Voltas within voltas
I'm trying to write out some parts for Cheek to Cheek (Sinatra), which has a slightly complicated order, along the lines of Chorus x 2, Verse x 2, Bridge, Chorus, Instrumental, Bridge, Chorus, Coda. I am struggling to get the voltas to work. At the end of the chorus, I essentially need 4 endings (go to chorus, verse, instrumental and coda). I think I can do those ok with D.S. and Codas, but in the middle section I currently have voltas within voltas in order to repeat the verse and then go to the bridge. I tried just putting a volta over the top of the others, but the playback did something really odd and jumped in the middle of the volta somewhere. Is this a bug or am I going about it the wrong way?
Comments
It doesn't surprise me that MuseScore would have difficulty with what you're describing; I think humans would too. In all my playing experience I've never seen notation such as you describe, and my guess it would lead a "train wreck" as players tried to decipher what was meant. I would recommend simply writing out the second bridge or whatever sections you need to avoid making the "road map" needlessly complex.
In reply to It doesn't surprise me that by Marc Sabatella
I have seen this numerous times:
Something is written such as you describe with multiple “time saving” devices -- two or more D.S.’s, several voltas leading on to different sections, etc. The piece is rehearsed and the players finally get comfortable with the maze of repeats.
Come performance day, one of the principal players get ill and has to be replaced at the last moment by a *substitute. Of course it is a disaster since hardly anyone can make heads or tails of the piece on first glance, especially in the white heat of live performance.
I try to keep this in mind when setting a piece, using traditional devices and making the piece as clear as possible, always keeping that poor sub in mind.
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*On one or more occasions I was the hapless substitute. The memory is still painful.
In reply to Voltas within voltas by Bill Watkins
Regards,