Insert a Canto
How does one insert a Canto "instrument" into the score?
Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.
How does one insert a Canto "instrument" into the score?
Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.
Comments
What is a canto instrument?
What have you tried already?
Do you have an example score?
I've been learning and teaching and playing and writing music for almost 60 years and I've never heard of a "canto" instrument either. I agree: a screenshot of what you're asking for would likely be helpful.
In reply to I've been learning and… by TheHutch
As a guess: Canto (s.), Cantos (pl.)
(Italian m.) the highest part in concerted music (the part that carries the tune)
(Italian m.) the soprano voice
https://www.dolmetsch.com/defsc.htm
Sometimes referred to as Text on the melody stave.
In reply to I've been learning and… by TheHutch
And I've been learning music and instrument for some 3 years already! :)
Explanation of Canto in Music Theory
- Canto as the Melodic Line: In vocal music, the canto is the main melody sung by the lead voice (e.g., soprano in choral music or the soloist in an opera). In instrumental music, it can refer to the principal theme or melody played by a specific instrument.
- Canto Fermo: In early music (e.g., Gregorian chant or Renaissance polyphony), "canto fermo" (fixed song) refers to a pre-existing melody, often a plainchant, used as the basis for polyphonic compositions. Other voices are built around this central melody.
You ask for examples, see:
- Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute," the aria "Der Hölle Rache" (often called the "Queen of the Night" aria) is an example of bel canto singing, with in this case is a virtuosic and expressive melody.
- Opera: "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini
- Erlkönig, D.328 by Schubert, Franz
etc. etc. actually one can easily find scores w cantos.
So back to my question:
- In older scores, I've seen, the canto barlines/staffs are written in a smaller font and size then the rest (i guess that's a style thing). Is there a way to do that in MS?
- And also, how can I put as a name of the "instrument" in MS, "Canto"? Mostly I've seen it written in the G-clef (but perhaps even this can be changed, depending on the base melody) staff.
I know this feature is present in Sibelius, but do we have it in MS?
In reply to good for you. I've been… by traditions
I think it's all possible with MuseScore, and you'll find a lot of information in the handbook, see:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/staff-part-properties (The Staff / Part Properties dialog ); https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/staff-text-and-system-text and https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/instruments-staff-setup-and-templat…
These above are pages from the 3x handbook, for the most part still valid, then there is the 4X version https://musescore.org/en/handbook/4
In reply to good for you. I've been… by traditions
Canto Fermo: Or Cantus Firmus, often abreviated to c.f., as a staff text
in a smaller font
Really? That'd be more common for an (optional) discant, rather than the main melody
Except for wean being used as a ossia in a different (non-melody) part/excerpt (like for them to find when to start)
In reply to Canto Fermo: Or Cantus… by Jojo-Schmitz
Yes. But again, I assume it was rather a style thing. I'm not familiar to that extent, with the music notation to say how it shall be done. And personally, I'd prefer to see it in a normal font / size :)
Thanks for the explanations - lessons learned again!
In reply to good for you. I've been… by traditions
To set the displayed name of a staff, right-click on a measure (not on a note/rest, but on empty space within a measure). From the context menu that appears, click on Staff/Part Properties. Change the Long instrument name (will appear on the first system) and/or the Short instrument name (will appear on all subsequent systems) as needed. ... For example, change "Soprano" to "Canto".
In reply to To set the displayed name of… by TheHutch
yes - that works just fine.
than you!
In reply to To set the displayed name of… by TheHutch
btw. for the sake of information culture:
I asked at some point how to make the staff smaller:
Staff/Part properties > Small staff
did the trick.