Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: accidentals/key signatures (Read 4043 times) previous topic - next topic

accidentals/key signatures

I'm a fairly new user of Noteworthy Composer and am using version 1.51a. A problem I've run across that I have yet to figure out involves importing MIDI files. When I open a file from MIDI to NWC, it always seems to use the sharp enharmonics (i.e. A# instead of Bflat). I have this same problem when transposing parts up or down. Since my primary use is to do band arrangements, I would much rather have the notes show up in flat keys. Is there a way I can force the program to use flat keys instead of sharps? It gets very tiresome to go through each line and manually change the notes to flat enharmonics.

Re: accidentals/key signatures

Reply #1 –
There is a feature that is documented.
You should set a flat key signature (F, Bb etc.) at the start of the staff and do a Tools/Transpose Staff with a value of 0 (zero) semitones.

BUT.. this is not entirely satisfactory since it means all accidentals in C major, G major etc. are sharps, all in F are flats and in keys like D minor the tonic leading note will be Db.
It looks worse on keyboard parts - Eb7 in a sharp key spells as D#7 - not good!!

I have added a wish list item - Enharmonic Flip - which would allow the user to select a note, group of notes, measure or chord and flip the accidentals.
At the moment it's only a wish - but Eric has granted wishes before!!

Let's hope.
 

Re: accidentals/key signatures

Reply #2 –
I'm just pasting the same follow up response to my question about copying between clefs.

Thanks for the replies, I feel like such a NWC rookie!! I actually took the time to go back through some of the earlier forum threads and found out how to solve this problem. If any new users read this thread, take the time to review earlier questions in the forum to answer your questions.