FAQ Sharps and flats

How do I put sharps/flats and repair marks?: sharps, flats, and natural signs result from the pitch of a note in the chosen key and depending on the history in the measure. By raising/lowering the pitch of a note with <+> and <-> respectively, you can therefore indicate (coincidental) increases and decreases. It is also possible to specify explicitly which accident sign should accompany a note: use the on the buttonbar for this.

If I write an F# in the high octave in a melody, and I also want a low F# in the same measure, MusiCAD omits the second sharp. Is that right?: Not really... MusiCAD does not take into account the octave in which sharps and flats occur as random characters. An extra (warning) sharp/flat/natural sign can be added with the keyboard shortcut <W> or by using the button.

When tying a note with an accidental over a bar line, MusiCAD puts an (unnecessary?) accidental into the next measure. Can I change that?: Yes, by suppressing the second accidental. Shortcut: <W> (set/suppress warning accidental)

I want to record something with two flats at the front of the bar but I can't find how to specify the number of flats?

Accidentals (sharps and flats) are a direct result of the key used. Below is a list of keys and the corresponding number of sharps or flats.

Specifying the key signature is done when creating a new melody at the TONE line. The above list also appears here. Specifying a key signature is done with the key signature button on the notation bar. This only changes the accidentals, not the pitch; a C is still notated as C (or at most as restored C#).
Transpose is done with [Part|Transpose]. Both accidentals and pitch now change. A C changes to a D when transposing from F to G.
Transposing a part for Transposing instruments is done with [Part|Edit]. Both accidentals and note notation now change. At the same time, the 'transposition' is now also taken into account, so that the part is notated in a different key, but continues to sound in the old key. A C turns into a D (whole note higher) but turns out to sound like a C because of 'transposition' (just like a clarinetist says: I play a D but my D sounds like a C on the piano)

How can I notate a double sharp or double flat?: In most cases this will happen automatically when you raise the note to be notated with double sharp. Raising e.g. the 1st stage with <+> gives an additional sharp: in C: C → C#, in F#: F# → F## and thus gets a double sharp sign. In some cases you need to apply enharmonic exchange <x>, or - in exceptional cases - alternative enharmonic exchange <alt-shift-x>. (eg to write down the note D as C## in C...). Using is usually the easiest way to resolve.

When I request a piece of music that I made with an earlier version of MusiCAD (before 2.02), I suddenly see double sharps and/or flats in some places. How is that possible?: In MusiCAD 2.01 and earlier, double crosses/flats were not yet possible. An enharmonic exchange that had no effect in version 1, for example, now suddenly becomes visible as a double sharp/flat. Random raises in a key with many sharps will now (correctly) be noted as a double sharp.; In the case of false doubles/flats, check whether enharmonic_exchange was accidentally applied and if so remove it with <x> again.; Use [Edit Menu|Remove Enharmonic Swaps] to undo all enharmonisations.

I have a piece of music in MusiCAD that, in my opinion, incorrectly contains a single sharp as key signature. I removed the key signature, because I don't want a sharp at the staffs front. MusiCAD now keeps complaining about a missing key. Why?: Every piece of music in MusiCAD MUST have a clef, key and time signature, exactly in that order, and at the very beginning of the music. Even if no sharps or flats need to be noted, a key signature is still needed: C or Am.; Position the cursor on the time signature, and insert key C with (use the insert button). You can ignore the message: "Inserting between key and time signature is not allowed..." because you are trying to correct another problem.

Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ