Needing an option to align triplet playback to Swing Ratio percentage

• Feb 7, 2022 - 08:40
Reported version
3.6
Type
Functional
Frequency
Once
Severity
S5 - Suggestion
Reproducibility
Always
Status
active
Regression
No
Workaround
Yes
Project

Extensive discussion and example scores here

https://musescore.org/en/node/322809
  

I'm providing a graph for those of the more visual persuasion.

      Swung Tripets at 60 and 50 percent Graphic.png
  

The user interface could be as simple as:

     •  two additional radio buttons
     •  three editable fields that pre-populate according to the Swing Ratio so that
               field 3 = Swing Ratio
               field 2 = Swing Ratio ÷ 2 <-- See my note in the Update below
  
Triplet Swing Alignment Dialog for MuseScore 02.png

Update 2022-02-07:
Upon seeing the 0, 30, 60 onsets as logical for 60% swing I extrapolated a formula without without testing.
The calculation Swing Ratio ÷ 2 works for 60% swing (and even 66%) however at 50% the result is two sixteenth and an eighth. And for 75% swing the triplet onsets would be at 0% 37.5% 75%, and I'm not sure what that would sound like.

Nevertheless the results from 58% to 66(.7)% seem reasonable, and as mentioned in the discussions, the 2nd triplet onset if of less concern. So MuseScore could post a "warning" or only have Set triplets onset to: enabled when the selected percent is in that 58% to 66(.7)%range, as shown highlighted in green below. Regardless, the user can customize the affect if needed by editing the fields.

      Swing ratio chart.png

scorster


Comments

Workaround No Yes

As noted in the referenced thread, the workarounds are the same as any other situation where you wish to write one thing but hear it played as if you notated something different (in this case, triplets played as if they were 10-tuplets): either use invisible notes in another voice to achieve the desired playback, or notes on an invisible staff, or in this specific case, alter the ontime of the notes (eg, using the various articulation plugins).

Not sure if that was meant as sarcasm or as humor or what, but for the record: the idea that one can notate eighth notes and have musicians play back long-short is a notation that has been used and understood by millions of musicians for a century or more. It's a completely accepted part of music tradition at this point, so of course MuseScore supports it. On the other hand, the idea of notating a triplet but having musicians play it as a 10-tuplet with hits on 1, 4, and 7 has most likely never appeared in published music or been played in any professional performing or recording situation, ever. I'm not saying MuseScore should never provide tools to help composers who wish to create their own one-of-a-kind experimental notations like this, but it's important in prioritizing to understand that this is what is being requested here.