Small notes and Small beams
When I have a situation where I wanna put small notes in a measure, I am noticing that it doesn't also make the beams smaller. When I look at printed music that has small notes, the beams are also smaller (thinner actually). I don't see a feature to do that in MS, except globally.
Comments
Make sure to check the small option in the "chord" section of the inspector, not the one in the notehead section
In reply to Make sure to check the small… by jeetee
Yay, that works. Thanks a lot. I noticed that if the small note option is checked, checking the chord option makes it even smaller. Also, if the note is attached to a beam, you have to click the small option in the chord section for ALL notes on the beam in order to get the beam to become thinner. No big deal, but a quirk in how it works.
In reply to Yay, that works. Thanks a… by odelphi231
These are both deliberate. The small checkbox in the Notes section applies to literally just that note, not other notes that may share the same stem, not to the stem, hook, or beam, etc. It makes the note small relative to the full chord. So yes, combining both settings is a thing - one makes the full chord smaller, one makes one individual notes within the chord smaller relative to everything else in the chord (other notes, the stem, hook, beam). As for multiple notes on one beam, if there are a mixture of small and not-small chords on the same beam, it looks better to have the beam be full size. This would be pretty rare in real world usage, though.
In reply to These are both deliberate. … by Marc Sabatella
I think the inspector could help with this. Currently there is the Chord and Note section which is confusing if you don't know a single note is considered a chord by MuseScore. I think calling the Note section Notehead would clarify this. Down to the Fix to line options is all notehead options. The last 4 are actually Playback and should probably have it's own section so named. I don't know how version 4 will look so this may be a moot point.
In reply to I think the inspector could… by mike320
Mike, I like your suggestion. I was going to make the same suggestion that using a chord option to make two notes with the beam smaller is not labeled intuitively on the inspector. I would have never fig'rd it out without help. BTW: When does it make sense to make just the note small but not the stem/beam? I don't think I have ever seen that in printed music. I realize having the option to make one or the other or both small is a nice option; just don't understand the usefulness.
In reply to Mike, I like your suggestion… by odelphi231
A chord with one of the notes marked as small to indicate it as an editorial addition, or optional leading.
In reply to Mike, I like your suggestion… by odelphi231
I've seen lieder with small notes in chords to indicate notes to be sung if possible while the large notes are intended for those who don't have the proper range.
In reply to I've seen lieder with small… by mike320
Or the small ones optional, used only when having enough people in the choir, but the large ones mandatory
In reply to I've seen lieder with small… by mike320
Mike, I realize there are legit reasons for having small notes, my point is what are the legit reasons for having a small note but a regular size flag/beam? If the note is small, why not the flag/beam?
In reply to Mike, I realize there are… by odelphi231
In the chords I'm describing there will be a regular sized A on the regular sized stem and flag with a small note on the C or D above it on the same stem to let the singer know that if they want to show off their voice they can sing the higher note.
To make this, create an 8th note on A, press shift+C to add a C to the chord. Select the C by clicking it then in the inspector make it small in the note section. I wish I could remember a score I saw this in off the top of my head. Perhaps Jojo can point you to a link that shows this.
In reply to In the chords I'm describing… by mike320
OK, so for chords you may want a small note, but large flag/beam. I can accept that. I think I may have seen what you are describing also, not just in choral music but in piano music where the small notes will signify you can play the chord (if you want) or you can just play the single note.
In reply to OK, so for chords you may… by odelphi231
Very good. I will say a single small note on a normal sized stem and flag would be unexpected.