Tuplets

To turn “normal” notes into a tuplet group

• Click the Tuplet tool  .
• Click the first note to be included in the tuplet group. The Tuplet Definition dialog box appears.
• Specify the rhythmic composition of the tuplet. On the top part of the screen PrintMusic is asking, “How many notes of what rhythmic value are to fit in the space normally allotted to how many of what value?” Enter the number of each rhythmic value in the text boxes. Specify the rhythmic value itself by selecting the rhythmic-value from the popup menu.

For example, to define a standard quarter note triplet, you could fill out the values either as “3 (quarters) in the space of 2 (quarters),” or “3 (quarters) in the space of 1 (half).”

• Specify the visual appearance of the tuplet. PrintMusic lets you specify whether you want a number or bracket above the tuplet. See Tuplet Definition dialog box.
• Click OK (or press return).

To adjust, move, or delete a tuplet

• Click the Tuplet tool  ; then click the first note of the tuplet. Handles appear on the tuplet’s bracket (or slur, or number).
• To reposition the entire tuplet, drag the main handle (which is unshaded).
• To change the length of the hook, drag the left or right hook handle.
• To move the shape closer to or away from the notes, drag the shape handle up or down.
• To change the angle of the shape, drag the slope handle.
• To move the number closer to or away from the notes, drag the number handle.
• To delete the tuplet definition (and restore the notes to “normal”), click any handle and press delete.

To enter tuplets with the Simple Entry tool

• Click the Simple Entry tool  . The Simple Entry palettes appear.
• Click the icon representing the desired note’s duration. Click any accidental tools, if desired.
• Click the Simple Tuplet tool   on the Simple Entry palette.
• Click the staff. A note appears where you clicked with rests filling out the rest of the triplet. By default, the triplet will use the duration of the first note to define the triplet. If there isn’t enough room to create the full tuplet or you click within an already existing tuplet, PrintMusic will enter a note of the duration you selected.
• While entering with the Simple Entry Caret, press 9 (or numpad 9) to begin a tuplet.

To enter tuplets with the Speedy Entry tool

• Click the Speedy Entry tool  , and click the measure in question. The editing frame appears.
• If MIDI is not being used, place the cursor on the correct pitch.
• Press option-number. You can press any number between 2 and 8 to specify the tuplet value that you’re about to enter. When you do so, the number you pressed appears in the upper right corner of the editing frame, telling you that PrintMusic is ready to group the next notes you enter as a tuplet defined by that number. If you need to enter a more complex tuplet (or want to specify a particular bracket or number configuration), press option–1, and the Tuplet Definition dialog box will appear (see Tuplet Definition dialog box).
• Enter the notes of the tuplet. The value of the first note you enter tells PrintMusic whether you’re entering an eighth-note tuplet, quarter-note tuplet, and so on. PrintMusic automatically groups them and brackets them.

To create a nested tuplet

To nest tuplets, simply create one, then the other, as described in To turn ‘normal’ notes into a tuplet group, above. It makes no difference whether you create the outer or inner tuplet first.

To transcribe tuplets from a real-time performance

For full instructions on the use of PrintMusic’s real-time transcription tool, HyperScribe, see Recording with HyperScribe. However, you may find these supplementary instructions helpful.

• Choose Quantization Settings from the MIDI menu. These settings are used when importing a MIDI file, and transcribing with the HyperScribe tool.
• Select your smallest note duration. If you will be playing nothing smaller than eighth note triplets, choose the sixteenth note.

Tip: If your real-time transcriptions consistently transcribe durations that are too large, lower the smallest note duration.

• Select Tuplets.
• Click OK (or press return). Continue with the transcription in the usual way.

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