2 points of notation vs BPM
In another thread (Custom time signature causes disappearing measures [No bug; SOLVED]) I learned that MuseScore has beat taking precedence over measure, which I think goes contrary to the oft-stated principle of ‘notation over playback’.
1. At ‘Create new score’ one has to choose Key Signature and Tempo (optional and set in BPM) in one window. Would it not be more intuitive having Tempo in the next window together with Time Signature, regarding musician notion?
2. When changing the time signature in a score, MuseScore keeps count of beats rather than measures. This means that, if you go for a time signature with fewer than before beats to a measure, you may have measures added automatically to keep the beat total intact; or if you go for a time signature with more than before beats to a measure, you may have measures deleted accordingly. This is contrary to human notion of notation, and should be fixed so that the score keeps the number of measures, with MuseScore engine adding/deleting beats instead.
I see no reason for not altering both points. MuseScore may very well need to keep BPM for efficiency basis, and should be able to do so while presenting itself even more intuitive for users.
Comments
I agree it makes a certain amount of sense to have the tempo selection on the time signature screen, although I don't see that it really matters one way or the other.
But I don't agree with your comment about time signature changes preserving number of measures at all. Say you've completed a 32-bar score in 2/4 time (64 beats). Then you decide to change it to 4/4, which thus needs only 16 bars. Should MuseScure append 16 measures of rest? That makes no sense; you'd just have to delete these measure manually. Why should MuseScore make you do that wxtra work? Conversely, what if you started with 32 bars of 4/4, completed your score - all 128 beats of it - then decided to change to 2/4. If MuseScore kept only 32 bars, that's only 64 beats - you'd lose half your score! That makes even less sense. I think what you are suggesting makes sense only if one thinks exclusively about time signature changes in empty scores before one has started entering notes.