Using key signatures |
Watch also the following video:
Selecting a key signature [Light] [Beginner] [Professional] [Notation] [Composition Light] [Composition Pro] [Drums and Percussion] [Guitar] [Choir] [Keyboard] [Soloist] In this lesson, we will learn how to add a key signature on
the staff and how to change it during a music work. Start with a new document and open the
Main Palette. All the options of this dialog box let you select the key
signature and the areas of the score which will be affected by
it. Some options are present only in Pizzicato Professional, we
will explain it later. Let us see how you can select the key
signature. By calling this dialog on the first measure, the key signature
has neither flats nor sharps. Otherwise, the default key
signature is the one present in the preceding measure. The
vertical scroll bar located next to the right of the measure lets
you add accidentals. To remove flats, click the upper arrow. A flat disappears each
time you click. When there is no more flat, you get the starting
situation again and another click adds a sharp. Notice that the
small block located between the two extreme arrows moves to
indicate the position. With 7 sharps, it is located at the top,
with 7 flats it is located at the bottom and the central position
indicates that there is neither sharps nor flats. Notice that the two staves automatically take the same key
signature. By default, Pizzicato changes the key signature for all staves
at the same time. There are 2 cases where it is necessary to have
a different key signature for each staff: for the transposing
instruments in a score with several instruments and for more
contemporary works, where different key signatures are sometimes
used simultaneously to create musical effects. Only Pizzicato
Professional lets you manage that, by the Only this staff
option. By checking this option in the key signature dialog box,
only the current staff changes. The choice of the scale also lets
you select the Major, Minor or neutral mode. This choice will
also influence the way Pizzicato will do a transcription of notes
directly played using the musical keyboard. Changing the key signature during a music work [Light] [Beginner] [Professional] [Notation] [Composition Light] [Composition Pro] [Drums and Percussion] [Guitar] [Choir] [Keyboard] [Soloist] It is rather frequent to change the key
signature during a music work. To do this, call the key
signature dialog box on the measure where the change must
occur. In the lower part of it, a multiple choice
offers you 3 options: The first, Up to the end of the
score, changes the key signature starting from the
current measure up to the end of the score. If the score
has other key signatures after this measure, they will be
replaced by the new one. The second option, During
measure(s), lets you introduce the number of
measures in which the new key signature must be
effective. The third option, Up to the next
change, is selected by default. It lets you add the
new key signature up to the next change. If there is no
other key signature in the following measures, the new
one will be valid up to the end of the score. You also have a multiple choice which lets
you select the mode of the scale (major, minor or neutral).
This choice influences the transcription of the accidentals.
By default, the mode is neutral. Notice that Pizzicato automatically added 3 naturals in front of the 2
flats. It is a manner of indicating that the 3 sharps of the
preceding key signature are cancelled. However, in the next system, only
the two flats are displayed. As the key signature change occurs in the first measure of
a system, Pizzicato already displays the new key signature at
the end of the previous system, so that the performer is not
surprised while arriving at the following system. It is known
as a courtesy key signature. It is automatically
placed by Pizzicato, on an extension of the staff lines,
beyond the last measure of this staff.
Arbitrary key signatures [Professional] [Notation] [Composition Pro] [Drums and Percussion] [Guitar] [Choir] [Keyboard] [Soloist] In most cases, accidentals follow the order automatically
managed by Pizzicato. In other words, when a key signature has
only one sharp, it is always an F. It can be useful to create a key signature which does not
follow this order, for example to create more contemporary works,
exploring sets of notes which exceed the usual framework of
tonality. Place the mouse cursor on measure 3. Type 'A' on the computer
keyboard. In the right part of the dialog box, a multiple choice
lets you select the type of key signature. By default, it is Standard,
which corresponds to the automatic order of accidentals. Click
now on the other choice : Free. The left part of the
dialog box becomes: A palette with the 5 accidentals appears on the left of the
measure. To add an accidental, select it on the palette and click
in the measure, where you want to place it. After adding an accidental, you can move it by clicking and
dragging it. To erase it, select the X cross and click on the
accidental. When you create an arbitrary key signature very similar to a
standard one, you can first place for example 4 sharps with the
upper arrow, then select the Free type. The 4 sharps
remain and you can add the accidentals you want. Exercises [Light] [Beginner] [Professional] [Notation] [Composition Light] [Composition Pro] [Drums and Percussion] [Guitar] [Choir] [Keyboard] [Soloist] Starting each time with a new document, create the following
scores (the second is not possible with all versions of Pizzicato):
. Click
in the first measure. The following dialog box appears: