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Topic: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0) (Read 16936 times) previous topic - next topic

Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

This object is used to create 8va (ottava) marks in your score. A single copy of the object can be added to the beginning of each staff which will contain 8va/15ma/22ma sections, and it will create the marks automatically where they are needed.

The object takes the following parameters:

+1 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing up one octave. Default is 8va.
-1 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing down one octave. Default is 8va bassa.
+2 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing up two octaves. Default is 15ma.
-2 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing down two octaves. Default is 15ma bassa.
+3 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing up three octaves. Default is 22ma.
-3 Octave Text:Label text to use for transposing down three octaves. Default is 22ma bassa.
Add Courtesy Marks:Determines whether "( )" should be added around the label when a section extends from the previous system. Default is checked.
Include Rests:Determines whether beginning and ending rests should be included within a section. Default is unchecked.
Suppress Line for Short Sections:Determines whether the dashed line should be suppressed for sections which are shorter than the label text (e.g. single notes). Default is unchecked.
Staff Transpose:Staff transposition value, to allow for non-C instrument parts. Default value is 0.
Start Offset:Horizontal offset for the position of the label text, relative to the first note or rest of the 8va section. Default value is 0.
End Offset:Horizontal offset for the position of the ending tail, relative to the last note or rest of the 8va section. Default value is 0.
To use the object, insert Instrument Change commands at the start and end of each section that you wish to mark, with the starting instrument change having an effective transpose[1] of 12, -12, 24, -24, 36 or -36, and the ending instrument change having an effective transpose of 0.  If you want to discontinue 8va marks in your score, insert another Ottavamatic object and set its visibility to Never. To re-enable the marks, add another visible one later in the score.

Each 8va mark can be positioned vertically by moving the starting instrument change up and down in the staff. The vertical position of the Ottavamatic object has no effect on the positions of any marks.

Setting Include Rests to true will allow an 8va region to include beginning or trailing rests. Normally, the marks will only bracket the first and last notes between the instrument changes (which is standard engraving practice).

Performing a staff transpose (Tools > Staff transpose...) will automatically update the object's Staff Transpose parameter, so that it will remain in the correct relationship with existing instrument changes in the staff.

Following is a sample clip that demonstrates the object, along with a screen shot.

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|User|Ottavamatic.ms|Pos:0|Class:StaffSig
|Clef|Type:Treble
|TimeSig|Signature:4/4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-6
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-4
|Bar
|Instrument|Trans:12|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127|Pos:7.5|Wide:Y
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-5
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-5
|Bar
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-4
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-2
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-2
|Instrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127|Pos:-4|Wide:Y
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
1 'Effective transpose' is the difference in transposition from the staff's default instrument transpose value. For example, a Bb clarinet staff would have a staff instrument transpose of -2. Therefore, an 8va section for this instrument would have starting and ending transpose values of 10 and -2.↵

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (0.95)

Reply #1 –
The Ottavamatic.ms object has been updated, with the following changes:

  • Help text is added
  • Minor rendering adjustments

Please refer to the parent post for a description of the available parameters and a sample clip.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (0.96)

Reply #2 –
The Ottavamatic.ms object has been updated, with the following changes:

  • Menu commands added for viewing/changing parameter values

Please refer to the parent post for a description of the available parameters and a sample clip.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.0)

Reply #3 –
The Ottavamatic.ms object has been updated, with the following change:

  • Improvements to parsing of custom label values, to better handle various text/number combinations

Please refer to the parent post for a description of the available parameters and a sample clip.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.2)

Reply #4 –
The Ottavamatic.ms object has been updated, with the following change:

  • New parameters to handle 22ma / 22ma bassa
  • New parameter to allow suppression of dashed line for short sections (single notes)
  • Improvements to the custom menus

Please refer to the parent post for a description of the available parameters and a sample clip.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.2)

Reply #5 –
Quote
If you want to discontinue 8va marks in your score, insert another Ottavamatic object and set its visibility to Never.
..and you'll get rid of the ottava mark in all but the first one note.  ;)

See here:
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|User|Ottavamatic.ms|Pos:0|Class:StaffSig
|Clef|Type:Treble
|Key|Signature:F#|Tonic:G
|TimeSig|Signature:6/8
|Rest|Dur:Half,Dotted
|Bar
|User|Ottavamatic.ms|Pos:0|Class:StaffSig|Visibility:Never
|Instrument|Name:"Acoustic Guitar (nylon)"|Patch:24|Trans:12|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127|Pos:10.5|Wide:Y
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-4|Opts:Stem=Up
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:4th,Dotted|Pos:-1
|Bar
|Instrument|Name:"Acoustic Guitar (nylon)"|Patch:24|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127|Pos:10.5|Wide:Y
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

I'm using the instrument change to simulate the harmonics, so I have to change both the instrument and the transposition of the playback, but there (and only there) I don't need the 8va marker.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.2)

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Flurmy –
there is some more.
Look at the second staff at bar 47 of the score I attached here:
https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=9345.msg66724
There the 8va line is sometimes shown and sometimes not depending on the editor position.
I see what is causing the problem.  It will take a code change to correct the behavior permanently, but until I complete that, you can do the following as a workaround: move the Visibility:Never Ottavamatic object to the beginning of the staff with the transposition change that you don't want to ornament (or to a measure on a prior staff). It should then suppress the 8va marking as you intend.

Thanks,
Mike

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.2)

Reply #8 –
No problem, I can wait.
Thank you, Mike.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.3)

Reply #9 –
The Ottavamatic.ms object has been updated, with the following change:

  • Correct a bug reported by @Flurmy in which markings were sometimes not suppressed following a Visibility:Never object. (Special thanks to @NoteWorthy Online for the assist on this fix.)

Please refer to the parent post for a description of the available parameters and a sample clip.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.4)

Reply #10 –
The Ottavamatic.ms object has been updated, with the following change:

  • Added parameters for adjusting the start and end positions of the markings (thanks to @William Ashworth for suggesting this enhancement)

Please refer to the parent post for a description of the available parameters and a sample clip.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.4)

Reply #11 –
Thanks, Mike.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.4)

Reply #12 –
Looking at this again.....

This clip shows a little problem with the interaction between two of your objects:

Code: [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|Instrument|Name:"8va"|Trans:12|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127|Pos:14|Wide:Y
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:#-3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:#4|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:7|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Bar
|User|Trill.test|Pos:12|Span:2|LineType:Jagged|WhichFirst:Auxiliary|AuxNoteInt:2|StartOffset:1.3
|Note|Dur:8th,Grace,Slur|Pos:7|Opts:Muted
|Note|Dur:Half,Dotted|Pos:6|Opts:Muted
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End

The 8va bracket should extend the length of the trill.

The easiest fix here would probably be to make the bracket extend for the duration of the last bracketed note by default. I can't think offhand of a situation where that would be inappropriate, but if others can, you could make the current default an option. Or vice versa.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.4)

Reply #13 –
"Trill.test"? What kind of trill are you using, Bill?
That object was just a test. Now there is the official trill object.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.4)

Reply #14 –
"Trill.test" continues to update. I've seen no point in changing over. Mike, is that a problem?

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.4)

Reply #15 –
Quote from: William Ashworth –
"Trill.test" continues to update. I've seen no point in changing over. Mike, is that a problem?
I would encourage you to upgrade your Trill.test references to Trill.ms. I "upgraded" the object to Trill.ms a long time ago, and there has been at least one bug fix that you won't have in Trill.test. I don't have a copy of that file anymore, so I had to rename the object in your clip so it would display, so I could see what was incorrect (I also had to add the Ottavamatic.ms to the start of the clip, since it looks like you missed that in your copy/paste.)

In any event, I think I have a solution to your problem:
  • Go to the properties for the Ottavamatic.ms object, and check the box that is labeled "Include Rests".
  • Insert an invisible grace rest after the final note in your trill, and increase the trill's span count by 1.

I've pasted those changes here:
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposerClip(2.75,Single)
|User|Ottavamatic.ms|Pos:-4|Class:StaffSig|IncludeRests:Y
|Instrument|Name:"8va"|Trans:12|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127|Pos:14|Wide:Y
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:#-3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:#4|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:7|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Bar
|User|Trill.ms|Pos:12|WhichFirst:Auxiliary|StartOffset:1.3|AuxNoteInt:2|LineType:Jagged|Span:2
|Note|Dur:8th,Grace,Slur|Pos:7|Opts:Muted
|Note|Dur:Half,Dotted|Pos:6|Opts:Muted
|Rest|Dur:8th,Grace|Visibility:Never
!NoteWorthyComposerClip-End
Let me know if that's the effect you were after.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (1.4)

Reply #16 –
Yeah, that works. Or a headless, stemless, muted grace note, which is the fix I've been using. I wasn't looking for problem-solving, just calling your attention to what I'm pretty sure is incorrect notation on the part of the object - although I've seen it both ways. (The Music Publishers' Association guidelines don't mention 8va brackets at all. But when you have something like a trill, failure to extend the bracket really looks kinda silly.)

As for trill.test vs. trill.ms: OK, I'll change it over, although that will also require changing it in all the scores where I've already used it. Curiously, though, trill.test has actually been updating, at least as recently as the fix you put in two months ago. Is any change needed beyond renaming the extension from .test to .ms?

Sorry for my failure to include the Ottavamatic object. I just grabbed the relevant section of the score I was working on - forgot I'd also have to go back to the beginning of the staff. I'll try to remember next time. And Merry Christmas.

Bill

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #17 –
The Ottavamatic.ms object has been updated for version 2.75a, with the following changes:

  • An embedded user tool has been added, which allows a marked section to be created for a staff selection.

Please refer to the parent post for a description of the available parameters and a sample clip.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #18 –
Hi, it's me again, computer incompetent musician...(considering changing my screen name)

I want to use Octavamatic. I really do. But when I see all that coding information, my eyes glaze over, I get confused and I panic. I don't speak code.

I need simple, hand-holding steps for how to make this work. I'd like to have one last note play an octave lower than written. It is easier to read it when it is marked rather than write it so low on the staff. I have another section that is so high, it is easier to read with the octave markings above it. I still don't understand how to do these simple things. Right now I have a text insertion that says 8ve but it obviously doesn't sound accurately on the playback.

Would someone take pity and talk me through it, one baby step at a time?

On a related matter, perhaps I am not the type of person who should use NWC, even though I have been doing so for over 10 years. Maybe I need to go to software that is not as hard to understand. I believe that NWC will do all that I need it to do, and I understand most things, but a lot I still don't get. (I am, however, considered a good musician, if that's of any consolation. ) I REALLY dread having to learn a new program...given the sweat, blood and tears already shed on NWC, but what do you think? It this really meant for more technically-oriented people than me...(and dare I say it...those of our species with a male brain????)

I want to write, notate and make music! I don't want to learn to be a computer progammer. :D

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #19 –
Hi again. I'm the guy who created the Ottavamatic plugin, and I'd be happy to walk you through adding it to your score.

The Ottavamatic plugin is a little different than other plugins, in that it doesn't "play" anything. It just draws the markings, by looking in your score for sections that you transpose up or down by one or more octaves. Anyway, let's do this in two steps: first, make the section that plays back transposed, and then we'll add the 8va marking.

To set up the transposed section, go to the spot in the score where you want the notes to play an octave lower than written (I think in your case that would be right before the last note in your score.) With your cursor right before that note, click Insert > Instrument Change...  Now, you aren't really going to change instruments, but you are going to change the instrument's transposition. In the dialog that appears, change the Transposition value from 0 to -12.  This will cause the pitch to be 12 semitones lower from that point onward. If you play back your score, you should hear that final note play an octave lower than it is written.

Now, having done this, you can add the Ottavamatic object to your score. The best place to put it is at the very beginning of the staff that has the instrument change. You would insert it by clicking Insert > Object, and then scroll down to Ottavamatic.ms, select it, and click OK. You will then see a dialog that shows the default markings that are used for 8va sections. There are a number of options present, most of which can be left at their defaults. However, you will notice that for downward 8va sections, the object defaults to "8va bassa", while some folks prefer "8vb", so you can make that change if so inclined. There is also a checkbox for suppressing the line and bar for short sections, so you might want to check that one in this particular case.  After you've set things how you want them, click OK.

You should now see an 8va bassa (or 8vb) mark drawn at the location where you inserted your instrument change. You can position the marking vertically by highlighting the instrument change and pressing Ctrl-Shift-↑ or Ctrl-Shift-↓

Now, for the section you want to play higher, you would need to insert two instrument changes: one at the start of the section that you want to play higher, and one at the end of that section. The first change would have a transposition value of 12, and the one at the end would have a transposition of 0, setting things back to "normal".  However, there is an easier way to do this: first, highlight the section of notes that you want to play higher. Then, click on Tools > User tool...  When that dialog appears, choose ".Plugins" in the lefthand Group box. This highlights tools that are part of your installed plugins. Look for "Ottavamatic.ms: Apply" on the right, then select it and click Run. It will prompt you the type of section you want to add. You would choose "8va" and click OK. This will automatically insert the instrument changes before and after your selection, As before, move the leading instrument change up or down to position the bracket where you want it.

I hope this helps explain how the Ottavamatic object works, and that it solves your problem.

Thanks,
Mike

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #20 –
I have the free version of Finale, but only use it to work with files I receive that are in Finale format.  I find Noteworthy far easier to work with and it does most things I need.

One thing you should remember is that the object plugins or user tools or whatever are simply ways to automate processes you can otherwise do manually with simple workarounds. 

For instance, to play a note an octave higher or lower than written, you could simply copy the entire staff contents to a new staff, and mute the "target" note in the original staff.  Make sure both staffs have the same properties, and in the new staff, move the target note up or down an octave.  Mute every note in the new staff except your target note, then hide it. When you play the score back, you'll hear the first staff for everything except the shifted note, and you'll hear the shifted note at the pitch you want.

I don't know if "8ve" is legit; I don't recall seeing it before.  Traditionally it's 8va for an upward shift and 8va basso for a downward shift.  Loco can be used when the octave shift ends.  A quick Google search shows 8vb is starting to be used, and one source said 8va bassa instead of 8va basso but I didn't see 8ve.  You're better off sticking to accepted terms if your score will be used by others.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #21 –
Quote from: David Palmquist –
For instance, to play a note an octave higher or lower than written, you could simply copy the entire staff contents to a new staff, and mute the "target" note in the original staff.  Make sure both staffs have the same properties, and in the new staff, move the target note up or down an octave.  Mute every note in the new staff except your target note, then hide it. When you play the score back, you'll hear the first staff for everything except the shifted note, and you'll hear the shifted note at the pitch you want.
How complicated!  :)
Look at what Mike explained: it solves both the visual and the aural problem at once.

Quote from: David Palmquist –
Traditionally it's 8va for an upward shift
Yes, it stands for the Italian "ottava" (8 = otto).

Quote from: David Palmquist –
one source said 8va bassa instead of 8va basso
In Italian "ottava" is feminine, so the term for "lower" is "bassa".
Alternatively you can say "ottava in basso", that is: "octave downward".

Quote from: David Palmquist –
You're better off sticking to accepted terms if your score will be used by others.
Sure!

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #22 –
Hi David and Flurmy

8ve is French and stands for "a l'octave" (at the octave). But I just checked through my Canadian music and French music and I am not seeing it in use. I'm not sure where I picked it up, maybe from music history classes? 

I am seeing 8..................../ over and under sections in some of the older Royal Conservatory pieces. I saw 8a................ in some French Canadian scores.

So, is there a common practice or is it geographical?

I did have success with the object. It was pretty easy once I had the steps to take. There were shouts of joy in the land. Now I have a long list of scores to edit... by the time I'm done, I'll be able to do it in my sleep!




Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #23 –
Quote from: SEBC –
So, is there a common practice or is it geographical?
Probably even worse: it depends also on the hystorical period.
Lately I'm revising original scores dating from renaissance to baroque.
Guess what I see...

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #24 –
Quote from: David Palmquist –
One thing you should remember is that the object plugins or user tools or whatever are simply ways to automate processes you can otherwise do manually with simple workarounds. 
For user tools I would agree with you. They are basically an automated way to perform actions that you could do by regular editing steps. However, I feel that object plugins are a different matter. While some of the plugins have corresponding manual workarounds (for example, what you listed for doing 8va "the old way"), some of the plugins do things that are not possible with standard notation, hidden staves or text objects. For example, the Arpeggio.ms object can play notes that are shorter than a 64th note, and (IMHO) is much easier to use than the old method of stringing together a series of tied grace notes and rests. (Although to be fair, there are user tools that can be used to create all those grace notes/rests.)

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #25 –
Point taken, Mike.  And certainly the automated ways are to be preferred over workarounds. 

It's been fun today.  Thanks everyone for participating.  Now I'm off for the final turkey dinner of the year (urp!). 

(The next one is Jan. 1 when we'll experiment with cooking a frozen bird without thawing it for days on end.)

Happy holidays to all (I missed saying Merry Christmas, sorry...) :))  

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #26 –
And I like to point out that that we have to thank Mike for many of those very useful "objects"!  :)

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #27 –
Hi, I'm (still) a happy NWC user, and have just found this user object, which is just what I need. I hope it's still being maintained.

I have a 2-stave composition, and want to make the top stave an octave lower with the label text ABOVE the stave. But there seems to be no way to flip the ending mark downwards, so the rendering is wrong.

Is there a workaround? Or can a future release include an option to allow the orientation to be toggled?

Thanks!

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #28 –
Thank you for the kind words. Yes, the object is still being maintained.

I don't think I've ever seen a score with an 8va bassa above the notes being shifted. I designed the object's appearance based on Elaine Gould's "Behind Bars" and I can't find any mention in that book of doing this.  Of course, you can move an 8va bassa mark above a set of notes, except that the dotted line will point up instead of down. Maybe this is desirable to cue the player that the shift is downward?  Alternately, if you are just creating printable notation and you don't need playback, you could do an upward shift, but change the text from "8va" to "8va bassa" or "8vb".

Let me know if either of the above workarounds would work for you.
 

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #29 –
To me, it looks very odd to have the "8ba bassa" above the staff.
I never saw it.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #30 –
I did some further exploration, which bears out Flurmy's comment that he's never seen this notation. In many scores, the labeling for octave sections is a simple "8" for both upward and downward octave shifts, and the position of the marking above or below is what indicates the direction of the shift.  All of the comments and pages I have found online say that 8va alta (upward shift) should always be above the notes in question, and 8va bassa (downward shift) should always be below them.

Re: Ottavamatic.ms (2.0)

Reply #31 –
Many thanks for the comments, and for the advice about conventional usage.

I am only creating printable notation (playback not required), so your second suggestion would work. The other possible solution could of course be simply to change the clef! I'll see which looks clearest.