Playback window control functions

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Steamboat_Willie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2010 5:09 pm

Post by Steamboat_Willie » Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:44 pm

I'm a Sibelius beginner running with v5.2. I apologize if the answers to my questions here are obvious to other experienced users. This is my first post here and figured it was time to jump in and get my feet wet.

Is there a way to expand the features which are available to me in the playback control window? First off, I would like to input a numeric value for a tempo rather than use the horizontal grabbing and using the horizontal scroll handle. If I grab the sliding control it increments from values such as 1/4note= 100, 110, 114, 117, etc ... Why are there predetermined increment values? Is there a way for the user to input their own value rather than use the slider? The slider can seem awkward. Sometimes when optimizing a particular group of measures I might want to slow the playback tempo down or speed it up to see how the notes which I've just written 'work'. Can a numeric input for the tempo be achieved?

Also, when using the horizontal slider to position the green playback 'cursor' at some specific measure within my score I have to reduce the level of 'zoom' to a smaller value so that I can physically see where the cursor actually is within my score while I'm moving the slider and then stop sliding when it gets to my playback location of interest.

Last, is there any other playback control add-on product that I should look at? Or is the one that appears when pressing Ctrl-Alt-Y it? I'm enjoying using Sibelius immensely


Thanks.
Ed


Sebasian
Posts: 1476
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 5:46 pm

Post by Sebasian » Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:13 am

I would like to input a numeric value for a tempo
Use System Text to insert a metronome mark. Create > Text > Tempo then (say) Ctrl+4 for quarter (crotchet) = 112

. . . when using the horizontal slider . . .
There are many shortcuts to move you around the score rather more quickly. There are also different ways of starting playback, and you should (over time) learn the ones that suit your workflow.

Home and End move you back or forward a page at a time; Ctrl+Home takes you to the start of the score and Ctrl+End to the end. There is a Goto for bars or pages, and a downloadable plug-in which lets you label your score and jump to a labelled bar. You mention Ctrl+Alt+Y but Y on its own, [ and ] are amongst the keyboard shortcuts available.

For Sibelius 5 look in Section 5.9 of the Reference, particularly the keyboard shortcuts for navigation (p.383 of my PDF version of the Reference).

[Section 5.12 p.432 for Sibelius 6.]

Steamboat_Willie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2010 5:09 pm

Post by Steamboat_Willie » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:18 pm

Thanks for the suggestions. Good tips for this beginner. I think there are some opportunities here for the Sibelius development team to implement a few useful new enhancements to the playback window control features.
Thanks again.
Ed

andyg
Posts: 1727
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:55 pm
Sibelius Version: 7.1.3 and 6.2
Operating System: Windows

Post by andyg » Tue Sep 07, 2010 3:02 pm

Possibly, but you're getting close to asking Sib to act like a sequencer and I don't think they want to take it that far.

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