Bagpipe bug : repeatable error with every embellishment

• Feb 11, 2020 - 03:02

OS: macOS High Sierra (10.13), Arch.: x86_64, MuseScore version (64-bit): 3.4.2.25137, revision: 148e43f

When putting bagpipe embellishments from the palette into the score , the newly entered embellishment is almost always an entire full interval flat, e.g. If I drop on a B note , a D embellishment , what shows is a C embellishment and I have to manually raise it a full interval to get the D. Doublet and triplet embellishments act the same way for all three notes. I have attached two images. Both show the palette and score , and below is the pdf I am working from. In the "Before" image , I have selected the note to be embellished ( a C ) and am hovering over a 'GCD' called a Doubling on C. In the "After" image , you can see that what was actually inserted into the score is a 'FBC' , which is not even a thing. On occasions where the middle note of the embellishment is an 'E' , I only have to manually raise it a half step.

Attachment Size
Hors.mscz 18.96 KB
Before.png 233.44 KB
After.png 226.71 KB

Comments

I'm not knowledgeable enough about bagpipes to say for sure, but I do know they are transposing instruments. So my guess is you are not in the right mode - concert pitch on vs off - for the interpretation you are expecting.

Your score is using the Mandolin (a non-transposing instrument). Bagpipe embellishments are meant to be used with a bagpipe instrument (which is transposing).

Any particular reason you're attempting notating on Mandolin with embellishments?

In reply to by jeetee

Thanks jeetee. As a matter of fact there is a reason for using the mandolin , the default ( and non modifiable ) key for the built in bagpipe is not correct for my pipes ( nor correct for anything except GHB's and their kin ). So , I chose an instrument that can play in the key that I play in. Since I don't much care for the playback , what it sounds like is not important . What is important is the score. Thus I labor away with every grace and embellishment.

In reply to by aszy

You've lost me somewhere in that logic.

What do you mean by the default key for the built-in bagpipe (and why do you think it is non modifiable?)?
If you're referring to the key signature, those in the palette are always in concert key, so you'd have to compensate them when applying to a transposing instrument (such as the bagpipe). If you want the C-key signature shown for a bagpipe in written pitch, then you have to apply the 2-flat (concert) key signature from the palette to it.

Choosing the correct instrument is hardly about playback only, it is more about getting the correct transposition for it (which in your case would make embellishments work as expected) as well as for example the correct string (tuning) definitions for stringed instruments. Whether you then use the mixer to playback your instrument with a piano, mandolin, bagpipe, flute or raccoon sound is irrelevant to its notation properties.

In reply to by jeetee

Thank you again. Wife and I went down the rabbit hole just to make sure we knew what "transposing instruments" are. Got it. Just spent some time with a trial score and messed about with what you have written. The generic bagpipe score comes up with a key signature of D Major . My pipes are in G Major. I followed what you said and indeed I had to apply a key signature of F Major ( what shows a Bb ) to the D major showing to obtain the correct shown ( and played ) G major. The adding of a Bb image to a two sharp image , just does not equate with dropping one sharp. Especially when in every other case , when I drop the image of Bb onto a staff , it changes to what I have just dropped. I do not follow the logic of having to apply a flattening key to obtain a desired key - but it works. Why should I not just be able to drag from the palette the G Major and drop it? ( when I do , I get A Major as in adding the sharp , not replacing the original ). As you said , the embellishments now work ( or at least show ) correctly. I will have to mess about with it to see if they play the 'adjusted' sharps correctly. Thank you for your insight.

In reply to by aszy

There has been some discussion to allow the key signature from the palette to match the written signature if only a single instrument is present in the score.

The reason for the current behavior becomes more clear when looking for example into orchestral scores. In there I could have Violins as well as a Bb Clarinet and an Eb Tuba together. Now when applying a key signature, all three instruments use a different transposition; thus will have to notate the key signature and notes differently in written pitch to ensure the sounding result (concert pitch) remains the same. By always treating the applying key signature as in concert pitch; it now becomes easy for MuseScore to apply the correct transposition for the Bb and Eb instrument on the fly.

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