Three feature requests
1-The hardest and slowest task when inputting a score with the keyboard and mouse is dotted eighth and sixteenth notes. It's also the most common cause of errors. A clickable dotted sixteenth and dotted eighth note value in the row of note values would be very helpful. I don't know what should be done about a keyboard shortcut. If there were no keyboard shortcut, it would still be a lot easier and faster. Pressing the 3 and 4 key simultaneously for a dotted sixteenth would be intuitive and easy and would require only one hand. I don't know if that's technically feasible
2-The other stressful time waster is the octave change (when the inputted note is an octave too high, or low), because it requires both hands. Usually I am using my other hand to keep my place in the original paper score. I have to put the score down to reach the command-key, and I often lose my place. What's the alternative? Maybe press-and-hold the down or up arrow? Double-click the up or down arrow? Some one-handed key combination? (I can't press the command and up-arrow key with one hand.)
3-Save-able mixer presets. Save a mixer setting with a name. Allow "change mixer pre-set" command in the score. I know the main purpose of MuseScore is display, not playback. Nevertheless, my main purpose is playback. There must be many others like me.
Comments
1- You know you can press 4 and then . on your keyboard for a dotted eight right? You think it would be easier if pressed at the same time?
2- what kind of keyboard do you have? Most keyboards have a Cmd/Ctrl key on the left and on the right. The right one is 2 keys aways from left/right. If it doesn't work for you, you can also change the shortcut for "Pitch down octave" and "Pitch up octave" in Edit > Preferences > Shortcuts.
3- What's a mixer settings for you?
In reply to 1- You know you can press 4 by [DELETED] 5
Item 1 -- Well, maybe I'm asking too much. Normally, I have the score in one hand, use the other hand for mouse or keyboard input. It's REALLY easy to lose your place when inputting a big score! I use my finger to keep track. Pressing the dot is an extra step, and it's on the other side of the keyboard. If you have to do it hundreds of times, it gets tiresome. I'd like to have dotted sixteenth and dotted eighth icons to click on for note entry. It would save a step. Keyboard shortcuts might not be feasible, but just clickable icons would help. Maybe this is asking too much...
Item 2 -- You're right! I can hit command-arrow with one hand! It never occurred to me. Maybe I should just delete my recent feature request message! Hmmm... No way to do that? Don't mean to waste your time!
Item 3 -- I often listen to scores, for practice, or export scores to Mp3, typically SATB vocal scores. I often adjust the volume for various parts, change instruments, and so on. There are certain mixer settings I often use. If I could name and save mixer settings, that would be handy. Maybe save the settings to the score instead of my hard drive, so they would be transported to different machines... Maybe there could be a command in the score to change mixer settings on the fly when playing back. I don't know if that is technically feasible -- retrieving a saved mixer setting might interrupt playback. I dunno...
In reply to Item 1 -- Well, maybe I'm by Timborino
I will reply to your first request.
Add a new keyboard shortcut for the dot in Edit>Preferences>Shortcuts. My suggestion is to use F5 for that; the F5 key is just above the 4 and 5 keys, so you should be able to type both the duration and the 'dot' shortcut with one hand easily.
Alternatively, get yourself a cheap wireless numeric keypad for duration input--or use the one built into most desktop keyboards--and a small midi-keyboard for pitch input. Using the computer keyboard for pitch input is way better than using the mouse, but it's still not ideal.
Finally, to free up the hand you're using to keep track of where you are in a printed score, get a typist's copy stand with sliding rule that you can set under the line of music you're working on. And before you start transcribing, take the time to use an old-fashioned pencil to mark every measure number on the paper score in big, black numerals. ;o)
In reply to I will reply to your first by Recorder485
Excellent suggestions!
Regarding measure numbers, I've discovered that entering notation in MuseScore is much easier if I number every measure in the MuseScore score, making sure that the measure numbers correspond to the original score. Using a pencil to write measure numbers in the original score is also very helpful.
In reply to Excellent by Timborino
Depending on the score, I found it convenient to add line breaks before entering the notes in order to have the same layout in MuseScore and in the actual score.
In reply to Depending on the score, I by [DELETED] 5
Another excellent suggestion. That hadn't occurred to me.
In reply to I will reply to your first by Recorder485
As a random note, F5 would be suboptimal for Macs and some recent Windows keyboards because the Function key has to be pressed as well. Using multiple numbers sounds a bit more intuitive, and would allow easier double and triple dot insertion.
Is it actually possible to input triple dots?
In reply to As a random note, F5 would be by jc86035
Triple and quadruple dots are coming in MuseScore 3.
In reply to Item 1 -- Well, maybe I'm by Timborino
Regarding (3), it sounds like your main use is for learning your voice part in SATB music. This is my main use for MuseScore too! As you know, there are options to "mute" and "solo" in the Mixer so you can listen to only one voice part at a time, but it sounds like you would like an "emphasise" option to make your voice louder but still have the other voices audible in the background. Is that the case?
In reply to Regarding (3), it sounds like by shoogle
Exactly correct. And if I'm making practice discs for the choir, I use the "pan" control to put the emphasized part in one ear, and the other parts in the other ear. And, to help distinguish the parts, I set different voices to different instruments. I don't like the choir aah and choir oohs very much. Lately, my usual is to set soprano to flue, alto to clarinet, tenor or baritone to cello and bass to bassoon.
Depending on what I'm trying to achieve, I might want to change mixer settings during playback. This would be useful for other purposes. If I want to make a backing track for a solo, for example.
In reply to Exactly correct. And if I'm by Timborino
I also swap the choral "oohs" and "aahs" for instruments, though only for the soloists because I think the "oohs" are fine for a choir (though admittedly it can be hard to pick out a line when they are all "oohs").
You might be able to save a bit of time producing those discs. MuseScore.com now has a built-in mixer - for PRO users at least - just click the dots in the top right of the score widget. Only the person who uploaded the score needs a PRO account, so you can try it with this score (not mine!).
In reply to I also swap the choral "oohs" by shoogle
Thanks! Unfortunately, I'm lost. I think a PRO account allows me to upload more scores for use by others, and possibly so I can show off my compositions.
I can't quite figure out what a built-in mixer is. Is it a plug-in or extension for the MuseScore applications? Or does it only affect playback from the MuseScore website, like in my web browser? Like I said, I'm lost.
In reply to Thanks! Unfortunately, I'm by Timborino
You know about the Mixer within the MuseScore program - it allows you to change the instrument sounds and adjust the volume of each instruments. Now you can do the same for the scores on MuseScore.com - you can adjust the volumes of each instrument from within your browser.
1. Click the three dots in the top-right of any score belonging to a PRO user on MuseScore.com.
2. Select "Mixer" from the menu that appears (see attached image).
3. Click "Enable Synth".
Now you can mute, solo, adjust volume and change instrument sound for any instrument in the score. The point is that if you buy a PRO account and upload those scores that you prepare for the choir then the choir members can access the Mixer and change the volume - no need for you to make discs.
In reply to You know about the Mixer by shoogle
Oh, I get it. Your comments are appreciated.
A PRO account might make sense for that. Actually, the choir has a website and I could post the exported Mp3s there, too. However, too many aging, non-technical people in the choir. They don't like email and websites, prefer CDs. It's more trouble, but I don't mind.