Playback Location and Staff Focus Markers

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  Opening, Transcribing, Printing, Playing, and Saving Songs > Playing the Song >

Playback Location and Staff Focus Markers

Previous pageReturn to chapter overviewNext page

The score window displays two green playback markers.

The playback_marker playback location marker indicates where playing will begin the next time your start playback. Once you stop playback, the playback_marker marker will be automatically moved to the location where the playback stopped.

The playback_marker1 staff focus marker indicates the staff on which Composer will attempt to stay focused during playback. When a staff has the focus, and Composer turns a page during playback, Composer will attempt to keep that staff in exactly the same vertical position in the window by scrolling the window up or down as necessary. This feature helps you better follow a particular instrument part during playback.

playbackmarkers

You can temporarily hide the display of these playback markers.

You can set the playback markers either before playback or while playback is in progress.

prcarrow To change the position of the playback_marker2 playback location marker before playback:

B817While holding down the 'P' (for "position") key, click anywhere in the score. The horizontal position where you click the mouse will determine the playback location.
B817To move the playback_marker3 playback location marker to the beginning of the score, choose Rewind from the Perform menu.
    -- OR --
    Type CTRL+HOME.
    -- OR --        
    Click the Rewind playback_marker4 button.
B817To set the playback marker to one beat before the end of the score, choose the Last Page command in the Go To submenu of the View menu.
    -- OR --
    Type CTRL+END.

prcarrow To change the positions of the playback_marker5 staff focus marker before or during playback:

B817While holding down the 'V' (for "vertical") key, click somewhere in the score. The vertical position where you click the mouse will determine which staff has the playback focus. If playback is in progress, when Composer turns a page, the staff where you click the mouse will maintain the same vertical position in the window.

prcarrow To change the both positions of the playback_marker6 playback location and the playback_marker7 playback staff marker during playback:

B817Double-click the mouse at the horizontal position where you want the playback to jump to, and at the vertical position where you want the staff focus to be held.

prcarrow To hide the display of the playback_marker8 and playback_marker9 playback markers:

B817Turn off the check mark for the Show Playback Position command in the View menu.

-- OR --

B817Type "qspp" for Quick Show (or Hide) Playback Position.

To turn back on the display of the playback markers, repeat (toggle) the Show Playback Position command.

You can also hide the vertical line that is displayed during playback, or you can change its color. See Highlighting Active Notes and Lyrics.