How do I start a new section with a new solo instrument?

• Jun 22, 2019 - 00:21

I am writing a piece of music for a solo instrument. I use a "Section break" to separate sections of the piece, and change keys.

The first four sections are for a standard concert flute.

The fifth section is for a tenor sax, which is a transposing instrument.
When I change the instrument for the fifth section, it changes it for the entire score, not just the current section.

Is there a way to change the instrument only from the current section forward?

Also, is there a way to save a new instrument definition for use in other compositions? I defined a "G Tenor Saxophlute" (a new transposed instrument).

Comments

mike320

• Jun 22, 2019 - 00:37

To change the instrument mid staff, use https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/mid-staff-instrument-changes. If it's on the first beat of the section everything will update including the instrument names displayed in the score. You can make the instrument change invisible since it is redundant.

You can make a custom instruments.xml file for new instruments. This is not well documented so you will have to look at the existing instruments.xml as a guide and there is an option in preferences in the Score tab to tell MuseScore where to find it.

dddiam

• Jun 22, 2019 - 02:07

Thanks. I had planned to change it to a Tenor Sax, and then customize the instrument to the range and transposition of a G Tenor Saxophlute.

But this interface does not give me that option, so I will have to look into the instruments.xml file to first define the instrument.

With your information, I think that I can do what I want to do.

dddiam

• Jun 22, 2019 - 02:55

So far, here is my instrument definition (with braces substituted for angle brackets):

        {Instrument id="g-tenor-saxophlute"}
              {longName}G Tenor Saxophlute{/longName}
              {shortName}G T.Sax.{/shortName}
              {description}G Tenor Saxophute{/description}
              {musicXMLid}wind.reed.saxophute.tenor{/musicXMLid}
              {transposingClef}G{/transposingClef}
              {concertClef}G15vb{/concertClef}
              {barlineSpan}1{/barlineSpan}
              {aPitchRange}44-77{/aPitchRange}
              {pPitchRange}44-82{/pPitchRange}
              {transposeDiatonic}-8{/transposeDiatonic}
              {transposeChromatic}-14{/transposeChromatic}
              {Channel}
                    {program value="66"/} {!--Tenor Sax--}
              {/Channel}
              {genre}common{/genre}
              {genre}jazz{/genre}
              {genre}orchestra{/genre}
              {genre}popular{/genre}
              {genre}concertband{/genre}
              {genre}marching{/genre}
        {/Instrument}

I do not know what to put for the pitch ranges, transpose specs, or the "program value".
Below is the UI version of my instrument definition:
Saxophlute properties.jpg

Thanks in advance for your help.

David D.

mike320

• Jun 22, 2019 - 06:06

Perhaps Jojo-Schmidt will be able to help with this when he wakes up in the next couple of hours.

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 22, 2019 - 09:25

Jojo-Schmitz please ;-)

mike320

• Jun 22, 2019 - 14:21

Sorry I didn't look to make sure I spelled it correctly. I usually just call you Jojo so I don't have to remember your last name.

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 22, 2019 - 14:32

Schmidt and Schmitz (and some more variations) are very common names over here. Schmitz is 14 pages in Düsseldorf's Telefone book, more than double in Cologne's ;-)

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 22, 2019 - 09:26

When in doubt, try it out. I think it uses the notes in sounding pitch

        <Instrument id="g-tenor-saxophlute">
              <longName>G Tenor Saxophlute</longName>
              <shortName>G T.Sax.</shortName>
              <description>G Tenor Saxophute</description>    <!-- Typo -->
              <musicXMLid>wind.reed.saxophute.tenor</musicXMLid>     <!-- I don't think you can just invent this, see https://github.com/w3c/musicxml/blob/gh-pages/schema/sounds.xml for a complete list. And a typo... -->
              <transposingClef>G</transposingClef>
              <concertClef>G15vb</concertClef>
              <barlineSpan>1</barlineSpan>
              <aPitchRange>44-77</aPitchRange>
              <pPitchRange>44-82</pPitchRange>
              <transposeDiatonic>-8</transposeDiatonic>
              <transposeChromatic>-14</transposeChromatic>
              <Channel>
                    <program value="66"/> <!--Tenor Sax-->
              </Channel>
              <genre>common</genre>                 <!-- too many genres IMHO -->
              <genre>jazz</genre>
              <genre>orchestra</genre>
              <genre>popular</genre>
              <genre>concertband</genre>
              <genre>marching</genre>
        </Instrument>

dddiam

• Jun 22, 2019 - 18:33

Thank you for the annotations and reference link.
I am making progress, and I will post my final definition when everything works.

David

dddiam

• Jun 22, 2019 - 18:36

BTW, How does one post a block of XML like this. I had to change the angle brackets to braces for it to display properly in my post.

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 22, 2019 - 21:21

Enclose in <xml>...</xml>

dddiam

• Jun 25, 2019 - 01:32

Thanks. Now I will be able to post my next XML instrument version.

BTW, Saxophlute is not a typo.

The inventor and manufacturer, Erik, at http://eriktheflutemaker.com calls it an "All-Terrain G Tenor Saxophone". It has a saxophone mouthpiece & reed, and sounds exactly like a saxophone. It it has a one-octave range.
My friends are the ones that call it a "Saxophlulte".
There are videos and soundtracks at http://tinyurl.com/saxophlute.
The All-terrain models are carbon fiber. Erik also makes a bamboo version.

David

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 25, 2019 - 05:00

So neither Saxophute nor Saxophlulte are typos?

dddiam

• Jun 26, 2019 - 03:34

Ooops! You are right. I guess that we will just have to invent and build a saxophute ;-)

Thanks for clarifying. One often sees what they meant to write, and it takes another set of eyes to break through the self-hypnosis.

Thanks, Jojo.

David

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 26, 2019 - 08:30

Been there, done that ;-)

dddiam

• Jun 22, 2019 - 18:27

I am gradually figuring it out from other instruments.

It appears that the value 60 refers to middle 'C', and that the other numbers are half-steps above or below that.

I think that the transposition settings are just in half-steps, rather than the octaves plus interval shown in the Instrument Properties User Interface.

David

mike320

• Jun 22, 2019 - 21:39

You are correct. They are midi number for the pitches.