SND and marks such as fp and sfz

• Nov 2, 2021 - 16:34

MuseScore makes good use of its single note dynamics (SND) feature for such marks as fp and sfz.

It is my understanding that such marks are only intended to indicate how the note with which they are associated is to be rendered, and not to also establish an ongoing new dynamic state dictating how future notes are to be rendered. (Admittedly the discussions of this in various online discussions of such notation are a bit ambiguous). That is, a mark fp does not mean that all further notes are to be rendered as if under the mark p. [If I am wholly in error here, my apologies, and please ignore the remainder of this note.]

In any case, if we have an fp mark on a note, MuseScore dutifully sends CCx messages (CC2 by default) with a value of 96 (corresponding to a mark of f) at the beginning of the note and then a rapid series of CCx messages with declining values until the last of those is sent with a value of 49 (corresponding to a mark of p). This indeed seem to execute the intent of the mark fp, but it leaves the synthesizer in a volume state corresponding to a dynamic state of p so further notes, if there are no further dynamic marks, will be rendered as if under the mark p (not the intimation of the notation).

In the case of the mark sfz, the dynamic state is left "a little less than under the mark ff " (by a final CCx message with value 94).

It would be desirable to have, for such marks, an option (perhaps settable in Inspector) in which, after concluding the sequence of CCx messages for the note, just before the next note a CCx message would be sent with a value corresponding to the dynamic state existing before the note with the mark in question. This would restore the dynamic state to what I believe it should be at that point.

I do understand that I can take care of this myself by applying the appropriate static dynamic mark to the next note, perhaps making it invisible if its appearance would seem odd to the experienced score reader.

Thanks.

Doug


Comments

As a wind player (mainly clarinet,) for fp, I would understand that to mean play this note starting f then reduce the dynamic quickly to p and stay at that dynamic until another one comes along.

For sfz I would interpret that pretty much like an accent i.e. play it a bit louder than the surrounding notes, but possibly putting more "front" on the note. Accents sometimes have a more "rounded" feel to them, it depends on context. Neither sfz or accent would affect the dynamic of subsequent notes.

A string player or pianist or drummer (or even another wind player) might interpret them differently.

In reply to by SteveBlower

Hi, Steve,

Thanks for those insights.

As to fp as you interpret it, MuseScore's normal execution via single note dynamics does just that.

As to sfz as you interpret it, MuseScore's normal execution via single note dynamics does not do that (but rather leaves the dynamic state for following notes at a little below ff).

Thanks again.

Best regards,

Doug

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