Hello

On question 2 in the 2007 A paper, the question asks to transcribe an SATB choir open score into short score. In bar 2, the last note in the soprano part is the D above middle C, while at the same time, the last note in the alto part is the F above middle C.

Does anyone know how this should be written in short score? At the moment, I've written the notes one above the other, but with the D stem drawn upwards and the F stem drawn downwards, but I'm not sure whether this is correct

Thanks

Car Expert

Sounds right to me. F stem first reading left to right.

So would that be written in a similar way as if the notes were a 2nd apart?

Car Expert

yes that's right, it looks odd but it makes sense. In short score the stems always point the same way for a given part.

Yes, the stems always do the same, but there are conventions for the lateral movement of the noteheads so that they don't overlap. My recollection is that the rule for separate parts on one stave is opposite to that when they are notes of a chord on one stem, but I can't check that on this computer. There are also rules for the lateral movement of accidentals if putting them on a vertical axis would make them overlap. I knew both of these for a brief period about 12 years ago, when I was required to produce compositional exercises in manuscript; nowadays I let Finale do all the work. Perhaps someone else can tell us the specifics.