Need help with Transposing Instruments
I have run into this problem a number of times and haven't yet overcome it. Hoping someone can straighten me out.
When I write a score for guitar, I'm usually using my 12-string which is tuned 1/2 step lower than concert pitch - so it is (for the time being) a B instrument. When I press play, I'd like it to sound like a B instrument and would like the score to remain in the key I am working in. How do I accomplish this?
I don't find a place in Edit > Instruments to do this. When I go to staff properties and look at "play transposition" I am confused! This changes my score. Also, I am confused as to what a Diminished 2nd is vs. a Minor 2nd; or a Perfect Unison vs. an Augmented Unison.
I'm sure this must be simple, but I must be also. Can someone help me?
Comments
You can enable the "Concert pitch" mode in Notes. So it should display always in the default score pitch.
For the transposition in the staff properties: A Diminished 2nd is a half tone less than a Minor 2nd. So as you already noticed, if you're changing the play transposition it also changes the pitch of the notes in your score, so there is a difference if you're transposing from C major as default pitch with a major second to a Bb major or diminished 3rd to A# major.
In reply to You can enable the "Concert by fbrauchle
Thank you for your reply.
But, I am sorry to say, that I still don't know how to do what I want to do.
Is there a simple way to leave my staff and tablature unchanged, and make MuseScore play it one half tone lower?
You want to keep the way it is notasted but change the way it sounds, but unfortunately, that's not the norm when using transposing instruments - normally you'd want to keep the sound fixed but have the notation change. So that's how MuseScore works by default.
However, all is not lost. Set the "Play transposition" the way you want - minor second down - which will keep the sound the way it is but transpose the score up to compensate. Then, select the whole score (Ctrl+A) and use Notes / Transpose transpose it back down a minor second. Now the notation will be back the way it was, and the sound will be half a step lower.
Next time if you wish to do this, set up the transposition *before* you enter the notes and you won't need that extra step.
In reply to You want to keep the way it by Marc Sabatella
Ah! (And uncheck Concert Pitch under Notes.) That does the trick!
Thanx a bunch.