Key signatures

Note. View the Changing the key signature QuickStart Video for an overview.

See also Nonstandard key signatures. 

To change the key

1. Click the Key Signature tool  , and double-click the measure where the key will change. The Key Signature dialog box appears.
2. Click the up and down scroll-bar arrows until the desired new key signature appears. Scroll up for sharp keys, and down for flat keys. If you want to select or create a nonstandard key signature (based on a quarter-tone or other nontraditional scale), choose Nonstandard from the drop-down list menu. See Nonstandard key signatures.
3. Using the Measure ___ Through ___ (or Through End of Piece or To Next Key Change) text boxes, specify the range of measures you want to be affected by the key signature.
4. Specify the transposition effect. The three choices are: Transpose Notes, in which any existing music will be transposed to the new key; Hold Notes to Original Pitches, which holds each note at its original absolute pitch, adjusting accidentals where necessary; or Hold Notes to Same Staff Lines (Modally), in which each existing note remains on its original line or space, but no new accidentals appear.

Note. See Key signatures, time Signatures, and clefs for a step-by-step tutorial on adding key signature changes.

If you select Transpose Notes, choose either Up or Down from the drop-down list menu to specify the direction in which you want to transpose the music. If the measure range you’ve specified contains keys whose relationships you want to preserve, click Transpose All Keys Proportionally. Subsequent key changes will be preserved, but will be affected by the same interval as the key change you’re now creating.

5. Click OK (or press ENTER).

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