How to use "previous object insertion" shortcuts

    A number of shortcuts are available to make it easy to re-insert chords, note clusters, and bars of music which have previously been entered.  In all cases objects will be counted backward from the current location, and counting will continue in staff lines of the same type above the current line until the nth object is found.  Even if Join mode is on when the shortcut is executed, the inserted chords will not be joined.  See the techniques for "after-entry" joining (pg. 98 in the manual) if you want newly inserted objects to be joined.  Keep in mind that you can copy a bar or cluster similar to the one you need, then move notes up or down (pg. 103) as needed to get the exact configuration you want.  This may be easier than re-typing the whole bar or cluster.

Ctrl + n  =  Insert nth previous chord (Ctrl+0 inserts 10th chord).
    In the example below the last two-note chord was inserted by entering "Ctrl 3" to insert the 3rd chord before the current position.  The final three note chord was inserted by entering "Ctrl 8".  Note that the previous two-note chord is counted in this second case.
Chord:  8   7  6      5   4   3       2   1    Ctrl + 3
Chord:  9   8  7      6   5   4       3   2        1       Ctrl + 8

                     (not counted as a chords)

Ctrl + Shift + n = Insert nth previous note cluster
Cluster:   5          4            3               1,2       Ctrl+Sh+3
Cluster:   6          5            4               2,3            1          Ctrl+Sh+6

             (not counted as clusters)      (these two count as two clusters)

Alt + n = Insert nth previous bar
Bar:            3               2                1             Alt + 3
Bar:            4               3                2                1              Alt + 2

 

These shortcuts can be really handy.  It's amazing how after you've entered few key lines of a piece you can use shortcuts along with cutting and pasting to make the rest of the music entry go really quickly.  Austurias is a classical guitar piece which you got as a sample in your MusEdit package.  It is ideally suited for shortcuts, so I'll use it as an example:

Suggested procedure for entering this music:

  1. Enter the first note cluster (first four sixteenth notes plus two down-hanging eighth notes).  Don't add any embellishments ( p, i, m, numbers, or string numbers ).
  2. With the caret at the end of the first cluster, hit Ctrl+Shift+1; this copies that first (1) note cluster.
  3. Now hit Ctrl+Shift+2 to copy the first note cluster again ( but now it is the second previous note cluster realtive to where the caret is -hence the "2" ).
  4. Enter a final bar.
  5. Now go back and correct the second and third note clusters by tweaking the position of a few of the notes (See note position adjustment techniques).
  6. Now notice that the second bar of music is the same as the first bar, so you can instantly copy and insert that first bar with Alt+1.
  7. The third bar is the same as the first two so you could use Alt+1, or Alt+2 (since both the first and second bars are the same) to reinsert another copy..
  8. Even the fourth bar (on the second  line) is similar, but notice that it is all decorated with embellishments, like the first bar will be, so you might as well go finish the first bar now -add the fingering, but not the string numbers or "p,i,m".
  9. Go to the start of the second line and insert the newly ornamented bar one with Alt+3 (3rd bar, counting backwards).
  10. Basically keep up this technique of scanning for similar looking chords (Ctrl+n inserts a previous chord), note clusters, and bars; inserting them; then making a few note adjustments and adding details as necessary.
You can insert up to the 10th previous object with these techniques (use 0 for the 10th object in the shortcuts).  Beyond the 10th object counting becomes so time consuming that it becomes better to revert to the more standard selecting, copying and pasting techniqes.