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


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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).]