Insert flat symbol in instrument name

• Sep 3, 2024 - 01:28

I am using 4.4 on macOS. I would like to have an instrument name "Trumpet in Bb" where the lowercase "b" is an actual flat symbol. I am using Times font for the instrument name. When I add it as an instrument, the name is inserted merely as "Trumpet". Same with clarinet and other Bb instruments. I have found other posts on this forum suggesting to hit F2 or to type shift-cmd-f. None of those suggestions work. (Nothing happens when I try them.)

I tried getting the flat symbol elsewhere, and though it looks fine in the edit box, the intercharacter spacing is completely messed up on the score. See the screenshot.

Is there a way to do this?

Attachment Size
Screen Shot 2024-09-02 at 7.26.39 PM.png 7.63 KB

Comments

• Sep 3, 2024 - 12:35

Oh dear, the Mu4 interface is horribly inconsistent in this area.

  1. When you create a new score or add a new instrument, Mu4 provides the suffix (e.g. in B♭) for both Long and Short instrument name.
    New_instrument.png
  2. But when you use Staff/Part Properties > Replace instrument, the user interface requires you to select the key of the instrument (in in B♭, in F etc) - but the key info is not added to the the Long or Short instrument name. This "failure to add the key" occurs whether you use the Search function or just hunt through the instrumen section (e.g. Woodwind, Brass)
    Replace_instrument.png
  3. So... instinctively you look to the Properties Panel for the Insert special characters option. Bot no, once you are in the Select instrument popup window you can't access anything in the Properties panel!
    Select_instrument_popup.png
  4. And... to add insult to injury, a very recent regression (Mu 4.4.0 ) has failed to transfer focus to the Select instrument window. So when you move the mouse across that window, it moves the score underneath instead!! Just try...

Workaround (using default font Edwin)
Workaround_with_staff_text_font_Edwin.png
- place a temporary Staff text on the score
- in the Staff text, type the instrument name
- add the key accidental with Insert special characters from the Properties palette
- copy/paste the key accidental to the Long/Short instrument name
- delete the Staff text

Reply

• Sep 3, 2024 - 14:09

It looks to me like you have the same problem I do. To wit: even if you get the flat symbol into the text by means of a workaround, the inter-character spacing is still garbage. (See the screenshot I attached in the original post.) Apparently I'll need to use a font that contains the symbols already. (I happen to have one that I created decades ago, but a SMuFL text font would probably also work.)

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