Move to next measure during chord input not possible

• Jan 20, 2023 - 12:38

I am using MS4 on two Macs, one with Intel and the other one with M1. There is simply no shortcut available which makes the cursor go from one chord in one bar to the next bar. It has been mentioned on this forum before that Command-Right Arrow doesn't work for some people. I am one of those people. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I am using a German keyboard.
I have tried to find another keyboard shortcut but it was impossible. Either the cursor wouldn't move at all, or using another shortcut would simply add that character to the chord symbol. For example, I wanted to move from Cmaj7 in the first bar to the next bar, I would input my newest shortcut (in this case a right arrow: >) which I had just previously programmed and it would simply write Cmaj7> without going to the next bar..
But even more strange is the fact that on one of my Macs (the Intel Mac) I was able to use the TAB key which suited me fine because I was used to that from MS3. But my M1 Macbook doesn't accept that.
Seems to me to be a bug.

Comments

• Jan 20, 2023 - 16:04

Between Mu3 and Mu4 the shortcut changed to Ctrl+Right (Cmd+Right on Mac)
There have been reports though that this doesn't work an all Macs

Try Help > Revert to factory settings first

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• Jan 20, 2023 - 17:11

Definitely no luck. Cmd+Right doesn't work on my Macs even after revert to factoy settings. On my Intel Mac I was at least able to reprogram that particular shortcut to the TAB key. On my M1 Mac I am not even able to do that because MS4 doesn't accept the input of TAB in the field where you change the definition.

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• Aug 16, 2023 - 03:24

Dear friends.

I am having a similar problem on Windows 10 Pro, and Mu4 will not allow me to change the keyboard shortcut from CTRL+RIGHT ARROW to TAB.

Funny thing, last night, after using Mu3 to edit the score, I switched to Mu4 and continued editing the same score, but the TAB shortcut behaved in Mu4 just as well as it did in Mu3!

Today, however, upon re-boot, the TAB shortcut no longer works in Mu4 (except to select elements in the interface), although CTRL+ RIGHT does work. However, if I could use TAB instead of CTRL+RIGHT, I would not have to lift my fingers (from BOTH HANDS) from the keyboard, and return them to the keyboard. SO, I tried to change the keyboard shortcut to TAB, but it would not accept TAB for any keyboard shortcut option at all, nor would it tell me whether it was already in use for another function.

Now, then, the only modifications that I did to the Mu4 preferences, that I can recall, are these: I am using the dark theme + high-contrast option + inverted page colors (e.g., white staves, notes, and text, on a page of black background. I have experimented with different "accent colors," and "border colors," and font size, but that's about it. (I mention this, in case there is a bug related to the color scheme.)

So, why would the TAB shortcut work yesterday in Mu4, but not today?

No, I have no caps-lock option selected, nor num-lock. My keyboard layout is set to standard QWERTY layout (+English (United States) layout, same as yesterday.)

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• Aug 16, 2023 - 14:00

I'm not aware of any bug in MU4 that would prevent Tab from performing its usual important accessibility function of navigating the user interface, but if it happens again, be sure to report it!

I'm not understanding what you mean about lifting your fingers from the keyboard while entering chords, though - surely your fingerings are already on the keyboard if you are entering chord symbols?

Anyhow, if you'd you'd like to change the "got to next measure" shortcut to something other than Ctrl+Right, you can, but as noted, Tab is not available. That's because it's function isn't just a "command" - it's built into the processing of the user interface,

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• Aug 16, 2023 - 23:43

Yes, it is a little annoying when things don't work as designed - and that includes if a dialog allows you to do something that it was not intended to allow. So definitely a bug, but not one I'm personally too concerned about since it only strikes if you go out of your way to do something that wasn't meant to be supported.

As for who welcomes an accessible user interface, for starters, every single blind user, and also many others who rely mainly on the keybaord to operate the UI. It might be possible to bend the standards and allow Tab to function within chord symbol edit mode without impacting accessibilty too badly, but it really has to be considered in that broader context.

As mentioned, Ctrl+Right is the "go to next measure" shortcut everywhere else in MuseScore and always has been. So it really shouldn't be too big a deal for it to work that way here as well, other than just people getting used to the old inconsistency.

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• Aug 17, 2023 - 02:16

Well, thanks for the explanation, at least.

By "lifting my hands from the keyboard," what I meant was that, when the shortcut was TAB, all I had to do was to extend my left pinky to the TAB key, without lifting other fingers and having to return them to the right position on the keyboard again. On the other hand, with the CTRL+RIGHT ARROW shortcut, I have to lift both hands completely from the keyboard, to reach the CTRL on the left, and to reach the ARROW on the right. Then I have to look down to the keyboard and make sure my fingers go back to the right keys in the ASDF JKL; position, which is harder to do in a dimly-lit room with a keyboard whose keys do not light up. Otherwise I have to "hope" that they fall back onto the right keys, or make additional effort to find the little nibs on the F and J keys designed to make that transition a little easier. I cannot tell you how many times I have returned my fingers to the wrong keys, only to discover it a little too late, after typing several words and seeing that they were unintelligible. That requires back-spacing, re-typing, and a little time, each time. The TAB shortcut is so much simpler.

In fact, I cannot even set the CAPS LOCK key to take over that shortcut, nor the SHIFT key, so that the key would be in the same general location. I guess I could shoot for the ` key, or else just get used to lifting my hands from now on.

Anyway, I don't mean to sound like a complainer. I've only been using MU4 for a few days, so far, having used MU3 for a few years, and the rest of the improvements seem to be wonderful. I REALLY appreciate the high-contrast dark-theme option, and the inverted-page-color option. Oh, and the playback option for all chord symbols is a fabulous improvement. Oh, and the "swing" option for playback--that takes the cake. You fellows are wonderful, not to mention, very helpful on the forum.

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• Aug 17, 2023 - 03:55

Thanks for the comments! I guess I'm still having trouble understanding how you could be entering chord symbols using only the middle row of the keyboard, unless your songs are all in the key of D and only use I, IV and V triads (D, G, and A), and only have one chord per measure ever. But if you ever need a C chord, or E, or a 7, or a sharp sign, or a flat, or a slash for inversion, or need the space bar to enter chords within a measure - you're off the home row already. As for making mistakes, the chord symbol playback means you are aware of that instantly, no need to type several "words". And in any event, normally there are many times more notes than chord symbols in a score, and you're going to have to be moving your hands a whole ton more to enter those.

But anyhow, if you want something on the home row, just make it H, or K, or L or ' - all of which are available. Or if you like the senation of extending the pinky upward and outwards, use your right one instead to press "\", which on my keyboard at least is the far right of the row that has Tab at the far left. Or reassign Q which is right next to Tab at least on my keyboard.

Shift and Caps lock are not normally sent by the system as separate keys for shortcut processing.

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• Aug 18, 2023 - 04:42

Ha ha. Good points, and good suggestions, Marc (as always).

Yes, well, I keep my two sets of four fingers RELATIVELY in the same position, sending out one finger at a time to do the dirty work. And, when it was the pinky, launching out toward the TAB key, whenever the pinky came home, he knew that there were other fingers there waiting for him, anchoring a spot along those four keys on the left hand, meaning that I did not have to look down toward the keyboard to make sure that the finger landed in the right spot each time.

And, yes, even to type CTRL, I keep my left forefinger on the F key, and the middle finger on the D, and that pretty much anchors my spot also.

And, much like the TABULATOR function itself on a word processor or typewriter, I used to get the same reaction from MU3, of having my cursor "jump to the right," whenever in "chord-symbol input mode." And if the next chord symbol was not for two measures, I just hit the TAB a second time, and it jumped again.

Now, then, please don't tell anyone on the forum that I took the time to continue this thread with yet another post, while the rest of the world is concerned with economics and politics, and other such things so infinitely more important. Ha ha.

I will adapt, and learn a new keyboard shortcut, as you suggest.

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