Slurs

Slurs and phrase markings technically serve different musical purposes. However, you use the same NotePad techniques to create both. In this discussion, the term slur refers to both kinds of markings.

To create a slur

1. Click the Smart Shape tool in the Main tool palette. The Smart Shape palette appears.
2. Click on the Slur tool in the Smart Shape palette, then position the cursor on the slur’s beginning note.
3. Double-click the mouse, holding the mouse button down on the second click. The note will be highlighted and a small slur line will appear. Continuing to hold down the button, drag the slur to the right until you reach the note marking the end of the attachment. When NotePad highlights that note, let go of the mouse button. The new slur appears.
4. To create a slur spanning two consecutive notes, just double-click the mouse on the first note. NotePad places the slur on the adjacent notes.

To move, reshape, or delete Smart Shape slurs.

1. Click the Smart Shape tool . The Smart Shape palette appears. A small handle appears on all existing Smart Shapes in the score.
2. Click the handle of the slur you want to modify. The slur displays several diamond handles and a polygon connecting the handles.

3. To move the slur or change its arc or its end points, drag the appropriate handle.

You can modify the slur in a few additional ways if you press shift while dragging: shift-drag an outer curve diamond handle to limit the direction you reshape the slur to one direction. Shift-click an outer curve diamond handle or Bézier control handle and drag it to the right or left to reshape the slur and change the "sharpness" of the slur’s inset. Dragging away from the center of the slur makes the slur "fatter," and dragging inward makes the slur more "pointed." Shift-click a Bézier control handle and drag it up or down to reshape the arc of the curve.

Note: Constrained dragging is temporarily disabled while slurs are edited. If you would like to use constrained dragging press the shift key while you are moving the slur.

4. To remove the slur from the score press delete.

To restore slur’s to their default positions

1. Click the Selection tool .
2. Select the desired measures or press CTRL+A to Select All.
3. Choose Edit > Remove Manual Slur Adjustments. Any editing done on slurs will be deleted, restoring the slurs to their default positions.

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