How do I eliminate barlines

[Eamonn O'Hogain (eamonx1)]

I want to write down a piano accompaniment to a Plain Chant Kyrie. There are no measures (bars) or time signatures in plain chant. I want to be able to insert the notes without any bar lines or time signatures? How do I accomplish this, as when I attempt to 'compose a song' with Notation Composer, it automatically demands a time signature and displays measures?

[Sherry Crann (sherry)]

Howdy Eamonn,

Currently there's no super easy way to do this. We've got some features in the works that will make this type of thing much easier in a later version. But currently there is only the Slightly Convoluted Method if you really want to http://www.notation.com/discus/clipart/happy.gif

1. Create a New File.

2. For the time signature, use something like 16/4 or 20/4, which (in step 4) will give you the equivalent of about 4 or 5 "regular" measures per system, but without the barlines.

3. When you're done Creating the new song file, double-click on the time signature, and select "Hide".

4. Now use Layout/Page layout, and click the button with all the numbers on it to set how many measures per system you want. Set this number to "1". This will give you each system with a single measure, making it look like there are no barlines, except those that occur at the beginning and ends of systems.

You'll still have to use something like quarter notes for entering the notes, but it's about as close as we can get right now to the plain chant format.

Let us know how it goes!

ttfn,
Sherry

[Eamonn O'Hogain (eamonx1)]

I have been trying to do this. I am able to set time signature to 16/4 and insert notes, and also hide the key signature. However when I use the Layout/Page I run into problems. I am sending you two attachments. Both of the first line of the Kyrie. Kyrie (1) shows No 1, 2 and 3 of your list. Kyrie (2) shows what happens when I try to do No 4. Can you advise.<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.gifKyrie (1)
Kyrie (1).not (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/22049/Kyrie__1_-37186.not) (7.8 k)</td></tr></table></center><center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.gifKyrie (2)
Kyrie (2).not (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/22049/Kyrie__2_-37187.not) (8.0 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[Sherry Crann (sherry)]

Hi Eamonn,

Thanks for including the files - it's always helpful to see exactly what's going on.

I see that the time signature for the file is 4/16, rather than the suggested 16/4. This will make a pretty big difference in the number of notes (depending on their durations of course) that will fit into a single measure, and thus the number of notes (and lyrics) per system. With the current meter of 4/16 and adding 8th notes, you'll only be able to get 2 notes per system, as you found in Kyrie 2.

Since you already have the notes added to your file, you might want to try next adding your lyrics (ignoring barlines for now), and then playing around with the meter to change where the barlines fall. The nice thing about Composer is you can try out different things, and always use "Undo" to get back if you don't like it http://www.notation.com/discus/clipart/happy.gif

Changing the meter will give you a good feel for what you'll want to set it at to get the right spread of lyrics per system of one measure. When it looks good for a single measure per system, you can hide the meter (if it's not already).

ttfn,
Sherry

[Eamonn O'Hogain (eamonx1)]

Thanks a million, Sherry. Will get back to you on this.