Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line.

Topic: Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line. (Read 3078 times) previous topic - next topic

Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line.

2007-06-19 11:58 pm

How about automatic measure numbers in the lyric line? Jumping around from one staff to another of very similar, but not identical, lyrics for cut&paste applications is maddening.

For example: two voices are singing the same lyric, but with slightly different rhythms in some places. I can cut&paste, if I can find the right place to cut, but, then I also have to find the exact right spot to put the changes in one of the lines. And, since this is choral music with a couple of soloists and the melody is passed around among all of them, I currently have 6 lines that could much more easily be written, if I could just find those places easily.

Re: Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line.

Reply #1 – 2007-06-20 01:20 am

I like this idea, or alternatively, something like a comment tag in the lyric editor.

This would be similar in function to html comment tags. In other words, in html, if you write , the text between the brackets will be invisible on the webpage.

A similar function in the lyric editor might be useful, although I think simply < and > would be preferable instead of the seven keystrokes needed for the html tags.

Re: Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line.

Reply #2 – 2007-06-20 02:35 am

I think the comment tag might be helpful, but not really a lot better. If I have to put the measure numbers in manually, as I think this requires, it's still a lot of work to make sure the numbers are in the right places to keep the varying lyrics in as many as 10 voices aligned. It would be best if the numbers were above or below the lyric line or superimposed on it in a non-printing font, but put in automatically as I enter lyrics.

Frank

Re: Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line.

Reply #3 – 2007-06-20 03:53 am

While I understand the utility of such an option, I don't think it will happen.

If I understand much at all about how NWC functions the lyric editor has no idea about where lyrics are placed - it knows not where the notes and barlines are.

Lyric placement occurs AFAIK when the screen is drawn. To change this would be non-trivial.

David's suggestion of some kind of tag that is ignored by the lyric processor is more likely IMHO to be feasible.

Re: Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line.

Reply #4 – 2007-06-20 06:47 am

My idea is perhaps best for using the lyric editor for entering chord symbols. Hidden rehearsal letters within the lyric editor would make the job much easier.

Re: Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line.

Reply #5 – 2007-06-22 03:53 am

That's what I figured, Lawrie, and why I put the subject in the form of a question.

After dealing with it in the latest transcription, I've decided that it's best done in Photoshop since I can simply put the words in a transparent layer above the staves and push them around, duplicate, etc. to my heart's desire. Since I'm already doing little odds and ends, like inserting accents (>) in more reasonable places, formatting pages, cleaning up the dynamics and printing from that program anyway, I might as well just type in the lyrics there, too. There's no chance of losing my place and duplicate phrases are a breeze, just copy, paste and slide them to where they belong!

NWC is great for getting all the notes in place and keeping the measures aligned. I'd go nuts, if it didn't save me all the squinting and counting when getting the music down. But the lyrics handling seems like an afterthought. Too bad the programmers didn't think to make the lyrics a layer as easy to use as the music, instead of the separate box.

Regards,

Frank

Frank

Re: Feature request? Automatic measure numbers in the lyric line.

Reply #6 – 2007-06-22 01:34 pm

I use a script with the Semware Editor to take out digits from text. First, I place measure numbers in the front syllable of a line "10Set me as a seal" and see how everything lines up. If everything thru measure 20 is correct but the syllable at the beginning of measure 26 is out of place, I know to look for missing words, hyphens, and slurs in just those measures. Once everything is corrected, all numbered text is copied to the clipboard for the script to do its thing. The new text is pasted at the beginning of the lyric page.

http://bellsouthpwp.net/w/b/wbport/nwc2/