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Topic: sharp/flat sign between paranthesis (Read 3956 times) previous topic - next topic

sharp/flat sign between paranthesis

In my music score I sometimes see a flat (or sharp) accidental sign between paranthesis - I think it's optional to play a flat/sharp tone or not.
How do I set this in Noteworthy?

Regards,
Guido van Harten

Re: sharp/flat sign between paranthesis

Reply #1
In my music score I sometimes see a flat (or sharp) accidental sign between paranthesis - I think it's optional to play a flat/sharp tone or not.
How do I set this in Noteworthy?

Regards,
Guido van Harten
Hi Guido,

It looks like you may have asked this question before:

https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=8872.0

Re: sharp/flat sign between paranthesis

Reply #2
It's not optional - it's actually a sign to make sure the performer realizes that the flat, sharp, or natural is called for in that particular spot, where it may not otherwise be obvious. It's called a "courtesy accidental." An example would be if there is a sharp note directly before a barline and the same note appears as a natural note directly after the barline. A barline cancels accidentals, so a natural is not technically needed, but the composer may put one in parenthesis to remind the performer that the cancellation has happened.

NWC doesn't do courtesy accidentals natively, but you can insert one as a text object. They are available in the "music dings" fonts in the Pardy Pack, which you can find here.


Re: sharp/flat sign between paranthesis

Reply #4
In scores for celtic (i.e. lever) harps, accidentals in parenthesis are often used to indicate when and which a lever must be fixed.  :D

Re: sharp/flat sign between paranthesis

Reply #5
I am sorry for the double post.
I searched for the keyword "paranthesis", but did not find these topic.
Hi again Guido,

I did not intend to criticize; I was only trying to help you find the previous thread, where several people (including me) helped to answer your question.

I did a search on "courtesy accidental" to find it, since I knew what they were called.

Thanks,
Mike

Re: sharp/flat sign between paranthesis

Reply #6
It's not optional - it's actually a sign to make sure the performer realizes that the flat, sharp, or natural is called for in that particular spot, where it may not otherwise be obvious. It's called a "courtesy accidental." An example would be if there is a sharp note directly before a barline and the same note appears as a natural note directly after the barline. A barline cancels accidentals, so a natural is not technically needed, but the composer may put one in parenthesis to remind the performer that the cancellation has happened.

NWC doesn't do courtesy accidentals natively, but you can insert one as a text object. They are available in the "music dings" fonts in the Pardy Pack, which you can find here.

It's not necessarily optional. Look at "Entre el boeuf et l'âne gris" for example. The tenors have an A in three verses, but in the last verse they sing an A#. So there is a minor final chord in three verses, but a major final chord in verse 4. Happens more often.

 

Re: sharp/flat sign between paranthesis

Reply #7
Hi again Guido,

I did not intend to criticize; I was only trying to help you find the previous thread, where several people (including me) helped to answer your question.

I did a search on "courtesy accidental" to find it, since I knew what they were called.

Thanks,
Mike

That makes sense. Try "parenthesis."