Text blocks

See also Articulations; Crescendo/Decrescendo; Slurs.

A text block can be almost any piece of text: a note to the conductor, a page of dialogue, performance instructions, or an extra verse of lyrics, for example. You can place block text, in any font and size, anywhere in the score.

To create text in a frame that automatically expands as you type

Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.

Double-click the document window where you want to place text. The editing frame appears, with a flashing cursor to indicate the insertion point.

Type the text directly into the score. Press enter (type a carriage return) to start a new line. The frame expands horizontally and vertically to accommodate the text you enter. A single dashed line indicates that the frame will expand vertically and /or horizontally as you type.

To create text within a fixed-size frame

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click the document window, and drag to create a rectangle to accommodate your text. A double-dashed line editing frame appears, with a flashing cursor to indicate the insertion point. The placement of the insertion point – left, center or right – depends on the justification options selected in the Text menu.
3. Enter the text you want displayed. The words wrap when you reach the end of the fixed frame. If Word Wrap is selected in the Text menu, words will automatically be move to the next line as they reach the end of the fixed frame. If Word Wrap is not selected, wrapping will occur on a character-by-character basis.
4. To resize the frame to accommodate additional text, drag the side of the frame to the desired size.

To edit text

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click a text block handle. The editing frame appears around the text.
3. Click within the selected text block to edit the text. The insertion point appears where you click. Select some text, then use the Text menu to change the character or text block settings for the selected text.
4. If you created a text block with a fixed-frame, you can resize the text block by dragging its frame.

To resize a text block

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click a text block handle. The editing frame appears around the text. An expandable text block will have a single dashed line frame; a fixed-size text block will have a double dashed line frame.
3. To change the text block’s shape or size, drag any side of the frame to stretch the shape.

To create text attached to a measure

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Choose Text > Assign to Measure.
3. Double-click the document window where you want to place text. The editing frame appears, with a flashing cursor to indicate the insertion point.
4. Type the text directly into the score. Press enter (type a carriage return) to start a new line. The frame expands horizontally and vertically to accommodate the text you enter. A single dashed line indicates that the frame will expand vertically and /or horizontally as you type.

To position text blocks

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Drag a text block’s handle to adjust its placement in the score. Drag-enclose or SHIFT+click additional text block handles to select them. You can drag multiple text blocks on the score to position them.

To delete a text block

• Select a text block handle or drag-enclose to select a group of handles. Press DELETE.

To specify a default font for text blocks

1. Choose Document > Select Default Fonts. The Select Default Fonts dialog box appears.
2. Click on the Set Font button next to Text. The Font dialog box appears in which you can select the font you want to use for your text blocks.
3. Click OK twice. You return to the score. Now any new text you create with the Text tool will use the font you selected.

A pedal marking involves two separate symbols—one where the pedal is to be depressed (¡), and another where it’s to be released (*).

There are two ways to create pedaling indications in NotePad. The easiest method is to place them in the score as Articulations. (For complete instructions on creating articulation markings, see Articulations.) You can also place the symbols with the Text tool, see Text Blocks above.

To create Ped. (pedal down) and * (pedal up) markings

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Choose Text > Attach to Measures.
3. Double-click where you want the marking.
4. Choose Text > Font. Set the font to Maestro 24, and click OK. You return to the score.
5. While pressing ALT, type 0161 on the numeric keypad. In the Maestro music font, ALT+0161 is the Ped. marking.
6. Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing. Now click where you want the * marking. Repeat the steps above with the * marking (for which SHIFT+8 is the Maestro equivalent).

A tempo marking in NotePad is purely graphic.

To place a tempo marking in the score

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Choose Text > Attach to Measures.
3. Double-click where you want the marking.
4. Select font, size and style from the Text menu. Skip this step if the default Text Block settings are the ones you want to use.
5. Type the text for the tempo marking. You can enter Allegro, Moderato, or whatever marking you want.
6. Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing.

To create a metronome marking (such as =120)

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Choose Text > Attach to Measures.
3. Double-click where you want the marking.
4. Choose Text > Font. Set the font to Maestro 24, and click OK. You return to the score.
5. Create the metronome marking by typing the appropriate numbers on the numeric keypad (with num lock on), while pressing the ALT key characters, according to the table below.

In the Maestro music font, the x, e, q, h, and w characters correspond to the , , , , and symbols, respectively; a lower-case k produces the dot. ALT+0200 creates the equal sign, and the small numbers are produced using ALT characters according to the table below.

Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing.

A title is created and positioned with the Text tool. If you entered a title in the Setup Wizard, a text block of your title is automatically created for you.

To add a title

1. Click the Text tool .
2. Double-click where you want the title. The text editing frame appears.
3. Select font, size and style from the Text menu. Skip this step if the default Text Block settings are the ones you want to use.
4. Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing.

To move or delete a title

1. Click the Text tool , if it’s not already selected. A handle appears on each title.
2. Drag the title’s handle to move it; select the handle and press delete to remove it.

A copyright notice, often added to the bottom of the first (or every) page of a published score, is a text block in NotePad; while pressing ALT, type 0169 on the numeric keypad to create the copyright symbol itself (©).

To add a page number

1. Click the Text tool .
2. Double-click where you want the page number to appear. The text editing frame appears.
3. From the Text menu, select font, size and style. Skip this step if the default Text Block settings are the ones you want to use.
4. Type the number.
5. Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing.

To move or delete a page number

1. Click the Text tool . A handle appears on the page number.
2. Drag the number’s handle to move it. Select the handle and press delete to remove it.

To create an 8va or 15ma marking

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click where you want the marking.
3. Choose Text > Font. Set the font to Maestro 24, and click OK. You return to the score.
4. Create the marking by typing the appropriate numbers on the numeric keypad (with NUM LOCK on), according to the table below.

5. Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing.

To create a breath mark

From the Text menu, choose Attach to Measures.

1. Double-click where you want the marking.
2. Choose Text > Font. Set the font to Maestro 24, and click OK. You return to the score.
3. Type a comma ,.
4. Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing.

A mordent is a form of ornament, akin to a turn (or gruppetto), denoted by the symbol ( or )

To create a mordent

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click where you want the marking.
3. Choose Text > Font. Set the font to Maestro 24, and click OK. You return to the score.
4. Type a capital M for or a lowercase m for .
5. Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing.

A tremolo marking, usually used to indicate either the rapid restriking of a note or a rapid alternation between notes. You can place one of these markings on a note stem (for a string tremolo, for example) or above or below a note.

To place a tremolo marking  , , or

1. Click the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Choose Text > Attach to Measures.
3. Double-click where you want the marking.
4. Choose Text > Font. Set the font to Maestro 24, and click OK. You return to the score.
5. For a , type an exclamation point (!). For a , type an @ sign (shift-2). For a , press while pressing ALT, type 0190 on the numeric keypad.
6. Click outside the text block when you’re finished typing.

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