Issues with Imploding music

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tomkoer
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:11 am
Finale Version: 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by tomkoer » Fri Jan 03, 2020 11:18 am

I have ongoing struggles with imploding music; when merging two staves, lyrics, tuplets, articulations are also "merged", causing -not always- alignment conflicts. Is there a way that I can just disable lyrics, tuplet numbers and brackets, articulations for one layer only? Now, when I try to delete the lyrics for one layer only, all lyrics are deleted; am I doing something wrong? Perhaps I should erase the lyrics of one stave before I implode? If I can just decide "per layer", it would save a lot of time...


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miker
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:28 pm
Finale Version: Finale 27.4
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Post by miker » Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:47 pm

How are you imploding the music? What result are you looking for? Are you doing a piano reduction?

You might look at JW Staff Polyphony, at http://finaletips.nu/
Finale 27 | SmartScorePro 64
Mac OS 13.2.1 Ventura
Copyist for Barbershop Harmony Society

tomkoer
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:11 am
Finale Version: 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by tomkoer » Fri Jan 03, 2020 6:29 pm

Starting from a score SATB with piano accompaniment, SATB being four staves (+lyrics); for the SATB choir I want to print just their part, in two staves, S/A and T/B. First I create the parts, then I change the layers of the second and fourth staves from 1 to 2. Selecting the first and second staves, I use Utilities/implode music, directing the result to the top staff of the selection. I repeat the same for staves 3 and 4. Then I delete staves 2 and 4 (delete and reposition). At first glance the result looks fine, except for the fact that, for example, triplets are now in two layers, having their little 3's and brackets both on top and at the bottom. The bottom ones are right through the lyrics, and as they are the same as for the top ones, I would just like to get rid of the bottom ones. My solution now has been to move the bottom triplet marking, making sure that it exactly covers the top one. It works, but it is quite time consuming. So I was hoping there could be a way just to erase these markings for one layer. Something similar happens with accidentals, which are also duplicated, and I delete them one by one. Finally, it appears that for certain measures, the lyrics do not align, so that some syllables look awkward. I was hoping to try and erase the lyrics for one layer only, but apparently I do something wrong, because all lyrics disappear. I solve it now by deleting the faulty syllable individually from one layer, so in the end it all looks well again, but it does take a lot of time. The only thing I have not been able to solve, is the word extensions, that sometimes seem to appear where they shouldn't. I can live with that, because the lyrics are still readable, it just doesn't look nice. I apologize for this lengthy story; in Dutch we have a saying: I hope you can make chocolate of it, meaning that I hope you can understand... Thank you for your help.

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miker
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:28 pm
Finale Version: Finale 27.4
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Post by miker » Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:57 pm

Thanks, now I understand. I’ve done quite a bit of similar work. If they all have the same lyric, leave them out! Put the parts into different layers: 1 and 2 for the S/A, and 1 and 2 for T/B. (Don’t use 3 and 4.) Implode them, and delete the old staves. Then, enter the lyrics in verse 2, and attach them to the layer 2 alto line. If other parts have different lyrics, or “echos,” they would be placed in verses 1, 3, or 4, and attached to the relevant staves.

I would suggest leaving the triplets as they merge. When reading a line, the eye tends to follow its own notes, and a missing triplet bracket can be confusing. If there isn’t enough room, move the staves farther apart.

If you like, send me a page or two, and I can make some specific suggestions.

Send to wawoodman at aol dot com
Finale 27 | SmartScorePro 64
Mac OS 13.2.1 Ventura
Copyist for Barbershop Harmony Society

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