Entering meters not in the Time Signature palette
I'm creating a meter tutorial in MuseScore. That means I'll need to include lots of oddball time signatures.
I'm surprised that Musescore 3.62's Time Signature Properties dialog always shows Values properties disabled (i.e. the numeric fields and dropdown menus.)
And the handbook doesn't address the possibility of encountering various Time Signature properties in a disabled state, nor does it cover the topic of changing property values. It simply states:
Global value: Shows the global time signature and is set automatically when you add a time signature to the score. It is the reference for beats (as shown in the status bar) and tempo markings.
Actual value: Shows the time signature associated with a particular staff. This is normally the same as the global time signature, but can be set independently if required. See Local time signatures.
In the section Create a time signature>From the Time Signatures palette. The handbook says:
If the time signature you require is not available in any of the existing palettes, it can be created using one of the following methods
Sounds promising, but the instructions provided conclude saying that MuseScore will add the TimeSignature to the Palette! Nice option, but I just to add an unusual meter to the score ... I don't want to needlessly clutter my palette with dozens of seldom used meters (nor do I want create a new palette just to house a menagerie of wayward meters.)
I hope MS4 simplifies setting measures to any possible meter. In other notation apps I simply select a range of measures, open a meter dialog, and set the upper and lower values. And that's a functionality that the Time Signature Properties appears to offer.
In the meantime, what am I missing?
scorster
Comments
Once you’ve created a new time signature, you could move it to a custom palette out of the way.
In reply to Once you’ve created a new… by Brer Fox
Yes, it was clear that we add a "custom" time signature to the Time Signature dialog, and or to a custom palette. I was thinking there might be a more direct route.
The steps I took were:
• Right-click the meter
• Change the Nominal and/or Actual values (but unlike the Measure Properties dialog this dialog has no Nominal, only Global)
But I found thatall the values are disabled.
The questions were:
• Should I be able to set change the displaying numbers of the meter (upper and lower) in the Measure Properties dialog?
• If so, what is causing the values to display as disabled—they look like disabled input controls, rather than simple displays of existing values.
The unasked question:
• Is there a quick and dirty way to add a succession of meters like 1/8 2/8 3/8 4/8 5/8 ... without first adding them to a palette?
I've not used Encore or Overture for a few years but I still do appreciate their simplicity (which is why I tried F, S and D but after a few weeks always abandoned the projects.)
Here are Encore's time signature Dialog. Simply change the upper and/or lower meter values in "Other". Then (on OK) the designated meter applies to all selected measures.
This is Overture's time signature Dialog where we can change the upper and/or lower meter values, in the area labeled Main. OK) the designated meter applies to all selected measures.
scorster
In reply to Yes, it was clear that we… by scorster
Sure, just create the ones you need and then don't add them to your palette. Of course, some of those already exist.
The actual time signature is shown disabled because this dialog was never meant for changing the actual time signature.
Not sure why you'd be creating so many temporary time signatures though. Are you sure you don't want to just set actual duration in measure properties and leave the time signature alone? Anyhow, you don't need to add newly create time signatures to your palette if you don't want.
In reply to The actual time signature is… by Marc Sabatella
Marc wrote >> [the Time Signature Properties] dialog was never meant for changing the actual timer signature.
I find it odd Time Signature Properties dialog displays the existing values in a manner identical to the appearance of disabled input controls. This led me to think there was some step or condition that would allow the values to be enabled and editable. Do you know if V4.0 eliminates this ambiguity?
Marc wrote >> Not sure why you'd be creating so many temporary time signatures though.
I'm not creating temporary time signatures, and I'm not sure what that would mean. As mentioned I'm creating a tutorial on meter and rhythmic notation. All meter changes will be an intentional and durable feature of the score.
Marc wrote >> Are you sure you don't want to just set actual duration in measure properties and leave the time signature alone?
I'm pretty sure about that. Changing the **Measure Properties>Measure Duration>Actual* would only change playback and would suppress the display of the Nominal value. But Nomimal values are not disabled. If they were enabled I'd be home by now.
Marc wrote >> Anyhow, you don't need to add newly create time signatures to your palette if you don't want.
Yippie! As stated above my goal is just that: to add a time signature (one that's not already in a palette) without being required to first add it to a palette.
Can you share the steps for doing that? I see in a previous post that you said "just create the [time signature] you need and then don't add them to your palette.") When I define a meter in the Time Signatures dialog the only option is Add, which adds it to the palette.
scorster
In reply to Marc wrote >> * [the Time… by scorster
I think it's just for programming convenience that the duration in the time signature properties dialog displays using the same widgets used for measure properties. MuseScore 4 doesn't bother showing these values at all for time signature propertiers.
Changing actual duration in measure properties is definitely not just about playback, it affects the notation too. So depending on what you are actually trying to accomplish - as always, actual real world examples are crucial to help us understand - that could easily be the better way to do it. But if you do need to show the time signature itself, it's not. Sounds like from what you're saying you probably do need to display the time signature, but that wasn't obvious.
To create a time signature without adding it to the main palette, use the Master Palette. The time signature will appear there, but you never need to see it except when creating time signatures. And either way, you can delete it immediately after creating it.
In reply to Marc wrote >> * [the Time… by scorster
I think it's just for programming convenience that the duration in the time signature properties dialog displays using the same widgets used for measure properties. MuseScore 4 doesn't bother showing these values at all for time signature propertiers.
Changing actual duration in measure properties is definitely not just about playback, it affects the notation too. So depending on what you are actually trying to accomplish - as always, actual real world examples are crucial to help us understand - that could easily be the better way to do it. But if you do need to show the time signature itself, it's not. Sounds like from what you're saying you probably do need to display the time signature, but that wasn't obvious.
To create a time signature without adding it to the main palette, use the Master Palette. The time signature will appear there, but you never need to see it except when creating time signatures. And either way, you can delete it immediately after creating it. that's what I mean by "temporary" - you're creating a time signature you apparently never want to use again ever, which is presumably why you don't want it on your palette.
In general, I like the palette system in MuseScore a lot.
However: I don't think that having to create a preset
just to add a custom time signature is a good design.
All it would need is a button inside the palette that opens
a dialog.