reference.book Page 112 Monday, August 31, 2009 2:47 PM
2. Notations Sibelius will show only chord text on all instruments except for notation staves (as opposed to tab staves) belonging to guitars (except for bass guitars) and other fretted instruments. When a chord symbol is attached to a notation staff, Sibelius determines the appearance of the chord diagram according to the implied tuning of that guitar or other fretted instrument; if the instrument is neither a guitar nor another kind of fretted instrument, when Sibelius shows a guitar chord diagram, it is for a 6-string guitar set to the standard tuning. To change whether Sibelius should show either or both chord text and chord diagram components of chord symbols in your score, choose House Style Engraving Rules and go to the Chord Symbols page, then select the appropriate radio button in the Appearance group. To change the type of instrument or tuning Sibelius should use for the chord diagrams on a given staff, select a bar in that staff, then choose House Style Edit Instruments. The instrument type used by the staff is selected for you in the dialog, so click Edit Instrument, then Yes when asked if you’re sure you want to continue. In the Edit Instrument dialog, choose the desired tuning or instrument from the Tab instrument to use for string tunings menu at the bottom right-hand corner of the dialog, then click OK and Close to confirm your choice ( 8.14 Edit Instruments). If you want to change whether the chord text or chord diagram component of an individual chord symbol should appear, select the chord symbol, and choose Edit Chord Symbol Add/Remove Chord Text or Add/Remove Chord Diagram as appropriate. To undo any changes you have made to an individual chord symbol and return it to its default appearance, select it and choose Layout Reset Design.
Transposing chord symbols Chord symbols are automatically transposed when you transpose music or switch a score between concert and transposing pitch. (They don’t transpose if you just change the pitch of the note under the chord symbol.)
Chord symbols on transposing instruments When you use your MIDI keyboard to input chord symbols for a transposing instrument (such as alto saxophone), Sibelius will interpret your input according to the Input sounding pitches or Input written pitches setting on the Note Input page of File Preferences (in the Sibelius menu on Mac). For example, when Input sounding pitches is chosen and Notes Transposing Score is switched on, playing an EbŒ„Š7 chord on an alto saxophone staff will produce a chord symbol of CŒ„Š7. Although chord symbols transpose automatically on transposing instruments, be aware that the chord diagram component does not transpose (because guitars are not transposing instruments, and the chord that a guitarist would play would be the same regardless of how the chord text is displayed).
Playing back chord symbols Chord symbols don’t play back automatically, but Sibelius includes a plug-in that can generate simple accompaniments from the chord symbols and chord diagrams in your score; see Realize Chord Symbols on page 504 for more details.
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