Adding a natural to Chord Symbols
I am trying to add a chord symbol of Dbm6/E(natural) ie a Dbm6 chord with a E natural base note. I can add a sharp or flat but try as I might, I haven't found a way to add a natural symbol to that base note.
Is it possible and I am missing something in the documentation or is it nor possible to do?
Comments
Already requested:
https://musescore.org/en/node/166106
and filed in the issue tracker:
https://musescore.org/en/node/166161
In reply to Already by Jm6stringer
Thank you, I am a newbie to Musescore and didn't find the links/information you gave me.
I envisage I would only use it for the base note (which doesn't necessarily match the chord) not in the main chord itself. I note the comment made that "music is essentially *never* published with natural signs in chord symbols". In my case the music I am scoring was hand written but I wonder how published music would represent such a situation.
Hopefully this feature will be added in time.
In reply to Thank you, I am a newbie to by Graeme Simpson
OK
Write the chord exactly as you describe it here.
Maybe it works.
1. Dbm6/E(natural)
or
2. Dbm6/E[ctrl+space]natural
result is:
![natural-sign-in-chord-symbols.png]( "natural-sign-in-chord-symbols.png")
In reply to OK Write the chord exactly as by Ziya Mete Demircan
Thanks, that does work as an interim solution.
The base note is not slightly subscript and I suspect it wont transpose (not that that is an issue in this case for me). I can certainly live with this approach.
In reply to Thanks, that does work as an by Graeme Simpson
Indeed it doesn't transpose, and also doesn't follow your preferences reg. spelling upper or lower case
In reply to Indeed it doesn't transpose, by Jojo-Schmitz
Because it is not defined in this way :)
We are trying to produce a solution to a problem that MuseScore allows.
At least we were able to write the natural symbol (without using unicode codes) into the chord :)
workaround for transpose:
We can place two different chords on the same note.
So we can divide this chord into two parts:
First part is: Dbm/
Second part is: Enatural //no parentheses or ctrl + space required in this syntax.
note (position adjustments req'd): We need to move the second chord symbol to the right.
issues:
1. You can not copy + paste the whole chord. (Only second part comes) //with measure copy
2. The natural symbol remains constant when transposed (Like F#♮)
See attachment:
In reply to Thank you, I am a newbie to by Graeme Simpson
As for how published music would do, most likely the arranger would re-spell the chord as C#m6/E, to make it more clear the bass note *is* in the chord. Although the appropriateness of that depends on a lot of things, like what key the piece is in, what the preceding and following chord is. If a situation came up where it really does make sense to spell the chord as Dbm6 (for example, if the is the borrowed iv chord in the key of Ab major), then I think most publishers would go with Dbm6/Fb, since that is the correct spelling for the third of the chord. A few might choose Dbm6/E, but I'd recommend against it personally for the same reason that you are trying to include an explicit natural sign. Again, though, I don't think I have *ever* seen a natural sign in a chord symbol in published music; I think Dbm6/Enatural would cause more confusion than it reduced.
All that said, I would agree that ideally we should support the natural sign. There are complications though; see the thread in the issue tracker for more info.
Chord symbols (chord names) do not strictly honor the key signature. By that I mean, for example, in the key of E major, a triad built on the supertonic (i.e. second scale degree) is named as F#m for the chord symbol - even though the key signature already has an F# built into it.
![E_major.png]( "E_major.png")
Conversely, the triad's pitches (spelled out on the staff below) need not show any accidental(s) - because they strictly honor the key signature:
The same chord, but different key signature - this time C major:
![C_major.png]( "C_major.png")
Here the notes require accidental(s) - yet the chord symbol retains the same old F#m symbol.
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Now, using similar logic for the tonic E (major) triad:
![E_major_tonic.png]( "E_major_tonic.png")
Same triad, written in Bb major key signature:
![E_major_chord.png]( "E_major_chord.png")
The chord symbol remains the same old E chord symbol - no natural sign needed, even though the E (note/pitch) on the staff requires it.
So, for me, your Dbm6/E would always imply an E natural in the bass, regardless of the key signature. The only reason to use a natural in the chord name would be as some sort of 'courtesy' accidental - as in your aforementioned handwritten music.
Also see:
https://musescore.org/en/node/152061#comment-645291
(Mentions a personal reminder natural sign pencilled in by the composer, so perhaps useful for such rare occasions.)
Regards, and welcome aboard.