Fast Beaming

2002-12-24 10:39 pm

Hi, all- here's a hint which may have come up before, but perhaps it's time to offer it again.

I use a keyboard macro program (called Keyboard Express) to speed up the beaming process. I define three macros: ^Z, ^X, and ^C, to beam the last two, three and four notes respectively. The macros are defined to highlight the last 2, 3, or 4 notes, beam them, and return the cursor to the end of the staff.

Using the above keys makes them unusable for Undo, Cut, and Copy, but I'm used to that. Perhaps if you're going to try this technique for the first time, a better choice would be ^A, ^S and ^D. I prefer to use keys near the Control key so that I do the beaming with one hand.

Kind of hard to explain this succinctly, but it's well worth looking into the use of keyboard macros to speed up common repetitive tasks in NWC. Keyboard Express (I'm not connected with them) is cheap and has saved me a lot of time. There are probably competing products which would accomplish the same thing.

Re: Fast Beaming

Reply #1 – 2002-12-27 03:36 pm

Hi, Peter.

I suppose you're doing things where the default "automatic beam" doesn't suit. I use macros a lot, too, and it sure speeds things up. If anyone else wants to try using or writing macros, the macro program Recorder that comes with Win 3.1 can also do this sort of thing. Later Windows versions don't have it but you can download it, and a useful Macro Editor, from a link on the Scriptorium. My own macro file includes transpositions up and down, select certain numbers of bars, enharmonic switches, and a lot of other things I do all the time. I dislike using Noteworthy without them.