Using different dynamics on repeat

• Nov 11, 2015 - 16:32

On a repeat, I want to have it played soft [p] the first time and loud [f] the second time. I can't find anything detailing how this is to be done. Right now, I cobble together 2 separate dynamic marks separated by a hyphen to approximate what I want. This will not work on playback, but it's all I can think of!
Any better way?
Thanks as always.
Scott


Comments

This is correct, there is no playback support for different dynamics on different repeats. Two dynamics separated by hyphen is one correct way of notating this, so don't think of it as "cobbling together" - it's a perfectly fine solution for the notation, and notation is the primary purpose of MuseScore. If you would also like to hear it play back that way, you could create a second copy of the second for playback only in which you simply write out the repeated section twice.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

I am trying to follow the notation advice in this thread (except for me it is p-f), but the additional dynamic text (i.e., -f) seems to take on slightly different formatting than the initial dynamic text (and tail of the forte is lopped off). This alternate formatting makes sense in other settings (e.g., poco f), but not helpful here. It is not leaping out to me how to fix this so all dynamics text are same size/formatting. Thanks for any assistance anyone can offer.

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In reply to by Chris_Allen

As an alternative to Ctrl+Shift+P/F (not sure why that wouldn't work though) as mentioned, notice that you can use the tags that are provided when a dynamic mark is added to a hairpin. For example, when you apply a dynamic mark to a hairpin, the result is one "symbol" and both get selected, like:

hairpin-1.png

In the inspector once selected, you'll see a text such as:
text-1.png
Or if it were a "forte" mark:
forte2.png

Copy that text and paste it into a regular dynamic mark and it should manifest as the appropriate dynamic format automatically. Hopefully this helps.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

When a dynamic is added to the score, double clicking on it will "get you inside". Then, down at the bottom left of the screen is a little icon that lets you choose symbols to add to the text. In the example I show, I entered a p for piano followed by a dash (hyphen or minus sign) and then chose the dynamic symbol f for forte.

Screen Shot 2021-05-18 at 12.01.38 PM.png
Screen Shot 2021-05-18 at 11.54.48 AM.png

In reply to by jeetee

Thanks. I might try that as I become more proficient.

Right now I am still having to consciously think of almost every little thing. I have added “s” for “slur”, and “command up or down arrow for octave changes” and sometimes the option key and a number goes a chord interval. But beyond that my fingers and head get mixed up. Especially when I try to go a bit too fast.

I am grateful there are visual options I can try to use before I try to remember a host of key strokes.

Dynamics surely don't just "belong" to notes.
I do a lot of music for a choir and often, one verse is sung with different dynamics to another verse.
It would really help if dynamics could also be added to lyrics.
I did hear that there were changes afoot for the handling of lyrics and implementing this would be welcome.

In reply to by Ewart North

I don't think it really is helpful to think in terms of dynamics as belonging to lyrics. For one thing, it only provides a solution to the repeat problem if your score happens to have lyrics. For another, it only doesn't handle cases where the *same* lyric might be sung at one dynamic one time and a different dynamic the next time. For another thing, there are other markings like articulations that are definitely attached to notes but might *also* need different playback on different repeats.

If there is to be a solution, it really should involve setitng the repeat counts for the elements themselves - whether dynamics, articulations, or even notes - much as is done for voltas.

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