Improve sf dynamic sign playback
While p, mp, f, ff are sort of absolute dynamic indications (OK, this is not completely true but it is as MuseScore takes them by default), a sign as sf (sforzando) is relative to the current dynamic level. So if the general dynamics of a passage is p, sf should be about mp, but if it is f it could be ff. Besides, it should affect the single note to which it is attached. The current behavior (as of Version 2.3.2) is that by default it does nothing. If one sets the velocity to a value different from 0, the value is absolute, and it seemingly affects all succeeding notes until the next dynamic mark. I'm attaching a file showing this.
The desired behavior would be:
1) It affects only the note to which it is attached
2) The parameter is the velocity increase relative to the current dynamic level (as in the case of note velocity)
3) It has a default value of 16 (i.e., equivalent to next dynamic mark: if f, then ff; if p, then mp and so on)
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Test_sforzando.mscz | 6.3 KB |
Comments
A workaround to make sf work is to put a < on the note and make it invisible. I agree it shouldn't be necessary, but it works for now.
In reply to A workaround to make sf work… by mike320
Probably a better workaround is to set the relative velocity of the note at 16, and keeping the "velocity" parameter of the sf sign at its defaulf value 0 --no effect--, so that the note velocity holds.
In reply to Probably a better workaround… by fmiyara
> makes the dynamic 120% (I think it may be slightly higher or lower), I don't remember. It's not a huge increase in volume ever, but you can tell it's a little louder. 16 is a large increase to a note with a velocity of 33 (pp) and about right for a dynamic of 96 (f). That's why I prefer the invisible >, but your way does have its merits. The biggest merit is that you can change the offset velocity and save the sf to a custom palette.
In reply to > makes the dynamic 120% (I… by mike320
You are right that at low dynamics a velocity increase by 16 may be too much. The following (empirical) table shows why: the level increase is larger, probably because of the velocity curvature of this particular instrument. It is known that there is no uniformity across different instruments, either virtual or physical.
If this behavior were true for other kinds of instruments it would probably be a good idea to redefine the default velocities assigned to the different dynamics.
Right now we treat all dynamics as setting an absolute velocity for all notes from that point forward. What we needs are one or two new attributes that could be set on dynamics. One to say "affect this note/chord only", and maybe another to say "velocity is relative". Would be a relatively straightforward change, just would need someone to crank through the code to get it done.
In reply to Right now we treat all… by Marc Sabatella
Probably the sf shouldn't be treated as a dynamic but as an accent, at least this is how Gardner Read calls them in his book on Music Notation (pages 252 and 264-265). You are right that it would be straightforward, just need to reuse the note velocity types.