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

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.

In reply to by mike320

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.

In reply to by mike320

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.

In reply to by dddiam

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>

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

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

BTW, Saxophlute is not a typo.
Saxophlute.jpg
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

In reply to by dddiam

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

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