'Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines'

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Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Adriano Baumann, 14 Dec 12:54PM
     Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Jody Hughes, 15 Dec 04:01PM
         Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Adriano Baumann, 15 Dec 06:19PM
             Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Adriano Baumann, 16 Dec 10:57AM
                 Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Adrian Drover, 16 Dec 11:52AM

Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines
Posted by Adriano Baumann - 14 Dec 12:54PM (edited 14 Dec 12:55PM)
Hi everybody
Need to create free undulatory (wawy) lines and cannot find in my plugin list a "note input" section where this is available.
I mean the line category like in the enclosed picture
Thanks for your help!
Attachment aleatoric lines.png (5K)
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Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines
Posted by Jody Hughes - 15 Dec 04:01PM (edited 15 Dec 04:02PM)
Hi there

This is very difficult to do in Sibelius. There is nothing that does any part of it automatically.

If you have graphics software that can create the lines fairly easily, it might be best to do that, and import the lines as graphics.

However, getting the size of the graphics right is not straightforward, and manipulating them within Sibelius isn't completely easy.

You may need separate graphics for score and parts, depending on how the layout differs. You will probably need separate copies of (some of) the graphics for the parts. (Use 'Show in Score' for one, and 'Show in Part' for the other.)

There are other options, though not the same visually, that can be done completely within Sibelius.

For me, the most useful of the methods I've tried is to use the straight slide line between notes, with a completely-invisible notehead style, and some adjustments to the start and end position of the lines.

A picture of this approach, showing the score and part versions of the same bar, is attached.

(Incidentally, the straight lines do not affect the performance: players will make smooth transitions between up- and down- glissandi in either case.)

Hope that helps a bit, anyway.
Jody
--
music editor and engraver
Sibelius Ultimate on a Mac Studio running OS 14.6.1
Attachment Screenshot 2025-12-15 at 15.55.51.png (141K)
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Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines
Posted by Adriano Baumann - 15 Dec 06:19PM
Thanks very much, Jody :-)

In the meantime I found similar suggestions as yours on:

https://www.scoringnotes.com/tutorials/sibelius-techniques-for-aleatoric-music/

Will try out your "method" and come back to you.
And also try out wavy glissandi...
Importing graphics may be the most precise method; to be done once the score has been set only, since the composer's waves undulate precisely in hightand width.
But I remember having heard once of a particular Sibelius plug-in about this.
Must also try out the "create lines" feature.
Fortunately enough, my quintet players do not need separate parts.
Let's see if I can learn this; will let you know.
In other words, Sibelius lacks an internal "paintbrush" in the "notations" possibilities, acting more flexibly than a slur.

Undulating lines à la Lutwoslwaski, which are constant in hight and width may be easily done with combined slurs.
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Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines
Posted by Adriano Baumann - 16 Dec 10:57AM
Hi Jody
I've just found this earlier Community posting:
https://www.sibelius.com/cgi-bin/helpcenter/chat/chat.pl?com=thread&start=620419&groupid=3&&guest=1#:~:text=Even%20better%2C%20download%20the%20%22Line,of%20harp%20or%20piano%20glissandi.&text=Sibelius%206.2.,Orchestra%203%2C%20Garritan%20Authorised%20Steinway.&text=top%20%7C%20All%20threads-,Re:%20Sib.,to%20create%20uneven%20glissando%20lines?&text=There%20is%20a%20proper%20glissando,than%20using%20the%20Lines%20one.&text=top%20%7C%20All%20threads-,Re:%20Sib.,to%20create%20uneven%20glissando%20lines?&text=Thanks%20Mark%20and%20Robert%2C,even%20knew%20that%20was%20there.

Will study and try out
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Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines
Posted by Adrian Drover - 16 Dec 11:52AM
I did this by entering slurs between notes then hiding the notes. The slurs can be made into random shapes by pulling their grab handles (kill magnetic layout). Time consuming but possible and maybe lost when resetting note spacing.
Attachment Wavy line.png (12K)
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Messages in this thread

Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Adriano Baumann, 14 Dec 12:54PM
     Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Jody Hughes, 15 Dec 04:01PM
         Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Adriano Baumann, 15 Dec 06:19PM
             Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Adriano Baumann, 16 Dec 10:57AM
                 Re: Specific (irregular) aleatoric wavy lines - Adrian Drover, 16 Dec 11:52AM