How to enter unbeamed notes for recitative
Hello All,
I'm new to Musescore (I"m using Musescore 3) and although I've searched in the forums I can't find an answer, so please redirect me if need be.
I am entering operatic recitative for 2 voices accompanied by piano.
The piano part uses automatic beaming and is perfectly fine, but each of the two vocal lines need to have each note as a separate beam, i.e. each note is a syllable, so I don't want quavers grouped.
I understand if I were to enter lyrics Musescore can intelligently adjust, but I am adding the notes first and would like all notes to automatically be unbeamed as I enter them, for clarity's sake.
I've clicked on the time signature to change the beaming properties, but unbeamed entry doesn't seem to be offered.
Is there a way to do this, or even a setting for entering recitative with unbeamed notes as a default setting?
Thanks for any help.
Comments
There are a few ways. Before you enter the notes, press Shift+T to create a time signature with the beaming you want, then ctrl+drag it to the proper staves. This doesn't work if you already have notes for some reason. You can also right click the time signature on the staff you want to change and adjust the beaming there.
In every case, you can beam 2 or more notes back together (like for a slur) by using the beaming palette. Set the first note to Begin beam and all notes connected to it to Middle beam.
My problem was I wanted irregular measure counts.
The solution was to right-click the measure and select Measure Properties, and add the actual time signature in "Actual". This automatically hides the original time signature and lets you add which ever notes you need.
You do need to know what the sum of the durations in mesure are.
I've seen some recitatives without any beams at all, but I like to separate each "musical word" with a beam regardless of its actual quantity.
Right-click on the time signature, select Time Signature Properties. Look for the beamed 1/8 line. Click on each note - in this 1/8 line in the dialogue box - to unbeam/beam it.
Or run this plugin after entering notes and lyrics: https://musescore.org/en/project/traditional-vocal-beaming
In reply to Or run this plugin after… by jeetee
Or select the range of notes where you want no beams and click on "no beam" from the beams palette https://musescore.org/en/handbook/beams#change-note-beaming.