reference.book Page 638 Monday, August 31, 2009 2:47 PM
8. Layout & engraving because it is optional, and instead takes its information about which octave the instrument plays in from this setting instead. This is because the octave transposition is a property of the instrument (e.g. the piccolo), not of the clef. The options under Playback Defaults determine how to play back music for this instrument: Best sound is the sound ID that describes, as specifically as possible, the sound that this instru-
ment produces. Think of this in terms of the actual sound produced by the real instrument, rather than a specific sound on a playback device. For more information about sound IDs, 4.18 SoundWorld™. Pan is the default pan position of the instrument when you add it to your score; -100 is full left and 100 is full right Distance is the distance of the instrument from the listener, and determines the relative amount of reverb the instrument should get by default Volume specifies the default volume level for the instrument when you add it to your score Glissando type determines whether the instrument should play glissandi using Continuous pitch bend, using discrete notes (Black notes, White notes, Chromatic), or not at all (None).
Finally, the options in the Chord Symbols group: Tab instrument to use for string tunings, allows you to specify the closest tablature instru-
ment to the instrument you’re defining. This is used to determine the tuning for guitar chord diagrams as part of chord symbols (see Choosing when chord diagrams should appear on page 111) and how to display notes in the Fretboard window ( 1.8 Fretboard window). Show guitar chord diagram by default allows you to specify that certain instruments should not show chord diagrams, even if they would normally be shown according to the settings on the Chord Symbols page of House Style Engraving Rules. By default, bass guitars have this option switched off, but other kinds of guitars have it switched on. When you’ve finished, click OK to confirm your changes. If you were creating a new instrument, it is automatically added to the All instruments ensemble, in the same family as the instrument upon which you based your new one.
Edit Staff Type When you click Edit Staff Type in the New/Edit Instrument dialog, you will see a dialog with either two or three pages. The pages are: General applies to all kinds of instruments; allows you to set up the number of staff lines, etc. Notes and Rests also applies to all kinds of instruments; allows you to determine stem direc-
tions and stem lengths, etc. Percussion is only available for unpitched instruments, and allows you to specify a mapping between noteheads on the staff and unpitched percussion sounds Tab is only available for tablature instruments, and allows you to specify the pitch of each string, etc. The options on each page are described below.
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