Note stem direction independent for either parts or transposition

• May 11, 2016 - 08:46

Currently, if a note stem direction is changed in a transposed view, it is also changed in the concert pitch view. Equally, if it is changed in a part, it is changed in the score. Where the transposition is different between the score and the part (fairly common for big brass) this means that you may not be able to have both the score and the parts visually "ideal" (depending on your idea of "ideal") at the same time.

The score Stem direction.mscz shows this problem for a motif in B flat with automatic stems. In the concert pitch part the B has a stem in the “bad” (strictly speaking correct, but undesirable) direction. Changing the direction in the concert pitch score, changes the direction in the transposed part. This makes it very ugly.

Ideally, like spelling (Ctrl J), this should be associated with transposition, but a reasonable solution would be to treat note stem direction like any other layout property – independent between part and score.

In an ideal world ...

Tiny Trouble


Comments

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

Unfortunately, that does not work. The choice of direction in auto for notes on the center line is arbitrary to say the least and having one note in a phrase with a stem in a different direction from all the others just because it is slightly higher or lower than the others is IMHO visually unpleasant and much more difficult to sight read than having them all the same way. Creates havoc with slurs as well. After all, MuseScore has a facility for setting the direction because the auto direction may not be ideal.

Interesting observation. I'd take issue with your statement "this means that you cannot have both the score and the parts correct at the same time". That is not really so. As you observe, it's *already* correct in both score and parts. You are wanting it *incorrect* in the score to suit a subjective preference, but *correct* in the part. That is what is currently impossible, except I guess by adding notes in another voice and marking the diesired notes invisible (and then probably having to set stem positions manually for all notes in the measure).

In principle, though, it would probably not be hard to implement a command akin to Ctrl+J to flip the stem in the current score/part only. Too bad Ctrl+X is already taken. But one of the things on my list is to come up with a scheme to allow other properties that are normally linked to be broken. Feel free to weight in at https://musescore.org/en/node/73841

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