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-   General music tips and questions (http://www.notation.com/vb-forum/forumdisplay.php?f=2848)
-   -   Esc key - and beaming across staves (http://www.notation.com/vb-forum/showthread.php?t=32593)

jss 08-04-2015 01:29 PM

Esc key - and beaming across staves
 
1. 1. Re the Escape key. What exactly is the function the Escape key in NC?


2. 2. Beam Across staves. Is this high on the todo list? Is really needed for “real” piano music. Would be nice to be general – so could use it for 3 staff piano works
Thanks

dj 08-05-2015 01:24 PM

Re: Esc key - and beaming across staves
 
Hi, jss:

The Escape key simply de-selects whatever your currently selected section is.

I'll have to let Sherry or Reinhold answer your second question.

Good luck.

David

Sherry C 08-05-2015 01:46 PM

Re: Esc key - and beaming across staves
 
Howdy guys,

The beam across staves feature is still in the task database, but given the changes in Windows 10 that we're having to address, it has obviously fallen down the priority list. Unfortunately "no sound" (for many users) trumps "cross-staff beaming". Sorry for the inconvenience :(

ttfn,
Sherry

jss 08-11-2015 01:43 PM

Re: Esc key - and beaming across staves
 
Am an infrequent user these days. But wouldn't it be nice (better) if the Esc key did:-
- Stop any music playing
- Enter Select mode

I think many are used to using Esc for similar high-level functions in a great many music (and other) programs.

Pity about the beaming across staves - will have to use Sibelius for that then (it;s not easy there though).

ps I appreciate the no sound in 10 thing - but just to ask if NC can work as VST?

dj 08-11-2015 02:37 PM

Re: Esc key - and beaming across staves
 
Hi, jss:

As far as I can see, use of the SPACE key (largest key on the keyboard) to start and stop playback is pretty much industry standard. There are exceptions, but those are usually "extreme" DAWs which go out of their way to look and feel different from the rest.

Entering Select mode is currently done with the ENTER key, which I don't see as any more or less convenient than the ESC key, once you know which key to push. Either the standard Enter/Return key or the Enter key on the numeric pad can be used, so the ESC key's separation from other keys is pretty much offset by the numeric ENTER key's position on the opposite corner of the keyboard.

I don't use Sibelius very often, but SPACE is the playback key there. Checking the Sibelius shortcuts list, ESCAPE is used to "unload arrow", which I assume is to deselect.

Notation Composer does not currently act as a VST host, but you can easily work around that with a virtual midi cable and any number of freeware VST hosts or other sound sources. In fact, for some VST hosts, you won't need a virtual midi cable. Many here use Synthfont; I have CoolSoft's Virtual Midi Synth installed for quick and dirty playback/recording. For final stuff, I use some or all of the ridiculous number of hardware synths and samplers I have hooked up to my system.

Two tutorials on that subject can be found here:

http://www.notation.com/vb-forum/showthread.php?t=3863

and here:

http://www.notation.com/vb-forum/showthread.php?t=3864

Hope that helps.

David

Sherry C 08-11-2015 02:50 PM

Re: Esc key - and beaming across staves
 
Hi guys,

I was just replying when I saw David's post come in. My reply is mostly what he says :) I will add just a couple of small notes:

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj (Post 66308)
As far as I can see, use of the SPACE key (largest key on the keyboard) to start and stop playback is pretty much industry standard. There are exceptions, but those are usually "extreme" DAWs which go out of their way to look and feel different from the rest.

Yes, it is pretty much industry standard, and because it is the biggest key on the keyboard it's the easiest to hit if you're holding an instrument and playing along with the song, which a lot of our users (including me :) ) do.

Quote:

Entering Select mode is currently done with the ENTER key, which I don't see as any more or less convenient than the ESC key, once you know which key to push.
You can also right-click your mouse, making it even more convenient for that method of editing/entering.

Quote:

I don't use Sibelius very often, but SPACE is the playback key there. Checking the Sibelius shortcuts list, ESCAPE is used to "unload arrow", which I assume is to deselect.
"Esc" is pretty much the standard for "get out of what I'm doing", which could be used to stop playback, but it is not the standard usage of the key for popular audio programs (eg. Windows Media Player) - the Space bar is used there as well for starting/stopping playback.

As I've just been having another conversation with another friend about expected behaviors in software, I'll also say here that the best we can do is to study user behavior and try to make our software as intuitive to the most people as possible. As always we appreciate feedback, and if we find that a lot of folks are confused by a behavior then we look at how we should change that to make it more intuitive.

Thanks!
Sherry


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