Originally posted by leeboy:
Dennis,
I agree about the lyrics display issue...the chords.
What are the .bmp and .rtf files? I've heard of that type, but don't remember what they are?
Also, we have it from Jerry at Korg USA that it is a top priority to get to the bottem of the rare user of PA2XPRO with hardware LED failures/lockup. Mine has never had a HW issue at all. Got it in March.
Lee
Hi Lee,
RTF = Rich Text File an improvement over the basic ASCII text format which allows the file to save extra formatting data.
By allowing .RTF files, when a user writes a chart with the chord letters above the line, and directly above the word in the line that the chord applies to, that spacing and formatting would be retained.
With basic ASCII text (circa 1970) that layout and formatting is not retained.
There have been improvements on the basic text file format, and I believe the Roland and Yamaha systems, because they allow the later text format version, will read text files with the spacing (multiple, not just between words, as you would with chords above the lyric line)) as typed by the user...Not sure as I have not experimented with the Roland as yet, perhaps Fran/Diki can confirm.
Korg seemed to have only included extremely basic text recognition.. You also cannot exceed 28 characters per line of text, as it doesn't wrap properly (the old CR return code) and then your lyrics all get out of whack. Even then you MUST ensure a proper CR is entered at the end of every line.
I have to say this is ONLY with a fixed text file, and lyrics embedded within a midi file, scroll and work fine, although I suspect this is more to do with the .KAR file format which Korg would have adopted by default by allowing it to load/play .KAR files, than any piece of programming by Korg.
.BMP = windows bitmap graphic format, the standard graphics format.
The E-80 will allow you to link a .bmp file with a song entry. Not sure of any other keyboard that does this.
The advantage? You can hand-write your charts (I personally use postcard size cards with the chord progression on the top and any lyrics I need just typed in the bottom section), place any annotations you want anywhere ('coz it's a hand-written card
) and then scan it, save as a bitmap, and there you have it.
Of course as it is now in the system, you can amend the .bmp image as much as you want, to include for example, where in the song the markers refer to with little arrows or whatever you like, etc etc.
If SZ had posting facilities I could give you an example of how I have my smf's converted to MP3 files, and the .bmp image of the lyrics card embedded in the MP3 as album art...Works a treat on a laptop!!.
Anyway hope that explains it a bit further, and again Lee sorry for the longish answer
Dennis
PS: Just thought, I can send you an example via email? It would be an MP3 file, and all you need is any MP3 player (PC) that allows you to display album art...WMP is not very good, and I use Winamp, as you can easily increase the size of the album art screen to be as big as you like.
Most are pretty big files, but I am sure I have some that are around 5mb or so...Thats the down side, .bmp's are large files so they increase the size of the MP3.. I have not been bothered to go and convert them all to JPEG's as yet.. But I might ..Will have to see how good they convert down.
[This message has been edited by miden (edited 11-24-2008).]