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Topic: Combining staves (Read 11151 times) previous topic - next topic

Combining staves

Is there a way to combine staves?

For example, I've laid out a four-part choral piece with S/A/T/B staves. Now, being a lazy sight-reader, I would like to generate a piano score from this so that I can accompany my choir. In other words, a pair of treble/bass staves with S/A on top and T/B on the bottom.

I tried exporting the 4-parter as a MIDI file and then importing it, but it "remembered" the number of staves. Is there a way to combine multiple staves into a single staff for this purpose?

Re: Combining staves

Reply #1 –
The sequencing program I use allows staves to be combined. One could export the midi, bring it up in the sequencing program, combine and then reimport back into NWC. I doubt that the notes will have proper stem directions, but . . . The particular program I use is an inexpensive one (Microsoft Studio) and I pretty much only use it for midi input due to its limitations. However, there may be other sequencing programs out there (shareware or otherwise) that give the same option. Perhaps the new version of NWC will also allow the option, given that it will have some sequencing capabilities.

Re: Combining staves

Reply #2 –
The next version, 1.30g, will not explicitly allow merging 4 staves into two staves. However, it will support Exporting Type 0 files. By muting two staves at a time, and then exporting the score, you can combine each two staff pair into their own type 0 MIDI files. These could then separately be imported. However, as was pointed out, the stem direction information, and in many cases the actual performance, will not exactly be correct, as import recognizes only one independent voice.

I hope this helps.

Eric, support@noteworthysoftware.com