Allow alternate default connection point of ties and slurs
I don't know if MuseScore’s rules defining where the endpoints of ties and slurs is standard in musical typesetting, but to me the endpoint should not be at the bottom of the note (where a staccato dot may be placed).
Users should be able to set a default point of these endpoints (relative of course to the side of the note and the direction of the slur/tie). Perhaps a value between 0 and 15 (1 byte) is all that's needed -- 0 representing the top of the notehead (or bottom if flipped), and 15 meaning 90 degrees perpendicular to the notehead. Like this:
An internal table can be used (based on the default value) to calculate where in that arc the slur endpoint should be placed.
Comments
The rules are pretty standardized, and we follow them pretty well. Is there a specific case where you are seeing otherwise? I don't quite understand what you mean about the "bottom" of a note. Do you mean a note with stem up or down? Ties attach to the notehead side except in multiple-voice contexts or if the stems are opposing, in which case a different but still reaosnably standard set of rules apply. The main room for subjectivity is in handling of the interior notes of chords with three or more notes.
Anyhow, if you prefer a non-standard layout, you can double-click the tie and adjust the handles.
In reply to The rules are pretty by Marc Sabatella
That's the reason for the FR. In my studies of standard classical scores I don't recall seeing the slur points start or end at the TOP of noteheads -- they are off to the side by a small amount. If I could choose a different DEFAULT setting, I don't hafta go thru and edit the slur points of an entire MS manuscript....
In reply to That's the reason for the FR. by harbinger
Again, I don't quite understand what you mean by "top" or bottom" in this context. Do you literally mean above or below? I'm getting the idea that maybe you just mean, is the attachment point the *horizontal center* of the notehead or not? Again, these rules are pretty standardized, and we follow them pretty well. You might want to consult Elaine Gould's "Behind Bars" - the generally acknowledged current standard reference on the subject of engraving rules these days - or other sources. But yes, slurs are normally supposed to start at the midpint, ties somewhat inside that so they can fit inside slurs. So you don't "hafta" do anything unless you have a specific reaosn for deviating from the standards :-)
In reply to Again, I don't quite by Marc Sabatella
Not sure why you're having a hard time understanding "top" or "bottom" of the notehead...I've provided a graphic and everything. But actually it's neither here nor there...
I went back to old classical music manuscripts so I could have some proof that I wasn't making it up (about slurs and ties starting from the "sides" of noteheads). BUT, I found to my surprise, that all my typeset manuscripts from different eras showed the slurs and ties starting indeed from the tops of single noteheads (for downstemmed notes) or directly under the noteheads (upstemmed notes). Actually the old typesetting was actually LESS rigid than modern standards, as it seems a slur was treated more like a horizontal parenthesis that was design to enclose groups of notes. I checked it against a bound set of Vivaldi concerto manuscripts, a modern typeset of Satie's scores (which were very unorthodox to say the least), and even a Clementi manuscript book from 1904 from Schirmer, a very reputable music printing house. All of them showed slurs and ties that started at more-or-less above or below the noteheads...
So all in all, you've been right that you're abiding by accepted standards, and I defer. My memory of how slurs appeared was flawed. But this is still how I typeset my self-published scores.
This FR only stands if it becomes important to you to allow for strong customization features, rather than just abiding by the standards.
Thanks for the opportunity to make our wishlist known. ;D
In reply to Not sure why you're having a by harbinger
Thanks for the followup. Just to add a little more info: staccato dots do not normally affect the *horizontal* attachment of slurs; they simply move the slur *vertically*.
While in theory it might be possible to make this customizable, the reality is that the layout algorithms for ties and slurs are pretty complex with lots of interdepencies. So whereas some values can easily be made into user-controlled style options (eg, like the thickness of the slur is, or distance from barline to first note), the attachment points are kind of tightly interwoven with the algorithm itself (you will note they vary depending on line, space, number of notes in chord, etc) and harder to separate out into user settings that would have much chance of working.