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2 part harmony

I'm adding a second part harmony -with a different colour as it happens - noteworthy will let me add notes when they are above the original music (with sticks pointing up), but not below. Is there a reason for this?

Re: 2 part harmony

Reply #1 –
Quote from: NWC-Support –
It is true that NWC will not allow a chord to contain an upward stem note that is below a downward stem note. However, the staff layering feature (currently in an experimental development phase) will allow this
Layering moved beyond the  "experimental development phase" many years ago. It has long been the preferred way to handle multiple voices on the same visual staff.

Enhancements to split chords have been abandoned in favor of layering. This has not pleased everyone, but it does seem to be the way of things.
Registered user since 1996

Re: 2 part harmony

Reply #2 –
Quote from: the black cat –
I'm adding a second part harmony -with a different colour as it happens - noteworthy will let me add notes when they are above the original music (with sticks pointing up), but not below. Is there a reason for this?
What Rick says is correct, however the old 2 voice support still exists, with its limitations. 

One trap is if you have inadvertantly set a stem direction and then want to put a different duration chord note in the "wrong" direction: say a crotchet on a G with stem UP and you want to put a quaver above it - NWC will get all upset because the crotchet needs to have the stem down but the stem direction property is preventing NWC from flipping it - the answer is to remove the stem direction from the crotchet and all will be well.

A related problem is if you have a persistent "stem down" set and want to put the same chord pair as mentioned.  In this case the persistent stem direction will prevent the placement because it can't set the quaver stem direction to up.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: 2 part harmony

Reply #3 –
Persistency is controlled from the Notes drop-down menu. 

Re: 2 part harmony

Reply #4 –
If notes on layered staves are crashing into each other (e.g., Eb and F), this webpage can help.  Both staves must be cut into the respective text areas, click on Submit, then copy the staves back where they were originally.

Because this reads two staves at the same time, it would be almost impossible to create a traditional user tool to do this.
Since 1998
 

Re: 2 part harmony

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Warren Porter –
If notes on layered staves are crashing into each other (e.g., Eb and F), this webpage can help.  Both staves must be cut into the respective text areas, click on Submit, then copy the staves back where they were originally.

Because this reads two staves at the same time, it would be almost impossible to create a traditional user tool to do this.

Thanks for sharing those pages Warren. That said, this is exactly why I've been frustrated with using separate layers vs. the built-in split-chords-on-one-staff approach. All of the nice things that NWC does for you on split-chord staves (note collision, stem height/flag position alignment, accidental spacing, etc.) have to be done by hand or by several passes of user tools. I will admit to not having spent any time exploring whether the latest user tool interface would allow one to parse through layered staves and do the necessary fix-ups on each layer so that everything looks great. I should do that.

Or... maybe such a tool already exists, or an existing one could be built upon?

Re: 2 part harmony

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Mike Shawaluk –
I've been frustrated with using separate layers vs. the built-in split-chords-on-one-staff approach. All of the nice things that NWC does for you on split-chord staves (note collision, stem height/flag position alignment, accidental spacing, etc.) have to be done by hand or by several passes of user tools. I will admit to not having spent any time exploring whether the latest user tool interface would allow one to parse through layered staves and do the necessary fix-ups on each layer so that everything looks great. I should do that.

Or... maybe such a tool already exists, or an existing one could be built upon?

The problem is a tool would have to know which two staves on which to operate.  Working on all pairs of layered staves might be an idea, but how to tell it to leave a certain pair alone?  Perhaps you would want to layer the staves during the chorale but leave individual staves intact during the fugue from measures 100-148.  Unlike many other tools, this one would have to look at the whole file at once.

I have tryed to stay away from webpages to manipulate nwctxt since alternating between applications and cutting and pasting is never going to be as easy as running a user tool, but for me writing a tool for more than one staff at a time would be a nightmare.  Still, I'm limited to JavaScript but scripts in other languages might be easier for you and this project.  Good luck if you decide to tackle it!
Since 1998