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Topic: Long Measure Rests (Read 5817 times) previous topic - next topic

Long Measure Rests

How do you insert long measure rests and specify how long they are to be?

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #1 –
There's no direct support for this in NWC. However, you can use inserted text in the Boxmarks font to simulate such rests.

If you don't have Boxmarks already, you can download it from the "helpful files" section of the NWC Scriptorium. The file boxmarks.zip contains the font file itself, directions for installing it and using it in NWC, and a .NWC file that demonstrates the character mappings. The specific text equivalent for the multi-bar rest is [n], where n is the number of measures.

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #2 –
My memory was playing tricks on me. It's the "Useful Files" section, not "helpful files".

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #3 –
They only problem with that font is that the rests don't look right. There should be a continous bar with the count over it. So you would then want the numbers to be raised and with a bar under them. It would also be helpful to have a character that is a continuation of the bar since 3 measures should be visually longer than two. Are these comments for Marsu?

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #4 –
Here's what I do: put a rest in a bar, then highlight it and change the visibility to "never". Copy and paste that bar and the (visible) bar line until you have the number of bars you want. If you're using the option for longer space for longer note values, you may then want to change the rests to all quarter or eighth note rests(if it's not a playing part), by highlighting them all and pressing 3 or 4. Then set up Boxmarks as one of your user fonts and put [4] for a 4 measure rest, position -2 and with the text centred. Check the print preview box and fiddle with it, you may have to change the font size or turn the "preserve width" option on or off, but you can create a very professional-looking printed part this way.

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #5 –
I meant "invisible" bar line.
sorry.

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #6 –
I don't think I get it, the number still cuts trough the bar of the compressed rests. Maybe I didn't explain this well before, but any professional music that you look at will have the number over the compressed rest sign. This way it goes through the compressed rest.

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #7 –
The boxmarks.nwc sample demonstrates how to use the multi rest.

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #8 –
I usually use '-'(minus) with 48 point user defined font instead of boxmark.
Of course the text denoting bar numbers should be added.
I prefer this simplicity rather than boxmark's.

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #9 –
Well - I was a "professional" copyist in the 70's and the broken bar with the measure number within the break was and still is standard with most copyists working from contemporary scores. (At least on this little island).
It's neater and easier to do when copying manually.

While this might not be the standard for "old" classical works it was what I adopted for Boxmarks (which was written for my use - with suggested additions).
There is a problem if you want one continuous "bar" mark since it will be of limited width. With two halves it's possible to pad the break with spaces to change the overall width.

You can still do what you want to do - the thickness of the "bar" should be the same as the thickness of a whole measure rest - from memory this would close up the gap and then you can place the number above the "bar" with text of your choice.
The broken "bar" is easier to use since it places all elements at the same text position vertically.
(ie - one line of text entry).
The measure numbers were added to the font following a user request to make this possible.
But it's your choice.
I'm sorry if this does not suit your needs but I no longer service this font - please direct your request to Marsu.

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #10 –
ummmmmmm... WHAT?!

The average user doesn't want to download and try and patch things to get basic music notation in their piece? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Noteworthy Composer seems to be designed for IT personnel, not the musician or composer?!

I just can't grasp that all these extra things are grafted on to the software. Doesn't make sense? How many other users dislike this system? How many potential customers are going to buy if they knew this difficulty? When is Noteworthy going to be complete? ie. all the necessary things users have applied actually get put IN THE SOFTWARE! LOL! no offence, but that's wierd.

what do you think about it?
what does their programmer think about it?
(don't delete this post please, I have a copy.)

kd

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #11 –
kd,

Software development is a strange thing. Everyone wants everything YESTERDAY and for nothing. It's just not always possible. Yes multi bar rests is a popular wish list item. I've put it in the wish list myself at least twice. However, things take a while to get to the top of the list and get implemented. There is also the question of how they work in a manner that does not restrict usage. For example, should ALL multiple bars be automatically collapsed? What if I want to keep a few single bar rests as written? What if I want to break them into 8 bar blocks? This is NOT trivial. You also need to consider what is happening on other staffs. Should multi bar rests be ignored or "rationalised" across all staffs.

I'd prefer to wait until the software developers get it right than demand they rush through something that might impose unnecessary limitations.

I believe the most recent version of Noteworthy now a very obvious way to implement multi bar rests in a simple and flexible manner - using bar line properties. By marking a specific bar line as the "start of multi bar rest" and another as "end of multi bar rest" this should provide the user a means for specifying precisely what they want. Maximum flexibility and a simple interface.

Remember that Noteworthy is very inexpensive - TANSTAAFL. There are plenty of other music notation programs which have more features, but you have to pay the price. Not just in money, but also in complexity of the interface. In the mean time, we can make do with hacks like Barry's Boxmarks font. I'm sure Barry be too offended if I say they are a bit clumsy and cumbersome, but at least we can get the desired result with a bit of extra effort. That's it's POSSIBLE to "graft" things on is a credit to the way Noteworthy is structured. Generality and flexibility!

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #12 –
No offence taken John.
It was simply a workaround I needed that grew (illogically) with user requests.
If I was to start from scratch again it might make more sense.
Like you I have cast many items into the wish list well - still waiting for my bucket to come up.
Perhaps my wishes for a more comprehensive notation package don't match the requirements of the majority of the users.
Perhaps version 2 - in the meantime I draw my water elsewhere.

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #13 –
I've been writing out interminable orchestral parts recently, and have needed this multi-measure rest a lot - I've been using the NoteRow font very successfully - It gives the bold black line with the vertical line edges and you can insert the number at the top - I prefer it to the Boxmarks one with the number in the middle. I can't remember where I got hold of this font, but I'm sure it was at this NWC site - I've done a cursory browse now, but can't find it, so if you want it, let me know and I'll send you the file. - I actually use this font more than any other for many workarounds.

-Ann

Re: Long Measure Rests

Reply #14 –
Ann,
I found the e-mail for the guy who created NoteRow and asked him to e-mail me his font. If I don't get a response from him, I'll ask you to e-mail me NoteRow. I have only question: Can I make to rest bar longer or shorter?