Hello

I am interested in using a laptop for lead sheets.

It seems to me that this would be a better choice for me over Music Pad Pro, because I think Music Pad Pro only does music notation and no other functions like on a laptop such as using OMB, using Sound Forge or other recording software, no midi files or mp3's can be played or any other things that I may have not even considered. Am I correct in the above?

Scott

Hi Scott
You are correct as far as it goes.I use MidiNotate Composer to play midifiles as moving scores.I also have leadsheets scanned and organized for numbers using nothing but the keyboard.My problem arised when I have a full page score.I have to reach up and push pg dn.I can zoom out,but the print becomes too small to read.

The Musicpad Pro does not play sequences etc,etc. It is very good,however at organizing,editing,and displaying scores.

Scott Yee can tell you much more,but from what I have seen.it does a great job for what it is intended to do.It is larger than the average laptop screen,hence you can display it better.
Bernie

Scott, I feel the laptop offers many possibilities only limited by imagination. I have not been succesful at scaning music -- not clear enough for me. Sooo, I spend the time placing each note on the staff. The up side is that I can add information on the fly to each song, or change keys with little effort. This past year I have been just adding songs with lyrics and chords, no notes, I must be getting better. Hmmm.

Having a great time in music, John C.

So as I see it at this point the laptop with the many different possibilities makes a lot of sense. As with everything some pro's and con's.

One of my ideas was to set the laptop on it's side and possibly use Pivot Pro. But maybe setting the laptop in it's normal configuration will be just as easy, if not superior especially if one uses it for other applications at the same time, such as OMB, Hypercanvas, software recording etc?

The next thing is to get clear scanned music. I think I'd prefer doing that over going click and point or whatever. However, in the past when I scanned music, it would print out on paper looking real good. But, if I tried to view it in the computer monitor not everything seemed to show too clearly. What's the deal on that?

Then as far as music notation software. I know there a number of programs out there ranging from maybe $40-$500. I know all I want to do is to have a lead sheet with melody and chords. Possibly occasionally harmony notes along with the melody, but still only using one staff.

As far as I know, each program has it's own way of saving it in that particular companies format. If that is true, than that's kind of a shame, because I am sure there are a number of people doing this work, and it would be great to be able to share the music with others. It seems like that would only be possible if the songs were either originally saved in a format that would work on anyones computer, say wordpad, excel, 602 etc.or to have a program to convert the music to some standard format. But as far as I know there is no such thing out there is there?

PDF's seem to come out looking pretty good although it's not as smooth an operation going from one piece of music to another.

Then I see some of you are scolling or turning pages manaully. Does this work smoothly and easily?

I also know some programs like Busker by OMB will actually scroll either the notes you have clicked and dragged or it sounds like one can even have a scanned piece of music scroll automatically with the style. What about repeats and DC al Fine's etc?

It seemed to me it would be best having the music set up and manually scroll like you have a physical piece of paper would be more like the real world, but then if the music would scroll autotically, possibly even highlighting the note that you should be playing, like it does in the Tyros screen for midi songs may be even easier. Does one have control over how many times you can repeat a song on the fly as compared to it doing whatever you entered when you wrote out the music notation.

Seems like perhaps the Busker may be as good a way as any to go?

Then there is the thing of changing Windows OS. I have an older version of Encore and a bunch of music for it. It does not work properly with Windows XP. I don't really want to pay $200 for an upgrade. Does anyone have a fix on the Encore XP problem?

So here are a bunch of thoughts, ideas and questions on this issue. I would also think this and reading between the lines would insite some other questions and solutions. I hope some of you who have tried working with this will be able to answer these questions, and give me/us some ideas to consider.

I had to experiment with my scans before they were the way I wanted them.I am no expert in this but, I know that in my case,jpeg format with a medium resolution was fine.
As far as leadsheet is conscerned,MidiNotate will read the midi in a full window showing all tracks. You pick leadsheet,and the melody track,and you get a single staff melody line with chords above,and a moving highlight of the note being played.If you want to add another track,it displays that on another staff below.
Re repeats etc on the fly,It is a bit more cumbersome than merely looking at a scan. You can tell it in advance how many repeats etc.The other way is to put the cursor at the beginning,or anywhere else and it will repeat from there.

I don't know of any universal format either.Since the program converts the different tracks to a leadsheet,it takes the same program to run it.

To have the best of both worlds,would be to run a laptop and a Musicpad,but the Pro is too expensive for me.

Bernie

Hi Scott!
Try Sibelius software - www.sibelius.com


------------------
Nice day!
Igor
Europe-Slovenija

Hi Scott,
Jos's instructions are LESS than helpfull for scanning sheet music & OMB, but I did try it a while back and it seemed to work.
It's not a function I use, I was just experimenting at the time. I'm trying to remember how I eventually did it.

best wishes
Rikki





[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 06-18-2005).]

Hi Scott,
OMB does scroll thru while you play your style. It doesn't appear to take into account repeats. I just scanned in one of my easy play pieces of sheet music which doesn't have any repeats ( unlike Waltzing Matilda Demo in OMB).
Actually it does quite a good job. Best part is, sheet music is saved as part of a Preset ( I think it's called a Registration in a PSR keyboard). A preset includes the following functions for a song, the style, tempo, instruments , sheet music ( score )etc. and you can controll the scroll speed .

You can add additional pages to the score using MS Paint. So maybe one way around repeats would be to duplicate the score. You can erase words using ms paint. Not a terrific solution but?

Busker on the other hand takes into account repeats etc. Problem is you can't use a scanned score or midifile. You actually have to type the notes, chords & words in. It then plays it back as a song and scrolls through.

Both programs are different . OMB , you play styles in realtime as the score scrolls thru.

Busker, it plays the song using PSR/omb styles, the only part you could play would be melody & left hand pad. It's more like playing along to a midifile as it scrolls through.There is an option for using an arranger keyboard, but as I don't own one, I don't have a clue what this function does.

I had trouble remembering how to access the score etc as I hadn't thought to use the function.
ON Voice page press Start
Press " Backspace" on computer keyboard
Locate Score for " Waltzing Matilda " and press " V " on computer keyboard.
Then start to play the style.

To setup a Preset, instead of pressing "V" click the Right Mouse Button.

Make sure under OMB Settings, User Interface, you're using window PC 2.

best wishes
Rikki

p.s.
happy you brought up the subject, I'm off to scan some more of my sheet music.

Hi Rikki

Your comments are speeding up my learning curve tremendously. I will have to check into it when I get the chance. Also, you are right about going at it a little at a time. Lots of times when I do something new I want to know everything yesterday. haha. You have helped to remind me that Rome wasn't built in a day. Isn't that right Tony??

Best
Scott Langholff

Hi Scott,
you're not the only one. If I can be of any help, let me know. OMB's a program worth spending some time on getting to know. Hate to say it, but the manuals a bit less than helpfull at times. Jos has the Tutorials online, but it makes the whole process a bit fragmented going fom tutorials to help files within the program when trying to work out how to do something.
The program has all sorts of goodies that are easily missed unless you spend some time on the program. I'm still coming across stuff that I hadn't realized I could do.

best wishes
Rikki

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scott Langholff:
[b]Hi Rikki

Also, you are right about going at it a little at a time. Lots of times when I do something new I want to know everything yesterday. haha.

[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 06-19-2005).]

Hi Rikki

I really appreciate your help. I am liking all of the programs I am trying now more and more. I suspect that a lot more can be done with OMB, but, I have to admit that I am liking Jammer Live and Live-Styler more and more all the time. Why? Probably because they are set up to look and operate pretty much like a virtual arranger keyboard control panel.

But, I'm going to take my time and play around with all 3 of them. They each seem to have their "issues."

What I am really looking forward to is to figure out how to get Hypercanvas to work in the styles and right hand voices. Right now it looks like gruelling work for me because I am starting from scratch not really knowing what I'm doing or understanding the terms.

The other thing is I need to figure out how to get my Tyros to work as the controller keyboard. I have succeeded doing that once using Jammer Live. But that is because it is just like an arranger kb control panel. I haven't read any directions on how to use it. I've spent the least amount of time using it out of the 3, yet I can just sit down and do it. Maybe that alone should be telling me something for what direction to take.

Well, see you later.

Scott

Hi Scott,
using Hypercanvas in either OMB or Jammer Live ( probably same goes for Live Styler)requires additional software.
I use the following
Forte Ensemble ( demo Available)http://www.brainspawn.com/products/forte/
You Load? ( for want of a better word )Hypercanvas into this program.

Asio4All Driver (free) http://www.asio4all.com/
(forte requires particular types of drivers , this one worked for my laptop)

Midi Yoke ( free ) http://www.midiox.com/index.htm?http://www.midiox.com/myoke.htm

It's a virtual midi cable that connects
Forte Ensemble (Hypercanvas) OMB/Jammer Live/Live Styler together.

Your setup in omb becomes Midi IN usb
Midi Out Midi Yoke


Actually if you get this far, you'r only one step away from being able to use soundfonts as well.

Hypercanvas should go well with Jammer Live, but it could cause you some hassles with psr styles & xg drum mapping in omb ie you could get the occasional wrong drum playing.

best wishes
Rikki
p.s. I did leave a bit of a message on your other thread about the tyros & omb.

Rikki, it is a humbling experience monitoring your knowledgeable discussions on software based arranger systems. Who would have thought....I better crawl under the heap?????

What software do you use to input the notes?
Starkeeper

.
Band-in-a-box is my favorite program for printing lead sheets. Once you have the options set up to give an output that looks good to you, all you do is enter melody and chords. This usually goes very fast. BIAB automatically gives a clean and easy-to-read output. Looks good on paper and on the screen. Shopuld work well with your laptop-on-its-side idea.

Douglas Wolfe

.

Hi Frank,
haa haa good one.
You taught me well. My terminology is still not the best, but thanks to you I've managed to grasp the concept of how to put it all together.
best wishes
Rikki

Hi Rikki

Regarding the wrong drum parts possibility with Yamaha styles. I would guess that there is some way to either eliminate the one bad sound or to possibly use one of those programs that Michael Bedesem has created to fix those drum parts in midi songs for Yamaha gear? Do you think that that is a correct assumption?

Hi Scott,
that's one feature I really luv in OMB, it has a conversion table that you can set up
to suite you. You can do multiple tables & save them to use over & over again. You can even adjust individual drum velocties usingthe conversion table ie your bass drum plays too softly, add a plus velocity of 10, 20 whatever. Your brushes are playing too loud, add a minus velocity. You can use the velocity function even if you don't want to convert the drum notes.

You can veiw it in decimal or note names. I prefer decimal because Jos's note names are an octave or 2 out when you use a synth drum map. He names his notes from a different starting point for instance on my gm drum map C1 no 36 is Bass Drum 1 .
( I think Jos has C3 36 Bass Drum 1)
So setting it to decimal is less confusing and most drum maps have notes & no's.

Apply to Tracks .
Make sure only track 10 and/or 9 are ticked and that they're set to channel 10 in the style. Gm won't?? accept midi channel 9 as a drum track ( at least that's what I beleive)

Next the option of
IN All Parts
what that means is do you want this conversion in all the drum tracks throughout the style. I would say yes, because if you've got a wrong drum in vari a , it's likely to be in one of the other style parts also.

To do a conversion just say convert Bass Drum 2 B0 35 to Bass Drum 1 C1 36.

Stylemaker
Track
Convert
( do the settings above)
Old 35
New 36
Apply

Save the style as "???"a
Test it.
Now if you find you need to convert some more notes, load in the original style, (35/36 will still be setup in the table) do the others you want to change , press apply. Resave as "???"a.
You can also save the conversion table, so that if you find another style that needs converting, you table is already set up.

The reason I keep loading in the original style rather than the edited version ( when I'm building up a conversion table in steps) is mainly out of habit. You can't really botch it up when you're only converting notes, but if you're doing velocities at the same time, each time you press apply you're adding or taking away velocities over & over again.

Hope I'm making some sense.

Also, just in case you haven't tried the stylemaker ( omb), and you really only need to edit the one or 2 notes you could edit them in the events list.
Stylmaker
Events colum
left click the events section of the track you want to edit
choose event list
you'll see the notes in the track. (Remember Jos's notes are different to GM table)

More than likely your wrong drum notes will be any notes below
( jos's B2)= ( GM's B0 )note 35 bass drum 2
or notes above
( jos's C7 )= ( GM's C5) note 84 bell tree.

best wishes
Rikki

p.s. jos has a gm conversion table in the group files, but you're better off doing your own to suit your synth.






[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 06-21-2005).]

Thanx for the input so far. I'd really like to hear more from people that are using a laptop or Music Pad Pro and how you are doing it in a way that works out good. Still interested in hearing more about different music notation programs and successful scanning methods. Anybody using PDF's successfully?

Is there a program that allows Music Pad Pro music to be used on a standard laptop or vice versa?

Anyone using Pivot Pro?

All input welcome on this topic.

Scott Langholff

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 06-21-2005).]

Also, does anyone have collections of music computer ready you want to share or swap?

If so, please email me at:

scott_langholff@yahoo.com

Hi Scott. I've owned a MusicPad Pro for a few months now and have nothing but good things to say about it. I have a few thousand tunes commited to memory, but there are thousands and thousands more to play. The MPP functions as a fake book. I have close to 5,000 tunes in the MPP. That beats having to carry a bunch of fake books around. I use a laptop to play midi files to accompany myself. A laptop just can't function as an MPP. Later, Ray