SMuFL Quarter Rest Design

[John Ruggero]

For reference purposes, here is the quarter rest (Maestro) in Fred G Unn's illustration (on previous page, darn it) in its normal position. Fred's modified new position looks a little better to me.

quarter rest.png (28.56 KiB) Viewed 774 times

Next to the treble clef, the quarter rest is the most problematic symbol for me. My favorite in the list is 6. If 1 could be thinned, I might like it better than 6.

Here is a comparison of Bravura (in the red box) and Maestro to show their similarity. I would prefer something between the two in thickness but with the same general design.

Bravura and Maestro.png (38.46 KiB) Viewed 769 times

However, context is everything. I just tried replacing the Bravura quarter rests with Maestro in a Dorico file, and the Maestro looks too thin. Bravura is perhaps a little heavy for the context but only a little.

[Fred G. Unn]

However, context is everything. I just tried replacing the Bravura quarter rests with Maestro in a Dorico file, and the Maestro looks too thin. Bravura is perhaps a little heavy for the context but only a little.

Totally agree. Bravura and some of the Dorico defaults are generally a bit heavy for me, and Maestro rests are a bit light. I've been experimenting a lot lately with various glyphs from different fonts that get the look I want, while complementing each other, and not being too light or heavy. Plus I get bored every 5 years or so and need to come up with some new defaults, LOL!

[composerjk]

The crotchet rest is perhaps the newest of the basic symbols. Originally, it was a mirrored version of the quaver, which then became stylized with a symmetrical rounded tail;

The bespoke shape-note music typeface I designed for The Sacred Harp: 2025 Edition songbook uses an old-style quarter rest.

quarter-rest-sample-sm.jpg (31.08 KiB) Viewed 703 times

You can view sample pages of the songbook that'll be launched at the United Sacred Harp Musical Association convention in Atlanta + Revising the Sacred Harp symposium at Emory University, 12–14 Sep 2025.

[John Ruggero]

The bespoke shape-note music typeface I designed for The Sacred Harp: 2025 Edition songbook uses an old-style quarter rest.

I know nothing about shaped-notes, but I know a beautiful music font when I see one, and yours is beautiful. Congratulations!

[John Ruggero]

However, context is everything. I just tried replacing the Bravura quarter rests with Maestro in a Dorico file, and the Maestro looks too thin. Bravura is perhaps a little heavy for the context but only a little.

Totally agree. Bravura and some of the Dorico defaults are generally a bit heavy for me, and Maestro rests are a bit light. I've been experimenting a lot lately with various glyphs from different fonts that get the look I want, while complementing each other, and not being too light or heavy. Plus I get bored every 5 years or so and need to come up with some new defaults, LOL!

I've been looking things over too, now that I finally have both feet in Dorico. Might be time to relearn Inkscape and shave a little off that Bravura glyph. Glad Notat.io is up a running. Several old posts to consult.

[composerjk]

I know nothing about shaped-notes, but I know a beautiful music font when I see one, and yours is beautiful. Congratulations!

Thanks, John.

[benwiggy]

The bespoke shape-note music typeface I designed for The Sacred Harp: 2025 Edition songbook uses an old-style quarter rest.

Wow, that is an amazing amount of work. Well done.

Is that the standard form within the shape-note community?

I have to say, I don't really understand it. I suppose it shows you where the semitones are, though!

[Fred G. Unn]

Since it's been a few days, I figured I'd say what they are, for anyone curious. As benwiggy guessed they are basically alphabetical

1. Bravura
2. CapoScore
3. Concerto
4. Finale Engraver
5. Finale Legacy
6. Finale Maestro
7. Leipzig
8. Leland
9. MTF-Arnold
10. November2
11. Scherzo
12. Sebastian
13. CapoScore, 103%, Y: -0.3

[John Ruggero]

Changed my mind. The quarter rest is the hardest symbol to get right, the treble clef is second hardest. Both as a glyph and by hand.

[composerjk]

The bespoke shape-note music typeface I designed for The Sacred Harp: 2025 Edition songbook uses an old-style quarter rest.

Wow, that is an amazing amount of work. Well done.

Is that the standard form within the shape-note community?

Thanks, Ben.

The quarter rest design is an old-style design, of course. The Sacred Harp Publishing Company wanted historical calls back; the first edition of The Sacred Harp was published in 1844. Other modern editions use the the style Fred has been showing.

I have to say, I don't really understand it. I suppose it shows you where the semitones are, though!

The shape notes, themselves, are simply a version of solfège. Instead of do re me fa sol la ti do, The Sacred Harp community uses a movable 4-shape note system that goes fa sol la fa sol la mi fa. There are 7-shape note systems, too.

fa-so-la-mi.png (34.65 KiB) Viewed 483 times