Basic note entry (without the entry cursor)

• An empty score has all its measures filled with rests.
• The note tools have the following keyboard shortcuts. Using a shortcut simply selects the tool in the palette, whether that palette is currently visible or not.
  
  
  

• Click on the staff to enter a note. There are several possible situations:
  
  • In an empty measure that contains a pause:
    • You can place the note value anywhere in the measure.
    • A ghost sequence is displayed to show where the note/rest will be entered.
    • When holding the ALT key, there are twice as many magnetism divisions available, according to the context.
    • The full rest is removed, the new note is added and the measure is filled with rests to complete its duration.
  • On an existing rest, the behavior is:
    • Replace the rest by a note; if it is longer than the original rest, it will overwrite the content that follows that rest.
    • If it is shorter, then one or more rests will complete the original rest duration
  • If the measure is not full, you can:
    • Insert a note/rest before or after any existing note/rest: the content is shifted.
  • When entering a note that would overlap the measure content, the note is automatically split into two (or more) tied notes.
  • Before you release the mouse button, the note can still be repitched.
• By clicking on an existing note you can repitch it or move it horizontally inside the measure to reorder the existing notes/rests. However, if there is a duration tool active, the duration of the note will be overwritten. To simply move/repitch the note, use the selection tool (ESC).
• When adding a note (with a click) while holding down the SHIFT key, the corresponding rest is added instead of the note, with the same rhythmic duration.
• The DEL or ← (backspace) shortcuts will remove the selected object. A note is first replaced with its corresponding rest. If the rest is deleted, it disappears and the following notes/rests are shifted to the left, leaving the measure incomplete. With the current default editing options, this is the only way to get an incomplete measure, as in other cases, it is always completed with rests.
• The S shortcut swaps the selected note/rest to its equivalent rest/note.
• The L shortcut flips the stem of the selected note; on slurs, hairpins, octavas and some other symbols, it swaps the symbol above/below the staff.
• The Alt + C shortcut switches the selected note between a normal note and a cue note.
• The U shortcut adds/removes a tie starting from the selected note. According to the context, it will switch between a normal tie, inverted tie, open tie and inverted open tie.
• The Y shortcut will do the same, but on the note that is before the selected note. This is useful when encoding notes, as you can enter the note and then tie it to the previous note.
• The / (forward slash) shortcut breaks or joins the beaming between the selected note and the note that precedes it. It also works to force beaming over one or more rests. When used in combination with the CTRL key, it will break the next level of beaming with the previous note.
• The . (period) shortcut adds a dot to the selected note/rest, providing that the resulting note duration does not exceed the measure duration. It switches between no dot, single dot and double dot.
• The : (colon) shortcut adds a grace note to the selected note.  The grace note can thereafter be edited as a normal note (repitch, move,...).
• The = (equals sign) shortcut adds a slashed grace note to the selected note.
• Adding a note while holding down the CTRL key will force beaming it with the previous note.
• The T shortcut enables/disables the tuplet tool in the palette.
• The numbers 1 to 9 together with the CTRL key will enable the corresponding tuplet (1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 6:4, 7:4, 8:12, 9:8)
• By adding a note above or below an existing note, the new note is attached to the same stem to build a chord. The currently selected tool does not affect the original rhythmic value of the chord.
• The letters A through G will repitch the selected note to letters equivalent pitch. 
• With SHIFT, the letters A to G will add a chord note to the selected note.
• The following shortcuts move the selected note (or rest, if the rest has the manual positioning option active) up or down:
  • • • ↑+ CTRL: moves the note/rest a second up.
      • ↓+ CTRL: moves the note/rest a second down.
      • ↑+ SHIFT: moves the note/rest an octave up.
      • ↓+ SHIFT: moves the note/rest an octave down.

• The following shortcuts act on the selected note's accidental:
  • + changes the accidental to a semitone higher; on dynamics, goes through the series from pppp to ffff; on hairpins, switch to a crescendo hairpin; on a metronome marking, increases the tempo by steps of 4.
  • - changes the accidental to a semitone lower; on dynamics, goes through the series from ffff to pppp; on hairpins, switch to a decrescendo hairpin; on a metronome marking, decreases the tempo by steps of 4.
  • N sets the accidental to natural; if already present, hides it.
  • 9 browses through the enharmonic notes.
  • * (asterisk) shows/hides the note accidental.
  • For a staff with a drum map defined, accidentals are disabled but the + and - keys will browse through the different note heads defined. For instance, it is possible to define a snare drum on the C line with a standard note head, and a rimshot snare drum on the same C line, with a slashed note head. Using “+” and “-” will swap between both.
• Notes can be entered in 4 independent layers (they correspond to rhythmic voices) per measure. The layers are displayed in 4 different colors. The following shortcuts act to select the active layer :
  • • • CTRL + ALT + 1 : Layer 1
      • CTRL + ALT + 2 : Layer 2
      • CTRL + ALT + 3 : Layer 3
      • CTRL + ALT + 4 : Layer 4
      • CTRL + ALT + 0 : Automatic layer handling
        
• Automatic layer handling is used to enter music so that the user does not need to manually switch from one layer to the other:
  • When starting to enter notes in an empty measure (or in a measure with a pause), layer 1 will be used.
  • The user should then complete the measure until layer 1 is full.
  • It will then automatically switch to layer 2. The same process happens with layer 3 and layer 4.
  • The ghost note displays a small "L1", "L2",... to show in which layer the next note will be entered.

• The following shortcuts can be used to add/remove an articulation for the selected note:
  • ‘  (apostrophe) : staccato
  • “ (quotation mark) : accent
  • _ (underscore) : tenuto
• The standard Undo / Redo functions apply for all operations.  Their shortcuts are respectively CTRL + Z  and CTRL + Y (or also CTRL + SHIFT + Z for redo).

 

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Note entry with the entry cursor

• The entry cursor tool is enabled/disabled by the I shortcut:

                                                      

• When enabled, it displays a blinking entry cursor, specifying where notes will be entered or modified:

                              

• Click anywhere in a measure to place the entry cursor.
• Most of the above tools and shortcuts still apply, except when superseded by the following behaviors.
• The ENTER key will add a note at the cursor pitch and time position, using the current rhythmic duration tool. The entry cursor will move to the next position.
• The 0 (zero) key will add a rest at the cursor pitch and time position, using the current rhythmic duration tool. The entry cursor will move to the next position.
• The following shortcuts moves the entry cursor:
  • • • → To the next position.
      • ← To the previous position.
      • ↑   Move the pitch cursor up.
      • ↓   Move the pitch cursor down.

• Clicking on an existing note or rest will set the entry cursor to that time position.
• If the entry cursor is set on a rest or empty location, letters A through G will enter a note of the corresponding pitch at that location and the entry cursor will move to the next position.
• If the entry cursor is set on a note, the letters A through G (with SHIFT) will add a chord note to the current note.

 

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Note entry with the piano keyboard or with a MIDI device

• The  icon will show/hide a piano keyboard at the bottom of the application. Its shortcut is SHIFT + K. It can be resized vertically by moving the gray separation bar. You can shift the keyboard horizontally by dragging one of the keys with the right mouse button.
• The notes played while listening to the score will be displayed by default on the keyboard.
• A note played on a MIDI device connected to the computer will be displayed by the keyboard and played by the current staff instrument. For this to work, you must ensure that Chrome enables the use of the MIDI devices connected to the computer, as this is not necessarily the case by default. Check also that the MIDI device is well recognized and installed on your system (Windows, Mac OS). It sometimes may require the installation of a specific MIDI driver.

 

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Step-by-step note entry

To enter notes with the keyboard (virtual or real MIDI device), the entry cursor must be active and blinking. It determines the location of the next entry.

• Playing a note on the virtual piano keyboard or directly on the MIDI device will enter that note at the cursor position, using the current rhythmic duration tool. The entry cursor is then moved to the next position. Pressing several keys together will enter a chord, from an external MIDI keyboard.
• If the entry cursor is placed on an existing note or chord, playing a note will repitch the note/chord and the cursor will move to the next entry.