Typing notes in Drum Kit part is inconsistent and unpredictable

[skdonnelly]

Issue type

UX/Interaction bug (incorrect behaviour)

Bug description

No response

Steps to reproduce

1. create a score
2. add a Drum Kit part
3. select quarter note in the toolbar
4. Type AAAA - results as expected (4 quarter notes - first image)
5. Type BBBB - results as expected (4 quarter notes - second image)
6. Type ABAB - results not as expected, first kick and snare are on the same beat, 2nd beat has only snare, 3rd beat has only kick, 4th beat has a rest
7. Type A, use arrow key to move to the right to beat 3 or 4 in the measure, type B - the kick drum note is still on the first beat instead of where you moved your cursor, there seems to be no way to use the keyboard to put a kick drum beat on a desired beat? Makes it very difficult to quickly type out basic drum parts.

Screenshots/Screen recordings

MuseScore Version

MuseScore Studio version (64-bit): 4.3.2-241630831, revision: github-musescore-musescore-22b46f2

Regression

I don't know

Operating system

OS: Windows 10 Version 2009 or later, Arch.: x86_64,

Additional context

No response

[MarcSabatella]

This is by design, although there will be a new design come 4.5.

The standard is for kick drum (and other notes for the feet) to be in voice 2, with down stems. So you should enter the leading rest (type 0) to show it doesn’t play on beat 1. That’s how drum notation usually works.

See the Handbook chapter on drum notation, and if you need further assistance learning to use MuseScore Studio, please ask on the official support forum at MsueScore.org.

[skdonnelly]

I get that but it's inconsistent. The documentation specifically explains "To add a note at the current note input cursor position:" but this does not work if there are no notes or rests in that voice. Currently I have to click the "Voice 2" button at the top, insert a rest in voice 2, then I can put my cursor somewhere and press B. Musescore should just put the note where I ask it to and insert rests before it if they are needed.

For example if I specifically select beat 2 like in this image: and hit B it should put the note where I selected, not at the beginning of the bar. If I hit A it puts it in the right place, even if there are no other notes in the measure, if I hit B it should do the same behaviour, the cursor should never jump back to the beginning of the bar.

Also the documentation says that if I hold Shift while inserting a note, it will be inserted in the same voice. So if I type A, it puts a snare in voice 1. If I then type Shift-B, it should put a kick drum in voice 1, so it should be after the snare beat I just inserted, in the spot the cursor is currently at. But it still puts the kick drum at the beginning of the measure.

[skdonnelly]

Note that it happens even if both voices exist, e.g. this bar: I've selected beat 2, I want to put a note "at the current note input cursor position" but when I hit A, it puts the note at beat 1 instead of beat 2.

[MarcSabatella]

If the Handbook page for drum notation fails to mention that "current input position" isn't the full story when changing voices, that's an oversight. Can you post the link to the page where you are seeing that info, so it can be corrected? As mentioned, the system is being redesigned for 4.5, but we do want to make sure the Handbook is accurate meanwhile.

Anyhow, when dealing multiple voices, you need to enter both voices left to right. See the page on working with multiple voices for more info. And again, if you have further questions about how to use MsueScore Studio, please use the Support forum.

[bkunda]

Yes, we are going to address note input for percussion in 4.5.