing Shift-Z will reset all of the offset, strength and balance parameters to their default values.

Please note that the slur object is ornamental only, and has no effect on note playback or lyric placement.

Following are a few notes on its usage:
  • The Note Span property indicates the number of notes you want the slur to cover. By default, it will be the first two notes that follow the object.
  • The default end point positions for the slur are calculated based on the starting note's stem direction and Slur Direction property, and the slur object's Direction property. The above start and end offsets adjust these positions relative to their default locations.
  • The Strength property adjusts the amount of curvature of the slur. A value of 0 will result in a straight line.
  • When the Line Type property is set to 'solid', the slur will be drawn as a shaped Bézier curve, similar in appearance to regular NWC slurs. When a value of 'dot' or 'dash' is used, the line will be of uniform thickness.
30
Object Plugins / Acciaccatura.ms (version 1.3)
This object adds a slash ornament to a grace note (appoggiatura), turning it into an acciaccatura. Playback is optionally available, which will be before the beat.

Paste the following snippet into NWC 2.75, then go to Tools > Manage Objects to install the object.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|User|Acciaccatura.ms|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:8th,Grace|Pos:0
|User|Acciaccatura.ms|Pos:-2|Style:Downward
|Chord|Dur:8th,Grace|Pos:0,1
|User|Acciaccatura.ms|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:8th,Grace|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Down
|User|Acciaccatura.ms|Pos:-2|Style:Downward
|Chord|Dur:8th,Grace|Pos:-1,0|Opts:Stem=Down
|Bar
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

Once the plugin is installed, insert the object to the left of the eighth grace note or chord you wish to ornament. The slash will be automatically added at the correct location on the note's flag. If Class = Standard, only a single grace note will receive the ornament; if Class = StaffSig, all subsequent eligible grace notes, up to the next Acciaccatura.ms object, will be affected. To discontinue automatic acciaccatura marks, insert another object with Class = Standard, or Visibility set to Never. (The first option will ornament a single following grace note; the second option will end ornamentation.)

The object has the following parameters:

Rate: Specifies the playback rate for the acciaccatura, expressed as the number of notes per whole note duration. For example, 64 would correspond to a 1/64 note. A value of 0 disables playback, which is the default. Also note that the grace note must be muted for playback to occur.
Down-stem Style: Determines the style for the slash ornament on down-stem notes. Selecting "Upward" will render the slash from lower left to upper right (the same as for up-stem notes), while selecting "Downward" will render the slash from upper left to lower right.  The default is "Upward".

The current object will only affect an unbeamed eighth (quaver) grace note.

Note that playback will currently work correctly only for a single acciaccatura preceding a note. Multiple note playback, as well as beamed notes, are under future consideration.
31
Object Plugins / Arpeggio.ms (2.2a)
This object draws an arpeggio for a chord. It uses no special fonts. It will draw the arpeggio marking and optionally play the chord in arpeggio style.

To add an arpeggio to a chord, insert the object immediately before the chord which you wish to ornament. The arpeggio will automatically cover the range of notes in the chord, and will update automatically if the chord is moved or modified.

The following parameters control the appearance and operation of the arpeggio:

Side of Chord: Side of the chord (left, right) on which the arpeggio marking will be drawn. Default value is left.
Direction: Determines the direction of the arpeggio (up, down). When the direction is down, adds an arrowhead to the bottom of the arpeggio. This option also controls the arpeggio's playback (see below). Default value is 'up'.
Horizontal Offset: Used to increase or decrease the distance between the arpeggio and its chord. Value is between -5 and 5 notehead widths; default value is 0.
Extend Arpeggio with Marker: Controls whether the user object marker vertical position extends the arpeggio above or below the notes of the chord. This can be used to 'stretch' the arpeggio to extend to an adjacent staff. Note that this does not affect the arpeggio's playback. Default value is unchecked.
Force Arrowhead for Up Arpeggio: Used to force the appearance of an arrowhead for up arpeggios. (Down arpeggios always have an arrowhead.) Default value is unchecked.

The following options only pertain to playback:

Play Notes: Determines whether arpeggio playback is enabled. Default value is true. Note that the chord following the arpeggio mark should be muted for proper playback. When this chord is tied to subsequent chords, those chords should not be muted. This will allow the arpeggiated chord to play through the tie.
Arpeggio Rate: Controls the rate at which the arpeggio is played, as a number of notes per whole note duration. Range of values is 1 (very slow) to 128 (very fast), with a default value of 32. The playback speed is also relative to the score's tempo.
Anticipated Playback: When checked, specifies that the arpeggio should anticipate (precede) the chord, so that the final arpeggiated note occurs on the chord's beat position. When unchecked, a 'normal' arpeggio will occur, in which the first note of the arpeggiated chord is on the beat. Default is unchecked.

The following sample clip will get you started, and demonstrates arpeggios of various types. Note that the speed is intentionally slowed so that the up/down and normal/anticipated playback can be discerned.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposer(2.75)
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-1"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:10|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:2
|StaffInstrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|User|Arpeggio.ms|Pos:0|Rate:16
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:-9,-7,-4|Opts:Stem=Down,Muted
|Bar
|User|Arpeggio.ms|Pos:0|Dir:down|Rate:16
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:b-8,b-5,-3|Opts:Muted
|Bar
|User|Arpeggio.ms|Pos:0|Dir:up|Anticipated:Y|Rate:16|ForceArrow:Y
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:n-8,-6,-3|Opts:Muted
|Bar
|User|Arpeggio.ms|Pos:0|Side:right|Anticipated:Y|Rate:16
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:b-7,b-4,-2|Opts:Muted
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-2"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:10|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:3
|StaffInstrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Clef|Type:Bass
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-8
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th,Dotted|Pos:b-7
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:b0^
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-7
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th,Dotted|Pos:n-7
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:n0^
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-7|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:0
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th,Dotted|Pos:b-6
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:b1^
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
!NoteWorthyComposer-End
32
Object Plugins / TremoloSingle.ms (2.0e)
This object implements a single note tremolo, as described in various texts. It draws the tremolo markings, and will optionally play the notes in tremolo style.

To create the tremolo, insert the object immediately before the note to receive the tremolo, and the marking will be drawn on the note's stem, or above/below a whole (semibreve) note. The note can be any chord or RestChord.

The following parameters control the appearance and playback of the tremolo:

Number of Beams: Specifies the number of beams to be drawn, between 1 and 4. The default value is 3. The number of beams for a tremolo can also be modified by highlighting the object and pressing the + or - keys.
Vertical Offset: Specifies an optional offset distance for the location of the beam(s). For stemmed notes, positive values move the beams away from the stem tip and toward the note head. For unstemmed (whole) notes, positive values move the beams away from the note head. The default value is 0.
Play Notes: Enables playback of the tremolo. Default value is checked. Note that the notes/chords should be muted for proper playback.
Triplet Playback: Specifies that the playback notes should be in triplet rhythm. This will generally be used when the tremolo notes are dotted. Default value is unchecked.
Split Chord Member: Specifies which split chord member (top or bottom) should receive the tremolo marking and be played. This parameter is ignored for non-split chords and rest chords. The default value is "top".

For eighth through 64th notes, the tremolo beams will be auto-positioned to avoid collision with the note's beam or flag.  If additional space is needed to accommodate a larger number of beams, increase the note's stem length, and/or specify an Offset value if desired.

The following sample clip will get you started. The screen shot demonstrates various types of tremolos, with the bottom staff indicating the actual notes that are played.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposer(2.75)
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:12|BoundaryBottom:12|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:1
|StaffInstrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|User|TremoloSingle.ms|Pos:0|Beams:3|Offset:0|Play:Y
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Down,Muted
|User|TremoloSingle.ms|Pos:0|Beams:2|Offset:0|Play:Y
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Down,StemLength=8,Beam=First,Muted
|User|TremoloSingle.ms|Pos:0|Beams:2|Offset:0|Play:Y
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,StemLength=8,Beam=End,Muted
|User|TremoloSingle.ms|Pos:0|Beams:2|Offset:0|Play:Y
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Muted
|Bar
|User|TremoloSingle.ms|Pos:0|Offset:0|Beams:2|Play:Y
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,StemLength=6,Muted
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-1"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:10|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:2
|StaffInstrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Bar
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th|Pos:1,2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
!NoteWorthyComposer-End
33
Object Plugins / Tremolo.ms (2.1)
This object implements a two-note tremolo, as described in various texts. It draws the tremolo markings, and will optionally play the notes in tremolo style.

To create a tremolo, you must first create two RestChords of the desired duration. For whole, half and quarter note tremolos, the rest duration should be half of the note's duration. For eighth tremolos, the note duration should be quarter and the rest duration sixteenth. Also, the rest portion of each RestChord should be marked as hidden. Once the notes are present, insert the object between the notes, and the marking will be drawn between the stems. If additional space is needed to accommodate a larger number of beams, increase the stem length of the notes.

The following parameters control the appearance and type of tremolo:

Number of Beams: Specifies the number of beams to be drawn between the notes, between 1 and 4. Default value is 3. The number of beams for a tremolo can also be modified by highlighting the object and pressing the + or - keys.
Half Note Beam Style: Specifies one of three styles for half-note tremolos, and is an integer with values of 1 to 3. It is ignored for other tremolo durations. Default value is 1.
Play Notes: Enables playback of the tremolo. Default value is checked. Note that the RestChords should be muted for proper playback.
Triplet Playback: Specifies that the playback notes should be in triplet rhythm. This will generally be used when the tremolo notes are dotted. Default value is unchecked.
Variance (%): Specifies a dynamic variance between the first and second chord. The specified value is a multiplier for the volume of the second note. This allows more realistic playback. The range of values is 50% to 200%, and the default setting is 100% (no variance).
Beam Angle Offset: Specifies a vertical (staff position) offset to the right side of the beams, for whole note tremolos only. The range of values is -10 to 10, and the default setting is 0. This allows the beam angle to be adjusted; by default, the angle will be that of the lowest noteheads.

For whole note tremolos, the vertical position of the beams may be altered by moving the object marker up and down on the staff. The beam angle can also be adjusted using the Beam Angle Offset parameter.

If the notes on either side of the object are not both RestChords, or if their stem directions are not the same, then the tremolo will not be drawn. If the two notes are of differing durations, the tremolo will be drawn in the style of the right-hand note.

The following sample clip will get you started. The screen shot demonstrates various types of tremolos, with the bottom staff indicating the actual notes that are played.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposer(2.749741)
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:12|BoundaryBottom:12|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:1
|StaffInstrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|RestChord|Dur:8th|Opts:Stem=Down,ArticulationsOnStem,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:4th|Pos2:-2
|User|Tremolo.ms|Pos:-1|Beams:3|Style:1|Play:Y
|RestChord|Dur:8th|Opts:Stem=Down,ArticulationsOnStem,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:4th|Pos2:1
|RestChord|Dur:16th|Opts:Stem=Down,ArticulationsOnStem,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:4th|Pos2:1
|User|Tremolo.ms|Pos:-1|Beams:3|Style:1|Play:Y
|RestChord|Dur:16th|Opts:Stem=Down,ArticulationsOnStem,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:4th|Pos2:0
|RestChord|Dur:16th|Opts:Stem=Down,ArticulationsOnStem,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:4th|Pos2:-1
|User|Tremolo.ms|Pos:-1|Beams:3|Style:1|Play:Y
|RestChord|Dur:16th|Opts:Stem=Down,ArticulationsOnStem,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:4th|Pos2:-2
|Bar
|RestChord|Dur:4th|Opts:Stem=Up,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:Half|Pos2:5
|User|Tremolo.ms|Pos:-1|Beams:2|Style:2|Play:Y
|RestChord|Dur:4th|Opts:Stem=Up,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:Half|Pos2:3
|Bar
|RestChord|Dur:Half|Opts:Stem=Down,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:Whole|Pos2:-5
|User|Tremolo.ms|Pos:4.5|Beams:2|Style:1|Play:Y
|RestChord|Dur:Half|Opts:Stem=Down,Muted,HideRest|Dur2:Whole|Pos2:-3
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-1"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:12|BoundaryBottom:12|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:1
|StaffInstrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:-1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:-1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Bar
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:5|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:5|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:5|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:5|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Bar
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
!NoteWorthyComposer-End
34
Object Plugins / GuitarChord.ms (2.1)
This object can be used to draw guitar chord charts above a note or chord, and optionally "strum" the notes.

When adding a new chord, the user can choose one of 132 predefined chords, or can choose "(Custom)" to create a chord chart from scratch. When a chord is added to a staff, if there is another GuitarChord object earlier in the staff, it will inherit the style and properties of that object.

Following are the parameters used to configure the chart:

Chord Name: Name of the chord, drawn above the chart. Default value is blank.
Font Style: The font style to be used for the chord name and label text. The possible values are Serif (MusikChordSerif, Times New Roman), Sans (MusikChordSans, Arial) and Swing (SwingChord, SwingText). The default setting is Serif.
Fingerings: Contains the fret position (and optional finger number, separated by ':') for each string. o = open, x = don't play. Default value is blank.
Barres: Contains start:end string numbers for a set of strings to be held down by a particular finger. An arc is drawn over the string pair. Note that the strings are numbered from low pitch to high pitch. Default value is blank.
Chart Size: Size of the chord chart. This value can be thought of as a scale factor. Default value is 1
Frets to Show: Number of frets to show in the chart. Default value is 4.
Top Fret: Top fret displayed in the chart. When the value is 2 or more, "# fr." is displayed to the right of the chart. Default value is 1.
Fret Text Location: Determines whether the fret text (for Top Fret > 1) is displayed next to the top or bottom row of finger dots. Default value is 'top'.
Top Barre Offset: - this allows a barre at the top of the chord chart to be moved upward a specified distance, to avoid collision with "x" or "o" string labels. Default value is 0, which specifies no movement.

The Fingerings parameter above determines the notes which will be played back by the object, based on standard guitar tuning (E A D G B E). The following additional parameters are for playback only:

Capo Position: Indicates whether the chord should be transposed upward the specified number of steps. Default value is 0.
Note Span: Determines how many notes/rests the chord playback should span. A value of 0 will disable playback. Pressing the + or - keys while the object is selected will increase/decrease the span value. Default value is 0.
Strum Direction: Determines the direction in which the chord is strummed. This direction is the physical direction that the strings would be strummed on a guitar, so 'down' is from low- to high-pitched strings, and 'up' is the opposite. Default value is 'down'.
Anticipated Playback: Specifies that the strum should anticipate (precede) the chord, so that the final played note occurs on the chord's beat position. When unchecked, the first played note of the strummed chord is at the chord's beat position. Default value is on (checked).

The code for the object is attached to the post. A sample clip follows, which will sound best with the staff instrument set to one of the acoustic guitars.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|User|GuitarChord.ms|Pos:6|Name:A/E|Frets:5|Size:1.5|Finger:"o o 2:1 2:1 2:1 o"|Barre:3:5|Span:2
|Rest|Dur:Half
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-8
|Bar
|User|GuitarChord.ms|Pos:6|Name:Ebsus/Bb|Frets:5|Size:1.5|Finger:"2:1 2:1 4:2 4:2 5:3 x"|Barre:"1:2 3:4"|Span:2|Style:Sans
|Rest|Dur:Half
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:b-4
|Bar
|User|GuitarChord.ms|Pos:6|Name:Db|Frets:5|Size:1.5|Finger:"x 4 6 6 6 x"|TopFret:3|Barre:3:5|Span:2|Style:Swing
|Rest|Dur:Half
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:b-5
|Bar
|User|GuitarChord.ms|Pos:6|Size:1.5|Frets:5|Name:Gb|Finger:"2:T 4:2 4:3 3:4 2:1 2:1"|Barre:5:6|Span:2
|Rest|Dur:Half
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:b-9
|Bar
|User|GuitarChord.ms|Pos:6|Size:1.5|Frets:5|Name:Ab/Gb|Finger:"2 x 1 1 1 x"|Barre:3:5|Span:2
|Rest|Dur:Half
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:b-8
|Bar
|User|GuitarChord.ms|Pos:6|Size:1.5|Frets:5|Name:(open)|Finger:"o o o o o o"|Span:3
|Rest|Dur:Half
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-4^
|Bar
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-4
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

As always, feedback and suggestions are welcome.

Mike
35
Object Plugins / VerseNumbers.ms (version 1.0)
This object will add verse numbers to lyrics on a staff. The numbers will be drawn using the current "StaffLyric" font, to match the size and style of the lyrics.

The following parameters control the sequence and placement of the numbers:

Start Verse Number: The starting point for numbering the verses. Default is 1.
Starting Verse: The number of the first lyric line to receive a number. Default is 1.
Maximum Verses: The number of the last lyric line to receive a number. Default is 'All'.
Separator Position: Inserts a short horizontal separator line between the verse numbers every 'n' lyric lines. Default is 'Off', which disables this function.
Special Text: Allows a user specified series of verse labels to be used instead of ascending numbers. It is either a series of values separated by spaces, or an empty string to disable this feature. Default is an empty string.
Punctuation: Text to append to each verse number. Default is ". " (a period followed by a single space)

Each verse number will be positioned right-justified before the first lyric-bearing note or rest that follows the object. The verse numbers are vertically aligned based on the widest syllable.

Known issue: When a syllable is hyphenated at the end of a line, NWC normally draws a "courtesy" hyphen at the beginning of the next system, and this may be obscured by the verse numbers. This courtesy hyphen can be suppressed by inserting a line break in the lyric editor for that syllable, after the hyphen.

Attached is a copy of the NWC sample song "God Save the Queen" with verse numbers added via this object.
36
Object Plugins / Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)
This object is used to create 8va (ottava) marks in your score. A single copy of the object can be added to the beginning of each staff which will contain 8va/15ma/22ma sections, and it will create the marks automatically where they are needed.

The object takes the following parameters:

+1 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing up one octave. Default is 8va.
-1 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing down one octave. Default is 8va bassa.
+2 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing up two octaves. Default is 15ma.
-2 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing down two octaves. Default is 15ma bassa.
+3 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing up three octaves. Default is 22ma.
-3 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing down three octaves. Default is 22ma bassa.
Add Courtesy Marks:Determines whether "( )" should be added around the label when a section extends from the previous system. Default is checked.
Include Rests:Determines whether beginning and ending rests should be included within a section. Default is unchecked.
Suppress Line for Short Sections:Determines whether the dashed line should be suppressed for sections which are shorter than the label text (e.g. single notes). Default is unchecked.
Staff Transpose:Staff transposition value, to allow for non-C instrument parts. Default value is 0.
Start Offset:Horizontal offset for the position of the label text, relative to the first note or rest of the 8va section. Default value is 0.
End Offset:Horizontal offset for the position of the ending tail, relative to the last note or rest of the 8va section. Default value is 0.
To use the object, insert Instrument Change commands at the start and end of each section that you wish to mark, with the starting instrument change having an effective transpose[1] of 12, -12, 24, -24, 36 or -36, and the ending instrument change having an effective transpose of 0.  If you want to discontinue 8va marks in your score, insert another Ottavamatic object and set its visibility to Never. To re-enable the marks, add another visible one later in the score.

Each 8va mark can be positioned vertically by moving the starting instrument change up and down in the staff. The vertical position of the Ottavamatic object has no effect on the positions of any marks.

Setting Include Rests to true will allow an 8va region to include beginning or trailing rests. Normally, the marks will only bracket the first and last notes between the instrument changes (which is standard engraving practice).

Performing a staff transpose (Tools > Staff transpose...) will automatically update the object's Staff Transpose parameter, so that it will remain in the correct relationship with existing instrument changes in the staff.

Following is a sample clip that demonstrates the object, along with a screen shot.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|User|Ottavamatic.ms|Pos:0|Class:StaffSig
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-4
|Bar
|Instrument|Trans:12|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127|Pos:7.5|Wide:Y
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-5
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-2
|Instrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127|Pos:-4|Wide:Y
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
1 'Effective transpose' is the difference in transposition from the staff's default instrument transpose value. For example, a Bb clarinet staff would have a staff instrument transpose of -2. Therefore, an 8va section for this instrument would have starting and ending transpose values of 10 and -2.↵
37
General Discussion / "Sticky" printer setup possible?
Hi all,

I use Noteworthy Composer to create PDF scores for my Android tablet for use in a choir (and it works very nicely for this :) ) As such, I "print" my scores using the Nitro PDF Creator printer driver, with a custom "paper size" that matches my tablet's screen aspect ratio (and appropriate minimum margins to maximize screen real estate). I notice that when I launch NWC, it defaults to my Windows Default printer and paper size. I've looked through the various options that be set, but I don't see any way to "remember" the default printer and settings when I launch the application the next time, so I don't have to set them every time I use the program. Maybe there is a way to "script" this when I launch the program?

I do realize that I could change my Windows default printer and settings to accomplish this, but I have a "real" printer that I use for other applications, and would want that to behave "as is".

If there isn't a way to currently accomplish this in NWC, perhaps I'll turn this into a feature request (of course, this "feature" is probably something that should be configurable, since not everyone would want this behavior).

Thanks in advance,
Mike
38
User Tools / Tool to adjust stem lengths?
Hi all,

This is an open "is this possible" post, based on a short thread that I started in the General Discussion area (in case it looks familiar). In that thread, I was talking about the need to adjust stem lengths of flagged notes on a layered staff so they line up for printing purposes. It occurred to me while typing up my description that this would be a great use of a user tool: it could sweep through a staff and automatically modify the note lengths to correspond to the same note on the preceding "parent" staff. However... after reading posts in this forum section, I noticed several comments from users saying that a user tool runs in the scope of a single staff, and can't see or interact with other staves in the score. Is this still the case? (some of those comments were written back when the program version was 2.0 or 2.1)

Another idea would be to save the song in .nwctxt format and then use a tool to read through the entire file a staff at a time, but this could get tricky.

Thanks in advance for your feedback/ideas.

  - Mike
39
General Discussion / Feature / "bug fix" requests?
Hi all,

I'm a long time user of NWC (since version 1.5 perhaps?) but not a frequent user of the forums, at least until now. I'm finding a wealth of information here, mainly in tips/tricks/workarounds, and I have a question that I hope people here can answer.

Is there a special section for feature requests or "bug fixes"? (obviously, a bug can be classified as an "unintended feature" :) I remember the sections for the NWC 2 extended beta, which had much discussion along these lines, and obviously many of the messages here in General Discussion and in Tips & Tricks will mention long-standing "feature requests" such as better handling for slur positioning, beams on split staves, etc.  I can also recognize that creating such a section could draw a large number of suggestions and become unruly in a short amount of time, if there wasn't someone keeping things organized, removing duplicate requests, etc.

I've seen posts in some sections by the admins of this site, and I'm note sure how much of our discussion makes it back to the developer(s) for inclusion in new releases. I do see periodic new releases that have added wonderful functions that make the program much more usable for printed music (I want to especially thank them for the recently-added Boundary Change command).

Anyway, in closing I'd like to make a tiny "feature request" that I think would be fairly easy to implement and shouldn't cause any backward compatibility issues, since it's just a "user interface" change. The change I'm requesting has to do with the "Override Stem Length" box in Notation Properties. As most of you know, when you are doing layered staves, you often need to override note stem lengths for flagged notes so the flags line up on both staves. The problem I have is that when I want to bump the stem length up or down, I have to remember to check the box on the left in addition to changing the value. My "feature request" is to have the program automatically check the box if I change the length value (either by typing a new value or by clicking on the up/down buttons). Does anyone else see a problem with this behavior? (i.e. would you find it annoying that the box would be checked for you when you change the value)

Thanks,

  - Mike
40
General Discussion / Possible to enter more than one line in composer / lyricist?
Hi all,

For a few scores I have entered, I'd like to be able to insert more than one line of text in either the composer or lyricist section. Example uses would be songs like "Silent Night" or "O Come All Ye Faithful" which have different credits for the original and translated lyrics, or an original composer and an "arranged by" line.

I realize that it's possible to include my own text via the Text feature, or to put some of this information at the bottom of the score via the copyright section(s), but I was wondering if there was a sneaky workaround for inserting a line break in one of the existing areas (perhaps via a User Tool?)

Many thanks in advance,

 - Mike
41
General Discussion / Lining up beams/flags for layered staves - how to, or new feature request?
I apologize in advance if this has been covered in another thread, but after an hour or so of searching/browsing, I haven't found it...

And before I begin, let me give some brief background/context. I've been using NWC forever (I bought 1.5 back in 1998, and just ordered a 1.75 CD so I could take part in the beta and be eligible for 2.0 when it's released). I've always found the program to be an excellent "bang for the buck", compared to the more expensive notation programs out there. I'm an amateur musician, but I'm also a software developer, and I love the User Toolkit PHP thing in the new version.

Okay, on with my request. For the particular problem I'm trying to solve, I am creating a SATB score for our church choir, where the SA parts are on one staff, and TB on another. Layering seems to be the obvious choice, and I've been using the stem length feature to make the 1/8, 1/16, etc. beams & flags "line up" for the parts of the score where the SA or TB tempo are the same. I've noticed in some cases, there is a slight mismatch in the stem heights such that no integer value I can choose will make them line up exactly, so I get a 'blurred' appearance.

Anyway, what I really want to do in these cases is to tell NWC to not draw the flag/beam for a particular note, and to just display the stem. This way the flag/beam on the highest note will print out, and the notes will merge nicely in layered mode. Is there a way to do this? I've searched all of the menus and help files and can't find that option. Basically, I can hide the note head, or the entire stem and flag (by making the height 0), but I can't seem to hide just the flag. It's a lot of work fidgeting with stem heights to make them line up exactly, when it would be much simpler just to hide the flags I don't want to see.

If this isn't an option currently, I would say it'd be a great new feature, don't you think?

Thanks in advance,

  - Mike