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Annotation

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In most cases, tapping the currently selected tool presents additional options

On larger devices, resize or reposition the stamps or shapes panels by dragging the handles near the edges of the panel. Double-tap the top handle to reset the panel’s position and size.

Add notes to your score by selecting “Annotate” from the tools menu or by tapping and holding your finger on the page for a few moments. When you do, a new set of controls will appear on the screen:

The set of three lines in each corner allow you to drag the control bar up and down so you can annotate anywhere on the page. Tap the × or check mark button to discard or save your changes, or tap the arrow buttons to save and continue annotating on a nearby page.

On the second row of controls you’ll see stamps, shapes, and a scrolling view of your drawing presets. Tap a preset to use it, and tap again to edit, move, or delete it. Use the last item in this area (+) to add new presets.

In the next section over you’ll find additional tools like a ruler, a selection tool, a typing tool, an eraser so you can remove certain annotations and delete links or buttons, and a clear button if you want to start from scratch.

Use the undo and redo buttons in the next section to quickly correct mistakes, and use the rightmost button to access and work with annotation layers (discussed later in this section).

Note: when forScore is using a smaller layout, such as on an iPhone or using Split View on an iPad, the annotation toolbar cannot be moved and will not display the redo and clear buttons—in this case, tap and hold the undo and eraser icons to use these functions.

Stamps & Shapes

Some musical symbols cannot be typed into a text box or drawn precisely, but with the “Stamps” and “Shapes” tools you can place these kinds of annotations on the page quickly and easily. Tap to select either tool, then tap again to see all of the available options for each. Select one and drag your finger around on the page to see how they work. At the bottom of the panel, use the size slider to adjust a stamp’s size or a shape’s line width.

Tip: Use tinting to place colored symbols on a page: set a stamp color and enable tinting (you can disable it at any time without losing your color choice), then use the stamp tool like you normally would. You can also change the color of individual shapes—tap the color well or circled arrow button next to a shape, depending on your OS version. Note that tinting does not affect your existing annotations.

You can add your own stamps by pressing the “…” button or edit an existing stamp by selecting it, tapping again to show the contextual menu, and choosing “Edit.” This opens the stamp editor where you can draw or edit your design.

You can also create stamps from one or more images from your device’s photo library, the Files app (and any configured cloud storage services), or from forScore’s documents directory if you’ve added any images using File Sharing. First, find or create a PNG image (for best results it should be 144×144 pixels), then tap the “…” button in the top left-hand corner of the panel and choose the appropriate source and select your image(s). On iPad or Mac, you can drag and drop an image from virtually any app directly into the stamp creator and edit it as needed before saving.

Tip: The “Browse Images” interface allows you to delete images you no longer need: swipe from left to right over the item in the list and tap the delete action to confirm.

If you use particular stamps more often than others, you can rearrange them as needed. Tap and hold a stamp for a moment, then drag it around on the screen, and the others will move out of the way. You can also delete a stamp by selecting it and then tapping the trash can button at the bottom of the panel.


Tap a drawing preset once to select it, then tap again to edit it

Tap within the selected area to show or hide the action popup

Tap to choose the selection tool, tap again to change its selection style

Drawing Presets

Drawing presets allow you to create an unlimited number of different styles perfectly tailored to your needs. Tap the + button to create a new preset, or edit any existing preset by tapping it once to select it and then tapping again to show the editor. You can adjust the hue, saturation, transparency, brightness, size, and overlay mode for each preset. Use the buttons in the toolbar along the bottom of the editor to delete or duplicate your preset. To reorder your presets, close the editor and tap and hold to drag a preset left or right.

Ruler

When you need to draw straight lines or precisely align your stamps and shapes, the ruler tool is ready to help. Just tap the ruler icon to show or hide it. Reposition it by dragging it around on the page, or rotate it by placing two fingers within the ruler and spinning them clockwise or counter-clockwise: as you do, a dot will appear showing you the current angle. When you get close to a right or diagonal angle, the dot will turn blue and the ruler will snap to that value.

Place your finger near either edge of the ruler to draw a straight line or to position your stamp or shape along it. If you start drawing further away from the ruler and draw into it, your markings will stop at the edge.

Selection Tool

The selection tool allows you to edit a specific area of drawn annotations after they’ve been made (including stamps and shapes). Draw around the annotations you want to edit and you’ll see several new actions appear in a dark popup near your selection. The move tool, active by default, lets you reposition your annotations: drag your selection around on the page, then tap outside of it to commit your changes or tap within the selected area to continue editing it.

You can also choose from one of the other five actions: Duplicate, Copy, Cut, Adjust, and Clear. The duplicate action creates a copy of your drawings that you can then drag to reposition, Clear erases the selected area, and Cut combines the Copy and Clear actions.

Copy saves the currently selected drawings and lets you paste them on another page, even in another file. With the selection tool active, tap to place the copied drawings onto the page (drag to reposition if needed or tap the arrow button to use the copy’s original position).

The Adjust action lets you re-color your annotations by changing their hue, saturation, brightness, and opacity.

Text Annotations

Text annotations can be used to display text directly on a page at all times. With the text tool selected, tap the page to create a new text box. Drag the white circle on the left side of it to move it, and drag the one on the right to change its width (forScore automatically adjusts its height to show all of its text).

When you tap inside of a text box to edit it, you’ll also be able to adjust its style (and set defaults for new text boxes), assign it to another layer, or delete it. On iOS and iPadOS, these actions are available in the toolbar that appears at the top of the virtual keyboard, if shown, or along the bottom of the screen if not (the system hides the virtual keyboard when a physical keyboard or certain page turning devices are connected). On macOS, tap the ellipsis button to the right of the active text box to access these options. When you’re done editing, tap the page outside of the text area to dismiss the keyboard.

Layers

Use layers to separate your annotations, allowing you to work with one set of markings without affecting any other. The Layers panel lets you view and manage layers, pick the active layer, and reorder, hide, duplicate, clear, or combine them. Score layers are available on every page of the current score and can be hidden or shown for all pages at once.

You can also copy the entire contents of a layer and paste them atop or replace the contents of another layer, even on a different page or score. In the layers panel, tap and hold a layer to access these and other actions using its contextual menu.

forScore Pro subscribers have access to an additional “PDF” layer that allows them to copy and paste page contents and make structural changes to their documents. Learn more about this feature in the forScore Pro section of this guide.


Logitech’s Crayon stylus is based on Apple Pencil technology and works similarly; the instructions in this guide apply equally to each accessory except where noted

Apple Pencil (iPad only)

When you’re using Apple Pencil, forScore gives you additional options that allow you to work more naturally. “Automatically enter annotation mode” activates the drawing tools the moment Apple Pencil touches the screen, and “automatically exit annotation mode” saves your changes after a brief period of inactivity. We refer to these settings collectively as “instant annotation.”

Although iOS and Apple Pencil work together to avoid unintentional input, no system is perfect. If you don’t plan to annotate by drawing with your fingers, enabling “prevent finger drawing” may help. You’ll still be able to use your fingers to do things like change tools or zoom in, but only Apple Pencil will draw. If Apple Pencil hasn’t been used for a while, or if you tap the hand icon in the annotation toolbar, finger drawing will be re-enabled.

Newer Apple Pencil models support squeeze/tap gestures which can be used to switch tools, show the current tool’s detail view, and more (configurable in the Settings app). If you prefer to be able to switch tools even when annotation mode is inactive, change the “switch tools” option in the Apple Pencil section of forScore’s settings panel. Otherwise, this gesture can optionally be configured for use outside of annotation mode using the instructions found in the Page Turners & Shortcuts section of this guide.

If Apple’s Scribble feature is enabled on your device, you can use Apple Pencil to hand-write words directly into a text annotation and iPadOS will transform them into text automatically.

Newer iPads support hover detection, allowing forScore to show a drawing preview before your pencil touches the screen. This can be customized, along with additional options available to forScore Pro subscribers (see the forScore Pro section for more information).

Sidebar

If the sidebar is visible and presented in tiled mode, that space is repurposed when annotation mode is activated. The Layers list is shown here by default, but can be replaced by the Stamps or Shapes panels by tapping either of these tools once to select them, if needed, then tapping them a second time. Note that you can continue to use other tools or presets while these detail views are embedded in the sidebar.

Note: forScore’s split view layout and the sidebar are always available on macOS, and can be optionally enabled using the Display Options interface on supported iPads (devices running iPadOS 16 that support Apple’s Stage Manager feature). The sidebar is not available on other devices.

Settings

forScore also includes several settings that give you more control over how annotation mode saves your last-used tool or preset. By default, the last tool you used remains selected the next time you enter annotation mode. In forScore’s settings panel, the “Annotation Tools” section allows you to change this: either choose which tools can be saved between annotation sessions and which should not, or pick a default drawing preset that will be active each time you start annotating.

As you draw, lines can become bolder to capture your natural emphasis (this is based on pressure and tilt with Apple Pencil, tilt with Logitech Crayon, or drawing speed when you’re using your finger). Use additional options in the settings panel to control how pronounced this variable width effect is.

Dashboard

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If you allow it, forScore can track which scores, bookmarks, and setlists you view and for how long. With this information collected, the Dashboard feature in the tools menu can give you valuable insights into your playing habits and helps keep you on track. Three tabs along the top or bottom of the screen (shown on the left of the screen in a sidebar when space allows) give you different ways of viewing and using this information:

Analytics

The Analytics tab shows information collected over the past ninety days. It can show you statistics for either items (scores and bookmarks) or setlists, and displays either the total amount of time you spent playing or the number of views.

Tap on any day to see a detailed list of items or setlists in the lower portion of the screen. This list shows everything you viewed on that particular day and is sorted from most played or viewed to least. You can tap on any item or setlist in this list to see how often you’ve viewed or played it over the past ninety days.

Goals

The Goals tab helps you reach a minimum number of views or amount of play time for each day, week, month, or all time. Goals can be item- or setlist-specific, or they can be more general.

The main list of goals shows your current progress as a circular view and, if your goal is time-specific, uses an additional view in the lower left-hand corner to show your results for the previous term. For instance, a weekly goal would prominently display this week’s progress with a smaller view for last week’s results.

Tap a goal to edit it or to view your results for the past ninety days. The timeline along the top of the screen shows your results for the past ninety days: tap on any of these graphics to share your progress with friends or colleagues via email, message, Twitter, Facebook, and more. It’s a great way to hold yourself accountable or to share your success.

Reports

The Reports tab lets you periodically share more detailed information with a colleague or instructor as a PDF document. To begin, create a new report template and tap the circled arrow button to edit it.

Here, you can customize your report to display progress for all items and/or setlists or for one in particular. Select day, week, or month, and choose how far back you’d like the report to go. Once you’re done, tap the back button and tap the report to view its results and use the action button in the top right-hand corner to share it.

Note: The information forScore collects is stored locally on your device. It doesn’t get sent to any servers, and won’t be shared with anyone unless you specifically choose to do so. Visit forscore.co/privacy to learn more.

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Cue

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Our remote control system, Cue, allows you connect multiple devices together wirelessly to coordinate your page turns and program changes. It uses both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to discover and communicate with nearby devices, and performance may vary based on environmental factors.

Note: Although Wi-Fi must be enabled for the app to discover nearby devices, an internet connection is not required when using Cue.

Roles

In order to properly coordinate your actions, Cue requires you to pick a role when initiating or joining a session. A “Leader” is responsible for turning pages and navigating between different scores or bookmarks in their library. A “Follower” lets their device follow along automatically, either by responding to page turns, program changes, or both.

Note: A Program Change is how we refer to navigation between songs. When a leader opens a new score or bookmark from their library or flips from the end of one piece to the beginning of the next, that’s a Program Change.

Tap the Cue icon in the tools menu to choose your role: “Lead,” “Follow Page Turns,” “Follow Program Changes,” “Follow Both,” or pick “Dual Page mode” (discussed later in this section). Tap this icon a second time to open the Cue connection panel which lists available and connected devices and lets you change your role or disconnect from the current session.

Device-Specific Considerations

Page turns work differently depending on your device’s orientation and settings. If a leader is using their device in landscape orientation, forScore will send page up and down messages but only other landscape-oriented devices will respond. Similarly, half-page turn messages can be sent by a leader who uses them, and only the connected devices who are using portrait mode and who have half-page turns enabled will see the effect.

Dual Page Mode

When using forScore on one device and the standalone Cue app on another, a special Dual Page mode lets you view two full pages side-by-side. One page appears on the primary device, and Cue displays the next page wirelessly. Tap or swipe on either screen to advance, two pages at a time. Links and buttons are also supported on either screen, so you don’t have to worry about which device you need to tap.

The standalone Cue app is currently available on the App Store worldwide.

Cue 2

With forScore 14.4 we introduced a new version of the Cue remote control protocol called Cue 2 which uses Apple’s modern networking frameworks to provide faster and more reliable connections. Cue 2 is compatible with forScore 14.4 or later and the standalone Cue app (version 2.4 or later). You can switch back to the original Cue 1 protocol if needed to connect to devices running older versions of either app: tap the circled ellipsis button in the top left-hand corner of the Cue panel to switch between protocol versions.

Rearrange

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Rearrange is available for most PDF files (DRMed or password-protected files cannot be modified)

The Rearrange tool allows you to make structural changes to your documents by merging several PDF files together or by splitting one into individual parts. Reorder, duplicate, rotate, insert, or remove pages and save the results as a new file or replace the original.

Editing a Score

While links are a great visual way of dealing with repeats, they still require that you reach up and tap the screen. Rearranging a score in advance, however, ensures that the next page is always the correct one—it’s great for musicians who use Autoturn or a foot pedal to turn pages.

While viewing the score you’d like to edit, choose “Rearrange” from the tools menu. Drag pages around on the screen to reorder them, and use the toolbar along the bottom of each thumbnail to remove, rotate, or duplicate it, or to create a new section beginning with it (use sections to split up large files). Tap a page to see a larger version of it, if needed.

To move multiple pages, start to drag one and then tap additional pages with another finger to collect them into a stack. Move them to your desired location and lift your finger to place them in the order they were picked up, or tap Cancel to put them back in their original positions.

Adding Pages

While rearranging one file, tap the new + button at the bottom of the screen to add the pages of another score or bookmark to your workspace. You can also access the Templates feature here to add one or more new pages.

Saving a Score

When you’re done adjusting your score’s layout, tap “Save As…” to create a new file (copying the source file’s metadata and annotations) or “Save” to permanently overwrite the original file. In both cases, Links and Bookmarks are preserved and updated as long as their start and end pages haven’t been removed and, in the case of Bookmarks, that they haven’t been reversed (a bookmark’s start page must come before its end page).

Keep in mind that some files may use special fonts that iOS cannot reproduce. Before overwriting any file, we strongly recommend that you save a copy first to ensure that the results are usable.

If you’ve split the file into multiple sections, the “Save” button won’t be available, but you can use the “Save As…” button to create a set of new, sequentially numbered files.

Tip: Use the “white marker” annotation preset or the rectangle shape to cover up the portions of repeated pages that you don’t need to play again. Since each page includes its own annotations, you will still be able to see that information on other copies of the page.

Keyboard & Cursor Support

If you’re using a trackpad or mouse, use the shift key to select multiple pages at once: hold down the shift key and click one page, keep holding the shift key while you click additional pages, then click and drag the stack of pages around on the screen (you can let go of the shift key at this point). Once you’ve dropped the stack and let go of the shift key, forScore will place your pages in the target spot. You can also select multiple pages by holding down the shift key while you click and drag to draw a rectangle around your target pages.