Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Problems with clef positioning. (Read 3371 times) previous topic - next topic

Problems with clef positioning.

In early music, clefs were positioned on almost every line of the stave.
As far as I know, NWC2 allows the ut clef to be positioned only on the 3rd or the 4th line.

I have scores (e.g. Ave Maria - Johannes Brassart) with the soprano Ut clefs on the second line.

Is there anyway to make a custom clef for NWC2 to cover that, so I can just transcribe without having to shift everything?

Thanks.

Re: Problems with clef positioning.

Reply #1 –
I can think of 2 ways:
1) put in one of the available clefs and make it non-printing (invisible), then make the NWC system font (NWC2STDA if you're using the standard font) accessible as a user font at 5/4ths the size of the songs "Staff Metrics".  This will allow you to place a text clef.  You will need to place clefs manually at each system break AND you will need to adjust the playback transposition of each instrument.  You will also need to create text entries for any key signatures that exist (key sigs will also need to be entered normally and made invisible as well).  I suspect that you may end up with notes that do not sound correctly...

2) use the nearest of the available clefs, enter directly from the score and then select the entire staff and <Ctrl+Shift+Up/Dn Arrow> so the notes correspond to the clef used.

The latter is the easiest, but will result in the score not exactly matching your original.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Problems with clef positioning.

Reply #2 –

Lawry Pardy said:
Quote
"2) use the nearest of the available clefs, enter directly from the score and then select the entire staff and <Ctrl+Shift+Up/Dn Arrow> so the notes correspond to the clef used. The latter is the easiest, but will result in the score not exactly matching your original."


That is what I have been doing. It is not printing that I am worried about.
Correct playback is imperative because I do corrective editing mostly by ear.
In longer scores, that causes  problems because I cannot play the music until I have shifted the staff (staves?).
Corrective editing is a lot more problematic after the shift has been performed, because what I have in NWC is no longer the same as the original score and that makes it a lot more complicated. 

Thanks for the response.

Re: Problems with clef positioning.

Reply #3 –
This might be a little cumbersome, but enter the notes using one of the more common clefs, then transpose them to arrive at the right position on the staff.  Now go to each key signature, and replace it with a custom key signature.  If you started with a piece in G major, for instance, but your F sharp has been moved up the staff to, say, the centre line, and using the key signature command, select the B as sharp.  That will only work well with single sharps and single flats, because if you have more than one, they won't display in the right order.  I suspect also that you will no longer hear the piece in the key you expect, because the step-step-halfstep structure will be altered.  To correct that, enter a second custom key signature immediately after the first, with the right sharps or flats to give you the correct scale.  Make this new key signature invisible (visibility = never).  It should still supercede the preceding visible custom signature.

Alternatively, you have the option of using invisible accidentals to move the pitch of single notes up or down half a tone.  Just press 7, 8 or 9 twice when setting the accidental to hide the sign.

I don't know if the custom key idea will work for you, since I've never used the less common clefs nor have I used the custom key signature, but together with Lawrie's suggestions, you might have the solution.  At least that's my theory and I'm stickin' to it.  Good luck!