Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: the chant challenge (Read 3349 times) previous topic - next topic

the chant challenge

Well ... after a while away, let's say, I started looking at Noteworthy again because I remembered two features relevant to the task in hand: good lyrics-handling, and the possibility - a real winner - to work with variable-length bars. So far so good; checked the forum for postings about chant, and found the user tip about Insert > Text options.

I must be missing something, though! for instance, it seems you have to have normal notes to trigger the display of graphics, and even if you set the display attribute to "never" you can't insert (say) a note-head character over the top. Result - text always offset with relation to noteheads. Also, because the noteheads aren't treated like notes you can't slur them or add expression marks :-{

If there was just an option "stem-length = 0" I could stick with Noteworthy and breeze through making chant-sheets. As it is, the best option I can see is using the music fonts in a graphics program. Does any of you have a better idea?

Re: the chant challenge

Reply #1 –
Go to the wish list and submit your proposal about adjusting stem length. I've proposed ideas myself that were realized on  later versions, so it may appear too :)

I'm not sure I understand your need (in particular the kind of "link" between notes and lyrics you seem to want). Could you please give us a link to some picture file that shows us what you'd like to do?
Maybe the (Musiqwik?) fonts that Robert Allgeyer created may help you; And, for gregorian chant, you may want to use the freeware Gregoire (by a French Monk, in French, Dutch, English).

HTH!

Re: the chant challenge

Reply #3 –
It looks as if you want to create notes with hidden stems.  That's something you'll have to put on the wishlist and wait to see if it will happen.

Using the special font Marsu discusses may work for you (I'm not familiar with it).  You would use traditional notation first, then hide the notes (visibility = never).  Then insert your text-based notes and set them to left justify, at next note/bar.

It will be slow and tedious but it should work.  I'm not sure about some of the symbols you showed, but there should be something in the various fonts that will accomplish that.

Re: the chant challenge

Reply #4 –
Nice & simple web page , Niels :)

What you can do, is to do your scores (with stems) within NWC; then use the copy special to export them as WMF (in Print Preview).
Paste them in some tool such as µ$Word, Star Office, or some graphic programs that know the WMF format (PaintShopPro does it I think). Then remove the stems by hand.
Hoping you'll have to do it once only...

And don't forget to go to the Wish List, asking for notes without stems!! :)

Re: the chant challenge

Reply #5 –
Now that's a really devious answer! chapeau, Marsu, for that one ... of course, another possibility could be to dust off my Amiga 2000 and see if I can remember how to use Dr T - there you had to build up notes from head and stem anyway ;-}

Re: the chant challenge

Reply #6 –
I am wanting to produce chant notation for our community.  These posts suggest NWC can be used for this purpose. Does it take a long time? Incidentally I have been unsuccessful in getting any response from Gregoire referred to by Marsu.