Using quartertones in notation software.

Finale 2006

This notation program is able to use all the symbols from the Maestro Percussion font. Mark the notes you want to alter with normal accidental, flat or sharp.

Open the special tools

Click the accidental-mover tool.

Mark the bar of music you want to work with. Double-click the square on the note you want to alter. Set font to Maestro Percussion , and go to alternate character. Click select, number 66 for quartertone flat and 181 for quartertone sharp. Click OK and the accidental will be altered. Finale has no quartertone playback option that I'm aware of at present.

Sibelius

Sibelius has a keypad where the quarter-tone accidentals are integrated.

This opens automatically in a Sibelius document. Use the signs as you would normal accidentals.

Sibelius has a playback option. Mark the document and go to: plug-insplaybackquartertone playback.

Open music

Patches from Ircam's Open Music program, used to generate musical material.

Examples of scoring for quartertones