How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Topic: How do you transpose a portion of a staff? (Read 6905 times) previous topic - next topic

How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

2009-07-18 06:18 am

I previously entered an arrangement of a song for my barbershop quartet. I now have written a key change that occurs before the last chorus. I would like to transpose the score from that point to the end, but can't seem to find a way to do it. The transpose tool only allows me to change the entire staff. Is there a way to do this without having to manually change all four parts for the last 16 measures of the song?

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #1 – 2009-07-18 06:53 am

The easiest way I've found to do this is to copy the relevant measures to a new staff (in a new file). Make sure all of the old key sigs are at the beginning and then transpose. When done, copy back again overwriting the old measures.

Do this for each staff where you have measures that need to be transposed.

Needless to say, before you start, make sure that you have a backup - just in case !

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #2 – 2009-07-18 11:21 am

I add a temporary extra staff at the bottom of a score to which I copy anything which needs processing (transposition, retrograde, brain storms, k.t.l.)

Carl

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #3 – 2009-07-19 05:18 am

To transpose only part of a score, for each staff:
1. Select the measures to be transposed. Do this just as you would select text in a word processor. You can click-drag with the mouse or position the cursor at the beginning of the section, hold down Ctrl-Shift and tap the Right arrow key once for each measure in the section.
2. Hold down Ctrl-Shift and tap the Up or Down arrow key once for each staff line or space you wish to transpose the section upward or downward.
3. Insert the appropriate key signature at the beginning of the section in each staff.

If the verses and chorus are presently written out only once with repeat signs and several lyric verses, then this will become slightly more complicated.
Fore each staff:
1. Select from the measure before the key change to the end of the chorus. Ctrl-C or Edit-Copy to save the section to the clipboard.
2. Insert a Special Ending the measure before the key change. Check the boxes for all the verses minus one of your arrangement.
3. Tap the End key or position the cursor after the repeat sign at the end of the last measure of the chorus. Ctrl-V or Edit-Paste to paste the last chorus from the clipboard.
4. Insert a Special Ending in the first measure of the section you just pasted in. Check only the box for the last number verse and uncheck all others.
5. Apply all 3 steps in the first set of instructions above to the section you want to transpose.
6. Adjust any staff lyrics necessary.

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #4 – 2009-07-19 06:23 am

Quote from: Milton – 2009-07-19 05:18 am

2. Hold down Ctrl-Shift and tap the Up or Down arrow key once for each staff line or space you wish to transpose the section upward or downward.

It is unwise to confuse shifting with transposing. In an octave, there are 7 shifts and 12 semi-tones. Not a good match.

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #5 – 2009-07-19 05:42 pm

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #6 – 2009-07-19 05:54 pm

Quote from: Rick G. – 2009-07-19 06:23 am

It is unwise to confuse shifting with transposing. In an octave, there are 7 shifts and 12 semi-tones. Not a good match.

Which is why I also stated that the appropriate key signature must be inserted as well. So of course to transpose, for example, F major up 3 semitones one would note that 3 semitones up from F is Ab, 2 letter names up. Ctrl-Shift Up arrow twice, insert Key Signature of Ab major. Requires only slightly more thought than Staff-Transpose-No. of Semitones.

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #7 – 2009-07-19 07:17 pm

Quote from: Milton – 2009-07-19 05:54 pm

Requires only slightly more thought than Staff-Transpose-No. of Semitones.

More thought than I can muster. In this clip:

Quote

!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.0,Single)
|Clef|Type:Treble
|Key|Signature:C
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:-6,b-4,#-3,-1
|Bar
|Key|Signature:Bb,Eb,Ab
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:-4,b-2,#-1,1
|Bar
|Key|Signature:F#,C#,G#,D#
|Chord|Dur:Whole|Pos:-4,b-2,#-1,1
|Bar
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

I start out with a C^dim7 Chord and use your method to try to transpose it to Eb^dim7 and E^dim7. Neither is correct. Perhaps you can elaborate on what I am doing wrong.

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #8 – 2009-07-19 07:40 pm

I see your point re accidentals - the Bbb remains double flatted even when the key signature is applied. Oh well. If there are no accidentals it works but manually editing is more trouble than its worth.

Re: How do you transpose a portion of a staff?

Reply #9 – 2009-07-22 06:17 pm

Thanks to all of you. I think Rich's solution will be easiest for me to follow. It's great to have this forum for the commuity, as your experience is a great help to all of us.
Thom