Entering and changing notes and rests
Note and Rest tools
Most of the note and rest symbols in the tools palette have "popup" extensions that offer choices beyond the one on top. In most cases these are the dotted versions of the same symbols. To choose a dotted quarternote, for example, click on the Quarternote button and slide down the popup to the dotted quarternote. Then release the mouse to select that note symbol. There also are handy keyboard shortcuts for choosing note and rest tools.
Entering notes and other staff symbols
There are a number of ways to enter notes.
The simplest is to via the tools palette:
click on the kind of note you want and then click in the staff where you want it to go.
Another way to enter notes is to choose the
desired note value and then play the note you want, using either
the screen piano, the letter keys "piano," or a MIDI keyboard. For more information see Input Methods.
When you pick a note or rest, the cursor changes
to the shape of the chosen symbol. If you want to add a
sharp or flat that is not already in the key signature, choose
that from the palette of sharps and flats and it will be added
to the cursor. Or, if you're entering notes by playing them on
the screen piano you can just choose the specific note name on the
'enharmonic keyboard.' Or use the '-' or '+' keys to add a flat or sharp (see the keyboard shortcuts.)
Shortcuts for changing the pitch or time value of notes
Notes can be dragged up or down with the arrow
tool to change their pitch. You can also move a selected group of notes using
the up or down arrow keys (see below). To add an accidental (#, b, etc.) to
an existing note just select it and choose the desired flat
or sharp. To make that accidental display even if it's in the
key signature, hold down the option key as you choose the
accidental (this is called a "precautionary accidental" - one
that doesn't theoretically need to be notated).
There are two good ways to quickly change the pitch of a group of notes. One is
to select the notes and then press the up or down arrow keys.
This moves all the selected notes at once, including multiple notes on a single stem.
Another way is to select the notes, hold down the shift key, and then play on a keyboard
the desired pitches. This changes the selected pitches one-by-one, and is good for altering a melody.
To change the time value of notes or rests
already entered, select the items and choose the desired value
from the note tools.
Deleting notes or other symbols
Any symbol or group of symbols can be deleted by selecting it or them with the arrow tool and pressing the Delete or Backspace key, or by choosing Clear or Cut from the Edit window. Cut is often the best choice, as it also copies the deleted item in case you want to Paste it somewhere else.
A shortcut for choosing note/rest values
At Ars Nova a popular way of entering notes is to use the left hand to pick note values via the number keys while the right hand plays the desired pitches on the screen piano or a MIDI keyboard. First pick any note or rest value, then the number keys change the cursor this way:
1 = whole note rest
2 = half note rest
3 = quarter note rest
4 = eighth note rest
5 = sixteenth note rest
6 = thirty-second note or rest
7 = sixty-fourth note or rest
shift + a number adds a dot to the number
option + a number (Alt on Windows) changes from notes to rests or back
command + a number selects a note value again if you've switched to another type of symbol.
The "|" key will change the cursor to the single barline if it currently holds any other staff symbol.
The "/" key (same key as "?") will change the cursor to the arrow tool.
The minus or plus keys (-, +) change the accidentals assigned to the note tool - '-' lowers, '+' raises. If the cursor is the selection arrow, those keys alter any selected notes instead.
(These commands are also summarized in the Keyboard Shortcuts page.)
Entering multiple voices on the same staff
You can write up to eight voices on each staff if you want to. For more information please click here..