andersonalex

I'm posting here to see if there would be any people interested in helping test out a web application I've been developing. The application is geared towards several different groups of musicians - composers/arrangers, students and teachers. It lets users post songs, either composed within the software using a very basic notation program or by uploading MusicXML files. The community can then perform and record the individual parts, uploading each of them so that they can be combined into a sort of "virtual ensemble" mix. Because the software plays the accompaniment track, the various performances are kept in sync. There's also a gaming aspect to this where the software listens to the performer and scores him/her based on how many notes are played correctly. To begin with, I'm hoping to get some people to add shorter, simpler pieces, under 4 minutes. Some small ensemble pieces would be great to try. When posting music, you can sync an mp3 accompaniment track that you've created with external software. The app also has a built in set of (not fancy) GM sounds. One nice thing about building performances is that you can mix your existing MP3 accompaniment with whatever instrument parts people have recorded. I've always found this is a nice way to fill out a mock-up when I can't get all of the parts performed. I'll mention right now that my application still has some big limitations. The mixer/sequencer isn't fancy, but you can at least save out mp3's of tracks if you'd rather take the performances into a full-featured sequencer. The notation engine is still basic as well, with many things not supported (no hairpins, articulations, repeats, etc.). I've been primarily trying to get this up to a level that's appropriate for students to have fun practicing and composing, but I think it could be useful for a community of composers like this as well. The current (beta) version of my app is at http://www.odogy.com. It would be really fun to build up a little group of performers and composers to help make recordings for each other. I can contribute on euphonium and recorder. Thanks!

Thanks for the reply. The music creation requires a little more thought than what I personally at least can refer to as grunt work. While I'm targeting beginner band method songs, none of them have multi-part arrangements (duets, trios, quartets, etc.) available that I can just go grab and input. So that work takes thought, especially if we try to make them more interesting than simple harmonization. The goal is to take these songs and make them more fun for kids by letting them create interesting sounding mixes on their own or with their friends. I find it challenging to write arrangements in a way that will be playable all in one key for all instruments, especially when considering beginning students' limited range. Also, in addition to the ensemble parts themselves, I'm trying to add mp3 accompaniment tracks that spice up the playback. These aren't parts that students play, so they can be as creative and involved as the composer wants. I personally have been using Band in a Box's real tracks to create these, as I've been impressed with the quality, and it takes much less time. Of course, even with this there is a lot of creative freedom with chord progressions, style, etc. So I guess that while I'm referring to this as arranging work, I'm really thinking that it takes someone who is both a composer and someone who has knowledge of how to write for these instruments and this age group. As for why I'm looking for help, it's simply that this is a big project, and there is a lot to do. I'm looking for a small number of people to join me, with this being a cooperative business venture. I want to build a small core group of people who are interested in the success of the product and who will thus want to contribute ideas, help with promotion, etc. I'd like this to turn into something that makes us some good money and helps musicians. But I don't think I can do it alone.

I'm looking for a musician to help me with a music education software application I am in the process of creating. I'll start out by saying this is unpaid - I'm looking for someone who can work with only the hope that we're successful and able to make money with the product. On the plus side, for any of you who have worked on indie game projects in the past and have had bad experiences, the application is up and running and ready to start showing to get feedback. And before I go too far, given the forum, I should say that I probably need to limit my options to people who are at least college age (I'm 35). The application, which runs in a browser, is a cross between a game and a collaboration tool for student musicians. Students play their band instruments to perform songs, which are displayed in music notation, and the game listens to them through a computer microphone and scores them in real time as they play (similar to Guitar Hero, but with music notation). At the same time, the software records the performances, and students can upload their recordings to share them with their classmates. The performances are replayed visually, with the audio synced up to the notation and assessment. Students can then take recordings that have been uploaded by multiple users and, using a simple built-in mixer, combine them into a "virtual ensemble" performance. I'm initially targeting school beginning band programs, and I'm looking for someone who can arrange small ensemble versions (duets, trios, quartets, etc) of songs that are commonly found in band method books. Much of this content is in the public domain, and there is a great deal of overlap between what all of the schools use (making it ideal material). The arrangements are made so that every instrument can play all of the parts. My application allows users to either make mixes entirely on their own or by mixing recordings with their friends. My application reads MusicXML files for the notation, and I have a tool for syncing an mp3 accompaniment to the notation. In an effort to keep the team small, I have to be selective. We stand a much better chance of success if the team isn't overloaded, and I'm looking for people with a good set of complementary skills. I'm aware that I probably won't find someone who has the time available, but it never hurts to ask, and there are a lot of talented people on this forum. Here are some skills that can help (I'm not imagining someone would have all of them). * Time availability. This isn't a summer project, but an ongoing effort. * Experience composing/arranging for band instruments - original compositions are great, too, but the focus initially is on getting a lot of content. * Knowledge of ideal ranges for beginners * Experience with Finale or other notation software that can export MusicXML * Experience with making mp3 mockups of your music using sample libraries, etc. I'm currently using RealTracks with Band in a Box, and this works well for creating accompaniments quickly. * Connections with band or private music teachers - we need to promote and get feedback * Art/Drawing/Graphic Design * Web Design or any programming * An interest in gaming * Live in the U.S. - Texas even better. I can certainly provide guidance on any of the music related things in this list. My background is in music composition, and I have a lot of experience with Finale, instrument ranges, etc. I was actually building this application for composers, as a means to allow them to get their music performed, but it really does make more sense to start with the education market and then expand. Thanks for reading. Please message me with any questions.

It probably goes without saying, but if you have a spam filter in your email, make sure to check your junk mail in case their replies have been caught by the filter. It also appears their website has a forum. Have you tried posting there?

Strings tend to have slow attacks on many instruments, and this can make them sound late in fast passages. You could use the MIDI Tool to push notes forward a small amount. You would highlight the problem section with the MIDI Tool, go to the MIDI Tool menu, choose Edit Note Durations, MIDI Tool menu again, Add. For start times, try a negative value, such as -256 (256 is a sixteenth note, 512 an eighth, 1024 a quarter, etc.). Click OK. You'll have to set HP to incorporate your MIDI data. Click the speaker icon on the playback controls, click HP Preferences, and choose MIDI Data. Set Start/Stop Times to "Incorporate." This only has to be done once in the program.

Expression metatools default to a "context sensitive" setting that will assign expressions to notes when you click near a note or to all staves when you click some place that's not near a note. If you only want to assign expressions to notes (typical with dynamics), you can set this in the Expression menu. With the expression tool selected, the Expression menu should be available. Just choose metatools: note attached. You can also opt to leave it on context sensitive and just watch how your mouse pointer changes when its close to a note versus far away. There is no option for metatools to assign measure expressions (the green ones) to one staff only. Only note expressions (the red ones) will assign to a single staff/note. Generally speaking it's almost always best to use note expressions for dynamics and other expressions that should be aligned to notes. These will track better when automatic spacing adjustments occur (very useful when dealing with extracted/linked parts). Regarding your tuplet numbers, note that you can also set the default appearance for tuplets. In recent versions of Finale this is found in the Document Options (used to be called Document Settings in Finale 2002). However, I think they may have been in a different place in that version of Finale - try ctrl clicking the tuplet tool on the main tool palette to see if that brings them up. Whatever you set in there will become the new default appearance for new tuplets you create (it won't affect the ones you've already entered). You can also edit tuplets en masse with the Mass Mover tool. Highlight a region of music (maybe even the whole song), go to the Mass Mover menu, and choose Change -> Tuplet Definitions. It's been a long time since I've seen Finale 2002, so I might be a little off in menu or tool names. But I think you'll be able to find it.

Qccowboy is correct, even for Finale 2002. With the articulation tool selected, hold Shift and press the key you want to assign it to. That brings up the dialog box. Choose the articulation you want to assign that shortcut to and click select. From that point on, when you hold that key down (without shift) and click, you get the object. I'm not sure which version ctrl changed to shift, but I believe it had already happened by this point. If not, use ctrl.

If you're using Finale GPO (or Full GPO or any NI VST plug-in), you could set it up in the Kontakt Player. You'd load two instruments and assign them to the same channel. You'd then load a third instrument (possibly just one of the first two again) and assign it to a different channel. Then on the staff you would use expressions that have their playback definitions set to channel changes. When you want 2 people playing, you set it to the channel that you loaded the two people on. When you want one, you set it to the other channel. You have 64 channels to work with, so you should have enough.

Mass Edit tool. Highlight the last two measures on the bottom of page 2 (all staves). Right-click to get the context menu and choose Clear Items. Uncheck everything except Tempo Changes. Click OK and play it.

What sort of expression did you use to disable swing? Don't use a "disable Human Playback" expression. Instead, use a swing expression to start swing for the first movement and then another swing expression setting swing to none. In other words, don't set Swing to On in the playback settings dialog.

Actually, this is firmly Sibelius' responsibility. Sibelius can no longer import Finale files on its own - it only imports through Music XML. Finale also imports Music XML. The problem is that Sibelius seems to refuse to add Music XML Export to its software (which of course Finale has and is the reason why you can import Finale's files into Sibelius). So it's easy to send Finale files to users of dozens of different notation programs. But none of those notation programs get to read Sibelius files. Music XML has become the standard interchange format for notation programs. If you want other people to be able to read your files, you support that format. If you don't want people to be able to read your files with other software...

If you like Sibelius' entry method, then use Simple Entry in Finale, not Speedy Entry. Simple Entry is very much like Sibelius' entry (but I prefer Simple Entry because it's more forgiving and has more shortcuts). Using the mouse is not required. You can use just the computer keyboard or you can use the computer keyboard along with a MIDI keyboard. The only time I'll ever use Speedy Entry is if I'm playing around on a MIDI keyboard and am not sure what notes I want to enter. Speedy Entry is good for this, because you can play notes on the MIDI keyboard, and they won't be entered unless you hold the notes down and press numbers on the computer keyboard. But if I know what notes I'm going to be entering, I use Simple, because it's faster.

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Using the Staff tool you should be able to drag staves around. You might find that it works better though to add new staves, copy the music to them, and then delete the old ones. I don't think it's possible to program the playback of a trill in Printmusic. The best you might do here is to save a separate version of your song - a playback version, where you write the notes out literally (or change the key signature for that measure only).

Yes, go to the download page on Finale's website and download the 2006c updater. Install that and it should install the needed file. If it doesn't, contact customer support and they should be able to help.