The Options menu

Options and info for selected item. Every symbol has an associated information window that you can bring up by selecting the item and then either pressing command-i or choosing this command or clicking the "item info" button on the screen piano. The information windows are different according to the type of symbol, and often will present an extensive list of choices. For example, the information window for a note lets you choose to use an X head notation, to hide the note, to detune it (audible only with sampled instruments) and much more.

Chord options.

Print boxes around chord names.

Hide chords. But they are still audible.

Set chord volume. This affects the volume or MIDI attack velocity of all chord symbols. Note that they can also be individually altered using the information window for the chord symbol.

Text options.

Center selected text. Centers the text in the current page width. If the text is not on the top line of the printed page it would be printed centered on a subsequent line. This is a quick way to center a title.

Left align selected text. Aligns the text block to the left of the current page.

Right align selected text. Aligns the text block to the right of the current page.

Hide all text (faster screen updates) This is less important than it used to be now that computers have become so fast. But the option is still there.

Set number of lyric lines. When you activate the text layer one or more green lyric lines will appear. Any text typed on these lines or moved to them will follow the notes, breaking to a new note at each space or hyphen (you enter the hyphens yourself). Tied or slurred notes will get one syllable, of course. The default number of lines is 4, but it can be any reasonable number.

Sound options.

Sound and MIDI Settings.. Not needed unless you need to make some adjustments to a MIDI setup.

Set Tempo... Or, press command-T to use the tempo window. This window is discussed in the Score menu

Set Temperament... Temperaments are ways of dividing up the octave. The modern standard is Equal Temperament, in which the octave is divided into twelve equal steps. These can be used only with the sampled instruments. The pipe organ probably is the best one for hearing the subtle differences in tuning.

Metronome channel/instrument/volume Normally you don't need to change this. On a standard "General MIDI" device the percussion channel is 10 and the metronome sounds are already chosen appropriately when the program is first installed. But this does let you change those settings if you have a non standard device of some kind.

Keyboard options.

Letter keys: standard piano (A = C natural). As discussed elsewhere the letter keys of your computer can be used as a piano. This setting makes the middle row act like the white keys starting with C. The letters F and G play the notes F and G.

Letter keys: scale notes only (F = tonic).This interesting piano plays in whatever key you have chosen. Since most popular music keeps to the notes of a single scale, you would be able to play many tunes without departing from the middle row of keys, and the fingering would be the same even if you changed to a different key.

Plain piano.Display the standard piano keys. The comma and period keys can be used to lower or raise its range by an octave, and the small yellow triangle above the keys tells you the location of middle C.

Labeled keys. Puts names to the keys!

Enharmonic keyboard. This is very convenient if you like to enter music using the mouse and screen piano. Each clave is divided so that you can explicitly choose, say, D# instead of Eb, or E# instead of F.

Guitar fretboard. Replaces the piano with a representation of a guitar fretboard. To play open strings, click on the string to the right of the last fret (just past the double-dot octave marker).

Keyboard volume. Adjust the volume of the live keyboard. This is really "MIDI attack velocity" if you're using QuickTime or synthesizer or MIDI output. MIDI attack volume is not the same thing as a volume knob - it refers to the speed with which a pianist's fingers strike the keys. On most MIDI devices a higher MIDI attack velocity will produce a harsher tone as well as louder sound. If all you want is more volume, it's better to use an external speaker that has an amplifier volume knob.

Highlight keys as music plays. This is fun to watch, but at least in theory should slow down scrolling slightly. However, current computers are fast enough that this won't add noticeably to your computer's burdens, so the default setting is "on."

Autonotation settings.

Record to two staves. See here for a discussion of these.

Record to one staff.

Set keyboard split point. This is discussed in the staff menu.

Record nothing smaller than eighths. Makes it easier to record if you know you're just using eighths and larger.

Record nothing smaller than 16ths. The default setting. Smaller notes than that would be difficult to record at a normal tempo, and songs typically will have nothing smaller anyway.

Recording allows triplets. With this on it's possible you might play one by accident. But you should start off by having this 'on.'

Listening options.

Scroll as smoothly as possible during play. This is really the best, and looks good, particularly on a Macintosh computer (scrolling on PCs will also look good with this setting, but the glide is not quite as smooth). There is a limit, though, in the computer's ability to smoothly scroll a very long file. If your file passes that length limit the program will switch this setting to "scroll a screen at a time".

Scroll a screen at a time during play. The screen will jump when the play position gets near the right side of the window.

Use automatic pitches in Active Listening. Active Listening is discussed here. Normally you just want the automatic pitches, but with autopitches off you could practice playing the correct notes as the other parts follow you.

Repeat play (loop until spacebar is pressed).This is really good for practicing a passage with accompaniment by the computer.

Observe repeats and first/second endings.For just proofing your piece you may not want to observe repeats. But for playing along with it you'll want this to be on.

Tick a bar-for-nothing at the start of play You'll need this if you want to play along with the piece - gets you into the tempo before it begins.

Display music in double size.Doubles the size of everything in the edit window. This does not affect printout. If you want to print music at a different size use the print scaling box in the Page Setup window (Mac) or the Print Scaling command in the File Menu (Windows).

Hide desktop.(Mac only). Having the desktop hidden makes it easier to avoid accidentally clicking out of the program. On Windows computers you can show the desktop by minimizing the program's main window (the one holding the menu bar).

Save current settings. Saves your current option choices to the preferences file so that Songworks will use the same settings the next time you start it.

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