Want lyrics free from time signature constraints
So I've transcribed a couple of pages of a song I am learning, and now I want to add in the lyrics. I find out that whenever I press the space bar, the cursor moves to the next beat. I don't want to do that, for a couple of reasons.
First, I am transcribing a drumset, consisting of two voices. If I tie the lyrics to the basedrum voice, there is not enough beats for all the syllables of the lyrics. If I tie the lyrics to the other voice, there are too many beats (constant eights or sixteenth notes, etc.).
Second, I don't care about syllable placement at all. I only care what word starts off the measure. I just want to be able to keep my place in the song. Struggling with syllable placement is just far more work than I want to do.
When I was using MusEdit, it would let me insert a text line below the staff, and type whatever I darn well pleased, wherever I darn well pleased. Any way to accomlish this with MuseScore?
Comments
Hi twodrummers -
You can try using ctrl+space, instead of just space, between syllables.
See the section on lyrics in the handbook.
Fifist
In reply to ctrl+space? by Fifist
Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I am aware of the Ctrl+Space feature, but I think that was intended for occassional use. Could you imagine trying to type an entire song using that method?
In reply to I have to learn to type again? by twodrummers
I'm having trouble picturing what you mean. Can you post an example? It sounds like maybe you are trying to attach lyrics to a a part tht has nothing to do with the lyrics you are writing? Thee are probably better ways of doing that - like creating an actual vocal staff with appropriate rhythms to attach the lyrics to. But seeing an example would help.
If you really just want arbitrary text rather than lyrics - which by definition are attached to specific notes - you could just use Staff Text.
Insert a vertical frame, then a horizontal;
Enter the lyrics;
Drag the text where you need them. It may be an idea?
You don't want to use lyrics for this. If I understand well you just want to enter some lyrics in the drum score to have an idea where you are in the song. I would use staff text instead of lyrics. Select a note, press Ctrl + T and write whatever you need. If you want the text to be below the staff just drag it in place.
Style...Edit Text Style...System and set Y to 5.0mm (*that's a positive value instead of the default negative value).
Select a note.
Press [Ctrl] [Shift] t
Enter your text .
*System Text normally gets positioned above the line with the default setting of -4.0mm. Adjusting the Y value allows you to position it differently in relation to the stave.
In reply to Use System Text by underquark
Worked great. Much Thanks.
Bob
In reply to Use System Text by underquark
At first it was writing over my downward stems on my base notes. I set the Y value to 7mm, and it worked perfectly. Thank you so much for your help!