Alternative key signature

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Anders Hedelin
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Post by Anders Hedelin » Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:58 pm

Does anyone know if this alternative key signature is to be found readymade in a font?
Alternative key signature.jpg
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The natural means 'white keys only', the sharp 'black keys only' (all notes are sharped).
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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Fri Sep 18, 2020 6:46 pm

I have not seen those glyphs in any font.

However, the shapes are quite simple; they can be created in the Shape Designer.

See the attached Finale document.

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Anders Hedelin
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Post by Anders Hedelin » Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:11 pm

Thanks Peter. I already did the same, but I just wondered, to be sure.
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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:54 pm

Perhaps it is better with shapes created in the Shape Designer.

With the Shape Designer you have full control over the symbol’s layout:
line thickness, line length, line position, &c.
This is crucial if you need to reproduce a published layout.

With a font character you do not have that control; you have to accept the symbol as it is.
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Anders Hedelin
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Post by Anders Hedelin » Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:04 am

That's a good point.
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miker
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Post by miker » Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:01 pm

What does the altered fermata mean?
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Anders Hedelin
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Post by Anders Hedelin » Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:43 pm

I hope I don't infringe on the composer's copyright now, but as I've understood it, it means that the chord should be somewhat delayed because of the arpeggio.
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motet
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Post by motet » Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:35 pm

I don't think you can copyright a symbol--you can register one as a trademark, though I suspect the composer would have trouble convincing the patent and trademark office that this qualifies.

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Post by Anders Hedelin » Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:50 pm

Well, that sounds reassuring, if it's true.
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Post by Anders Hedelin » Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:07 pm

Maybe OT. I've not seen that symbol before myself, but it seems that it tells the same as Baroque textbooks on performance: that an arpeggio always should start on the beat. (A practice that is much debated among performers by the way.) The reason why introducing a symbol for this could be to make clear that the arpeggio really should start on the beat, since nowadays the custom is to start it before the beat.
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