Re: Beginner tutorial: Use Denemo to transpose lead sheets, request for comments

[Richard Shann]

On Mon, 2024-12-09 at 05:28 +0000, wakyct@tilde.team wrote:
> hello all, I've written a first draft of a beginner tutorial on how
> to use Denemo to tranpose lead sheets. It covers creating 
> a simple score and transposing it.
> 
> I'd appreciate any comments for correctness, parts I should expand or
> remove, etcetera. Don't worry about the formatting or 
> presentation at this point. Eventually I'd like to use it as a script
> for a video, but I'll present it in text form as well.
> 
> The draft is at https://tilde.team/~wakyct/denemo_tutorial.html
> 
> For convenience I've included the full draft after my signature.
> 
> 
> thanks, George
> 
> 
> 
> # Use Denemo to transpose lead sheets
> 
> _Dec 4 2024_
> 
> ## Introduction
> 
> ### Who is this for?
> 
> This tutorial explains how to create a lead sheet transposed to your
> instrument's key using a song's original score.
> 
> For example, you can follow this tutorial if you have a PDF of a song
> in its original key from one of the Real Books, and you 
> want to read that music in your instrument's key instead. I play alto
> saxophone so I'm going to transpose to Eb in this 
> tutorial, but the principle is the same for whatever non-concert key
> instrument you play.
> 
> Of course this tutorial also teaches you to create scores with
> Denemo. We won't cover all its functionality (Denemo can do a 
> lot!) but when you're finished you should be comfortable using Denemo
> and know how to learn more about what it can do.
> 
> ### Why create transposed lead sheets by hand?
> 
> I think it should be said you don't have to use written music to
> learn a song. You can make a strong argument that it's better 
> to use your ears. But there are advantages to using written music so
> we'll ignore this question for now.
> 
> There are programs that attempt to read PDFs and convert them to a
> score you can edit, but I've never used one. From what I've 
> heard they don't save you that much work,

I estimate that the Sharpeye program saves time once there are more
than about 100 bars of music - that's only 30 bars of three part music
- depends very much on how efficient your hand entry method is (and it
doesn't cope with Chord names or figured bass).

>  and as you'll see creating one page lead sheets by hand doesn't take
> that long.
> 
> ### Why use Denemo?
> 
> There are other note-engraving programs out there, such as MuseScore,
> Dorico, Finale, and many others. I'll assume you're 
> reading this because you want to use Denemo. However if you've never
> heard of Denemo before, I think there are two compelling 
> reasons to use it:
> 
> * Denemo is free and open-source. * Denemo uses Lilypond, a versatile
> program that can create beautiful scores, to typeset 
> your music.
> 
> ## This tutorial and getting help
> 
> I've recorded a video, and if you scroll down you also can read the
> tutorial if you prefer.
> 
> The best place to ask questions is on the Denemo-devel mailing list.
> There also is an IRC chatroom though it doesn't see much 
> activity.
> 
> ## Video
> 
> ## Getting started
> 
> ### Download Denemo
> 
> ### Prepare the lead sheet you'll transpose
> 
> I've found it's helpful to add bar numbers to the PDF of the score
> you'll transpose. It's not required but it does make it 
> easier to go back and forth between the PDF and Denemo to make sure
> your Denemo score is accurate. I use Xournalpp for this 
> basic task.

you can place markers at each bar in your Denemo score by right
clicking on that bar in the PDF, then the "l" shortcut finds the place.
Better is to click at the start of each line in the PDF when you come
to that place when you are entering the durations.
 
> 
> If your score has a pickup bar Denemo will not include it when it
> numbers the bars, so keep that in mind when you number your 
> PDF.

this is a LilyPond convention - the pickup bar is number 0

> 
> ### Open the source PDF in Denemo
> 
> Go the menu File -> Open -> Open source for transcribing. I'll be
> using a lead sheet of _Now's the Time_ by Charlie Parker 
> from the Real Book.
> 
> Arrange your windows so the Denemo score and the source PDF are side
> by side. Scroll the source PDF to show the first bar.

Right click on this bar so that Denemo will open the source file at
that place whenever you open the score.

> 
> ### Note entry
> 
> We are going to enter notes in two separate steps. First we'll enter
> all the notes
>  as durations,
When you are beginning it may be better to enter one line at a time to
avoid losing your place.

To enter durations you should set the preference "Rhythm Entry for
MIDI-in" in the MIDI tab of the preferences. (This is done
automatically if a hardware MIDI-in is detected.)
When you set this preference the durations appear as orange "pitchless"
notes. (If you don't do this Denemo cannot back up to the start of the
durations when you start entering notes and you cannot tell which notes
are real pitches and which were entered just to represent the duration,
with the danger that you will end up with some spurious notes in your
score, something that used to happen 10 or 15 years ago before the
pitchless notes notation came in).

>  then we'll go back and change 
> each note to their correct pitch.
If you are entering the pitches using a the onscreen or hardware MIDI
keyboard Denemo will go back for you. 
>  This isn't the only way to enter notes in Denemo, but dividing the
> work this way makes note 
> entry more efficient and less error-prone and is a good way to get
> started.
> 
> #### A note about navigation
> 
> You can move the cursor around in Denemo by left-clicking with the
> mouse, but you also can move from bar to bar by pressing 
> Ctrl-`<arrow key>`, and from note to note with the arrow keys. For
> bigger jumps you can press Alt-m to go to a bar number.
> 
> #### Durations
> 
> I'm using the term durations as shorthand for saying eighth-note,
> quarter-note, and so on. We enter durations using the number 
> keys. 0 is a whole note, 1 a half note, 2 a quarter note, 3 an eigth
> and 4 a sixteenth. We also enter rests by pressing the 
> Alt key and the corresponding number, so Alt-0 is a whole measure
> rest.

No, it's a whole note rest, space bar is a whole measure rest.

> 
> The default time signature in Denemo is 4/4. If your score has a
> different signature you can change it by left-clicking the 
> 4/4 in the Denemo score.
For Jazz scores you may prefer to set the numeric time signature
representation - LilyPond defaults to traditional notation in this and
many other cases.
> 
> Begin by entering the first duration. First click somewhere in the
> middle of the barlines, for example on the middle space 
> ('c' in treble clef). Now new durations will appear in the middle of
> the bar and personally I find this easier to look at.
> 
> In _Now's the Time_ the first duration is an eighth note so I'll
> press the number 3 on my keyboard.

Hint: if you have (or can get) a keyboard with a numeric keypad this
will make for very fluent duration entry: there are key assignments for
entering dots, slurring or tying the notes together and even entering
triplets, duplicating the rhythm of a bar, finishing a bar with the
same pattern or with the last rhythm, inserting grace notes etc - all
without moving from the keypad.

>  The first bar is a pickup 
> bar, so I'll enter that now in Denemo by pressing the 'u' key (for
> 'upbeat'). You also can find this in the menu Measures -> 
> Anacrusis. You'll see an 'Upbeat' mark appear in the first bar, and
> the cursor moves automatically to the second bar.
> 
> Continue entering durations. Press a number key for the duration and
> Alt-`<number key>` for a rest. You'll notice that Denemo 
> automatically numbers the bars and you can cross-reference those
> numbers with the numbers in your source PDF if you have them.
> 
> As the durations appear in Denemo you may notice that the beaming
> doesn't follow the source PDF exactly, but don't worry about 
> that for now. Typically Lilypond will typeset them correctly.
> 
> Complete the first line of durations.
> 
> ##### The Print View
> 
> You might be curious what this is going to look like when typeset, so
> go to the menu View -> Typeset Music. This will pop up 
> the Denemo Print View window. From now on you can check your printed
> score by left-clicking the refresh button in this window.

or setting continuous typesetting
>  
> You can press 'Escape' then 'p' as a shortcut to see the Print View
> window.

:) I didn't know that!!

> 
> #### Enter all durations
> 
> Scroll down the source PDF, and enter all the durations.
> 
> If you have a dotted note, press the '.' key after you press the
> number key, and Denemo will dot the note.
> 
> If you have a triplet, press the TAB key before and after you enter
> the triplet notes, and Denemo will mark the three notes as 
> a triplet.
> 
> You always can backspace if you make a mistake.
> 
> When you're done press the Home key to return to the first bar.
or if you are using the on-screen MIDI keyboard or have a hardware MIDI
keyboard, just start entering the pitches, Denemo will rewind for you.

> 
> 
> #### Enter pitches
> 
> Now starting from the beginning, we'll change the pitch of each
> duration to the correct note.
> 
> Open the on-screen piano from the menu Input-> On-screen piano. On my
> laptop I set this window to always be on top and place 
> it between the Denemo score and the source PDF. The piano has a 'C'
> marked on the middle C (the C below the bar in treble 
> clef).
> 
> Left-click on the first duration in your Denemo score. Now by left-
> clicking the piano keys, you'll change the pitch of each 
> duration to the correct note. The cursor will automatically advance
> to the next note as you play.
> 
> It's possible to use a hardware MIDI keyboard connected to your
> computer to enter the pitches as well.
> 
> ##### A note about key signatures
> 
> When you enter pitches, you should enter the actual pitch regardless
> of key signature. So if your score is in the key of F, 
> make sure you left-click on the Bb on the piano keyboard when you see
> a B in your score. You can change the key signature of 
> your Denemo score by right-clicking the natural sign below the first
> bar, located between the clef and the time signature. For 
> now, ignore accidentals and just enter the pitches relative to the
> key signature .

???? if you are entering notes via note names using the PC keyboard
then you don't enter the accidentals that are already implied by the
key signature or having previously appeared in that bar. Otherwise you
play the actual pitch of course.


> 
> You can hear Denemo play the pitch if your speakers are on.
> 
> Continue entering all the pitches until you're done, then close the
> piano window and press the home key to go back to the 
> first bar.
> 
> #### Accidentals
> 
> You should now have all the pitches entered with the correct
> duration, and your key signature set. Now you can go through the 
> piece and add accidentals. To add an accidental, left-click on the
> note and press Shift-minus to flatten or Shift-plus to 
> sharpen. So if you want to add a natural sign to a pitch modified by
> your key signature, flatten or sharpen the note as 
> needed.

I don't understand ... you should never need such a pass.


> 
> The Alt-m go-to-measure key combo is helpful here to quickly move to
> the bars that have accidentals (if you marked bar numbers 
> in your source PDF). Remember you also can use Ctrl-`<arrow key>` to
> move a whole measure as well.

Use the "l" short cut to position the source code at the last link to
the source code that appears in your score (the beginning of the line
if you entered them line at a time).
> 
> Enter all the accidentals then press the Home key to go back to the
> beginning. Don't forget to save your work with Ctrl-s.
> 
> #### Repeats and bar lines
> 
> Use the Alt-m go-to-measure to skip through the score and enter all
> the bar repeats and bar lines.

you can enter the repeat and special barlines (and dynamics and
anything else!) while you are entering the durations - this makes it
easier to see where you are when you are entering the durations.

>  Enter a bar repeat symbol 
> by left-clicking at the start or end of a measure and pressing the B
> key, then either the s or the e key for a start repeat or 
> end repeat. You also can find repeat commands in the menu Directives-
> > Inserting Barlines.
> 
> ##### A note on Go to measure (Alt-m) and the Command Center
> 
> There actually are two Go to measure commands. 

ha! I didn't know that :)

> You can find them in the menu Navigation-> Cursor. If your score has
> a pickup 
> bar, you probably want to use the second version, Go to typeset
> measure. In my Denemo I've changed the shortcut key Alt-m to 
> this second version.

I should change the default and hide the other version (I must have
intended to do that when I wrote it and then forgot all about it).

>  You can change shortcut keys by right-clicking on the command in the
> menu, opening the Command Center on 
> the command, and using the add shortcut button in the lower right-
> hand corner of the Command Center. The Command Center is a 
> good way to browse available commands and find what menus and
> shortcuts they're related to.
> 
> #### Enter coda symbols
> 
> I'll just cover the basic symbols here. To add a coda symbol, use
> Alt-m to go to the measure (or left-click into the measure). 
> Use the menu Directives-> Markings and add a standalone coda or
> segno.
> 
> Usually there will be corresponding text notes in the score (like
> "D.C. al sign"). You can add text by left-clicking into the 
> measure where you want it displayed above or below, then using the
> menu Directives-> Markings-> Text/Symbol and selecting 
> multi-line text. Ater you enter it you may have to right-click on it
> in the Denemo score to position it up or down relative to 
> the bar.
> 
> #### Other markings
> 
> Sometimes a score will have a mark that you don't know how to
> reproduce. Looking in the Command Center, the Denemo menus,and 
> searching on the Denemo mailing list will usually show you what need
> to do. For _Now's the Time_ there's a parenthesized note 
> in the 12th bar. This is not too hard to do using the menu
> Notes/Rests-> Parenthesize note. However comparing the Denemo 
> typeset view to the original score, the parentheses in the original
> look nicer to me. Is it possible to increase the size of 
> the parentheses?
> 
> I mentioned that Denemo uses Lilypond to typeset its music. Lilypond
> is a text-based representation of a score. It mixes a 
> markup language with programming code. Denemo lets you insert and
> modify Lilypond markup to alter how it typesets your music. 
> Using Lilypond can be a way to tweak your score when there's not an
> obvious way to do it wth Denemo commmands.
> 
> If we do a search for "lilypond parenthesize note" we'll find the
> Lilypond documentation on Parentheses, and markup like this: 
> \tweak Parentheses.font-size 2. That looks close to what we want. How
> do we add this to our Denemo score?
> 
> Right-clicking on objects in your Denemo score -- a note is a Denemo
> object -- will let you show an Object Inspector that can 
> launch the Object Editor. If you left-click the Advanced button in
> the Editor there is an entry field for Postfix and Prefix. 
> Running the Advanced editor for our parenthesized note should show
> '\parenthesize' already filled in Prefix. So to change the 
> font size, we can change this to '\tweak Parentheses.font-size 4
> \parenthesize' (the value 4 works well visually to my eye).



> 
> #### Score titles and layout
> 
> Now that the music is written in Denemo, we can add a title,
> composer, and so on and change the typeset appearance to how we 
> like it.
> 
> You can add titles from the menu Score-> Titles-> Simple Titles or
> press the keys s, then s again.
> 
> I usually increase the size of the score using the menu Score->
> Typesetter-> Print Layout-> Score size for layout. I also like 
> to increase the distance between barlines 

? that would mean making the bars wider, I guess you meant "lines"
here? Which technically are called "systems"...

> using the menu Score -> Typesetter -> Print Layout -> Vertical
> Spacing -> Titles and 
> System Spacing -> System to System. I'll tweak the basic distance (a
> value somewhere around 20 usually works) to increase the 
> spacing but keep the music on one page if possible. You also probably
> will want to change Last title to start of movement.
> 
> In the menu Print Layout you also can change the Measures per line,
> and I usually try to make this the same as the original 
> score for ease of comparing transpositions to the original.
> 
> 
> #### Chords
> 
> At this point the Denemo score should be looking good. For most lead
> sheets you'll want to add chord names above the bar so 
> let's do that now.
> 
> There are two main methods in Denemo for adding chords.
> 
> First there's a more compact representation where you add chord names
> in Lilypond syntax directly above the barlines 
> (basically attached to notes), using the menu Notes/Rests-> Markings-
> > Chord Symbols-> Chord Chart Symbol.
> 
> ##### A note on Denemo palettes
this section shouldn't break into the discussion on chord symbol entry!
> 
> Denemo is very flexible with how you invoke commands. There are the
> menus, keyboard shortcuts, and palettes, which are 
> floating windows with buttons that invoke commands. You can groups
> commands how you want in custom palettes, or show premade 
> palettes. There is a chord chart symbol palette you can show via the
> menu View -> Palettes-> Select a palette to show -> Chord 
> Symbols.
> 
> #### Chord staffs
> 
> The second method for chords is creating a 'chord staff', which looks
> like another line of music above the line we just wrote. 
> You enter chord notes on this staff and Denemo will print these as
> chord names above the barlines.
> 
> I've tried both methods, and since the second method seems a bit more
> user-friendly 
and has many other advantages ...

> we'll use it in this tutorial.
> 
> First create this staff using the menu Staff-> Add Staff-> New staff
> before current. Then left-click into this staff and use 
> the menu Staff-> Staff Properties-> Chord Symbols. You'll see
> 'ChordStaff' displayed above the first bar.
> 
> To make it easier to enter chords, we'll select a palette. Use the
> menu View -> Palettes-> Select a palette to show-> Insert 
> or Append chords.
> 
> If you have a pickup bar like we do in _Now's the Time_, we'll want
> to insert a non-printing rest in the chord chart. Click 
> into the pickup bar and use the menu Notes/Rests -> Rest Insertion ->
> Spacer (of the appropriate duration, in this case an 
> eighth note spacer).
there is a shortcut for this...
>  Denemo knows now where to start printing chord names. Also make the
> first bar a pickup bar like we did 
> before, by pressing 'u' (for upbeat).
> 
> When you left-click a button in the Insert chords palette Denemo will
> insert a chord at the cursor using the 'current default 
> duration' -- whatever the last duration was. We want to add chords in
> harmonic rhythm (lined up where the occur over the 
> correct notes). So if there's one chord in the bar, add it as a whole
> note duration. If there's two, we'll need to add them as 
> half-note durations, and so on.
> 
> In _Now's the Time_ there's one F7 chord printed over the first bar,
> so with the cursor in the chord staff I'll press the '0' 
> key to set the default duration, then backspace to erase the note
there a command to change the prevailing duration without entering a
note - alternatively just enter the chord and change the duration with
Shift-0

>  and start using the chord palette. From now on left-click 
> the cursor into the bar line or space that's the root of the note,
> then press the button in the palette for the chord quality. 
> In this case I left-click into an F on the bar and press '7' on the
> palette.
> 
> My next chord is a Bb7 in bar 5, so I repeat the steps, left-clicking
> on the middle B and pressing the '7' on the palette. 
> You'll see the root name of the chord printed above the chord staff.
> If we switch to the typeset view we should see the chord 
> names.
> 
> Fill in the rest of the chords, changing durations and inserting non-
> printing spacer rests as needed so the chord names are 
> typeset over the correct notes.
> 
> #### Transposing
> 
> Congratulations! At this point the score is done, but of course the
> whole point of entering the score was to be able to 
> transpose it. Currently the score for _Now's the Time_ is in the key
> of F for concert instruments, but I want it in the 
> correct key for alto saxophone (the key of D).
> 
> Use the menu Score-> Typesetter-> Transpose on print (text input). We
> want to input the interval to transpose by. If our 
> original score is in F, for Eb instruments we enter F D' (the quote
> indicating an octave above, changing where on the barlines 
> Denemo prints the notes).
> 
> If you view the typeset music the score should now be in the correct
> key. Now's a good time to add a title (pressing key s, s) 
> to indicate what instrument the score is for. Then in the Print View
> we can save this transposed score to PDF and we're done.
> 
> 
Thank you for all the work here! I think the main things you should
look at are the entry of pitchless notes and the use of links to
navigate between source PDF and Denemo display; these will save you a
lot of time. Also, for beginners one line at a time is plenty to enter
without getting lost and entering dynamics slurs ties while entering
durations saves further passes.

Richard