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Topic: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer! (Read 8193 times) previous topic - next topic

My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

.... is entering (2-note) octaves! How I despair! It sometimes seems to be the action I do the most per piece. I wish one could enter a single note, then highlight it with one of 2 short-cut keys that automatically added the same note (of the same duration) either 8 notes up or 8 notes down. It would be a lot more useful than some of the obscure features they put in. Anyone agree?

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #1 –
Well I have a keyboard macro program that when I hit CTRL O puts a note at the current pitch, goes down an octave and inserts an octave chord note - So I guess that must mean that I agree that it would be useful to have since I have configured my system to do it.

What I would say though (in case you don't know) is that the easiest way of doing this is to hit enter, hold down control and then hit down arrow followed by enter (without letting go of the control key). This then forms the octave chord you are looking for quite easily. Quite a simple key operation. Obviously, you can also do it bottom up by using the up arrow rather than the down arrow.

Rich.

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #2 –
I quite agree! I enter a lot of octaves also and find myself forgetting to hit the right keys and making another note beside it instead of above/below it. I think they should have an octave button!
MusicHeart

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #3 –
How many keystrokes or mouse movements would be needed each time you needed to activate the command to add the octave to each chord?  Compare that to Rich's method. 

That's not to say you couldn't write a user tool that would do this.  I don't have the skill but perhaps someone else does.








Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #4 –
I just use the CTRL-Up or CTRL-Down to get the octave.

I just enter a note wherever, hit CTRL-Up, hit CTRL-Enter and it's done.  I'll then enter then next note at the top octave level, hit CTRL-Down to go down an octave, hit CTRL-Enter, and it's done.  Two keystrokes after you enter the first note to get the second note.
John

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #5 –
My point exactly.  The idea of a button to automate the process is okay, but if you had a button to turn on, you'd have to select it,  set it to go up and down, then activate it.  If selecting it with the mouse, you'd have to take a hand off the keyboard.  Seems like a lot of work compared to what we can do already.

Of course, if you needed the octave added to every existing note, a user tool could be created so that you just enter the roots, and let the tool add the octave to every note.  I think.

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #6 –
Thanks to everyone for their comments, and esp. to Richard for opening my eyes! I had always entered a note then pressed up and down arrows 7 times, follwed by control and enter. I tried what you said (enter, control plus ONE up or down key) and hey presto - did the trick! Much easier! As pleased as I was, I was also a bit peeved! I thought "I've had NWC for 5 years and how come I've not been aware of this feature? How come I missed that? Where on earth do they tell  you about that?" Then I opened up all the menus and saw the "Chord Member" phrase - the penny dropped! I don't know why I'd always ignored that before - possibly because the name is a bit misleading? Perhaps if it had been called "Chord Octave", I would have cottoned on sooner! Anyway, thanks again!

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #7 –
Don't feel bad about not knowing.  I found out about the CTRL-Up/CTRL-Down command several years ago after suffering the same frustration as you did.  I was playing Up-Up-Up-Up-Up-Up-Up game also, but then asked on the forum, and a helpful soul told me about the CTRL-Up command and my life has been easier ever since.

That's the great value of the forum (and the newsgroup), in that there is a lot of sharing of information, tips, and tricks from a lot of helpful folks.
John

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #9 –
absolutely. I'm still trying to figure this one out. I love Noteworthy cos it's so easy and quick but this is the one thing...

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #10 –
Well, actually, there are two other things... Courtesy ledger lines during note entry, and genuine subtitles.  :-)  But we all have our pet peeves don't we.  Thank goodness for NWC instead of Finale, Siebelus, et. al.

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #11 –
Quote from: CDon –
Well, actually, there are two other things... Courtesy ledger lines during note entry, and genuine subtitles. 

The solution to courtesty leger lines is similar to octave entry. E. g., if you are on a bass staff and need the lower G, just position to the low staff G, hit Ctrl+Dn <enter>

What do you mean by subtitles?  Something to help you read French music?
Registered user since 1996

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #12 –
I'm guessing he means a 2nd line (probably in a smaller, or user configurable) font below the song title.  Such as:

The Greatest Song In The World
(as performed by me)

- John
John

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #13 –
John, you must be taking lessons from "Josh the Magnificent Composer"!

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Rick G. –
The solution to courtesty leger lines is similar to octave entry. E. g., if you are on a bass staff and need the lower G, just position to the low staff G, hit Ctrl+Dn <enter>

Rick, that is not a solution; That is another work-around.  In my view, the only solution is, well, courtesy leger lines.  Right now it is probably best to take a shot at it, swear if you miss it, backspace, adjust and go.  Generally get it right (or close) if not too far from the staff.

Merriam-Webster Main Entry: work-around
Pronunciation: 'w&rk-&-"raund
Function: noun
: a plan or method to circumvent a problem (as in computer software) without eliminating it  

Quote
What do you mean by subtitles?  Something to help you read French music?

Basically, yes, but actually, Yiddish.  I do a lot of Yiddish titles and it would be nice to English subtitles... As John said above.

Re: My biggest bugbear with Noteworthy Composer!

Reply #15 –
G'day LegsD,

Quote from: LegsD –
.... is entering (2-note) octaves! How I despair! It sometimes seems to be the action I do the most per piece. I wish one could enter a single note, then highlight it with one of 2 short-cut keys that automatically added the same note (of the same duration) either 8 notes up or 8 notes down. It would be a lot more useful than some of the obscure features they put in. Anyone agree?

Its taken a while but there is now a solution for you!

If you visit https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=5738.0 you will see a pair new user tools I've created (with a 'little' help from my friends <g>)

Both tools will do "the octave thing" for you.  They will also do quite a bit more.  You can create quite complex chords with them if you want.

Thankyou for inspiring me.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.