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Topic: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn (Read 4782 times) previous topic - next topic

Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

I'm not musically inclined, so please keep your responses simple :)

My wife's the one who's trying to accomplish something and we're running into block walls.
At present we're working on the FREE downloaded version of Noteworthy. If what we're trying to do is successful, then we'll probably purchase the software.

Here's the problem: We've already created the Hymn - an Organ piece - from sheet music. Not really knowing what we were doing we're now faced with the need to go back and enter some "slurs" that extend over 3-4 notes and into the next measure. We haven't found a way of doing this without removing notes already entered - and even that didn't work.

Question: Do "Slurs" need to be entered as a note is entered ONLY or can they be placed afterwards? If afterwards, exactly HOW? We've check the FAQ's and been through the helps in the manual and haven't been successful in finding anything detailed enough to resolve this.

We'd be grateful for some guidance.

Sign us: Slow Learners

Re: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

Reply #1 –
G'day RoyMick,
are you referring to slurs or do you perhaps mean ties?  In any case the asnwer is similar.

First, yes, you can easily add them later.

For slurs, highlight the group of notes (or chords for that matter) to be slurred together (omitting the last one*) and press the semicolon <;> key.  That's it!

For ties, you must highlight each note/chord individually and press the forward slash </> key.  Again, you omit the last one*.

If you want to tie only one note of a chord, you do need to do it individually, remove the note from the chord <Ctrl-BackSpace>, then 'set' the tie </> and replace the note <Ctrl-Enter>.

The slur and tie keyboard shortcut is a toggle.  It is also possible to do this with the mouse, but I find the keyboard shortcuts much faster.

* The reason for omitting the last note/chord is simply that the slur and tie attributes belong to the source note(s), not the destination note.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

Reply #2 –
Laurie,

Hello and thanks for the quick response.
I've already tried drawing the cursor through the notes (except the last one) that we want the SLUR to be place on and it didn't work. Pressing the ";" key did nothing.

Roy

Re: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

Reply #3 –
G'day RoyMick,
hmm, OK.  Let's try this slowly just to make sure...  I will go through the process at a pretty fundamental level so please don't feel insulted if I'm being a little too basic.  I just need to be absolutely sure of what you're doing and as I can't actually see you I need to take it step by step.

If you position the mouse pointer immediately to the left of the first note to be slurred and then click, this will place the insertion point there.  It will be a small flashing rectangle, taller than it is wide and it will be as high as the distance between 2 lines of the staff.

Now, release the mouse and hold the <Shift> key down.  Whilst holding the <Shift> key, press the <Right-Arrow> key repeatedly until you have highlighted all the notes to be slurred (except, of course, the last one), now release the <Shift> key.

At this point you should have several notes, and possibly other elements in the bar highlighted - they will show as Yellow on Black.  While they are still highlighted, press the <;> key.  That should do it for you.

Selecting with the mouse is possible but not nearly as accurate as using the keyboard.  In fact, one of the most important features (IMHO) of NWC is the wonderfully useful keyboard interface.  It is far and away the best of any I've seen in any notation product available, and I've tried 'em all, or nearly so anyway.

Let me know how it goes.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

Reply #4 –
Laurie,

I think I've discovered the problem. After highlighting the notes for the "slur" and clicking the ";" key, I see nothing change on the screen. However, what's actually happening is that the Slur IS being applied. It's just above the top of the screen and can't be seen. When I do a PRINT PREVIEW it would appear that the Slur is there.

Don't know why it's not showing up in the editing screen, but maybe there's a way to lower everything down a little so the top row of notes is lowered down a little.

Roy

Re: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

Reply #5 –
G'day RoyMick,
good catch! 
If appropriate, you could move the slurs to the lower side of the staff by selecting the first note in each group and explicitly setting the slur direction to downward.

Otherwise, you can move the top staff down the edit screen by:
  • Change the top boundary of the top staff in |Edit|Properties|Visual Tab|Vertical Size|Upper spin box.
  • Temporarily insert another staff and move it to the top.

If you buy the product, you will be eligible to enroll in the NWC2 beta program - This version has a property to increase the top margin of the edit screen for just this purpose.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

Reply #6 –
Thanks for the help. At this point we don't know if we're purchasing the product or not.
It's not something my wife does a lot of, but it might be helpful on occasion.
She's still evaluating it and if we don't have any additional problems, then we'll go for it.


Roy

Re: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

Reply #7 –
G'day Roy,
as I'm sure you're aware, no product is perfect.  However, for sheer ease of use and value for money, there is simply nothing that I've found that even comes close to NWC.  Especially if you enrol in the NWC2 beta.  It is a serious improvement.

$39 US is an absolute bargain for this product.  IMHO

I was first introduced to NWC by my son many years ago.  When I decided that it was time to get serious about purchasing a notation product I looked around...  NWC was still the best value, and I'll harp on about the user interface again, there is nothing that can compare.

No other product I've found gives you the flexibility in score management and note entry.

I confess I've found some limitations that have had me looking around but I've always come back.  And price was not the governing factor...  If they were sufficiently good enough and easy enough to use, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of the more expensive products, but they just don't meet my criteria for ease of use.  They're not even close.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Adding a Slur To An Existing Hymn

Reply #8 –
Not to mention the great forum! Thrown in for free!