Adding spoken text?

Suzy · Post by **Suzy** » Fri May 15, 2009 2:45 am

Hi Again,

I would like to add some spoken text to a song. (as in one of those "x" with a stick note kind of things) Anyone know how to do this? Thanks!!

jazvampire · Post by **jazvampire** » Fri May 15, 2009 4:45 am

Depends... which version are you using?

Peter Thomsen · Post by **Peter Thomsen** » Fri May 15, 2009 5:32 am

Suzy,

Are you still using SongWriter?

I could be wrong here, but I don't think that SongWriter can create notes with X-noteheads.

miker · Post by **miker** » Fri May 15, 2009 1:31 pm

I can confirm Peter's supposition. SW does not have the X-noteheads.

Suzy · Post by **Suzy** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:42 am

Darn, thanks for the help! I will try and figure out another way of doing it.
Suzy

ArnoldG · Post by **ArnoldG** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:26 am

I have a copy of Finale PrintMusic and I still have the same question. Any help?

miker · Post by **miker** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:58 pm

Sorry, no. PM doesn't have X-noteheads, either. Finale has it in staff styles, but not PM.

peterqd · Post by **peterqd** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:57 pm

Do you have Maestro or Petrucci fonts installed? The X character is Alt+0192. I'm wondering if you can make them with text expressions if you can't change the noteheads.

miker · Post by **miker** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:12 pm

The problem then would be the stems.

peterqd · Post by **peterqd** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:16 pm

miker wrote:The problem then would be the stems.

Yes, true. My idea was to create an expression with the X notehead on a white background, which Suzy could use to mask out the normal notehead. If you can create expressions in PrintMusic I can show you how to do it.

In Finale there's a much simple way: Tools > Advanced Tools > Special Tools > select Note Shape tool. Click in a measure and select notehead handles to change. Double click on one handle and choose the X character (192). Is this possible in PrintMusic?

miker · Post by **miker** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:10 pm

peterqd,
You can create expressions in PM, but without the many options that finale has.
The easiest way would be for the poster to obtain a finale doc, which has the x-notehead as a staff style.

TWW · Post by **TWW** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:50 pm

I have discovered a legit way to use X noteheads for spoken text in PM 2009, with the limitation that it gets its own staff.

Add the following lines to instrument.txt:

Code: Select all

[INS:Spoken]
Name 			= Spoken Words
Abbr			= Spk
useKeySigs		= 0
Transposition		= 0
StaffType 		= single
Clef			= altpercussion
Patch			= 
PercMap			= Snare Drum

Then add the following line somewhere under [ GRP:Vocals ]

Code: Select all

Spoken			= x

Voila!
(Note: this is the third edit after posting, to fix up formatting.)

peterqd · Post by **peterqd** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:08 pm

That's excellent Tom. I sometimes do arrangements for the choir at my local Salvation Army and they like a part for tambourines. Up till now I've been struggling with a standard 5-line staff with perc map and now you've removed that drudgery. Thanks very much, you clever chap!

pamela · Post by **pamela** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:01 pm

hmmm some interesting information here!

Finale Forum

Adding spoken text?

Adding spoken text?

Adding spoken text

Thanks for the help

Wanna bet, Miker?