Defining or altering instrument names / settings

• Nov 23, 2021 - 10:21

Hi,
I am writing music for Alphorn. There is the choice of "Alphorn" in the list of instruments, but it is written in the bass clef. Usually Alphorn music is written in the trebel clef (analogous to the horn). Furthermore there are different tonalities for alphorns as well, e.g. in F (again like the horn) or in G minor.
I wonder if and how I can create an instrument or alter the settings.
Thank you!
Vinzenz


Comments

Simply add the desired clef from the palette, and you can also set transposition in Staff/Part Properties (right-click the staff to access this dialog).

Hwere's what the current definition looks like

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<museScore>
<!-- ... -->
      <Genre id="world">
            <name>World Music</name>
      </Genre>
     <!-- ... -->
      <InstrumentGroup id="brass">
            <name>Brass</name>
            <!-- ... -->
            <Instrument id="alphorn">
                  <longName>Alphorn</longName>
                  <shortName>AlpHn.</shortName>
                  <description>Alphorn</description>
                  <musicXMLid>brass.alphorn</musicXMLid>
                  <clef>F</clef>
                  <barlineSpan>1</barlineSpan>
                  <aPitchRange>34-67</aPitchRange>
                  <pPitchRange>30-72</pPitchRange>
                  <Channel>
                        <!--MIDI: Bank 0, Prog 60; MS General: French Horns-->
                        <program value="60"/> <!--French Horn-->
                  </Channel>
            </Instrument>
           <!-- ... -->
      </InstrumentGroup>
</museScore>

For it to show in treble clef you may want to replace

                  <clef>F</clef>

with

                  <transposingClef>G</transposingClef>
                  <concertClef>F</concertClef>
                  <transposeDiatonic>-8</transposeDiatonic>
                  <transposeChromatic>-14</transposeChromatic>

For non-C Alphorns the transpose values would be different, and also the pitch ranges,

                  <aPitchRange>34-67</aPitchRange>
                  <pPitchRange>30-72</pPitchRange>

You should probably add (IMHO it is missing from the current Alphorn definition)

                  <genre>world</genre>

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