FR: Notation editor

[rockstar_not]

To be discussed for haydxn's FR collection post:

Anybody besides me that would like to have a notation editor and simple score print tool in T?

My last cheapo sequencer, PowerTracks ProAudio, had a somewhat useful notation editor and you could print individual parts out for folks that use them - very handy in a $49 program.

-Scott

[koolkeys]

HEHE, I still have my 3.5 inch disk of Power Tracks Pro. What a great MIDI app it was!

To integrate score editing into Tracktion would be great. My only concerns are these:

With the current way it's built, I wonder if it would have to be re-built to accomodate for scores?

Also, by doing so, you are adding one more screen to Tracktion, and you have to be careful not to take T away from one of it's main selling points. Although I don't believe having a tab you press to change to score editor would be that big of a deal, you do have that problem.

I, myself, use Finale very loyally, and don't really need the score editor, but I do think alot of people would love to have one, so I wouldn't mind seeing one in the future. My guess would be T3 or something though.

Koolkeys

[diverdee]

you could still have it in a one screen paradigm possibly. the same with a drum grid editor - just have a button that changes the way data is displayed - i.e. piano roll/drum grid/notation display - dunno what coding it would be like though - i'm not a coder.

[haydxn]

one thing i've found with notation editors is that they really need to be excellent to be any good.. an 'okay' notation editor is rarely sophisticated enough to cater for the needs of those who would be requiring to use one. as far as i'm aware it's something that's not at all planned for Tracktion (that's my memory tho, really bad and probably making things up). i think for proper notation it's probably better to get a program that's specifically designed for the task. IMO of course!

[koolkeys]

Agreed. That's why I'm leary about actually wanting it there. You can get decent notation editors for free. Although it would be possible to write a plug-in that takes the MIDI out and changes it to notation. You could put it in a rack and it could do multiple tracks. I think THAT would be something cool!

Koolkeys

[braj]

Agreed. That's why I'm leary about actually wanting it there. You can get decent notation editors for free. Although it would be possible to write a plug-in that takes the MIDI out and changes it to notation. You could put it in a rack and it could do multiple tracks. I think THAT would be something cool!

Koolkeys

I think you're onto something there. I personally wouldn't need one or want Jules to spend the time coding it, but that's just me. But something modular that can be developed independently of T sounds great.

[semiquaver]

Something interesting to look at is abc, an open source notation interpreter used as the basis of some great packages like Lilypad.

A VERY simple/powerful and nice solution Might be for Jules to provide an "export MIDI as abc" feature - bring it into lillypad or one of the many other free clients and you're there.

[IIRs]

I HATE TRADITIONAL NOTATION

Besides, I have a feeling this is not a simple feature to add: there is a reason why Finale and Sibelius cost so much!

I also have a nasty feeling that Jules would need to learn to read notation before he could code a notation editor.. I can think of about a 100 different ways I would rather he spent his time (eg: improving MIDI import / export so that other notation apps could be used more effectively.)

Actaully I just thought of something.. what if Tracktion could open a MIDI clip in an external editor, in the same way you can link an audio editor..?

[braj]

Actaully I just thought of something.. what if Tracktion could open a MIDI clip in an external editor, in the same way you can link an audio editor..?

That sounds really interesting. Besides notation, you could maybe do lots of other stuff.

[rockstar_not]

one thing i've found with notation editors is that they really need to be excellent to be any good.. an 'okay' notation editor is rarely sophisticated enough to cater for the needs of those who would be requiring to use one. as far as i'm aware it's something that's not at all planned for Tracktion (that's my memory tho, really bad and probably making things up). i think for proper notation it's probably better to get a program that's specifically designed for the task. IMO of course!

I don't want to print out orchestral scores or anything like that.

I simply want to see which fat-fingered notes were wrong. Piano roll is still kind of a guess for me when it comes to that. Notation is still much easier for me to see when I've hit some clams.

Other than that, I don't bother with notation. I've composed and finished several songs in Tracktion without it, but fixing the mistakes would have been much faster for me had I a pedestrian notation view/edit screen like in PG Music's PowerTracks Pro Audio.

-Scott

[IIRs]

I simply want to see which fat-fingered notes were wrong. Piano roll is still kind of a guess for me when it comes to that. Notation is still much easier for me to see when I've hit some clams.

Problem is most MIDI will look bloody awful converted to notation unless there's a good algo to quantise small timing variations, and turn long notes into slurred notes etc..

My mother is a classical pianist, who uses Finale.. I've helped her out in the past by polishing up her MIDI arrangments in Cubase so she can burn good sounding CDs: she was quite disgusted by the way her MIDI looked in Cubase VST's score editor!

Regarding identifying bum notes: if you can hear that there's a wrong note when the whole track plays back, you can probably identify it by ear by clicking each note in the chord with preview enabled..

[konagold]

Actaully I just thought of something.. what if Tracktion could open a MIDI clip in an external editor, in the same way you can link an audio editor..?

That sounds really interesting. Besides notation, you could maybe do lots of other stuff.

Aloha

I just downloaded this notation program


http://www.tabledit.com/

it both imports and exports MIDI along with other file formats including .wav[export only]

interesting in that it allows one to write notation via guitar fretboard, piano keyboard and number pad,

it also writes harmonica accordian dulicmer tab in various tunings for differing string instrements

I would find very useful a program that one could play a recording into and it would spit out both piano staff notation and guitar tab with correct fingering

but wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which fills up first

Aloha

[IIRs]

but wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which fills up first

[braj]

but wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which fills up first

That's one of the favorite sayings of one of my best friends. Also 'you think your shit doesn't smell?' Gotta call that guy.

[koolkeys]

I still stand by not having internal notation features. But as I said, maybe a plug-in that takes MIDI in or can send MIDI out. Is that possible right now without using a MIDI plug-in format? The reason I say that is because it would have to go BEFORE any sound sources if you wanted to enter your notes through the notation editor, then have them play.

But as it was said, almost never are notes played into the keyboard very nice looking in notation, without some major quantizing or tweaking.

I also do like the external MIDI editor idea. But it would definately be easier with a plug-in that could do it. Just a thought though!

Koolkeys