8va Octaves

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When a series of notes are too far above the top staff line, or far below the bottom staff line, they are difficult for a performing musician to read. The 8va_octaves, 8va_octaves1, and 8va_octaves2 symbols shift the as-notated pitches by one or two octaves, to bring the notes into the easier reading range of the staff lines:

B816The 8va_octaves3 symbol transposes the notes down one octave. The notes you see in the score will be performed and heard an octave higher, as illustrated below:

8vaIntro

B816The 8va_octaves4 symbol transposes the notes up one octave. It is usually used in the bass clef to bring very low notes up an octave higher in the staff.
B816The 8va_octaves5 symbol transposes the notes down two octaves. It is used for extremely high notes.

The following procedures describe how to:

B816Add an 8va_octaves6, 8va_octaves7, or 8va_octaves8 symbol.
B816Change the range of measures and beats over which the symbol spans.
B816Delete the symbol.
B816Add notes within the span of the 8va_octaves9, 8va_octaves10, or 8va_octaves11 symbol.

prcarrow To add an 8va_octaves12, 8va_octaves13, or 8va_octaves14 symbol:

1.With the mouse, navigate to the Octave Palette, in either of the two ways shown below:

OctavePaletteNaviationTo

-- OR --

Type SHIFT+O. If Composer displays the Ornament Palette first, then type SHIFT+O a second time for the Octave Palette.

Composer will automatically enter Add Mode, and the mouse cursor will change to this shape: 8va_octaves15

2.In the Octave Palette or menu, or with a keyboard shortcut, select the type of octave transposition you want:
B816Click the 8va_octaves16 button, or type "8va", to add the 8va_octaves17 symbol and transpose the as-notated notes down an octave.
B816Click the 8va_octaves18 button, or type "8vb", to add the 8va_octaves19 symbol and transpose the as-notated notes up an octave.
B816Click the 8va_octaves20 button, or type "15ma", to add the 8va_octaves21 symbol and transpose the as-notated notes up two octaves.
3.Click the mouse, but do not yet release the button, and point the mouse at the first to-be transposed note.

Composer will initially add the symbol, starting at the location where you clicked the mouse, and ending at the barline for that measure. Notice how the notes up to the end of the current measure are already transposed. The octave symbol will be highlighted in blue. You can use the red handles at the start and end of the symbol to change the starting and ending locations of the symbol.

OctaveStartDrag

4.While still holding down the mouse button, drag the handle to the end of the range of notes that you wish to transpose. The newly selected notes will not be transposed until you release the mouse button.

OctaveBeforeReleaseDrag

5.Release the mouse button. This completes the adding of the octave symbol and the as-notated transposition of the underlying notes. The as-heard playback pitches will remain unchanged.

OctaveAddComplete

prcarrow To change the range of measures and beats over which the symbol spans.

1.In Select Mode, click anywhere on the octave symbol.

Composer will highlight the selected symbol in the color blue, and will display a pair of red handles at the start and end of the symbol, as illustrated in the above examples.

2.Click one of the two red handles while holding down the mouse button, and drag it to the right or left, to change the starting or ending location of the octave symbol. Release the mouse button.

-- OR --

To move the start or end of the symbol one measure to the right or left, click one of the following buttons, or type one of the keyboard shortcuts:

B816Click the 8va_octaves22 button, or type S+LeftArrowKey, to move the start of the octave symbol one measure to the left.
B816Click the 8va_octaves23 button, or type S+RightArrowKey, to move the start of the octave symbol one measure to the right.
B816Click the 8va_octaves24 button, or type E+RightArrowKey, to move the end of the octave symbol one measure to the right.
B816Click the 8va_octaves25 button, or type E+LeftArrowKey, to move the end of the octave symbol one measure to the left.

prcarrow To delete an octave symbol:

1.In Select Mode, click anywhere on the octave symbol.
2.Hit the DelKey key.

Composer will remove the symbol, and the underlying notes will return to their original un-transposed locations in the staff.

prcarrow To add notes within the span of the 8va_octaves26, 8va_octaves27, or 8va_octaves28 symbol:

B816If you are adding the notes with the mouse, then add them as you normally would. The newly added note will be placed at the vertical staff location where you click the mouse. The as-heard pitch for the newly added note will be transposed according to the type of octave symbol.
B816If you are using the Step-Time Recording Method of entering notes, then play the notes at your keyboard at the as-heard pitch you want for the notes.

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