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Topic: Quick Chord Notation? (Read 3360 times) previous topic - next topic

Quick Chord Notation?

Is there any way to write a chord quicker than inputing each note one at a time?  Please help me, it's taking me more than a week to write this one piece.

Re: Quick Chord Notation?

Reply #1 –
Perhaps you might try writing frequently-used chords at the beginning of a piece (or elsewhere).  Then copy and past these as needed, using the keyboard to change the duration as required.  Be sure to delete the chord "masters" when you're finished with them.

Personally, I write everything using different staves and then "layer" these as required for visual effect.

Re: Quick Chord Notation?

Reply #2 –
Sounds like you are using the computer (qwerty) keyboard to input notes - which is very slow.  Debo's suggestion is probably the best way of speeding things up.  But best of all, use a midi (piano-type) keyboard - with one of these connected to your computer you can get quite fast!

Re: Quick Chord Notation?

Reply #3 –
Chord entry from the qwerty keyboard isn't very slow, it's just a matter of getting used to it.  If you have an average of 3 notes per chord, then it really shouldn't take you longer than 3 times the time it takes to enter the melody.

I thought mousing might be slow, but in experimenting just now, I find it's reasonably fast. I'd use a zoom level of 8 or 9 for precision, and note entry is by right click.

In trying the mouse out for chording, I've just discovered it's possible to have a hidden chord element in NWC2. You can enter the elements in any notehead variation you want, and if one of them happens to be the blank notehead, there's your invisible note.

Now if I could figure out what use it would be...

Re: Quick Chord Notation?

Reply #4 –
I find Noteworthy the fastest program for entering music using the keyboard!
I use the top row-numbers 1 through 5 for selecting duration length (I hardly ever use 6 for 32ths), then 7, 8 and 9 for natural, flat or sharp, semicolon for slurs, slash for ties, tab for measure bars, and with all these preselectors doing the setting, my right hand pinky enters the notes (Enter) and any thumb enters the rests (space)!
In addition, I use the up and down arrow keys to tell the cursor where to insert the notes.
The great advantage is, that you can never make a mistake of one single note; it would mean that every subsequent note is also too low or too high. (Which can be corrected by selecting the notes in error, and pressing Ctrl-Shift up or down - not everybody seems to know that.)
It guarantees speed and accuracy.

The only time I use the mouse is when a double sharp is needed, or such things. No mouse-related RSI for me, please. Yes, it means that you have to remember that 3 = quarter note, and such things. This knowledge comes by using the program - well, that's what I do!

Re: Quick Chord Notation?

Reply #5 –
I do nearly the same, with one difference.  Most of the time my right hand is on the numeric keypad, on the far right, with Num Lock off.  Instead of using the number keys for note length I run up or down the values, using the + or - keys, and using the Enter there as well.  You can get ties there, and the up/down/left/right arrows are there too.  The only disadvantage is having to shift to the main keyboard for slurs, dotted notes, staccato and accidentals.  I feel that the faster (I think) note-value selection is worth the bother.

Re: Quick Chord Notation?

Reply #6 –
My comments about chording with the mouse notwithstanding, I generally use the keyboard (I have a Microsoft Natural keyboard - that's the one that is bent in the middle).

It's like touch-typing without guide keys.  My right hand tends to rest on the arrow keys, which are between the numeric keypad and the alpha section of the keyboard.

My hand just automatically moves.  I tend to use the up and down arrows to determine the vertical position, jump over to the numeric pad to set the value, then back to articulations if needed, then Enter or Space.  It's seamless, just a continual flow.

My left hand mostly plays the bar line (tab) and the control-c, control-v and control-shift combinations the notehead shifts.

Re: Quick Chord Notation?

Reply #7 –
Forgot to mention the accidentals.  They're part of the jump to the numeric pad.
 

Re: Quick Chord Notation?

Reply #8 –
Well, a bunch of dyed-in-the wool diehards we are, are we not?
Back to the first question, what piece was that, that you were working on for a week, CD man? And would you save time following our hints?
Rob.