How do I write a score?¶
Scores are written in Write: you write the song as text, in a language called neumaRk, and the score is drawn alongside as you type. The path has three stages; at each one you'll find what you do and where the details are.
Stage A — Your first song¶
You write your first song with the L1 tutorial: in Write open the file menu and choose Tutorial… → L1. While the tutorial is on, the orange TUT badge at the top gives you the controls to move to the next step or start it over. → Built-in tutorials
Along the way you meet:
- the three actors: the language (the text is the song), the editor and the typing assistant Speedy Entry → The three actors not to confuse;
- the screen: text on the left, score on the right → The screen;
- the console, which tells you what to look at again when something doesn't add up → The processing console;
- saving: every save adds a version → Saving.
Stage B — A real lead sheet¶
Sections, repeats, alternate endings and pickups are in the L2 tutorial; articulations,
dynamics and lyrics in L3 (for now in Italian only). For any writing question there's the
? help, always at hand.
→ Built-in tutorials · The ? help
- Speedy Entry lets you write faster; if it gets in your way, it switches off with one click and the song stays as it is → Speedy Entry;
- EXTEND and COMPACT only change how the text looks, never the score → EXTEND and COMPACT;
- the PDF, with page size, margins and page numbers, even fitted on fewer pages → Exporting to PDF;
- listening: Write is the only app that makes sound → Playing;
- sending the song with a fly link → Sharing; for all the other ways to share → How do I organize my scores?.
Transposing to read in another key → How do I use a score?; transposing the song itself → Transposing in Write.
Stage C — Working with others¶
- Review: you turn on review for the song, others comment on measures and you read the comments, jump to the measure, mark them resolved → Review and comments · The comments panel · Who can comment;
- Versions and Release: every save is a version; with a Release you fix the stable one → Versions and Release;
- Lead and reactive mode: you take the lead and whoever follows your reactive link sees your changes live → Reactive mode and Lead · Reactive link.
I want to…¶
| I want to… | Where |
|---|---|
| start from scratch | Built-in tutorials |
| take a tour of the interface | The logo menu |
| understand an error in the console | The processing console |
| look up how to write something | The ? help |
| switch off Speedy Entry | The three actors not to confuse |
| add an articulation or a dynamic to a note | The note menu |
| make the text shorter or easier to read | EXTEND and COMPACT |
| listen to the song | Playing |
| change the playback speed | Playing |
| import a MusicXML file | The file menu |
| save | Saving |
| save without a connection | Saving |
| make a PDF | Exporting to PDF |
| transpose the song | Transposing |
| send the song to someone | Sharing |
| rename the song or add tags | The file menu |
| turn on review | Review and comments |
| make a Release | Versions and Release |
| lead a rehearsal live | Reactive mode and Lead |
| learn the shortcuts | Keyboard shortcuts |