Color Harp Strings

Version 01.05.00
Added 27 Apr 2009 (last updated 26 Apr 2016)

For use with Sibelius 5, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

This zip file contains 2 plugins: Color Harp Strings and Pitch Spectrum for Harp. These plugins are different approaches to coloring notes that are on a harp\\\\\\\'s C strings (pitches Cb, C, and C#) Red, and those on the F strings (Fb, F, and F#) Blue. This is sometimes done for introductory harp music, though some harpists like it for all their scores.

This would be fairly simple to do except for the fact that Sibelius colors all notes in a chord the same color.

These plugins offer solutions that will work in some cases, and offer at least a starting point when they cannot do all the coloring.

*Color Harp Strings* will color notes that are not in chords or intervals. It will color (using the mechanism of Edit > Color) single notes of the desired pitches, but will not color the same pitches in a chord. Instead, it traces the location of such pitches so you can find them to hand color after printing.

If chords are broken up so that each chord tone is in a different voice (quite tedious), all the notes can be colored with this plugin. This plugin has no problem differentiating enharmonically equivalent pitches (C#/Db, Cb/B, etc).

*Pitch Spectrum for Harp* uses the Sibelius Pitch Spectrum feature, which can color chord tones separately, but will not differentiate among enharmonically equivalent pitches (C#/Db, Cb/B, C/B#, F#/Gb. etc.). These would be colored the same, which can be a problem in harp music, which often contains enharmonic pitches. The plugin looks to see if there are conflicts. If so, it offers a choice of coloring each pair of the equivalent notes or not.

This plugin can completely color music with chords if there are no enharmonic notes.

Be sure you understand how Pitch Spectrum works (check the Reference and the plugin Help) before using this plugin, or you may be surprised.

Pitch Spectrum for Harp will not work in Sibelius 6, which removed the Pitch Spectrum feature. It will still work in Sibelius 5. Color Harp Strings does work (with the same limitations) in Sibelius 5 and 6.

Updated 20 February 2015. The plugin will now also color chords that consist only of notes on the C string or on the F string.

Updated 26 April 2016 to allow coloring of individual note objects

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Harp Arpeggio

Version 2.0
Added 0000-00-00 00:00:00 (last updated 07 Mar 2014)

For use with Sibelius 5, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Designed specifically for playback of arpeggios on the harp but may be used on other instruments.

Uses Live Playback data to play back an arpeggio in one or more voices and on one or more staves. The arpeggio plays before the beat. Requires that Live Playback is turned on. (If Live Playback is turned off, Sibelius's usual arpeggio will still play if arpeggio lines are present in the score).

Plug-in written by Ian Cugley.

Harp Gliss

Added 0000-00-00 00:00:00 (last updated 07 Mar 2014)

For use with Sibelius 5, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Designed specifically for playback of glissandos on the harp.

Select the start and end notes for a glissando on the same staff or adjacent staves, then run the plug-in. You can then set the harp tuning, control the volume (velocity) of the glissando, and choose whether to show the tuning in the score. The glissando plays back using MIDI messages, and works across two staves and across barlines.

Plug-in written by Ian Cugley.

Filter Harp Pedal Diagrams

Version 01.40.00
Added 13 Dec 2009 (last updated 27 May 2016)

For use with Sibelius 5, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Filters all selected harp pedal diagrams (as generated by the Add Harp Pedaling plugin).

Updated 9 August 2011 for Sib 7 font compatibility

Updated 9 May 2012 to filter diagrams created with a text character style rather than a font change in Sib 7.

Updated 27 May 2016 to allow harp diagrams of any text style to be recognized.

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Label Harp Diagrams

Version 01.17.00
Added 13 Dec 2009 (last updated 27 May 2016)

For use with Sibelius 5, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Can add a hidden text label next to any selected harp pedal diagrams. The text consists of the pitches in the pedal diagram.

The plugin can also trace the location and pitches of any selected pedal diagrams, or any "tuning text", which is text that contains the pitches (CDEFGAB plus accidentals, in any order) in a harp tuning.

It can optionally also label tuning text with a hidden pedal diagram.

This will probably be at least as useful for occasional readers of pedal harp music, (such as composers of harp music) as for harpists.

Updated 24 December 2009. Remove unwanted traces and clean up trace of boxed text diagrams.

Updated 24 November 2012 to pick up diagrams that use character styles in Sib 7.

Updated 14 February 2016 to clarify dialog text. No code changes

Updated 27 May 2016 to allow harp diagrams of any text style to be recognized.

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Harp Gliss From Pedal Diagram

Version 01.07.00
Added 13 Dec 2009 (last updated 27 May 2016)

For use with Sibelius 5, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

This is a "front end" for Ian Cugley�s "Harp Gliss" plugin, which must be installed before this plugin is run.

Ian�s plugin will generate pitches for a harp gliss from a tuning string that is typed in. This plugin will look for harp pedal diagrams or "tuning text", which is text that contains the pitches (CDEFGAB plus accidentals, in any order) in a harp tuning, and run Ian�s plugin using the tuning information closest to the selected pitches.

Updated 9 August 2011 for Sib 7 font compatibility

Updated 4 September 2011 to pick up pedal diagrams that start at the same location at the first selected pitch.

Updated 24 November 2011 to pick up diagrams that use character styles in Sib 7.

Updated 27 May 2016 to allow harp diagrams of any text style to be recognized.

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Alternate Harp Pedaling

Version 01.09.00
Added 01 Jan 2010 (last updated 07 Mar 2014)

For use with Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Given some entered note pitch names, the plugin will make a list of all the harp pedalings that include these pitches.

The pitches must be defined using CAPITAL letters C D E F G A B for pitches, in any order, with b or # for accidentals, and optional X for placeholder pitches. Each pitch must be separated by at least 1 space. There can be no duplicate pitch letter names, and no more than 7 pitches. Double accidentals are not allowed.

The results will be put in a listbox. If no pitch can be found for a harp string, an X will be displayed.

Choosing an entry in the list moves a copy to an edit box from which you may copy the tuning text. The text following the tuning (font name and MLNO characters) is text for a pedal diagram. Paste this into a text item in a score to display as a pedal diagram.

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Add Harp Pedal Diagrams

Added 08 Jan 2010 (last updated 07 Mar 2014)

For use with Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

This is an update to the Add Harp Pedal Diagrams plug-in that ships with Sibelius 6.

In Sibelius 6.1 or later, this updated version of the plug-in now correctly restores the appropriate text font after writing accidentals in text-based harp pedal diagrams.

Plug-in written by Neil Sands.

Harp Gliss Pitches

Version 01.93.00
Added 11 Jan 2010 (last updated 20 Feb 2015)

For use with Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Generates pitches that can be used to set the pedals of a harp for glissandos from the names of scales or chords.

It lists a number of possible scale types and chord types. You can also define your own scales (of 7 pitches or fewer), and for chords, you may type in any chord type name that Sibelius 6 will recognize. You can specify any valid root for the scale or chord.

The plugin will find all combinations of pedals that contain all the originally specified pitches. A PDF document describing the plugin is included in the zip file. Sibelius 6.1 or later is required.

Updated 9 August 2011 for Sib 7 font compatibility

Updated 12 October 2012 to adjust dialog spacing for Sib 7.

Updated 20 February 2015 to adjust dialog spacing again, for Mac in Sib 7

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Filter Harp Pedal Changes

Version 01.26.00
Added 18 Nov 2010 (last updated 07 Mar 2014)

For use with Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Filter any text that includes a pitch name (A - G) followed by an accidental. It will filter any pedal changes created by the Add Harp Pedaling plugin, and also text such as C#4 (used for lever changes) and Pedal: Eb, i.e., text that includes a pitch name and accidental as well as other text. In such cases, the pitch name must be at the start or follow a space.

Chord symbol text will not be filtered, but all other text styles can be filtered.

Only English pitch names are supported.

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Change Text Accidental Size

Version 01.06.00
Added 18 Nov 2010 (last updated 01 Dec 2018)

For use with Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Changes the size of an accidental within a piece of text, such as C#. This can be useful for increasing the size of the accidentals in pedal change text created by the Add Harp Pedaling plugin, among others.

By default it will only look at text with a font change and will skip chord symbol text.

Updated 27 February 2015 to fix bugs and have the plugin work with Sib 7 scores that use Character Styles.

Updated 30 November 2018. Version 01.06.00. Fixed sizing when replacing in unformatted text.

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Harp Diagram from Tuning

Version 02.08.00
Added 06 May 2011 (last updated 18 Mar 2017)

For use with Sibelius 5, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Produces a harp pedaling diagram from a list of 7 pitches that you type in.

Updated 5 May 2012 to allow running in Sib 5. In Sib 5 it will always use Opus Text as the music font for the diagrams.

Updated 6Feb2015 to replace plg file with zip file

Updated 17 February 2016. Added options to also output various forms of tuning text and to allow input tuning without spaces.

Updated 22 May 2016 Output of tuning text now contains formatted accidentals.

Updated 28 May 2016. Better filtering of pasted text.

Updated 29 May 2016 Added accidentals for Natural pitches in tuning text output

Updated 15 March 2017 to put initial focus in edit box

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Harp Gliss and Octave Notes

Version 01.90.00
Added 07 Mar 2016 (last updated 18 May 2021)

For use with Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Given 2 selected notes (the main notes to be glissed between) and a 7-note harp tuning, this plugin generates a set of 6 small silent stemless grace notes representing, with the first main note of the gliss, the first octave of a harp glissando. The notes will be added in an unused voice if one is available, and their positioning is stable if Reset Note Spacing is used.

If the plugin Line Between Notes is installed, it can be called to draw a line between the last of the generated octave notes and the second note in the glissando.

There is an option to generate all 7 pitches of the octave.

For playback, the Harp Gliss plugin may be run separately, after selecting the 2 main notes.

Updated 27 May 2016 to fix crash when notes selected were not included in tuning.

Updated 28 May 2016 to fix handling of Cb and B#.

Updated 30 June 2016. Can now call into Harp Gliss Playback plugin to get tuning and to output MIDI messages for playback.

Updated 9 July 2016. Fixed some bugs and updated calls into Harp Gliss Playback to work better.

Updated 10 July 2016. Added option to hide rests between selected notes if both notes are in the same staff and voice.

Updated 05 May 2021. Version 01.80.00.

Added option to run without adding octave notes to act as a front end for calling Line Between Notes and Harp Gliss Playback.

Updated 18 May 2021. Version 01.90.00.

Move the "hide rests" options out of the "Create Octave Notes" block so it can be used even when no octave notes are created.

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

Harp Gliss Playback

Version 01.98.00
Added 27 Jun 2016 (last updated 05 May 2021)

For use with Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7.1, Sibelius 7.5, Sibelius 8.x, Sibelius 18.x, Sibelius 19.x, Sibelius 20.x, Sibelius 21.x, Sibelius 22.x, Sibelius 23.x and Sibelius 24.x

Harp Gliss Playback generates MIDI messages to produce correct playback for harp glissandos using a specified 7-pitch harp tuning.

It is a rewrite and enhancement of the downloadable Harp Gliss plugin, which was written by the late Ian Cugley. In addition to the playback, it can write out a harp pedal diagram, and/or tuning text describing the tuning. Like Harp Gliss, you can select 2 notes and have the plugin generate MIDI messages for that gliss from a typed-in tuning. It is also capable of calculating the tuning based on key signatures, notes, and tuning indications, and can process multiple glissando lines at one time.

Details and limitations of the plugin are described in the document The Harp Gliss Playback Plugin, included in the plugin zip file.

The zip file also includes the plugin Trace Harp Tuning, which calls code in Harp Gliss Playback to calculate and trace the harp tuning at the start of a selection. This can be useful when running other harp plugins that require a tuning as input.

Updated 9 July 2016. Restructured to make callers like Harp Gliss and Octave Notes work better.

Updated 18 November 2017. Updated plugin file and PDF file to warn that the plugin does not work with Magnetic Glisses in a passage selection in Sibelius 8.6 and later.

Updated 22 Feb 2020. Version 01.97.00. Tidying the warnings about magnetic glisses.

Updated 05 May 2021. Version 01.98.00. Moved the warning about Magnetic Glisses later and tidied some code.

Plug-in written by Bob Zawalich.

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