Microtonal accidentals

Cubase
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1

This thread is about a workaround for inserting microtonal accidentals in Score Editor.

I’d like to thank -steve- for his great idea of just copying symbols into the score.


This solution is just a dirty workaround as it’s not about inserting real accidentals, but only graphics, while waiting for a proper microtonal implementation in Cubase Score one day, eventually.
I diverted the use of the User Symbols feature in the Score Editor to do this. It’s not perfect as this feature is not made for this purpose.
The advantage is that the symbols are tied to the notes, to some extent.
For single notes this method is almost satisfactory. You’ll still have to do manual adjustments especially when working with chords, which can be sometimes challenging.
I suggest to use the Hand tool or the Graphic Nudge functionality to adjust symbols horizontal position (or rests) when needed.
And of course hide the “real” accidentals.

For each microtonal accidental there is a set of two symbols to use whether the note stem points down or up.
If the stem points down use the first symbol, and if the stem points up use the second one.

Procedure:

First you need Cubase 11 and the Bravura font which is installed with.

  1. Open User Symbols tab in the Inspector
    setup_inspector.png
    user_symbols_setup_inspector2.png
    user_symbols_setup_inspector2.png508×571 90.4 KB
  2. Right-click on the slot and click Open
    user_symbols_open.png
    … continued on next post (limited number of attachments per post, and images don’t show inline, can’t wait for the new forum!)
2

… continuation of the last post

  1. Select the file “microtonal_accidentals.xml” which you can download at the bottom of this post, and open

Done.

Now select and use the proper accidental symbol depending on the stem direction as explained.

microtonal_updown.jpg
microtonal_updown.jpg800×398 83.4 KB

Result:

Microtonal_result.PNG
Microtonal_result.PNG1275×840 180 KB

And finally the xml to download:
microtonal_accidentals.zip (2.8 KB)
Good luck! :wink:

3 Likes
3

Brilliant!

4

Very nice Maestro!

Is there a way to use the xml file you provided as a way to in place the symbols in the “Words” section of the Inspector, or to add the xml file as a font set that could be used in Cubase in general (thus uses as a standard “Text” or “Lyric” inserted field in the Score)?

(One hang up I have about the Inspector’s “User Symbols”, and wonder if the problem persists in C11… If I create two User symbols for example, and place them in the score, and then accidentally delete or modify one of those two User Symbols in the Inspector… they symbols inserted on the score all revert to the remaining User Symbol in the Inspector. I’m petrified that the symbol info will get deleted, or that upon future upgrades the symbols will not migrate properly. Words, Texts and Lyrics don’t seem to be more stable, and don’t change after they are inserted.)

5

Just getting around to using your Zip file Maestro. Great stuff!!

1 Like