Collapsing stave /lyrics

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Collapsing stave /lyrics

2018-02-04 07:06 pm

... I have just successfully collapsed a stave for a hymn I am using, so that the bass clef is only visible in the refrain.
However, I have 5 verses and one refrain, so there are 4 blank lyric lines in the refrain. Is there any way I can not have the 4 blank lyric lines without having two separate scores?

Many thanks in advance

Paul

Re: Collapsing stave /lyrics

Reply #1 – 2018-02-04 09:29 pm

Without seeing the score in question, it is hard to give exact advice. I don't know if the refrain is at the beginning or the end, but let's assume it's the end, because that is a little easier. The approach I use for this situation is to put the refrain words on the highest numbered verse, and then at that point in the score, you would insert a boundary object with "Set new boundary offset" checked, and change just the lower margin. You will need to experiment a bit to get the right setting, but the idea is to bring the 5th verse up so that it is at the same spot that the first verse would have been.

If your refrain is at the beginning of the song, it would be a little more complicated, but let's save that for another post, unless that's your current situation.

Let me know if the above makes sense.

Re: Collapsing stave /lyrics

Reply #2 – 2018-02-04 10:09 pm

Thank you - I think that makes sense. I will try it out tomorrow and report back.

Paul

Re: Collapsing stave /lyrics

Reply #3 – 2018-02-04 10:43 pm

Paul,
My solution for this kind of issues is to copy the staff with the text into another staff but layer the copies on each other.
On one of the staves I put the lyrics of the verses and on the other one I put the lyrics for the refrain.
Then I mutually collapse the parts that I don't want to see.
Also, I always try to set a system break where I have inserted the collapsing switch to avoid ugly empty lyrics lines.
Here is an example of what I mean: (just past the whole text as a new file in NWC).

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]

!NoteWorthyComposer(2.751)
|Editor|ActiveStaff:1|CaretIndex:2|CaretPos:-2
|SongInfo|Title:""|Author:"<Name>"|Lyricist:""|Copyright1:"Copyright © 2018 <Name>"|Copyright2:"All Rights Reserved"
|PgSetup|StaffSize:16|Zoom:4|TitlePage:Y|JustifyVertically:Y|PrintSystemSepMark:N|ExtendLastSystem:N|DurationPadding:Y|PageNumbers:0|StaffLabels:None|BarNumbers:None|StartingBar:1
|Font|Style:StaffItalic|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:10|Bold:Y|Italic:Y|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:StaffBold|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:Y|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:StaffLyric|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:7.2|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:PageTitleText|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:24|Bold:Y|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:PageText|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:12|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:PageSmallText|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User1|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User2|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User3|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User4|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User5|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User6|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|PgMargins|Left:1.27|Top:1.27|Right:1.27|Bottom:1.27|Mirror:N
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:12|BoundaryBottom:32|Lines:5|WithNextStaff:Bracket,ConnectBars,Layer|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:"this is the - first verse of the song\n"
|Lyric2|Text:"this is the se-cond verse of the song\n"
|Lyric3|Text:"this is the - third verse of the song\n"
|Lyric4|Text:"this is the - fourth verse of the song\n"
|Lyric5|Text:"this is the - fifth verse of the song\n"
|Clef|Type:Treble
|Boundary|Style:EndCollapse
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
|User|Slur.ms|Pos:-4|Pen:dash
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Bar
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted,Slur|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-3
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Bar|SysBreak:Y
|Boundary|Style:Collapse
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-2
|Bar
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th,Dotted|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-3
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Bar
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-6
|Bar|Style:SectionClose|SysBreak:Y
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-1"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:14|Lines:5|WithNextStaff:Bracket,ConnectBars|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
|Lyrics|Placement:Bottom|Align:Standard Rules|Offset:0
|Lyric1|Text:"And here comes\nfi-na-ly\nthe re-frain\nof the song\nWhat do you think now?\n"
|Clef|Type:Treble
|Boundary|Style:Collapse
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6|Opts:Lyric=Never
|User|Slur.ms|Pos:-4|Pen:dash
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted|Pos:-6|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Bar
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted,Slur|Pos:-4|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-5|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-4|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-3|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:-2|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:-5|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4|Opts:Lyric=Never
|Bar
|Boundary|Style:EndCollapse
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-2
|Bar
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th,Dotted|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-3
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Bar
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-6
|Bar|Style:SectionClose
|Boundary|Style:Collapse
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-2"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Section Close|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:10|Lines:5|WithNextStaff:Bracket,ConnectBars|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
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-1
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:1
|User|Slur.ms|Pos:-4|Pen:dash
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted|Pos:3
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:2
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:1
|Bar
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted|Pos:-1
|Note|Dur:16th|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:3
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:3
|Bar
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:3
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:6
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:6
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:3
|Bar
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:3
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:3
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-1
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th,Dotted|Pos:-1
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:1
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:3
|Bar
|Note|Dur:Whole|Pos:-1
|Bar|Style:SectionClose
!NoteWorthyComposer-End

Re: Collapsing stave /lyrics

Reply #4 – 2018-02-04 10:47 pm

Start with a SATB template. Enter the notes.
Set the staff boundaries to cover the notes/stems/beams.

Add a zero line Verses staff below the Alto Staff. Set Lyric Alignment to Top.
Add a zero line Chorus staff below the Verses Staff. Set Lyric Alignment to Top.
These do not get layered!

Use muted, headless, stemless note to hang the Lyrics on. Non-visible notes lack the flexibility needed to horizontally align the lyrics.

Add the Lyrics.
Set the top staff boundary on the Verses Staff to cover the lyrics. Set the bottom to one.
Set the top staff boundary on the Chorus Staff to one. Set the bottom to cover the Verse lyrics.
Set the Lyric Offset on the Chorus Staff to -3. This will center the Chorus against the Verses.

This should look good in the Viewer, play back properly, and highlight the Lyrics properly.
Adjust where needed, but do not change the staff boundaries on the Lyric staves.

Now comes the tricky part. The adjustments from here on apply to Print Preview.
Just before the double barline that starts the Chorus:

Add to the Verses staff:

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]

!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|Boundary|Style:NewSize|Upper:2|Color:6
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

Adjust 'Upper' so that the chorus lyrics do not collide with any Alto note stems/beams.

Add to the Verses staff:

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]

!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|Boundary|Style:NewSize|Lower:1|Color:6
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

Add to the Tenor staff:

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]

!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.751,Single)
|Boundary|Style:NewSize|Upper:4|Color:6
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

Adjust 'Upper' so that the chorus lyrics do not collide with any Tenor note stems/beams.

The attachment aligns properly no matter where the system breaks (or a SysBreak is placed.)

Re: Collapsing stave /lyrics

Reply #5 – 2018-02-06 06:33 pm

Quote from: Mike Shawaluk – 2018-02-04 09:29 pm

Without seeing the score in question, it is hard to give exact advice. I don't know if the refrain is at the beginning or the end, but let's assume it's the end, because that is a little easier. The approach I use for this situation is to put the refrain words on the highest numbered verse, and then at that point in the score, you would insert a boundary object with "Set new boundary offset" checked, and change just the lower margin. You will need to experiment a bit to get the right setting, but the idea is to bring the 5th verse up so that it is at the same spot that the first verse would have been.

If your refrain is at the beginning of the song, it would be a little more complicated, but let's save that for another post, unless that's your current situation.

Let me know if the above makes sense.

Mike - many thanks, for what I need at the moment that has worked fine.
Rick and Bart - thank you for your contributions too - food for thought in the future.

Paul

Re: Collapsing stave /lyrics

Reply #6 – 2018-02-06 07:45 pm

I have used Bart's approach in the past for some songs, and it also works fine. Rick's approach is interesting, since it also provides a score that will look decent in the NWC Viewer and play back correctly. But to me it looks like quite a bit more work (but then, it may be worth the extra effort for what it does.)

This is possibly an off-topic comment, but there are two improvements to NWC that I would find very valuable, around the boundary change commands:

The ability to change just the lyric Staff Placement Offset via a boundary change, on the fly - and as a bonus, maybe even the Alignment (Top/Bottom)
The ability to see the effects of boundary change commands in Viewer Mode and in the NWC Viewer application. I know that there are ghost lines with arrowheads showing this in the editor, but it would be nice if there were a way to see the actual spacing without having to do a Print Preview.

My two cents.