Restated accidentals at every chord

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msegerstrale
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 2:01 pm
Sibelius Version: Ultimate
Operating System: Windows

Post by msegerstrale » Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:14 pm

Hello all,

is there a way to make Sibelius "forget" the accidentals so that you HAVE to restate them at every chord? I'm notating a modern piece where the accidentals are only valid for the note they're attached to, meaning an E with a flat followed by another E should play Eb-E, not Eb-Eb. Is there a way to do this? I just couldn't possibly be bothered to start adding them by using symbols...!

Thankful for any help! X


MikeLyons
Posts: 1631
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2016 7:20 pm
Sibelius Version: Ult. 2024.3.1/7.5
Operating System: Windows

Post by MikeLyons » Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:01 pm

Musical rules are that an accidental lasts for the length of the bar following. If you want to cancel an accidental you HAVE TO do it manually.

If you want to have every note have an accidental, you need to use an atonal key sign, but that won't put naturals in front of every natural note, only sharps and flats and it is still subject to the rule above.

There are two plugins that force accidentals to appear:

Add accidentals to all notes
Add accidentals to all sharp and flat notes

Depending on your version and tier of Sibelius, these may be useful to you.
Sib 6.2, 7.5 and 2023.6, Windows 11, 32GB RAM, 16TB 7200RPM Storage, 2TB SSD, Note Performer 3.3.2, EWQLSO, EWQLSC, Harmony Assistant and some others. mike@mike-lyons.co.uk

msegerstrale
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 2:01 pm
Sibelius Version: Ultimate
Operating System: Windows

Post by msegerstrale » Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:23 pm

Hello,

yes, obviously for centuries accidentals have been lasting for the length of the bar. In some modern music it is customary to have them last only for the note they're attached to as it's easier to have accidentals at every chord, since it would be quite hard to remember which accidentals were used earlier when they're absolutely everywhere, all the time.

The problem is I do NOT want naturals in front of natural notes as they are assumed to be naturals unless they have an accidental, so I guess it'll just be loads of work, then! Ctrl-H is the key [sic!], it seems.

Thanks for your help!

MikeLyons
Posts: 1631
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2016 7:20 pm
Sibelius Version: Ult. 2024.3.1/7.5
Operating System: Windows

Post by MikeLyons » Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:29 am

msegerstrale wrote:
Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:23 pm

The problem is I do NOT want naturals in front of natural notes as they are assumed to be naturals unless they have an accidental, so I guess it'll just be loads of work, then!
So the second of the two plugins would be of use to you then as it only adds accidentals to sharps and/or flats. You could select a passage and filter for notes with naturals and hide the naturals. That's better than having to do each one individually.

I would find that way of writing music very difficult to get my head around - especially if sightreading. It goes against everything I have ever been taught and experienced over nearly 60 years of playing.
Sib 6.2, 7.5 and 2023.6, Windows 11, 32GB RAM, 16TB 7200RPM Storage, 2TB SSD, Note Performer 3.3.2, EWQLSO, EWQLSC, Harmony Assistant and some others. mike@mike-lyons.co.uk

msegerstrale
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 2:01 pm
Sibelius Version: Ultimate
Operating System: Windows

Post by msegerstrale » Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:45 am

I understand, but truly, once you get rehearsing you can trust that whatever the chord says is what you should play. No need to check back for old accidentals! When music is so free in its tonality, you wouldn't know what's right anyway so it's actually a blessing.

Thanks for your help!

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

Post by andyg » Wed Mar 24, 2021 9:49 am

I can't agree with that.

I had a piece by Khachaturian, no key signature, just accidentals where needed. It was a pig to read and play. I input part of it into Sibelius and changed to the obvious key of Db. The result was something that was much more playable at first sight or rehearse-able!

Call me old fashioned (51 years as a pro) but I can't see the point of modern practices that try to 'improve' on what's been proven to work for hundreds of years.

msegerstrale
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 2:01 pm
Sibelius Version: Ultimate
Operating System: Windows

Post by msegerstrale » Wed Mar 24, 2021 1:22 pm

I'm sure it's a matter of hwo the piece was written. As I said, if a piece seems to have a clear tonality and key but still has no key signature, it certainly becomes difficult, but if the tonality moves around and there is no obvious way to guess what the next chord is, I feel this way is easier.

But we can agree to disagree :)

Have a lovely spring, in any case!

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