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Topic: Notation for spoken parts in a song (Read 6733 times) previous topic - next topic

Notation for spoken parts in a song

I've run across a situation where some words are spoken rather than sung. There are all kinds of notes on the toolbar but not this. Actually, I soppose I'm looking for something that doesn't have a notehead, instead it is replaced by an'x'. The stems would be the same as regular notes to maintain the integrity of the timing. Any help out there? I looked at the drum beat in NWC15 but that really doesn't turn me on, where you have to convert the score to a metafile and work on it with a wordprocessor.

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #1 –
Assuming you do not desire any music to be played in the relevant measures, could you simply have a non-visible rest, and then insert text at the appropriate locations to signal the words?

Another option (if you need the words placed where the beat would be and/or want to use the Lyrics option (control l): type in notes in the staff in the desired beat; select "visibility, never" under properties for the notes; use the multipoint controller to set volume in the relevant measures and staff to zero; finally, use insert text ("x") to insert the appropriate "marker" as desired within the staff.

I am not quite sure of your situation, but those may be options. If not, provide some additional detail.

Query to some of the gurus out there: do the box fonts or one of the custom font packages maybe have a symbol/note for the written word?

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #2 –
Wasn't very clear on the first option I suspect. My thought was to insert the "x"'s or whatever in the staff via the text tool ("x"), and then insert the spoken words below those "x's", again using the text tool.

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #3 –
A workaround would be to use an ordinary "x" (as text) as the notehead, perhaps in a sans-serif font such as Arial or Verdana, with the stems fashioned from the ALT 0124 character. Place them before a hidden rest. If the x is aligned "at next note/bar", justification Center, and the "stems" are preceded by a space, alignment at next note/bar, justification left, it seems to work out quite well. I've posted an illustration here and will leave it there for awhile.

Regards,
Fred

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #4 –
PS - you have to view this in NWC itself, the browser plugin doesn't really do it justice...

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #5 –
It looks like I didn't explain myself clearly enough. I need a note on which the notehead is replaced by an "x". I've seen this type of notation used on printed music. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #6 –
In reply 1 there is no need to replace invisible rests with invisible notes. Just set the rests (in the desired rhythm) to 'lyric syllable/always'.

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #7 –
Actually, your request is a solved problem.
Solution: go to my music fonts page, indexed from:

http://www.icogitate.com/~ergosum

Download the font "MusiTone." This font has a variety of x-head notes, including some with flags etc. Install it, then make it a "user font" in NWC. I'm not sure what point size to use.

Do your music using ordinary notes with the spoken lyrics. Then make the notes invisible. Place MusiTone as text where the notes are, one by one (do it one by one, and they stay aligned). Don't try this with beamed notes, though.

If, however, you wish to globally replace ordinary note heads with x-heads in all parts of the composition (leaving no ordinary note heads), then go to the Scriptorium (link from the NWC home page), and find the user font files. There's one that does the job. How it works is by replacement of the notation font in an exported WMF, which you then place into a word processing document.

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #8 –
Correction: The font you want from my page is "MusiSync," not "MusiTone." Don't worry if the description of the font doesn't sound like it meets your needs. I put the X-head notes in, too.

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #9 –
Look on the Scriptorium for the new "Bongos" font. It might be useful.

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #10 –
The temporary solution I came up with was to place an 'x' (page font) above or below the notehead. As I'm not really worried about producing a midi file, this does the trick. Thanks for the suggestions, I've downloaded several font files now and I'll have to find out what's in them once I've got them unzipped.
 

Re: Notation for spoken parts in a song

Reply #11 –
Note to reply 10. I downloaded Bongos. Thanks.