Add notes to any beat
I find it necessary to be able to add notes to any beat within a measure freely in any order, and not always start from the first beat. Currently I accomplish this by filling the sheet with for instance 1/4 (crotchet) rests first. This then allows me to change any of the rests into a note in no particular order. Is there a better, preferred way to do this instead?
thx,
Rob
Comments
It should never be *necessary* to deviate from traditionl left-to-right entry. It should always work to enter notes left to right, just as they are read. If you are finding some case where this isn't working, please post the specific score you are having problems with and steps to reproduce the problem.
But if you arte simply saying you find it "helpful" to enter notes randomly, then sure, filling a measure with rests would be one way to do that, probably the best. Not ideal since you'll need to clean up the rests later - you shouldn't use two quarter rests if it's eventually going to be a half rest, etc. Basically, it will in most cases be more work to do it the way you are describing, and more error prone as well, but it should work.
In reply to It should never be by Marc Sabatella
These situations arise mostly when transcribing. Sometimes - actually quite often - when it is hard to distinguish the exact notes in a beat or passage it helps to put in place all the nearby notes before and after the difficult area. My tabulature program fully supports this kind of behavior, after selecting the note value that becomes the "time tick value" to go forward and back with the arrow keys in any measure. Now that I'm currently working more with a keyboard instead of stringed instruments I'm trying get comfortable with MS instead of my old tool and find the easy ways to work.
In reply to These situations arise mostly by robopo
FWIW, I find pencil and paper for more efficient for these earlier stages. Notation programs are for once you have things more figured out.
In reply to FWIW, I find pencil and paper by Marc Sabatella
Well, you are absolutely right indeed, pencil and paper are certainly good for nearly everything. I've been doing this nearly 20 years and at some point moved away from p & p to computers. But thanks for the hint anyway. :-)