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Topic: Changing Key more than whole or half step (third) (Read 2419 times) previous topic - next topic

Changing Key more than whole or half step (third)

How do you change the key of one staff and all the notes in it without going through the whole staff and individually changing each note and moving it down, say, a third.  There is a key change command but I could not figure out how to do it and I don't think it moves the key more than a whole of half step depending on the original key.  Simply stated, I just want to know how to move all the notes of one staff down by, for example, a major third without having to go through and change each individual note.

Re: Changing Key more than whole or half step (third)

Reply #1 –
Use Tools,Transpose Staff.  Insert the appropriate number of half-tones that you need the music to move up or down by.  C major to A major is -3.  C major to Eb major is +3.

If you want to keep the playback pitch unchanged, you should select Update staff playback transposition.  This is useful where you're writing a score in concert pitch then want to transpose a part before printing, but still be able to play the piece back.

Re: Changing Key more than whole or half step (third)

Reply #2 –
how can you have the playback pitch be changed as well as if you wanted to change the playback key as well.

Re: Changing Key more than whole or half step (third)

Reply #3 –
Sorry, I should have elaborated.

The update button can be turned on or off.  If it's off, if you transpose up a third, the notes will transpose audibly and visibly, and play back at the new pitch.  If it's on, then only the visual presentation of the key and notes will change.

I think it's recommended that if you're in C major to start with, you should actually have entered the C major key signature at the beginning of the score.  I'm not sure if that's important or not, but you can either hide it (note properties/display/never) or leave it there - it will display as a hidden item in the edit window but it won't print, so there's no harm in adding it.

Re: Changing Key more than whole or half step (third)

Reply #4 –
It is important to use a key signature if you're in C major - it won't transpose properly if you don't. I discovered this after banging my head against the wall about it for quite a while, so I hope you're spared the grief.