Stems & Voices
From the handbook:
" In a polyphonic measure, voice 1 (and 3) usually takes the up-stem notes and voice 2 (and 4) takes the down-stem notes."
Just wondering why this applies at the measure level rather than at the stave level.
In this snippet voice 1 stems are above the stave in bar 7 but below the stave in bar 8. It will sort itself out as soon as I enter a voice 2 note in bar 8 so it's no big deal but it feels a bit odd. Should I really be entering voice 2 notes/rests first. (If I populate voice 2 with rests then voice 1 stems all go above the stave.)
Comments
You cannot get this by default. If the first note (A, 5th string) is in voice 2, the stems of the other notes in voice 1 (end of the first measure, and second measure) can only be directed above.
You must have changed in Advanced Style Properties, the Stem position, Above/Below setting after entering this measure 2, which has only one voice (for now).
Do not do this. Choose a default (Above, the current one, or Below) for the score, and stay like this.
The rule always remains, in the case of two voices, basically: bass in voice 2 and melodic line in voice 1
In reply to You cannot get this by… by cadiz1
Thanks, I'll have to check as the setup came from a template file. I then entered 16 bars of melody in voice 1 and all the stems went below the stave. I then started putting the bass notes into voice 2. Each time I entered a bass note the voice 1 stems immediately jumped above the stave. The picture is just before entering a bass note in bar 8.
I'm trying to stick to the standard: voice 1 above and voice 2 below.
I have tested this with a new score, (no template), and without changing any settings.
1) Use Score Wizard with Solo > Guitar tablature
2) Enter the crotchet notes on string 1 into voice 1 for bars 1 and 2 - the stems all point down
3) Enter the minim notes on string 6 into voice 2
On entering the first minim: the voice 1 stems in bar 1 all switch to above the score and the bar 2 stems remain below the score.
Score:
Stemvo.mscz
In reply to I have tested this with a… by yonah_ag
Yes, because as said before, you have set the Stem position as " Below" in Advanced Style properties.
Remain with the default (Above), so voice 1 will always remain pointing upwards, whether you have notes in voice 2 (as in measure 1) or not, as in the second measure. See: Stemvo1.mscz
Or with the addition of a rest in voice 2 in second measure, which is preferable/much better and expected, precisely for the clarity of the voices organization. So: Stemvo2.mscz
In reply to Yes, because as said before,… by cadiz1
This was a new score using the wizard and I honestly didn't go into settings to make the change that you describe. In fact I didn't go into settings at all. Is stems down some sort of global default for voice 1 that I need to change for new scores?
The 2nd measure has no notes or rests (yet) because this was just an example to show the issue. I have taken on board recent forum help and now use only 2 voices and I also ensure that I have a full complement of rhythmic info in both voices.
Still, is there a reason why MS doesn't apply the voice 1 up and voice 2 down protocol to the whole staff but instead applies it measure by measure?
In reply to This was a new score using… by yonah_ag
" why MS doesn't apply the voice 1 up and voice 2 down protocol to the whole staff but instead applies it measure by measure?"
Again, it applies precisely this, not by whole staff, or measure by measure, when the Stem's default position (Above) is set, whether it's one voice only, or two voices.
Then, if you choose the Below position, (as you did, one way or another), well, the behavior is just as expected. If voice 1 is alone, it goes down, as per the requested new setting, and if a 2nd voice arrives (notes or rests), it tilts up again, otherwise there would be a risk of collision between stems and notes (!) and confusion in voices.
It's as simple as that and just as that must be.
So your confusion is not from the comparison whole staff vs. measure by measure, but in case the setting is Below, it depends if there are one or two voices (that's the important thing). And especially, as said, if you don't forget rests in the voices, which are an integral part of the music notation.
In reply to Again, it applies precisely… by cadiz1
I have not deliberately chosen voice 1 stems below. For the mscz sample posted this was a completely new score via the wizard. I didn't choose a template and I didn't go into or change any settings.
I am baffled as to why my voice 1 stems decided to go down. I will re-install MS and try a factory reset to see if it fixes this odd behaviour.
(I am not forgetting any rests in any voices as this forum has patiently explained to me their importance and I have accepted and adopted this standard practise. Maybe an old dog can learn new tricks after all!)
In reply to I have not deliberately… by yonah_ag
Okay, sorry, my bad, I thought the Stem position "default" was "Above". After checking, actually, no. So go to Staff Properties / Advanced style properties / Notes Values / Stem position: Above.
And so, there's no need to revert factory settings.
In reply to Okay, sorry, my bad, I … by cadiz1
Success!
Can I get MS to save that setting for creation of new scores or do I just have to do this manually each time?
In reply to Success! Can I get MS to… by yonah_ag
Do it one time by saving this new score as a template.
In reply to Do it one time by saving… by cadiz1
Of course! I can just update my main template. :-)