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Topic: Incorrect enharmonic spellings in minor keys (Read 9952 times) previous topic - next topic

Incorrect enharmonic spellings in minor keys

Try this - create a new song, insert a treble clef, now insert a key signature of d minor, finally insert a C# crotchet. Now choose "Transpose Staff" from the "Tools" menu and transpose by 0 semitones. The C# will become a Db.

I assume this is because the transpose logic says that in flat keys, flat accidentals are preferred. That may be the case in major keys, but it definitely isn't for minor keys. In this example, no one would ever notate a Dd when the key is d minor!

When transposing long staves, this is a rather large headache as it is necessary to individually correct each occurrance of the "misspelled" note, including implicit instances. Force accidentals helps, but there doesn't seem to be any way to do a "global substitution".

Perhaps there should be a sub option on transpose staff in which preferred enharmonic spellings can be set?

Have I missed an easier way to fix this problem?

John Gillings, Sydney Australia

Re: Incorrect enharmonic spellings in minor keys

Reply #1 –
Why not do the transpose 0 trhing again? That should change them back again, no?

A

Re: Incorrect enharmonic spellings in minor keys

Reply #2 –
There is no way around this behaviour at this time. NWC always favours the accidental direction based on the key (flats in a flat key, sharps in a sharp key). If and when a change to this technique is offered in an upgrade, it would be in the form of a re-spelling function, allowing you designate the preferred enharmonic spelling for each note. Until such a thing is offered, manual changes are required to get the spelling the way you like it.

I hope this helps.

Eric, support@noteworthysoftware.com

Re: Incorrect enharmonic spellings in minor keys

Reply #3 –
I noticed the problem when I tried to transpose a diminished seventh chord (say F# A C Eb where all the intervals are minor thirds) up a semitone.

It becomes G A# C# E and the first interval is now written as an augmented second. This in music theory is a dastardly crime, and I believe (???) that a violinist would actually play a slightly different note.

If the transposition were made so that all the notes moved up (or down) by a fixed number of lines and spaces (thus preserving their relative intervals) and the accidentals were adjusted accordingly then the problem would go away!

Having said that, it is conceivable that on occasion you would need a treble flat or sharp and the rule would have to be broken, but the music would have to be rather oddly written in the first place for that to happen.

Re: Incorrect enharmonic spellings in minor keys

Reply #4 –
Andrew, Thanks for the suggestion, but it doesn't work that way. It's a trapdoor transformation. Even if it were a toggle, there would always be cases where some accidentals were "correct" and others incorrect. :-(

Re: Incorrect enharmonic spellings in minor keys

Reply #5 –
John then said: "It's a trapdoor transformation. Even if it were a toggle, there would always be cases where some accidentals were "correct" and others incorrect. :-( "

Maybe the way to do it (I hope you're reading, Eric), is to make it a trapdoor the first time, and then toggle once all possibly enharmonic notes are being presented in the same way.

A

PS: Did that make any sense?
 

Re: Incorrect enharmonic spellings in minor keys

Reply #6 –
I'm afraid it really doesn't help! In a long piece the probability of making a mistake when re-spelling the notes is quite high.

Your proposed solution is also convoluted and unnecessarily invasive. If the composer has written an enharmonic spelling then that should be preserved if possible and my suggestion in my previous reply does that, and very simply too!

To recap i) Work out from how many degrees on the clef you have to move the notes by comparing the two key signatures. So to move up a minor third in the key of C you would move up two degrees to Eb (rather than one degree to D#).

ii) Move all the notes by the same amount.

iii) Re-spell them as necessary.

Easy really and everyone's :-)