How to shorten music note lengths in tabulature (obscures lyrics)
Hi there,
I am trying to figure out how to shorten the note lengths in my tabulature so that they do not obscure the lyrics. I'd like to be able to shorten the note lengths so I can push the lyrics up so they in do not turn obscure the chords names. One option to help save space is to have the fretboard diagram adjacent and to the right of the chord name, but preference is not to.
An image of the tab is attached/below.
I have checked the video tutorials and online handbook, but have not seen anything.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
JL
| Attachment | Size |
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Comments
Welcome.
Try Style/General.../Notes to shorten stems
attach here your score someone will take a look
See https://musescore.org/en/handbook/layout-and-formatting#style-edit-gene…, Lyrics upper margin.
Instead you could also just skip the 1st verse and start entering lyrics in the 2nd verse
In reply to See https://musescore.org/en… by Jojo-Schmitz
"I am trying to figure out how to shorten the note lengths in my tabulature so that they do not obscure the lyrics."
The length of the stems is not adjustable in Tablature.
The way to go is to change some settings, to increase the distance between the staves and also to act on lyrics.
So, go to the Style menu -> General -> Page ->
1) increase the value of "Lyrics top Margin" eg from 2.0. to 5.0 / 5.5
2) increase the values of Min. and Max. System distance (to try, here on two pages: look at the values I placed in the test below):
uke.mscz
NB: the chords/diagrams are wrong, it's just for the demonstration
Thank you all for the suggestions.
I have uploaded the score, for reference.
Under Styles/General/Notes, I have “Shorten Stems” selected, and the shortest stem is set to 1.00sp, but it does not seem to have an effect.
I should note, I included the text onto the second verse line, so when adjusting lyrics styling I modify the “Lyrics Even Lines”. The lyrics style setting are noted below.
Cadiz1 – thanks for the sample, I will try to apply what you suggested. One difference I observe in your sample compared to mine is that your note/stem lengths are much shorter. Would either of your suggestions cause that?
I have my chord styles set on jazz appearance - would that make a difference?
Thanks for your contributions,
JL
In reply to Thank you all for the… by J-LGaudet
Lyrics settings didn't upload, see below...
In reply to Lyrics settings didn't… by J-LGaudet
Here, your score with new settings:
2) What_a_Wonderful_World_(Ukulele_Chord Melody_tab only).mscz
So: take the time to re-read my post. As said, it is impossible in Tablature to change the length of the stems
(so, the setting "Shorten stems" in this case of TAB staff can't work.)
The difference you are seeing between my sample and your score is due to the scaling in Layout/Page settings.
Mine was by default, yours is very high.
And, again, all the settings you need are in: Style -> General -> Page
![image.jpg]( "image.jpg")
(default settings on this image):
Ie for lyrics: "Lyrics top margin"
And not, as your last message, in: Style -> Text (Lyrics even...)
(and other settings you need : Min. and Max. system distance)
NB: last advice: it would be preferable and useful to show the rests.
So: in Staff Properties -> Advanced style Properties -> Note values -> Tick "Show rests" -> Ok
In reply to Here, your score with new… by cadiz1
Thanks cadiz1, much appreciated.
Yes, you were correct. I had my scaling/staff space set at 2.964mm, while yours was 1.764mm. I had increased the scale space because I was trying to increase the space between the rows of staffs, but had not realized that it would stretch the note lengths as well.
After bringing the scaling back down, I was able to adjust some settings based on the version you had provided, and I have made things fit much better. I shifted the lyrics line down so it went below the triplet "3", and also shifted the fretboard diagrams down a shave as well, closer to the staff.
I appreciate the modded score you sent back. I am trying to keep the score on at most two pages, and am now there. The only other thing I would like to do is somehow expand the space between the staffs, since I still have half a page left on page 2. I think this would improve readability.
But I know now that the staff scaling is not the way to do this. I tried using the "Staff Spacer Down" tool from the breaks and spacers palette, but that does not seem to work. Is that only for adding space between staffs of different instruments? Any additional wisdom on that would be great.
The updated score is attached.
Many thanks for your help,
JL
PS - thanks for the 'rests' suggestion. I agree, and turned them on. Thanks for showing how.
In reply to Thanks cadiz1, much… by J-LGaudet
You wrote: I tried using the "Staff Spacer Down" tool from the breaks and spacers palette, but that does not seem to work. Is that only for adding space between staffs of different instruments?
As mentioned earlier, use menu item: Style / General / Page and then increase Min. system distance (and Max. system distance if necessary).
See:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/layout-and-formatting#distance-betwee…
Compare the settings in this attachment to yours.
Also, I deleted the redundant (some were even set to invisible) TAB clefs.
Regards, and welcome aboard...
In reply to You wrote: I tried using the… by Jm6stringer
Perfect!
Thanks so much for the suggestion, and the modification. I checked it out, and it looks great, much appreciated.
I will compare the settings against what I had to see the difference.
You're right - it was noted above, but I didn't fully get what was said, but see now.
Thanks to all that helped out, it's been a great intro to the MuseScore community...
Cheers,
JL
In reply to Perfect!… by J-LGaudet
Aha!
Like you, I prefer my song scores on two pages (especially for placing sheets on a music stand) . Three pages, when absolutely necessary. (Solo guitarists eschew page turns.)
BTW:
I noticed in your score that you did a lot of individual adjustments to the chord names and the fret diagrams. This can be avoided if you tweak the default positioning of such elements in menu item: Style / General / Chord Symbols, Fretboard Diagrams. Once parameters are adjusted to your liking, chord name and fretboard diagram entry is much easier than constantly correcting the default positioning.
See:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/layout-and-formatting#style-edit-gene…
Also...
If you do a lot of ukulele chord-melody-with-lyrics notation, be advised that you can save you own style settings so that score elements (chord symbols, fret diagrams, staff spacing, lyrics, etc.) will be uniform across each new score - much like in a published ukulele songbook.
See:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/layout-and-formatting#save-and-load-s…
Another (perhaps simpler) option...
You can save a 'ukulele template' in the user template folder so that when you start MuseScore, you will be presented with a blank score configured for ukulele as an additional choice.
See 'User template folder' here:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook-getting-started/create-new-score#temp…
Finally (whew!)...
Perhaps you already know, but be advised that the word 'system' refers to a set of staves to be read simultaneously in a score.
As an example... for a string quartet score, each 'system' consists of four staves - one staff for each player.
Since your score has only ukulele, each staff is considered a 'system' - which is why min. and max. system distance is needed, as you wrote, to increase the space between the rows of staffs, and, to expand the space between the staffs, since I still have half a page left on page 2.
Changing the 'Staff distance' in Style/ General / Page would be used in the case of that string quartet to adjust the spacing between every player's staff -- and not the 4 stave 'system'. (Oftimes solo instrumental score writers get confounded by this.)
Regards.