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Topic: one- and two-note parts in chords (Read 2242 times) previous topic - next topic

one- and two-note parts in chords

This issue has come up before, but years ago when the current version of NWC probably had a minus number; and I did not get all the information I need in those ancient archives either.

I am copying a brief SATB piece arranged back in the early 20th century.  Two issues:

First, my original has some chords in which notes a second apart are used.  In the original, these appear as two separate notes, the higher having an upward stem and the lower a downward.  The note heads are not vertically aligned exactly, as are noteheads representing any other interval in a chord, but are slightly offset, so they do not overlap on the staff.

Now, when I enter such a chord in NWC, I get a single stem with two heads, one to the left of the stem and the other to the right.  I guess this is o.k., but if possible I would like to replicate the style of my original, which I also find more satisfactory esthetically.  Can I do it?

Second, some of these chords have two quarter notes in one voice and one half note in the other.  On the upper staff, I had no trouble doing this.  On the lower, however, NWC refused to enter a second note different in length from the first.  I gather this may have something to do with the direction of the stem, but I don't know what.  I have compensated by using tied notes of the shorter length, but I don't understand why I can sometimes put notes of differing lengths into the same chord and at other times cannot.

Stephen

Re: one- and two-note parts in chords

Reply #1 –
"...two separate notes, the higher having an upward stem and the lower a downward."

"Can I do it?"

Yes, and you even implied how. Simply set the stem direction up (Shift + Up Arrow), enter the higher note, set the stem direction down (Shift + Down Arrow), and add (Ctrl + Enter) the lower note. You can enter either note first as long as the stem direction is selected before for each.

"NWC refused to enter a second note different in length from the first. I gather this may have something to do with the direction of the stem..."

You're probably right. If the first note added has the stem direction property set to always point upward, this will conflict with a note of different length added above it, and vice versa. NWC will usually change the stem direction of the first note if needed to allow for the second, but by explicitly setting the stem direction, you tell it to never change the direction even if that means ignoring you when you try to add a note.

Try adding the longer note first, leaving the default stem direction unchanged, then adding the first shorter note to the chord with the remainder of the shorter notes after. This will make the stem directions of both voices correct automatically, even of the shorter notes that are not directly added to the chord. That is as long as the voices don't cross each other, but this is rare and requires staff layering to notate correctly.

You can also do both of these things using two staves with the staff layering feature. I usually use just one staff for both voices, though, unless there is a notation that absolutely requires layering, and there usually is one. You'll soon discover when each method works best.
 

Re: one- and two-note parts in chords

Reply #2 –
Yes, this works fine.  I can now replicate the original without difficulty.  Thanks!

Stephen