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Two-part problem

Posted: 30 Dec 2016, 13:16
by benwiggy
What's the best way to combine these two parts onto one staff, while reducing any ambiguity?

IF it helps, I'm happy to subdivide or otherwise adjust the notes on the upper part, but I would ideally need the lower part preserved.
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Re: Two-part problem

Posted: 02 Jan 2017, 00:08
by MJCube
I would want to keep them on separate staves. If you must combine, you could write the first note of the lower part as two tied :5 … that would at least give you stems. Tying the upper part doesn’t help anything.

Re: Two-part problem

Posted: 02 Jan 2017, 09:37
by Knut
Using MJCube's suggestion og tying the first notes in the lower staff, I don't think there's any reason not to combine the two voices onto one staff. The respective dynamics should go above/below the combined staff, of course.

Re: Two-part problem

Posted: 02 Jan 2017, 10:37
by harpsi
If this is vocal music with two lyric lines, one above and one below, the lyrics might reduce the ambiguity with the preserved note values.

Re: Two-part problem

Posted: 02 Jan 2017, 11:48
by benwiggy
It's a choral work with organ: the lower part is both the bass voice and the original organ "basso seguente" part; for the realisation/part reduction, I'd want to merge the two, but preserve the source.

Re: Two-part problem

Posted: 02 Jan 2017, 15:36
by OCTO
MJCube wrote:I would want to keep them on separate staves. If you must combine, you could write the first note of the lower part as two tied :5 … that would at least give you stems. Tying the upper part doesn’t help anything.
That is what I first had in mind, but didn't comment since Ben was asking for not changing the lower voice. It is a hard example indeed, but I would in this case use MJCube's proposed idea.

Re: Two-part problem

Posted: 02 Jan 2017, 16:39
by harpsi
What about using small open brackets? Like an "L" for the top part and an upside down for the lower?

Re: Two-part problem

Posted: 02 Jan 2017, 18:49
by OCTO
Yes, harpsi, or...what about dashed slurs, or dashed brackets connecting the voices?

Re: Two-part problem

Posted: 02 Jan 2017, 22:06
by benwiggy
Thanks for the great suggestions! I'll try them all and see what works best.