ABC notation size and tunebook issues

• Sep 13, 2024 - 01:35

I'm assembling a tunebook of around 100+ Irish trad tunes. Given the drawbacks of MuseScore, here's the process and drawbacks I've figured out while attempting the project:

Add all 100 tunes to a text/ABC file, excluding the leading X tag for each tune. Because trad tunes are generally played in sets of 3 and I want to limit most tunes to 3 per page, I run a saved format style to reduce spacing.
Unfortunately, MuseScore's ABC import feature sees only the first T (title) tag and adds corresponding vertical frame above the first tune. However, it ignores the rest of the T tags, which is odd since it recognizes all other metadata. Because of this, I have to insert a vertical frame between each tune. I also have to resize each vertical frame because vertical frames are not managed in the saved styles.
Now to the size issue: the ABC file is around 1200 lines. Unfortunately, MuseScore just stops in the middle of the import with no alert. I figured out that I need reduce the size to maybe 2/3 of that for a successful import. Is that pretty much the case, or is there some way to prevent MuseScore from timing out in the middle of an import?
It seems to me that tune/song books are fairly common things, as is ABC notation. Does anyone of a cleaner process? I'm aware that there's something called Albums in 2.x, but the ABC import in 2.x doesn't work, and it won't accept .mscz files I try to open.

I know that's a laundry list of issues, but any suggestions as to how this process could be improved?

Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.