EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 30, Number 5 This issue's topics: Re: MIDI Hardware info request Notation software? (7 messages) Compact recording microphones? Re: BOSS SE-50 Attention Musicians with Products! (4 messages) More on Mag Filings! Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1991 09:59:29 EDT From: ronin Subject: Re: MIDI Hardware info request the way in which the dx series operates suggests that it would take more than a simple (if such a thing is ever simple) hardware makeover, in order to allow realtime manipulation of fm parameters. if you've programmed one, you've noticed that fm indices are not updated until you release all the keys. it seems that the thing recycles, gets new coefficients, and restarts its program. in order to allow realtime control of indices other than through complex envelopes, you'd need to rewrite the firmware itself. this is what the E! thing is all about. it replaces the cpu that coordinates the operation of the fm chips. the E! does allow realtime control of a set of global indices, btw. you can assign a slider to 'brightness'. i suspect that the computational difficulties inherent in the process make more refined control prohibitive. --------------------------< Eschew Obfuscation >------------------------- Eric Harnden (Ronin) The American University Physics Dept. Washington, D.C ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1991 11:54:35 PDT From: Yon Spigot of Destiny awaits! Subject: Notation software? wotsHot? Folks- A friend of mine is interested in purchasing a Macintosh and doing quite a bit of arranging of vocal pieces. Her main requirement is that the software be capable of producing output acceptable to other professional musicians ( like the SF symphony, various global opera companies, etc. ) who will be _unforgiving_ in their criticism... Ie: "Oh- it's lame because a _computer_ printed it...please send it out to be done by a copist, now." The software will be used for choral and vocal pieces most often, and therefor must be able to handle lyrics in all their tormented variety. No hardware flames, please, their household is a Mac household and a second (large) Mac will only encourage domestic peace. A Mac and a Laserwriter is the basic platform. From my torpid memory pit I remember Finale being a hot number a couple of years ago - has it been displaced? Are there funky little 'toolkit' application which can be used in concert :) to produce wonderful printed output? casey dunn@intellicorp :my muted ramblings are my own opinions, not those of IC. fnord. ------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1991 21:39:29 EDT From: "Schmidt,Rodney" Subject: Re: Notation software? wotsHot? FINALE 2.6.1 is definitely de rigeur. It is not easy to learn, though. Sister program MusicProse is easier with a lot of features. Coda Music Software (a division of the WENGER Co.) offers both at good academic discounts : Finale is $250, MP is $131.50. We also use Professional Composer from Mark of the Unicorn and Deluxe Music Construction Set. ProComp would handle her needs - all of thes e print well on LaserWriter. We are a large public univ. with a Center for Musi c Technololgy. My advice: MusicProse, then later, Finale. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1991 09:58:14 EST From: JUAN PEREZ GARCIA Subject: FINALE Demo. ******************************************************************************* Hello, In an FTP I get FINALE Demo. Is a program that run under Microsoft Windows v.2.1 or higher. I would like to have instructions. Can you h elp me ?. Sorry for my english. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1991 09:10:00 EDT From: RAY BROHINSKY Subject: Re: Notation software? wotsHot? >it's lame because... Usually this is an easy excuse for other difficulties: the spacing of the notes is not conducive to reading on the fly, the bar lines are all vertically in a row (making it real hard to tell which line you're supposed to go to next!) or maybe the symbol placement is off, making it hard to tell where this dynamic starts, or where this slur ends... As for acceptable to musicians, they read some really trashy stuff from the hands of copyists---especially broadway scores. That's not a valid complaint. If your friend wants the very best output, she'd better invest in a POSTSCRIPT printer and get a notation program that uses the Sonata fonts from Adobe. (Frankly, I think everyone does now...) These fonts are close enough to professionally engraved fonts to be indestinguishable. The next problem(s) come(s) from paper and binding techniques. Copyists use heavy paper, in large and odd sizes. Printers use lighter papers (certainly lighter than what copyists use) and stick to letter or maybe legal paper sizes. That's quite a limitation. The biggest, most valid complaint is that toner is not permanent. In short terms, it doesn't sink into the paper like ink, it sits on it. If you use a vynal folder, it sticks to the vynal and comes off the paper. This is a bummer for the librarian (who is probably the one who said ``send it to a copyist''). The best solution, then, is a PostScript capable InkJet-type of printer. If you can put up with the size limitation, a postscript converter with a DeskJet500 (or something equivalent) would be a good deal. The problem with that, though, is that ink jet printers are significantly slower than toner-based printers. For everything you gain, you lose something. As far as notation software, I've used Finale on the Mac, and Dr. T's Copyist DTP on the amiga. Finale was a dog. I'd imagine that it wouldn't be so for someone with time to learn all (and I do mean ALL) of its ideosyncracies. However, if your friend is already a copyist, she can get notes on paper more quickly by hand. (believe it!) Also, if your friend is not a copyist, I don't recommend her going into the business just because there is software to support it. Copying is a specialized art, and there are no computer programs AT ALL, and one or [replace last line with:] a specialized art, and there are no commercial programs AT ALL, and only one or two in universities that make a valid attempt at proper note placement. Thus, the operator of the program MUST know the copyist's art BEFORE attempting to use the program. The currently available programs are more likely to teach bad habits than promote learning the right, legible way of making music on paper. raybro ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1991 13:18:42 EDT From: ronin Subject: copyists and software just to extend a little bit on raybro... working musicians understand a set of idiosyncratic shorthands that no single program has shown an inherent ability to generate 'by itself'. there are many different styles, each particular to a musical sub-genre and its denizens, and the software just isn't smart enough yet to work flexibly with all of them. some of these conventions aren't 'rational', and are therefore hard to encode. this leaves these programs mostly useful as pretty-print systems, as opposed to as real scoring tools. and here, they tend to be more cumbersome than reasonable. it remains more efficient to simply hire a competent copyist. a little more expensive, perhaps, but it's worth it when you've got a thirty-piece ten-minute number that's got to be ready within twelve hours (you've finished it at midnight and the session's the next morning), and you've sketched it rather than draw out every note, and there must be no question (as the players will be bound to ask) that 'the ink is good'. on the other hand, if none of the above is of concern, then the conventional wisdom is that the current versions of finale really are damn good... there doesn't really seem to be a viable contender. --------------------------< Eschew Obfuscation >------------------------- Eric Harnden (Ronin) The American University Physics Dept. Washington, D.C ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1991 08:54:46 EDT From: WHV@PSUVM.PSU.EDU Subject: Re: Notation software? wotsHot? I like Concertware + MIDI for vocal work. I mostly work with barbershop music which is men's 4-part harmony with lyrics. I particularly like the way the lyrics are handled. The music is adjusted left/right to fit the lyrics that are entered. It doesn't give me quite as much control as I'd like for fitting the music to the page and professional musicians may find it's output appearance a bit below published music. I tried Delux Music Construction Set first and like everything about it EXCEPT the way it handled lyrics. Didn't handle the note spacing for me. Perhaps I didn't read the manual enough to see how to do it properly. I did get a demo version of FINALE but it seemed like overkill for what I needed to do. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1991 11:43:42 GMT From: Phil Gardner x3289 Subject: Re: Notation software? wotsHot? In article <5585EF9040000AE0@utrcgw.utc.com>, RAYBRO%HOLON%UTRC@UTRCGW.UTC.COM (RAY BROHINSKY) writes: > > The biggest, most valid complaint is that toner is not permanent. > In short terms, it doesn't sink into the paper like ink, it sits on > it. If you use a vynal folder, it sticks to the vynal and comes off > the paper. > > The best solution, then, is a PostScript capable InkJet-type of printer. > > raybro I've heard and read that ink-jet printers use water based inks. May there not be a problem with, say, a singer or trumpeter expiring water vapour (I'm trying to express this politely...) onto the printed music on their music stand ? Maybe the vinyl folder would still be needed ? Phil <}< -- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1991 11:35:26 EDT From: Tapio Subject: Compact recording microphones? Hi! I'd like to buy a high-end, compact stereo microphone for live recordings etc. I recently saw a test where Sony's ECM 595 did reasonably well. Any other recommodations? There must be other high quality mikes around made for hifi camcorders etc., which would be perfect for all-around use. Thanks for any info, -Tapio PH509002 @ BROWNVM (BITNET) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1991 13:58:02 GMT From: ian taylor Subject: Re: BOSS SE-50 In article <4500159@mac.Dartmouth.EDU> Norwich.School@MAC.DARTMOUTH.EDU writes: >Would love to hear from any users of the BOSS SE-50 multi-effects unit. > >I just got one and am using it with my Strat. > >Advice...good settings.....articles..etc. >Cam Cross Lucky you - we've had an SE50 for a couple of weeks and we are thoroughly impressed. Far a change the distortion/overdrive effects actually sound like they ought to - try comparing them with a REX-50 for example. The vocoder is particularly good - try vocoding your guitar - easier than a wah pedal, and much more fun! Also the panning delay/gate reverbs are loads of fun. The stereo enhancer is invaluable for brightening up duff samples, or slow rate sampled speech. all in all I can recommend this unit to anyone, guitarist, keyboards, vocals, washboard, anything sounds good. --Ian ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1991 00:36:53 -0400 From: jarrod norton Subject: Attention Musicians with Products! Attention All EMusicians with Finished Products! I am looking into the possibilities of having an all-electronic music segment as part of the programming for my radio station. If, of course, I can get enough material. If you have a tape, I would very much like to hear it and use it on the air! Requirements are few, only that it be airable quality. Preferences: 1/4 inch tape (reel-reel), 2 or 4 track. Cassette Tape: Type II or IV. Reel to reel tape speeds: 3 3/4 : 7 1/2 : 15 IPS preferred speeds---^-------^ Please send to: WCLH-FM Wilkes University P.O.Box 111 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 Attn: Production Director/EMUSIC 2 Or write there or call (717) 825-7663 [ask for production director] for more information. When sending please include some info on the music, and on yourself, so that it can be used on the air. Acknowledgements of received material will be given if possible. Also you can mail me through internet for more information. Thanks. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1991 15:51:42 -0400 From: jarrod norton Subject: Re: SEND ME YOUR EMUSIC ] Why not just get the Magnetic Filings tapes (and a few of the USEnet ] compilations) if you want material? (Asking the original artists is ] probably a good move though.) Ah, well, that sounds like a smashing idea, except for a few points... one: I know not of the usenet comps of which you speak. two: I need BOATLOADS of material to make the show I want to put on a viable prospect. I suppose I could try to find a way to get a message on to alt.something.or.other.spam.foo.emusic (or whatever :) )... anyone have access to that? I don't (not that I know of anyway)... I asked the artists because they may have items not on the compilation... JN.... MD/DofP, WCLH-FM ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1991 11:37:00 U From: GNELSON@TWNCTU01.BITNET Subject: RE: SEND ME YOUR EMUSIC What are "magnetic filings" and what is the Usenet compilation? Collections of music? What format? How do I access them? Gary Lee Nelson NCTU, Taiwan ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Jul 1991 21:23:41 -0400 From: jarrod norton Subject: WCLH EMUSIC [> I asked the artists because they may have items not on the compilation... / Or some of us are new and haven't had our shot at the compilation! / I've been working on a number of tunes, but your request gives me a / specific goal to shoot for. Expect a tape from me within a month or / two (is that too late?). Andy, no, it's not too late. I will start up the feature within my normal airshift if necessary, but eventually I would like to have a separate feature show of itself. We already have Backstage PA, which features Pennsylvania bands, but I would rather see what the electronic musicians have come up with. Give me a call sometime. / I think your idea is great and I wish you the best of luck with it / (whether you use any of my stuff or not). :-) Thanks for the encouragement... I'm going to make this station creative if it kills me... and I, as well, wish you luck with your composing! This also applies to everyone else... A compilation is nice... and if whoever does that (someone said ctan or something???) would like to send the station one, be my guest... but I need VOLUME too! Great exposure opportunities... this kind of thing gets SIGNED... trust me. [[[for this coming week, a voice message (answering machine) may be left at (717) 823-9833 , or, failing that, at 717/825-7663.]]] yours etc..... jnorton@wilkes1.wilkes.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1991 01:52:24 GMT From: Cecilia M Tan Subject: More on Mag Filings! [Ed. note - "Magnetic Filings II" is no longer available. I will ensure that messages relating to such things are distributed "real-time" next year - JM] Ah! At last! I'll be picking up the completed tapes of Volume II on Wednesday. Mailing to take place ASAP (hopefully Thursday) Thanks to you all for your patience--this has taken me way to long to bring to completion. A side note for you struggling would-be pros, the band that I manage is currently on the road (they are one big thing that took up a lot of my time the past few months). There they are in Cincinnati, seemingly a million miles from home, playing in a club in the worst part of town, to a miniscule crowd. They decided to go for it, just play their hearts out, had a great show! (even with no audience.) And, you know what? A guy walked up to them at the end of the show and introduced himself as a promotion manager for Reprise Records... just goes to show, every show counts. In case anyone is interested, dates left on the tour: this weekend they'll be at the Ritz in Indianapolis, and Bar with No Name in Louisville (the 27th). Then staright to Los Angeles, where they'll be at Crawfords in Long Beach on AUgust 17th, God Save the Queen on the 24th, Spice the week after, Exposure 54 the week after that (the 1st of Sept?) Warning: there's no e-music in this band. Just guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. -ctan -- i was going to write a bit of original song lyric to put here but i felt like cats were running through my eyes, hissing so I settled for stream of consciousness instead -ctan **----------------------> ctan@world.std.com <---------------------** ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************