When using Guitar Pro 8, one might encounter an issue with the placement of accent notations, especially when not using multivoice to separate the bass drum notes. By default, Guitar Pro 8 places these notations below the notes. However, in drum notation, it’s customary to have these accents above the notes. Unfortunately, there isn’t a built-in setting to change this placement. I’ll show you through the process of moving these accent notations to the top where they belong for drum notation.
To change the placement of accents in Guitar Pro 8 for drum notation, follow these steps:
- Select the Measure: First, select the measure where you want to change the accent placement. You can do this by clicking on the measure in the score.
- Choose the Second Voice: On the left panel, you’ll see options for different voices. Select the second voice. This is crucial because it allows you to manipulate the notation placement differently
- Fill with Rests: Now, fill the entire measure with rests. Once you do this, you’ll notice that the accent notations, which were previously below the notes, have now moved to the top.
- Repeat for Each Measure: Repeat the above steps for each measure where you need to move the accents. This process might seem a bit tedious, but it’s the workaround to achieve the desired placement for drum notation.
You can see the difference below. Left side is no rests on second voices, and right side is with rests. The accent notations are placed on the top when rests is added to the second voices.
Once you done with the placement, switch back to first voice. You’ll notice that the accent notations remain at the top, just as you wanted for drum notation.
Interestingly, the rests you placed in the second voice will not be visible in the final score. This feature also applies when you export your score to a PDF. This means your drum notation will look clean and professional, with the accents correctly placed above the notes without any unnecessary clutter.
By following this method, you can effectively customize the placement of accents in Guitar Pro 8 to match the traditional drum notation style. This workaround might seem a bit unconventional, but it ensures your drum scores are presented in a manner that’s both visually appealing and true to the conventions of drum notation. While Guitar Pro 8 doesn’t offer a direct setting for this, with a little creativity, you can achieve the desired result. Happy drumming and composing!