Moving and inserting lyrics

• Oct 10, 2014 - 11:21

I'm in 2.0b1. I've attached a short (six-measure) test-score with lyrics. I would like to (a) append the lyrics that start in measure 4 to follow as the third verse under the first two verses in measures 1-3; or (b) insert the lyrics that start in measure 4 to become a new second verse (which would move the current second verse down to become verse 3).

A further question is, does standard music notation and does MuseScore have a way to repeat a section more than once? In my test score, all three verses are the same. I would like to integrate measures 4-6 (verse 3) with 1-3 and delete the current 4-6.

By the way, I can't figure out how to turn on visible measure numbering for all measures at once. I had to do it measure by measure. Selecting all measures and editing the properties did not work for all measures. In 1.3 I was able to do this from a preferences menu, but I don't see it here. Maybe it's here and I just missed it.

Attachment Size
Test_moving_lyrics.mscz 1.87 KB

Comments

• Oct 10, 2014 - 11:49

Reg. your 2nd question: right-click into the last measure befiore the end repeat barline- >measure properties -> repeat count -> 3

Reg your last question: Menu->Style->Header, Footer, Numbers-> Measure Numbers ->Interval: -> 1

Attachment Size
Test_moving_lyrics.mscz 1.84 KB

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• Oct 10, 2014 - 13:56

Got it as to Q's 2 and 3. Much obliged.

I still think it's counterintuitive that if one selects measures and edits the properties for the selection and chooses to show all measure intervals, the action only applies to the first measure in the selected region.

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• Oct 10, 2014 - 15:47

By the way, Joe, how did you move the lyrics for the third-and-final verse when you edited my MuseScore file? Or did you just type the lyrics in by hand anew, which is what I've been relegated to doing when I change a piece around?

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• Oct 11, 2014 - 01:15

I'm stoked about being able to do what I wanted with editing lyrics, but now that I'm trying it, there is one hitch so far: I can't get the copy function to save to the Windows copy-and-paste buffer for intermediate saving of my MuseScore score lyrics to a word processor. Not sure what's up with the copy action's not working to export the lyrics.

I'll see what I can think up with using scratch MuseScore scores to move the existing lyrics around, or maybe someone can tell me if I've missed seeing something obvious.

Addendum via edit: the entire copy-and-paste feature per these instructions -- http://musescore.org/en/node/21522 -- is not working for me in 2.0b1. :-(

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• Oct 11, 2014 - 01:29

Regarding adding lyrics *to* MuseScore via copy and paste, what specifically is going wrong when you followed the steps in the link you posted? How many of the steps did you complete successfully and what went wrong when you went on to the next step? It worked fine when I tried it just now.

Regarding copying lyrics *from* MuseScore to a word processor - I don't think that is going to work. MuseScore's internal format is too different to be able to save to the regular system clipboard, except one syllable at a time, and only while actually in edit mode (ie, double click a lyric styllable, Ctrl+A to select, Ctrl+C to copy - then you can paste that one syllable into a word processor).

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• Oct 11, 2014 - 14:57

Hi, Marc, and thanks again for your help.

On further testing, I am able to copy from a word processor/my clipboard buffer and paste into the lyrics line in MuseScore according to the instructions. (I experimented this morning in 1.3 under Linux.) So that is a big relief and a big help.

What is apparently not possible, and what I was trying to do last night, is to copy-and-paste lyrics between the same or different MuseScore scoresheets.

I have a completed arrangement with all lyrics long-since typed into the MuseScore sheet, but I want to change the arrangement. I want to integrate parts together and take the lyrics from the later part and append them as a new verse to the musical part I want to keep. Unfortunately, that seems -- as to the lyrics -- not to be possible without either retyping manually or first creating a lyrics textfile from which to load the clipboard buffer.

So I will have to start keeping lyrics in extra text- or word-processing files for such cases. That will add complexity, so I wish it weren't necessary.

For example, since I'm a stickler for details, including proper grammar and punctuation in lyrics, I inevitably find some small thing I want to change. Now I'll have to change it in the stored lyrics file first, or there will be multiple versions saved of my "current" redaction of lyrics.

So I guess this is turning into a feature request: Let MS at least move lyrics around in a score or between scores in its native lyrics format.

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• Oct 11, 2014 - 16:58

Placing copies of lyrics within frames contained at the end of the score works well to keep everything together within MuseScore, instead of scattered somewhere else in another text file.

I could even see using this for narrative text - such as saving the 'good material' (like jokes or other patter) spoken by a band's front man after a song (while the band prepares for the next number).

Best regards ... and I hope that all translates well :-)

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• Oct 11, 2014 - 21:27

Actually you *can* copy lyrics from one place to another - including between scores - in the 21.0 Beta/Nightly builds. Simply select the lyrics you wish to copy (lots of different ways to select in 2.0), Ctrl+C, click where you want to paste, Ctrl+V. it will copy as many syllables at a time as you've selected. Of course, it's up to you to make sure the rhythms of the passages match well enough for this to make sense.

Even in 1.3, you can copy lyrics by copying the whole measure including notes, then you can edit the notes.

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