Write¶
Write is the editor where you write scores in neumaRk, with the score preview updating in real time as you type.
The three actors not to confuse¶
To use Write with peace of mind it helps to keep in mind who does what. These are three different things:
| What it is | What it does | |
|---|---|---|
| neumaRk (NRK) | the language: the text you write is the song | persists, independent of the app |
| the editor | the writing environment | colours the text, flags errors in the console, explains via the ? help; leaves your text exactly as you typed it |
| Speedy Entry | the typing assistant | transforms what you type as you type (automatic spaces, Tab closes the measure…); it's optional and turns off with one click |
Speedy Entry only produces ordinary NRK — the same text you could type by hand. If it gets in your way, turn it off from the toolbar and keep typing; your song stays as it is. Details in Speedy Entry.
The screen¶
Write is split in two halves: on the left the editor where you write the NRK text, on the right the score preview. Above the editor there's a toolbar; at the top of the page the topbar with the file menu and the song title. The console appears at the bottom when needed.
The editor toolbar¶
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| Title · Key · Meter | clicking them opens the Document properties (edit title, author, key, tempo, meter without writing in the text) |
| ▶ Play | plays the melody; long-press to open the playback controls panel |
| EXTEND / COMPACT | two textual transformations of the source (see below); long-press for the options |
| Speedy Entry | turns the assistant on/off (long-press for the settings) |
? Help |
opens the neumaRk help panel (also F1) |
| Console | opens/closes the processing console |
The editor¶
The editor highlights the syntax, links text and score (hovering a measure highlights it on both sides) and lets you select measures. Right-clicking a measure opens a context menu: cut/copy/paste, insert, delete, transpose, isolate into a new row, move to the previous/next row, merge into one.
Selection modifiers: Shift extends the text selection, Cmd/Ctrl+Shift extends the
measure selection.
The score preview¶
It updates on every change. From its menu you adjust rendering settings, fit, zoom, density,
page/papyrus, and start the PDF export (always in pure black, whatever ink you use on
screen). The rendering options also include beaming
controls: beam grouping in denominator-4 meters (by block 2/4·3/4, or by beat 1/4) and
beaming over rests (per block, per beat, off). To force a single case you can use the /
(break) and - (join) marks directly in the text.
EXTEND and COMPACT¶
The same song can be written in two textual forms, and these two buttons convert the source from one to the other:
- COMPACT — uses duration and octave inheritance to remove repetition (shorter text, quick to type by hand).
- EXTEND — makes everything explicit on every note (easier to read at a glance).
Same notes, same score: only the look of the text changes. From the EXTEND/COMPACT options menu you choose precisely which details to expand or compact (row markers, durations, pitches, shorthands, flow signs, chords), with None / Default / All presets.
Playing¶
The Play button plays the melody (also Shift+Space). Long-pressing it opens the
playback controls panel:
- play/pause/stop and back-to-start;
- the tempo in BPM (30 to 400), with the slider or the −/+ buttons (one BPM per click, five
with
Shift), and a button that returns to the song's tempo. If the song doesn't declare a BPM in its header, the tempo is deduced from the style and the panel says so. Changing the tempo here only affects playback: the document is not modified; - swing (ratio and offbeat accent);
- the metronome with its volume, and the count-in;
- the chords (whether to play them, and their volume) and the playing of ornaments.
The processing console¶
As you write, the console shows any warnings (W…, non-blocking) and errors (E…,
blocking). It opens on its own when needed and closes as soon as you fix the issue; you can also
keep it open by clicking its icon. Click a message to jump to the line it refers to — the console
only points you to what to review.
The ? help¶
The ? panel (also F1) is the quick reference to neumaRk: searchable, organised by topic
(notes, chords, repeats, articulations, dynamics, lyrics, voices, versions…). For the full
reference there's the language documentation on neumark.dev.
The panel also includes the Keyboard & shortcuts section: pick your keyboard layout (Italian
or US) and see how to type neumaRk's special characters on your system (|, [ ], { },
< >, #, @, ~, ^, $, %…), together with the list of shortcuts given below.
Keyboard shortcuts¶
Cmd applies on Mac, Ctrl on other systems. The Speedy Entry shortcuts (with Z held down)
are described in Speedy Entry.
General
| Keys | What it does |
|---|---|
F1 |
opens / closes the help panel (Esc closes it) |
Cmd/Ctrl+S |
saves (to the source .nrk file if the document comes from a file, otherwise to the cloud) |
Cmd/Ctrl+O |
opens a document |
Cmd/Ctrl+N |
new document |
Cmd/Ctrl+Z · Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z |
undo · redo |
Shift+Space |
starts / stops playback |
Space or Esc |
during playback, stop it |
| double-click on a measure | selects it (in the editor or on the score) |
Text editor
| Keys | What it does |
|---|---|
Shift+Enter |
EXTEND |
Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Enter |
COMPACT |
Tab |
inserts a measure bar (with Speedy Entry on) |
Tab or Enter |
accepts the grey suggestion; Esc dismisses it |
Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+click (or drag) |
selects a range of measures |
Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+arrows |
extends the measure range from the keyboard |
Shift+arrows · Shift+click |
text selection |
Esc |
clears the measure selection |
Alt+click (⌥+click on Mac) |
adds a cursor |
Score (after clicking the score). Single keys act only without Cmd/Ctrl/Alt:
Cmd/Ctrl+P stays the browser's print and Cmd/Ctrl+F its search.
| Keys | What it does |
|---|---|
| click | selects a note |
Shift+click |
extends the measure selection |
W · H |
fit width · fit height |
F |
changes the music font |
P |
changes the view mode |
+ · − |
zoom in · out |
Cmd/Ctrl + + · − |
increase · decrease density (also Cmd/Ctrl+=; works with a note selected too) |
← · → |
previous · next page (in page mode) |
↑ · ↓ |
scroll up · down |
| arrows, with measures selected | move the selection (Shift extends it; Esc clears it) |
Selected note on the score
| Keys | What it does |
|---|---|
← · → |
previous · next note (and plays it) |
↑ · ↓ |
up · down one step (in the key) |
+ · − |
up · down a semitone |
' · , |
up · down an octave |
! |
shows / hides the forced accidental |
E |
enharmonic change |
Shift+↑ · Shift+↓ |
in a chord, moves between its notes |
Esc |
deselects the note |
The file menu¶
From the topbar:
- New — a new empty document.
- Open… — open one of your songs (with search by name, title and credits).
- Import — import a
.nrkor XML (MusicXML) file. - Export — export the song as a
.nrk, MusicXML or Lilypond file. - Save (
Cmd/Ctrl+S) — remember there is no overwrite: every save adds a version to your song. It works offline too (saves locally and syncs as soon as you're back online; an indicator shows the sync status). - Save as new — creates a new song from the current one (useful to start from someone else's song or to make a variant).
- Revert to saved — discards local changes and reloads the last saved version.
- Manage document… — rename the document (creator only, online), manage the tags, see role/dates, open in Library or delete the document (with all its versions).
- Tutorial… and Guided tour — see below.
Versions and Release¶
A song evolves through versions (every save adds one). From the topbar you see the current version and its wip / stable states, you can review previous versions and make a Release: it creates a new stable version and permanently deletes the intermediate work in progress ones.
Sharing¶
Generate a fly link (self-contained) and open the song in View. You can transpose the song from the dedicated dialog (notes, chords or both). The kinds of link and their implications are in Links & sharing.
Reactive mode and Lead¶
Opening a reactive link puts Write in linked, read-only mode: it follows the edits of whoever holds the lead in real time. Whoever has edit rights can take the Lead (take lead): from then on, each of their saves appears in real time to those watching in View; release hands the lead back. This is the basis of real-time rehearsals and lessons (see the reactive link in Links & sharing).
Built-in tutorials¶
From the file menu you open the step-by-step tutorials (chosen from a list, with a step count): at the top appear the back / forward / reset step controls. There's also a guided tour of the interface (driver.js), started from the logo at the top left.