Is there a way to fade a whole note to the end of the measure?
Hi folks:
When creating my songs, I will frequently want a whole note to ring without break or interruption, but fade in volume toward the end of the measure. So far, the only technique I have found is to break the whole note into 1/4 or 1/8 notes, & place a new lower dynamic above the last note with a hairpin from the 1st 1/4 or 1/8 notes to the last note (see below). It will fade the note but the note sounds multiple times on its way to the end. What I am after is a continuous whole note, but fading by the end of the measure. For example:
In this example, the 1st measure has a whole Oboe note that plays at only one volume until the end of the bar. Not what I want. In measure 2, the oboe plays at continuous volume until note 4, then drops in volume. You can hear the two volumes and the sudden drop. The hairpin does nothing here because there are no separate notes to decrease, only note 1 with a dot. The hairpin does not work on single notes, even with a dot. In measure 3, the oboe 1/4 notes play at decreasing volume following the Decres. hairpin, but each of the 4 notes is heard.
Is there anything I can place on or above measure 1 to force that note to gradually and smoothly decline in volume by the end of measure 1?
Thanks in advance
Frank
Comments
This should work, thanks to "Single Note Dynamics" and the "expr." sound variants. If it does not for you, you'd need to share the score so we can have a look
In reply to This should work, thanks to … by Jojo-Schmitz
JoJo, thanks for the reply, but I just don't understand. Assuming all my instruments are default MuseScore General, with SND preset in the Synth and "expressive" for all instruments, if I choose an instrument, (say Oboe Exp), enter a whole note in a measure like example measure 1 above, how do I get that single note to fade not at the beginning of the note, but by the end of the measure? I just want the note to fade out, not sustain in volume to the end of the measure? Currently, it does not fade, even with SND and "Expressive" chosen for it in the synth. If I place a dynamic below it such as "p", and place a value of -20 in "velocity change" in the inspector, the velocity change occur immediately, not as the note sounds until the end of the measure. Is there a way to do this?
Could you include a quick screenshot of what I am supposed to do?
Thanks
Frank
In reply to JoJo, thanks for the reply,… by fsgregs
Just share the score where it doesn't work and we're going to have a look.
Or check the sample score below, where it works
Be sure to choose 'expressive' instrument (oboe) from Sound' in the Mixer:
Fade.mscz
In reply to Be sure to choose … by Jm6stringer
I am aware that I could get whole notes to decrease in volume by the end of a measure using new dynamic marks in the next measure and hairpins in the first one, but it makes for a LOT of work. I have to not only insert dynamics marks at the beginning of measure 2 to restore the volume to its regular volume, but also insert hairpins under measure 1, change the whole notes to quarter notes (so the beginning of measure 2 is not muted), edit each dynamic to include a velocity change, etc. Whoa! Here is an example:
In the above example, all notes in the four staves of the strings and synth started out as whole notes in each measure. To get them to fade by the end of each measure but resume normal volume at the start of the next measure, I had to change key notes to quarter notes, insert two dynamics and a hairpin in each measure set to "part", and edit each "ppp" dynamic to change volume from "16" (ppp default volume) to 12 *fade volume). Then resume normal volume with a p or pp on the next note.
What I asked originally is if there was a command to tell a whole note to fade away in volume by the end of a measure, without all the insertions and manipulations on each instrument, measure by measure? If not, OK, but I need to ask. Thanks
Frank
In reply to I am aware that I could get… by fsgregs
You could keep the whole note and set an explicit velocity change value on the hairpin (for example 127 to certainly fade to zero) and possibly want to change from linear to ease-in progress for such a hairpin.
You'll still need a dynamic on the next note to restore velocity levels.
In reply to You could keep the whole… by jeetee
Damn it works. I inserted a decresc. hairpin under a whole note, set the velocity change for it to about 50, then put a new dynamic on the whole note of the next measure, and ... voila! The 1st whole note faded 50 units over the measure, then whole note 2 resumed volume at the next measure per the new dynamic. (see example image).
Thanks. I had no idea a hairpin could fade volume to the end of a measure by inserting a volume change in the inspector. Since a hairpin could technically be applied for the entire system, I might be able to use 1 hairpin for 6 different instruments. Too bad I cannot exclude one of the instruments from a "system" command in the hairpin. I don't want the piano to fade, just all the other instruments. Am I correct (cannot exclude 1 instrument??)
In reply to Damn it works. I inserted a… by fsgregs
A piano will always fade, regardless if you are using a Expr sound font and hairpins. This is how pianos work. The hammer hits the string, and then the sound will fade until you release the key.
In reply to A piano will always fade,… by AndreasKågedal
That's why there is no expr. sound for piano.
In reply to That's why there is no expr… by Jojo-Schmitz
Yes. And thus, @fsgregs, you do not need to worry about the piano part. It will do the right thing and continue to sound like a piano.