Introduction to Toolboxes
Our toolbox functionality has been designed to simplify annotating and navigation - it's completely customisable and you can use multiple toolboxes simultaneously. Most importantly, we've removed the need to enter and exit an annotation mode because we wanted to get as close to the experience of using paper scores as possible.
Opening a new toolbox
All of your annotation tools live in toolboxes.
To get started, select 'Toolboxes & Widgets' and tap 'New'.
Select a toolbox from our range of pre-made toolboxes, or create your own by selecting the first option in the list, named 'Toolbox'.
Close the sidebar and drag the toolbox to any side of your screen to 'dock' it, as shown in the tutorial below.
Annotation
How to Annotate
To annotate, simply tap the tool you'd like to engage and then tap or draw on your score. To deselect the tool, tap on the tool again, or tap on another tool to engage a new one.
Toolbox management and customisation
Manage your tools
Whether it's a pre-made toolbox or one of your own, you can add and remove tools as you like. Tap the plus icon in your toolbox to see the full selection of tools. Once you've found the one you need, select it and tap 'Add' to include it in your toolbox.
Edit your tools
To edit a tool, simply long-tap the tool in the toolbox and change the size, colour and opacity that you'd like. Hit 'Save'.
All tools in nkoda can be customised or edited for whatever purpose, and by using the plus icon you can have multiple versions of every tool, should you need it.
Edit your Toolbox
Once you have the tools you need, you can edit your toolbox however you'd like.
To reorder tools, select the icon of a pen and paper (the 'Edit' icon) at the top of your toolbox. Long-tap a tool and drag to move your tool to the desired position. You can also hit the cross in the corner of a tool to delete it from your toolbox. Tap the Edit icon again to save your changes.
To rename and give a colour to your toolbox, select the settings icon at the top of your toolbox. Change your name and colour, and tap 'Save'.
To remove a toolbox from your screen, select the cross on the top right of the toolbox. To open it again, open 'Toolboxes & Widgets' from your menu bar and select the toolbox.
The following tools can be added to your toolboxes:
Musical symbols - Add predesigned symbols, such as dynamics and articulation. Select a symbol and tap on your music where you’d like to place it.
Scalable symbols - Add symbols that can be scaled to your needs such as slurs, staves and hairpins. Browse and add our instrument-specific symbols too. Once you've selected your symbol, place it on the score and drag to resize.
Free draw - Draw, write and circle anything you want on a score.
Highlight - Highlight sections in scores.
Erase - Erase markings, text and highlights - any annotations that you've made - by tapping the annotation you’d like to erase. You can also tap with two fingers to erase your last annotation, and tap with three fingers to redo the action.
Text - Write notes on the score. When the text box opens, type away. You can also change the size and colour of the text, and move, extend or delete the text box.
Move - Move any markings around the page by long tapping on them and dragging them.
Lasso/Multiselect - Modify a range of markings you've created by drawing a loop around them. This tool is the first in our list of tools, under ‘Essentials’. Remember to check which layer of markings is active! To move, drag the selected markings anywhere on the page.
Page navigation - Navigate through your score quickly by selecting this tool from your toolbox. This tool is the second in our list of tools, under ‘Essentials’, and the icon appears as a book. Select this tool to open navigation at the bottom of your screen. Your bookmarked pages will also be indicated here. View our tutorial on page navigation.
Change colour - Change the colour of the annotations you're making. Long tap on an annotation, select ‘Edit’, change the colour and then hit ‘Save’.
Pen thickness - Highlighter too thin? Drawings too thick? Adjust the width of your digital nib by long tapping on the icon.
Undo - Tap with two fingers to undo your last annotation. View our tutorial on the undo-redo shortcut.
Redo - Tap with three fingers to redo your last annotation. View our tutorial on the undo-redo shortcut.
Add layer - Layer notes and markings so that you can focus on certain annotations and hide those that you don’t want to see. Please see our tutorial on annotation layers.
Tap the plus icon in your toolbox to see the full selection of tools.