Ok, this will be shortest blog ever, but it offers a great tip.

Here’s the scenario: Upon entering a bunch of notes, you’ve played back your score to aurally proof your work. Something isn’t quite right in one section, but you’re not certain which part contains the error. You could start muting and soloing parts, pressing play and stop again and again, but there’s a better way.

Hold down two keys (on Windows press Ctrl+Spacebar, on Mac press Option+Spacebar) while you pass the mouse over the area of music you want to scrutinize. As you do you will hear the sonorities involved, with full instrumentation. This action lets you hear only the area you want to hear when you want to hear it. Cool, but you need to solo specific staves, right?

To hear a single staff, add the Shift key to the other two keys. Now you will hear just one staff at a time as you pass your mouse over your music. 

I’ve heard this described as an “Audition” feature as well as “Scrubbing Playback.” No matter what you call it, it’s a time saver.

I love it when this blog can unveil really useful things that are right under our fingertips. If you’re already hip to scrubbing playback, good for you. If this is a new tip for you – even better!

Now – back to work…