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Topic: Special Endings and Bar Lines (Read 3918 times) previous topic - next topic

Special Endings and Bar Lines

Excuse me if this has been posted earlier...

While sequencing, I noticed that placing a double bar line (one measure) after a first ending disrupts the expected flow--instead of jumping to the second ending the second time around, the flow continues through the first ending.

Also of note:
-Two of the staves have notes that tie into the endings.
-Replacing the double bar with the single restores normal flow.

Here's a diagram if it helps:
I|: | <6m> | 1st || <8m> :|I 2nd || |. . .

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #1 –
Listening to it again, I noticed that the notes tying into the ending "hang" the second time through, since the flow actually *skips* the first ending measure to the measure after the double bar line.

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #2 –
A Double Bar Line behaves as the start of a new section. When encountered, it ends the previous special ending/repeat sequence.

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #3 –
Well, the double bar was necessary to mark off the next 8 measures as a distinct section. I was hoping the master repeat close would take care of the special ending, since it is the accepted resolution.

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #4 –
I've run into this difficulty also, in which a double bar-line behaves as a section close, when all I wanted it to do was act as a visual cue. Perhaps it would be better to have the double barline behave just like a single barline, reserving the "end of section" functionality for the Section Close barline? Other opinions on this?

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #5 –
Backward compatibility makes it impossible for us to make a simple change like this. This is a feature request, and will have to be handled as such.

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #6 –
I can understand the worries about backwards compatability, but can't imagine that anyone would have used a double barline in such a manner, especially since (AFAIK and IMHO) it was never documented as such, and has never musicologically had any significance in flow-direction terms.

A double barline is used for key changes and musical section delimiting, but is otherwise identical to a single barline.

However, can I suggest a compromise and additional barline features?

Any conversion to a new upgrade/version retains the existing behaviour.

The default behaviour in future is no effect on flow direction, but it is available if required.

In the same dialogue box there is an option to in/exclude the barline from the bar count.

Constructively yours
Peter

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #7 –
>>>has never musicologically had any significance in flow-direction terms.

I don't think this is quite true. I've seen sets of variations where the variations are separated from each other by nothing more than double (narrow) bar lines. When a variation contains an internal repeat (as they commonly do), this repeat is supposed to return only to the beginning of the current variation.

This certainly looks like "significance in flow-direction terms" to me. Interestingly, though, the NWC double-bar doesn't have this characteristic, although "Section Close" does. This seems to contradict the contention that "a Double Bar Line behaves as the start of a new section."

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #8 –
I believe Peter Edwards hit the spot: In the next edition of NWC, have a check-box option for the double bar line.
 

Re: Special Endings and Bar Lines

Reply #9 –
A user option for "repeatability" of a special or double bar line sounds like a good idea to me.

BUT... it's better on a case-by-case basis. Some scores you'll want this on, some you won't.

A "repeatworthy" attribute on bar lines would be best.

- seb