Trouble creating an unusual ottava
I'm trying to create an ottava sign exactly as in this video on 0:10 :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYXkunzWeSM
I got close by setting the ottava hook height to 0.01 and dragging the end anchor next to it. But the dots are too tight, I need them more spaced. And I'm missing the arrow.
Help is very much appreciated :)
Comments
Right click: Line Properties (see the attachment)
In reply to Right click: Line Properties by Shoichi
This seems to pretty much do it. The arrow seems a bit shaken though, especially when zoomed out. Up close it looks slick. Maybe it's a visual thing and totally OK when printing. The score I'm doing should be very presentable... but let's see.
Thank you for such a quick response :)
FWIW, though, that's not really something that should be done with an ottava line at the beginning of each system. It's really just a special clef, the one with the 8 above it. MuseScore and most other notatiom programs provide this clef, I guess the program used in the original example didn't provide this clef or the composer / arranger didn't know about it.
In reply to FWIW, though, that's not by Marc Sabatella
I'm pretty sure that's not correct. Octave clefs are used for transposable instruments. The treble clef with a little 8 above it is used for piccolo flute and high woodwind parts. That's what my composition professor told me a few months back when I tried to use it for piano.
The piece I referenced is by Arvo Pärt, the world’s most performed living composer fifth year running. I think this rules out the opportunity that he wasn't aware of such a clef...
BTW, I highly recommend listening to Für Alina, Fratres, and Tabula Rasa. The most famous pieces by Pärt.
In reply to I'm pretty sure that's not by KenKeff
Indeed, the transposing clefs are used for particular isntruments. I had no idea what instrument this was written for. I was just going by the picture I saw, so I assumed the use case was similar.
It is, as you say, an unusual ottava. There is no doubt about its meaning, IMHO, but because it is unusual (in terms of its appearance) MuseScore does not have an easy way to create it exactly the way that you want. But, this and any other symbol can be created in a graphics package, the background set to transparent and the symbol saved in a .PNG file. Then you can import it into a MuseScore score and you can also [Ctlr][Shit]-drag it to a custom palette so you can use it as you require.
Another way to do this would be to use simple text with an 8 and some dashes which you then make superscript. The "arrow" could be a > sign in a separate text entry dragged to the correct place.
To get playback, of course, you would also have to set a "real" ottava but make it invisible.