How to change rest duration?
Hi, I’m a brand-new user of Musescore. On my very first measure I managed to make a mess and have been trying to figure out how to solve it. I am one eighth short and I want to change the last rest into a quarter rest. I have searched the forum and the handbook and tried the suggestions I found. Have a look at my five different feeble attempts:
1. In normal, I select rest and click quarter note icon. Here I show the tabulator staff to show that I’m using it (in case it is relevant).
2. In note mode (step-time) I click the quarter note icon, then the rest icon, and then press 0 (or click the rest).
3. In note mode (insert) I click the eighth note icon, then the rest icon and the click on the rest. Now I have a correct measure, but how do I merge the two rests into a quarter rest? Doesn’t seem to be the correct way anyway.
4. In note mode (insert) I click the eighth note icon, then the rest icon and then press 0.
5. Here I have used method number 3 and then deleted the eighth note with Ctrl-Del. If this is what I have to do, I have to do it. Doesn’t seem to be the correct way though. But how do I fix the distance between the note and the rest now? Is there a beautify button somewhere?
Comments
Or right click on the measure, select Measure Properties. You will see you have a 7/8 measure. Change the 7 to 8 and click Apply. Spacing will be proper.
In reply to Or right click on the… by bobjp
This was what I needed to do, got my answer with the help of your and Marc's answers combined. Thanks!
If you want to enter a quarter rest while in note input mode, simply place the cursor at the place where you want it and type 5 0 (5=quarter 0=rest). Or if you prefer using the mouse, click the quarter note icon, right-click in the staff to enter the quarter. If you're not in note input mode and have two eighths you'd like to convert to a quarter, just click the first and then press 5 or click the quarter icon.
Regarding your image #5 - it's not wrong. Yes, the measure is a little narrow right now since your score is still presumably mostly empty, but the spacing adjusts as you enter notes. You should rarely if ever need to worry about spacing of individual notes and rests. At most, you'd add a system break (by pressing Enter) somewhere to keep the line from getting too crowded.
One other comment - as a new user, you should probably not be using insert mode at all. it's a highly specialized mode meant really only for some unusual special types of music where you 8want* more beats in a measure than the time signature says - it's not something the ordinary user would ever need.
Ctrl+Delete, on the other hand, is useful for one reason specifically - to create pickup measures if you forget to set them up when you create the score. Probably not really any other cases for most users, though.
In reply to If you want to enter ana… by Marc Sabatella
This is indeed a friendly community, thanks for the fast and extensive answer! I learned a lot by this single answer. However, I found the answer to my question in your last paragraph. The reason I made such a mess was probably because I was in the pickup measure. I'll stay away from insert mode at you recommendation, and I know now what Ctrl+Del can accomplish... Thanks again!