Enharmonic difficulties
I use MuseScore to create handouts for private lessons. Many of my exercises are simple sequences: a series of notes in one key, then the same series half a step up, etc. In my editing, I use the up and down arrow keys a lot when raising and lowering notes by half steps. However, I often run into this annoyance: When I lower a G to what I hope will be Gb, I get F#. Every time. When I raise an F by half a step, even in the key of Db, I get an F#. At first I assumed this was because I was raising the pitch, I started above G and worked my way down; when I went below G, I got F#.
An example: use key of Db. Type "A" to enter an Ab whole note. Now try to use the down arrow to lower the pitch to Gb. Good luck.
Am I missing something?
Comments
What operating system? What version MS?
In reply to What by xavierjazz
Using v.0.9.2 on both Windows 7 64-bit and Vista 64-bit.
In the key of D-flat, G is flat (no accidental required). For me It goes from Ab to G natural to Gb to F.
(I'm using MuseScore 0.9.6.2 on Windows 7)
In reply to In the key of D-flat, G is by David Bolton
I picked D-flat because I expected that Gb would be used by default ad therefore would be a good example. For me, when I perform the action I described, I go from Ab (no accidental) to G (natural displayed) to F#. At no time is the note on the G line shown without an accidental. BTW, I'm writing trombone exercises in bass clef. However, I just tried out a flute part, and I had the same problem.
You're using v.0.9.6.2; I'm on v.0.9.5. Maybe there was a fix?
In reply to Accidentals within keys by BrianRussell
"You're using v.0.9.6.2; I'm on v.0.9.5. Maybe there was a fix?"
Yes, you need to upgrade to the latest stable version of MuseScore. For a list of the improvements see New features in MuseScore 0.9.6 .
If I write a measure without a key signature using a series of notes describing a Bb Major chord (1st-position harmonic series on trombone), copy the contents of that measure to the next, highlight the second series, and hit the down arrow, the notes that are shown are as follows:
Series 1: Bb-F-Bb-D-F-Bb
Series 2: A-E-A-Db-E-A
Fine, I was moving down, so a flat might make sense in the context of the single note, though it would be nice if the shape stayed the same and used C#. If I'm coming up from 7th, though, and I move from the 3rd position exercise to the 2nd position, I get the same result, rather than now getting C#:
3rd pos. series: Ab-Eb-Ab-C-Eb-Ab
2nd pos. series: A-E-A-Db-E-A
Also, continuing the trend from my first post on this topic, when I move in either direction to the 5th position series, I get a Gb chord -- with all the Gb's written as F#'s (F#-Db-F#-Bb-Db-F#). I'd be fine with the result being an F# chord, most of the time, but it's always this odd-man-out mix with the F# in an otherwise flat-named chord.
Using v.0.9.5 on Windows 7 64-bit and Vista 64-bit.
I've updated to the new version of MuseScore, and the issues I noted have been resolved. Very happy. Thanks to those who responded for their time and input.