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Topic: *feels stupid* (Read 5644 times) previous topic - next topic

*feels stupid*

I'm pretty new to NWC, and I feel really stupid asking this question, but I couldn't find the answer, cuz I don't know what these freaking notes are called. How do you make those chords with like, the squiggly lines on them that make you play each note seperately really fast to make the chord... I just don't know their name >_<. So how do you make them on NWC? I'm not a very quick learner... where can I find like a totally user friendly guide for NWC explaining the basics, and maybe a little into the advanced stuff? Send me an e-mail at ghost_stalker989@yahoo.com, or catch me on AIM at K9 Krunchees if you have any useful information.

Re: *feels stupid*

Reply #1 –
That chord is called an arpeggio (meaning in the manner of the harp, AFAIK). There is no way to accomplish this directly in NWC, so welcome to the wonderful world of NWC workarounds!

You'll probably find discussion over this topic in this forum, now that you know what to look for. But I can explain it to you, because I haven't got anything else to do at the time :)

Making an arpeggio requires the omnipotent hidden staff technique (another powerful technique is layering). In it you use a hidden staff that plays the music and a visible staff that has the notes but is muted.

On the hidden staff, you'll need to simulate the arpeggio and have all the rest of the music too. Then on the so-called view staff, you'll have the same music, without the ugly simulation.

Then, you'll need to add an arpeggio symbol. That requires the use of musical symbol fonts. You can find these in the NWC Scriptorium, in the Useful Files section. I recommend downloading and installing all the fonts there, if you ever plan on viewing other peoples NWC creations.

After you have installed the fonts that you found necessary, locate the arpeggio symbol in one of them with the Windows Character Map application. In Boxmark2, it's the letter c.

Then, add the font you decided to use as an user font in Page Setup -> Fonts. Font size 16 pt is quite OK. Finally add a text expression with the correct text (c in case of Boxmark2) and select User 1 as the font.

Quite a lengthy explanation, but it isn't really hard at all.

Re: *feels stupid*

Reply #2 –
I think you're asking about a squiggly line that is vertical and appears just before the chord.  I think it's called an arpeggiation sign.  You can create it by downloading either Boxmarks or Boxmark2 font from the Scriptorium http://nwc-scriptorium.org/helpful.html#Fonts and inserting it as text (the letter c) just before the chord.

Inserting the text won't make it play, though.  To do this, there are a couple of things you can do.  Probably the easiest is to insert grace notes before the chord, tie each one to the corresponding note in the chord, and make the grace notes invisible.

For instance, write a whole note chord G, B, D.  Just before it, insert the text for UserFont 1 (Boxmark2), c.

Then place the following notes before the chord:
quarter note, G, tied.
dotted 8th, B, tied.
8th, D, tied.
Convert these to grace notes.

The learning curve is NOT steep for this program.  The user guide that comes with the CD for the program will teach you most of what you need to know.  You can also check the Help menu, particularly the Getting Started section.  Then for anything else, just throw a question into this forum and someone will probably be able to assist you.

Re: *feels stupid*

Reply #3 –
Sorry, Jussi, I was writing my answer before yours arrived on my screen, so I didn't realize you'd posted it.

Cokey, this illustrates that there is usually going to be more than one workaround for almost anything in NWC.  Jussi's hidden staff technique works as well, or better, than my grace note idea.

David

Re: *feels stupid*

Reply #4 –
Thanks for the help :) I was just wonderin'... I did something similar to the grace note thing, but that's not quite right. The grace note requires all the notes to play in one beat before that beat starts. I did it with 64th notes...and works...50% of the time. Nothin I can't really live without though. Well thanks, I'll try that other thing :D

Re: *feels stupid*

Reply #5 –
I don't think the NWC grace notes play before the beat - they steal time from the note that follows them.

You can check this by using two staffs and a slow tempo.  Set the tempo for perhaps quarter = 60.  Use the second staff as a metronome - put 4 groups of 16 notes and dotted 8th rests per bar, at a high pitch on this second staff.  Then on the first staff, put three quarter notes ahead of the chord and make them grace notes.

(In testing my idea, I used quarters for the grace notes instead of the values in my earlier message.  The quarters give a better result).

Re: *feels stupid*

Reply #6 –
Check out 'Caverns' in the sample songs, by Fred Nachbaur (who passed away this year, and a great loss it is!) because I think Caverns has good examples of what you probably mean.
Rob.