cue notes and cue part?

• Mar 23, 2023 - 13:34

I am not sure if the latter exists but I am tempted creating a cue part that would include main line for parts where there are more complex rhythms and part writing. It could be smaller in size and could also serve as cue notes after long breaks.
In score it would be silent and invisible and in parts it would be included. Where there is no need for it it would not be present (if only rests). Positive would be that it would be from score so resetting the parts would not remove cue notes (as I guess will happen now?). Alternative seems to add the cues in the score itself, hidden there.

I have not used either method or cue notes or parts at all but there is a need for some in my string piece without conductor.

Development ideas for new versions could include selecting bars as cue part from score and then accessing this part as cue notes for parts as a starting point. Best would be if the source part would be known and marked. Also, visibility control for cue notes would be good. Some might want to make their own markings anyway.
Another idea could be creating automatically single stave part that would try to include all parts at least rhytmically. This would act as cue part.

Any ideas at the moment on using cues more easily?

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• May 23, 2023 - 01:53

This request has been around for many years (e.g. https://musescore.org/en/node/279516).

The request is very good and I run into those situation regularly when setting scores.
Unfortunately it seems that there are a lot more important items on the list for now (which I actually agree with, version 4.x still needs a lot of developer love to make it robust).

That being said, a form of automatic/linked cue selection and placement in instrument parts would be a wonderful addition to Musescore.

Edit:
Realised that I hadn't actually answered the question about the possibility of doing something like this in Musescore right now.

The good news is yes you can create cue notes, either inline in the actual instrument part of as a separate cue stave.

For inline cues I usually copy/paste them from the cued instrument and place them into an unused voice (usually voice 2). For the full score I set visibility to off and for the part I set visibility to on. Then you have to do more manual formatting, I remove articulations, dynamics, etc., change instruments at cue and after which usually takes care of clefs (not always).
It's a lengthy and cumbersome process but you can get a really nice and proper looking end-result.

For cue staves I usually create an additional instrument and then copy paste the relevant cues in there (some times they come from a mix of instrument voices out if the full score). In the full score those "cue instruments" are invisible and in the relevant parts they are made visible.
Once again all manual, maybe a little less messy than inline cues and with the right amount of effort you can make it look as professional as can be.

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