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Topic: Lyric refrain problem (Read 3467 times) previous topic - next topic

Lyric refrain problem

Hi,

I am using Noteworthy Composer to enter songs that my choir is singing so we can learn to sing in parts.  I am getting better at making everything look pretty when I overlap the the alto & soprano lines so people can print the song out in addition to listening to the .nwc file.  (We use four hymnals, so it certainly is less bulky to use 5 sheets of paper instead of 4 books.)

My question is about refrains when the verses are not all the same notes.  I have realized that, for most songs, I can just enter the refrain for the first lyric and leave the remaining lyrics blank for the refrain.  Then I don't have all kinds of repeated text.

My problem is with hymns whose verses vary slightly from one to the next.  I've looked at past postings and don't see any that quite address my problem.  (Either that, or I'm too uneducated musically to recognize the answer!)

I have a song that follows the form ABACADA.  The verses vary ever so slightly from each other.

What I've done is repeat the music bars and the lyrics for the refrain four times in the song.  But I feel like there HAS to be some way I can point Noteworthy Composer to go back to play the 18 measures of the refrain in between the verses.  Is there a way to do this or do I have to copy and paste the notes/lyrics as I have done?

I hope I stated this clearly.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Ann Scharpf

Re: Lyric refrain problem

Reply #1 –
Hi.

I think that there are a couple separate issues here, most of which are covered by User Tips. Check out https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=2320, https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=2271, and https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=2272. Or go to the User Tips section and enter "lyrics" in the search field.

To briefly summarise, you can fit multiple lyric syllables under one note by using one or more underscores, fooling the lyric editor into thinking it's just a single word.

Re: Lyric refrain problem

Reply #2 –
Ann,
I'm pretty sure this file (here) can be a great help to you.
I just made it, didn't even hear it but it shows how to have different verses with one refrain. I also added a "cadenza" (a final "Amen!") which you may choose to remove; in that case, the playback will stop after the last refrain.
Here is an extract of the "info" part of this file:
------
Based on the SATB NWC template: "This template creates an SATB template using the staff layering feature". For an easy usage, place it in your "template" NWC directory.
It shows how to make 3 verses with different music, using only one lyric line, plus a cadenza which may be removed (in that case, the music stops after the 4th refrain).
The hidden :|| bar lines and number make the flow direction;
the extra bar lines are there for aesthetic purposes and may be changed at will.

Hope this helps!
-------

Feel free to contact me if any questions :)

HTH,
      NWCly yours

Re: Lyric refrain problem

Reply #3 –
I tried to email Marsu directly but got an invalid page on the link for your address.

I want to thank you again for setting up this special ending/master repeat file for me!  It has been INVALUABLE this fall as I have entered our choir's songs.  The songs are so much easier to read now that I know how to put the refrain in there just once instead of over and over.

I don't do it often enough to remember properly each time.  So, I just flip over to the file you sent me and it all makes sense again.  (I am STARTING to remember, though!)

Thanks again.

Ann