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Performance Notes

I would like to ask a question to those of you who put text notation in your scores to help in the performance.

Where do they generally appear?

At the top before the piece starts?
At the bottom of the first page?
At the point of performance?
All or a mix of the above?

I am having some issues with having them inserted as a txt object using  "x" as sometimes they go off the side of the page if they are too long, or if I change by staff font size then it might up in the middle of the page instead of at the bottom of that page.

Is there a way to insert it using page text maestro and only have it show up on a certain specified page, like the final page. For example, I had a foreign word in my text and included a footnote of how to pronounce it. I tried to put it on the bottom of the page in which it first appeared, but it kept moving around as I edited the score and so I ended up moving it multiple times. This seems like a waste of time if it can be done only once. (Yes, I could have waited, but I like to get everything down on the score initially).

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #1
I had a foreign word in my text and included a footnote of how to pronounce it. I tried to put it on the bottom of the page in which it first appeared, but it kept moving around as I edited the score and so I ended up moving it multiple times.
I agree that a footnote object would be useful. While it would not be difficult to position text relative to the bottom of the page of where a footnote object might exist, AFAIK there is no way to prevent it from colliding with the bottom staff. It would be non-trivial to avoid collisions where more than one footnote might occur on a page.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #2
I hope someone who can figure out footnotes is listening and needs a post Christmas project. Oh, that and a smaller staves option for working with piano reductions!!

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #3
During my break at noon, I composed a little piecy for trying out a "playing instruction" footnote - see attachment. I think this works perfectly, like that:
  • While writing the piece, the footnote should be added to the first measure; it will end up "somewhere" on a printout, but one has to beautify the score anyway after completing the piece: There are so many things - location of slurs, hairpins, dynamics, texts - that need proper placing that one understands why score-setting is an art. So, no need to move the footnote around while composing (one could keep a small text reminder at some "hook" place near where the footnote should go in the end).
  • In the final tidying up, place the text at the footer, with two large boundary objects to make space for it.
Certainly much easier (because of the %br% feature) than doing it with multiple text objects, as I did it up to now - so, once again, I've learned something!

H.M.

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #4
I assume you know that the performance notes as shown could have all been placed at the start for the staff with the title etc. ones.

Performance, or other, notes destined for other pages can only be on those pages and thus couldn't be on the first bar.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #5
I assume you know that the performance notes as shown could have all been placed at the start for the staff ...
I confess I didn't think about that - I started with the boundary objects to "clear the weed" and then just placed the PageTxts for the notes near them. Here is the improved version where the PageTxts are in the first measure. I still did place them  a little later towards the middle of the measure, because otherwise they cover the "mp" and "Presto" indications during editing.

H.M.

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #6
Is there any reason this feature of the Information window couldn't be changed to allow printing?
Quote
Comments:
Any comments that you wish to make about the composition can be made here. This can be used as a running record of your compositional or performance process associated with the song. This information is not included on any printouts of the song parts.
  If it could be printed, perhaps performance notes could be placed here.

 

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #7
Is there any reason this feature of the Information window couldn't be changed to allow printing?  If it could be printed, perhaps performance notes could be placed here.
Something like this?  Used the Nowell sample - just a couple of mods  ;)

I couldn't figure out how to embed a line break in the comment section so had to use multiple labels - perhaps this could be an enhancement?

Contents of the "Comments" section of the File Info dialogue are:
PerfNotes1: This is a potential use for Performance Notes
PerfNotes2: stored in the comments section of the File Info
PerfNotes3: dialogue.  Notes placed in this location can
PerfNotes4: appear wherever you want them by using
PerfNotes5: the PageTextMaestro user objects.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #8
Exactly.  

The line break is created with [enter] so you'd type your notes directly into the Comments field. 

The field seems to be limited to about 60 characters by about 20 lines, so the performance notes couldn't be terribly loquacious unless the field could be made larger.


Re: Performance Notes

Reply #9
If the %br% line break directive used by PageTxtMaestro in its "Text" box could be used in a comment that is then referenced in the text box to effect a line break, then that would be very useful.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #10
I couldn't figure out how to embed a line break in the comment section so had to use multiple labels - perhaps this could be an enhancement?
Try pressing the enter key:
Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]
!NoteWorthyComposer(2.751)
|SongInfo|Comments:"test\r\nof line\r\nbreak"
!NoteWorthyComposer-End
Registered user since 1996

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #11
Sorry Rick, I mustn't have been clear.

It's easy enough to have a line break within the comments box in the File Info dialogue - that is, of course, a no-brainer, BUT, to have said line break be able to be used by the PageTxtMaestro object is the problem.

E.G. To be able to put in the Text section of the PageTxtMaestro object the following:
%Comment,PerfNotes%
and have something like:
PerfNotes: This is a potential use for Performance Notes
stored in the comments section of the File Info
dialogue.  Notes placed in this location can
appear wherever you want them by using
the PageTextMaestro user objects.


in the File Info Comments section,

and have a multiline text entry result.  This requires some kind of line break directive WITHIN the text in the comments box in File Info as <Enter> will terminate the label.  E.G.
PerfNotes: This is a potential use for Performance Notes%br%
stored in the comments section of the File Info%br%
dialogue.  Notes placed in this location can%br%
appear wherever you want them by using%br%
the PageTextMaestro user objects.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #12
BUT, to have said line break be able to be used by the PageTxtMaestro object is the problem.
It is a simple search and replace.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #13
It is a simple search and replace.
? ? ? ?

PageTxtMaestro doesn't perform the line break...  Did you check the modified NOWELL example I posted?
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #14
PageTxtMaestro doesn't perform the line break...
A problem with the User Object. You made it sound like a problem with the Comments property of the SongInfo item. Or perhaps I can't read ...
Registered user since 1996

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #15
A problem with the User Object.
Precisely

You made it sound like a problem with the Comments property of the SongInfo item. Or perhaps I can't read ...
I had thought it was clear enough but perhaps not...  :-[

If the %br% line break directive used by PageTxtMaestro in its "Text" box could be used in a comment that is then referenced in the text box to effect a line break, then that would be very useful.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Performance Notes

Reply #16
I have been away from my computer and unable until now to download the examples that were recently posted.

I think it is a great idea to use the file box comments to store performance notes. It would be even better to have a separate box in there for footnotes, so that I can continue to use the comments box to help me keep track of changes to scores and drafts (see my previous post on file organization!)

I appreciate the thought and effort you have put in to trying out different ways of addressing this with the current abilities of the software. I wish that I were computer code literate and could figure some of these things out. But I am not.

Is there a way to do a page break in a text object? Using %br% in the text box just adds %br% to the text.  ::) If I stick with using the insert text command, then I need a way to keep the text from running off the page if it gets bumped for some reason (such as a reduction in staff font to save on paper while printing off proof drafts, which is my practice).