MS4.4 — Fretboard diagram improvements

• Aug 28, 2024 - 01:58

I really appreciate MS4.4's new option to include finger numbering in Fretboard Diagrams! Good choice on priority. IMO indeed this was the most important change to make! Thank you.

But immediately I found myself wanting:

• the option of entering T or t for thumb which is fairly common (and possibly P or p for pulgar)
• a y offset property that vertically positions the finger numbers closer or further from the diagram.
• a choice of finger number font size
• the option to display finger numbers above the diagram
• the option to display finger numbers number IN the diagram in place of the dots. Although dots are standard they are rather meaningless. Seems like a good time to allow a less common but more succinct and meaningful standard.
• the Tab or Space key advancing and selecting the content of the next fingering field
• likewise, clicking a finger field would preselect the existing value
• the option for Show Nut to display even when Fret Number <> 1 (Why mutually exclusive? Have 0 or "None" represent no display of a fret number)
• the option to position the Fret number at any fret (as shown below) rather than only at the diagram's uppermost fret:

      Fretboard Diagram - Fret number.png

The second example above is a guitar A6 chord. In cases like this I usually want the fret number at the fret of the root of the chord. In this case, the 5th fret of the E string is the A root. Very helpful for jazz and closed fingering chords.

And there's a small quirk in the UI

If I have Show fingerings toggled on, and there's at least one X or 0 above the diagram, the fingering number size matches my expectation:

      Fretboard Diagram - with an 0.png

If there aren't any Xs or 0s above the diagram the finger numbers below the diagram are pretty tiny:

      Fretboard Diagram - No X or 0.png

This appears to have no impact on the in-score display; it's simply a disconcerting UI glitch.

scorster


Comments

BTW, I think the following image illustrates a more refined and focused interface for entering finger numbers:

      Fretboard Diagram - Fingering interface.png

And there could be the option to allow alternate fingerings:

      Fretboard Diagram - Fingering interface w alternate fingerings.png

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