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Topic: Left-align first syllable only (Read 3101 times) previous topic - next topic

Left-align first syllable only

In printing hymns for congregational singing, I prefer to see:
  • syllables aligned using standard rules (i.e., centered on notes)
  • verse number attached to the first syllable
  • verse numbers left-aligned.

I haven't found this addressed in the forums, so am posting here. Has anyone tried to do this?

(The one solution that occurred to me was to insert an invisible, muted note on which to align the verse numbers -- but that creates too much space at the start of the lyric line.)

Re: Left-align first syllable only

Reply #1 –
Quote from: jnelson522 –
I haven't found this addressed in the forums, so am posting here. Has anyone tried to do this?
Yes. See my attachment here: https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?action=dlattach;topic=6341.0;attach=521;image
For hymns, I put the lyrics on their own staff and set the boundaries to match the content. Usually, the lyrics do not exactly match any of the vocal parts and this saves futzing with the voices to align the lyrics. I start the lyrics staff with the verse numbers as text, aligned to a grace note followed by a Spacer Command. Adjusting the width of the spacer gives a precise alignment, as shown here:
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposer(2.5)
|PgSetup|DurationPadding:N
|AddStaff|Name:"sa"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Open (hidden)|BoundaryBottom:10|WithNextStaff:ConnectBars
|Clef|Type:Treble
|Key|Signature:Bb|Tonic:F
|TimeSig|Signature:3/4
|Chord|Dur:Half|Pos:-6,-3
|Chord|Dur:4th|Pos:-4,-2
|Bar
|AddStaff|Name:"lyrics"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Open (hidden)|BoundaryTop:5|BoundaryBottom:2|Lines:0|WithNextStaff:ConnectBars
|Lyrics|Align:Standard Rules
|Lyric1|Text:"Come, Thou\r\n"
|Lyric2|Text:"Born Thy\r\n"
|Text|Text:"2."|Font:StaffLyric|Pos:0|Placement:AtNextNote
|Text|Text:"1."|Font:StaffLyric|Pos:4|Placement:AtNextNote
|Note|Dur:4th,Grace|Pos:0z|Opts:StemLength=4,Muted|Visibility:Never
|Spacer|Width:300
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:0z|Opts:StemLength=4,Muted|Visibility:Never
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:0z|Opts:StemLength=4,Muted|Visibility:Never
|Bar|Visibility:Always
|AddStaff|Name:"tb"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Open (hidden)|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:14
|Clef|Type:Bass
|Key|Signature:Bb|Tonic:F
|TimeSig|Signature:3/4
|Chord|Dur:4th,Slur|Pos:-5|Opts:Stem=Down|Dur2:Half|Pos2:1,3
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Down
|Chord|Dur:4th|Pos:-1,3
|Bar
!NoteWorthyComposer-End
To get a hymn right, there are many more problems to be overcome that will require layers to the voice staves.

Registered user since 1996

Re: Left-align first syllable only

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Rick G. –
Yes. See my attachment here: https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?action=dlattach;topic=6341.0;attach=521;image
For hymns, I put the lyrics on their own staff and set the boundaries to match the content. Usually, the lyrics do not exactly match any of the vocal parts and this saves futzing with the voices to align the lyrics. I start the lyrics staff with the verse numbers as text, aligned to a grace note followed by a Spacer Command. Adjusting the width of the spacer gives a precise alignment, as shown here:
[snip]
To get a hymn right, there are many more problems to be overcome that will require layers to the voice staves.


Rick - thanks very much for that idea! It never occurred to me to put lyrics on their own (muted and invisible) staff. As I've probably stated elsewhere, I use NWC to create choral arrangements for our church choir, so sometimes the songs are traditional hymns. One of the things I also run into occasionally with hymns is alternate melodies from one verse to the next, or cases where two notes are slurred for one verse and are distinct for another. For these cases, I have either done extra _ characters in the lyrics, and/or I change the properties of certain notes to "Lyric always" or "Lyric never". It would be nice if NWC had a "dotted slur" for this type of "conditional slur", as well as a way to insert notes with smaller heads (when the melody changes slightly from verse to verse). I've tried to use grace notes for this, and could never get them to "line up" correctly, but I now see that I would probably do this with spacers on the "ghost staff". I'm going to try this!

For verse numbers, I usually use an invisible "lyric always" grace rest, but your way works too (especially on a mute and invisible staff). The main thing is that grace notes/rests take up less space, so the number is effectively left aligned.