Ordering in the list of instruments
Many great improvements has been made in MuseScore 2, but one peculiar thing is not still resolved. And I can’t understand this. Why in the world, there is not alphabetical ordering in the list of instruments?
When somebody change one instrument and then wants to get it back or to get there some other, one has big problem to find the wanted instrument (Moreover, one can change the instrument unwantedly because of mouse hover sensitivity which, in my view, is not just the most suitable feature for this.)…
I think, that even in the case of professional musician it could be better for finding the proper instrument by the alphabetical ordering. Or am I wrong?
Example (In MuseScore is):
Nylon String Guitar
Jazz Guitar
Clean Guitar
However, for alphabetical ordering there must be the Guitar first:
Guitar Nylon String
Guitar Jazz
Guitar Clean
It maybe does not suit very good to English customs, in this word sequence, but I think that there definitely is a resolution.
For example:
Guitar: Nylon String
Guitar: Jazz
Guitar: Clean
or:
Guitar – Nylon String
or:
Now is your turn:-) Thanks for your consideration. Jaroslav from Czech Republic
Comments
Did you see the searchbox at the bottom? below the instrument list?
Alphabetic listing would actually be far more difficult. The nice thing about the current order is that instruments are presented in roughly the order you will actually use them in. In an orchestra, for exampe, you would add a flute, then and oboe, then a clarinet, then a bassoon. Definitely not bassoon then clarinet then oboe then flute!
As mentioned, the search box is your friend when it comes to finding instruments. And you can use the keyboard rather than mouse to select instruments if you your mouse is too senstivie (or just find the settings in your OS to reduce the mouse sensitivity).
In reply to Alphabetic listing would by Marc Sabatella
Thank you (both) for your answer. If I understand it right, for professional musicians it is good set-up. Am I right? Well, then I must to take it as it is:) For me, however, it is not convenient set-up. And searchbox can surely by helpful but it does not resolve the mentioned-by-me-primary-problem. And so it is with the turning-off or reducing the mouse sensitivity.
Also the small part of the column which appears could be bigger – this problem (with small pop-up windows), however, can be seen not only with the Microsoft, but with many others.. Anyhow, thanks a lot.
In reply to Thank you (both) for your by jaros
It's not just for professions that the current setup is good - it is anyone who wants to add instruments in the traditional order that instruments are normally added in. Which should be everyone!
Can you describe the problem in more detail? What instrument are you tryng to find, and how does the search box not help? If you are trying to find all the guitars, type "gu" into the search box.
Hmm, I just realized, is it possible you are not talking about the actual instrument list (which shows when you add isntruments to your score), but instead, the list of *sounds* that appears when you wish to change the sound for some specific isntrument using the Mixer? The order for that list is set by the international standard called General MIDI, and the names of the sounds in that list are determined by whatever soundfont you happen to be using.
In reply to It's not just for professions by Marc Sabatella
I am sorry, I forgot to specify it to the mixer, of course it is this part (To tell the truth, I had written it in primal text which, unfortunately, was shortend.). And it would definitely be irrational to order it in by-you-presumed part:)
Well, thank you for your effort to help me in this thing and for the explanation. Now I see that it would not be so easy to change this feature. Thanks a lot.
In reply to I am sorry, I forgot to by jaros
Although the Mixer list does not have a search box, it does stll work to type the first couple of letter of the sound name. For example, click the drop-down menu for any isntrument and type "ny", and you'll see Nylon String Guitar, then hit Enter to select it. No need to scroll around looking for it, and no need to worry about how sensitive your mouse is.
BTW, even in the Mixer, listing in General MIDI order is very useful as related instruments are likely to be grouped together. One is much more likely to want to change a flute into a piccolo or recorder than into "Fret Noise", but if they were arranged alphabetically, that is what you'd see next in the list.
In reply to Although the Mixer list does by Marc Sabatella
I know that there is this way of searching but in my view it is not as easy and quick as would be the case with operating with mouse only and in the case (as I see it) of alphabetical order (and as much as possible visible column).
And when I am searching the piano e.g. then I will get to the picked bass e.g. and it is similar with other searching. One has to remember that bass is picked e.g. …
Moreover, there are sounds that do not match to the common list as is the case of the by-you-presumed part (instrument list). And in a case of a minor or other experimenting…
Well, it is my point of view but if it is good for all others then it must be sufficient for me:)
In reply to I know that there is this way by jaros
Marc, I understand your point about the midi standard in the mixer. And thanks for explaining about the search function. That was very helpful, as I am just starting to explore the soundfont part of the program.
But I add myself those who would like to see a larger dialog box listing the sounds. The box just feels too cramped to me, especially when multiple sf collections are open. Ten sounds is not enough. If we could see at least 30, that would be just "feel" better.
Definitely not a deal-breaker, though.
Jeff
In reply to Although the Mixer list does by Marc Sabatella
"For example, click the drop-down menu for any instrument and type "ny", and you'll see Nylon String Guitar, then hit Enter to select it. No need to scroll around looking for it"
Wow, thank you for the tip. This is the first time I read it. I was often annoyed to use this drop-down with no apparent consistency in the order of instruments. More enjoyable, and what a time saver!
This trick deserves to be included in the handbook ☺
In reply to "For example, click the by cadiz1
FWIW, it's a pretty standard aspect of drop down menus anywhere in any program. Or should be, anyhow - I guess some maybe don't work this way?
In reply to Thank you (both) for your by jaros
Hi. I don't understand what "but it does not resolve the mentioned-by-me-primary-problem" means.
Do you mean the "hover" capability?
What is the "primary problem"?
In reply to Hi. I don't understand what by xavierjazz
The words "but it does not resolve the mentioned-by-me-primary-problem" relates to the alphabetical ordering and that it is not ordered by alphabet which would be appropriate set-up for me. As to the „hover“ capability, it is secondary thing in this issue.
In this occasion, I would like to appologize for the error in words „surely by helpful”. Of course, there should be “be”.
In reply to Alphabetic listing would by Marc Sabatella
Hi,
Your idea sounds good for orchestras, but for other uses of Musescore (I use it for choirs) it is far less convenient...
Most of the instruments are listed in the order they normally appear in scores for convenience. For example, horns always come before cornets, so Musescore lists then in that order so you can scroll down from the top of the list to the bottom of the list and select all the instruments you need instead of scrolling randomly up and down. If would rather, use this site: https://flat.io
Its list is in alphabetical order but is much shorter. There only thing Flat has over Musescore is collaborations. In all other aspects, Musescore is better.