Confusing and inconsistent shortcut behavior.

• Jul 16, 2024 - 20:38

I'm looking at changing the duration of the selected note I am working with, without leaving note placement mode. When I try to use the duration adjustment keyboard shortcuts, they act inconsistently.

For example, if I have just placed a note, it remains selected. Attempting to change its duration with Q or W does not work, but with Shift+Q and Shift+W it does. Outside of note placement mode, though, Q and W work the same as the shift-based shortcuts. Is there something I'm missing here? Why do these act inconsistently, and is there an easier way to adjust the duration of an already placed note without leaving note placement mode?

Thanks!

Comments

bobjp

• Jul 17, 2024 - 01:08

Have you looked into what those shortcuts do?
For example, W doubles a note value. Shift+W includes dotted notes.

frfancha

• Jul 17, 2024 - 07:45

In note input mode, chaging duration can be for the just entered note -or- for the next one. So having Q behaving differently from Shift+Q is normal. The most "difficult" one Shift+ acts on the previous note as this means fixing an error so hopefully the least used one. The direct one (no Shift) acts on next duration, hopefully the most frequent one.
Outside of that mode there is no "next note to be entered" so maybe they both work on the selected note as a convenient way to avoid using Shift

cadiz1

• Jul 17, 2024 - 08:00

In Note input mode: https://musescore.org/en/handbook/4/editing-notes-and-rests#duration-no…
In Normal mode: https://musescore.org/en/handbook/4/editing-notes-and-rests#Increasing_…

msfp

• Jul 17, 2024 - 10:36

ms4 note input mode (I agree with frfancha's explanation, Shift = least used):
- W/Q sets the stage for future input (~clicking a toolbar button),
- Shift+W/Q edit the selected (last entered) note.
ms4 normal mode (as explained by bobjp):
- W/Q edit the selected note,
- Shift+W/Q also edit the selected note but in finer steps .

OP's got a point on cognitive inconsistence though. Maybe separating them into different items can help? (screenshot of ms4.2.0 Edit>Preference.)

previously in ms3, in note input mode, the default W/Q edit the selected (last entered) note and change future input, which is really not helpful to copyist entering notes from scratch. Shortcuts that change the future input only are available, they can be assigned by user (not assigned to any key by default) - "Increase active duration" and "Decrease active duration"