| Author | Message | |||
     Clyde (clyde) Senior Forum User Username: clyde Post Number: 809 Registered: 12-2002 |
Hi Mark, In regard to changing instruments within a track, I would like to see a more precise way of positioning the instrument change command. Currently the 'instrument menu' provides for shift left or shift right facility. I believe we need an enhanced facility here to allow more precise positioning. While instrument positioning may not apply to piano playing, or orchestral music where a stave remains the same instrument, for some instruments (eg organ software) the staff refers to the manual being played and the stops are the instrument changes for that manual. Stops are frequently changed in between notes (usually by piston action) and in these case on the organ, positioning of the instrument change is critical. What I would suggest, rather than the 'left' and 'right' functionality that you implement a positioning system similar to 'Modulator control' where you can specify 'measure, beat & tick'. With thanks .. Clyde | |||
| Mark Walsen (markwa) Notation Software Developer Username: markwa Post Number: 2827 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hello Clyde, I agree that sometimes a high degree of precision is needed to place instrument sound changes. This has indeed already been implemented in a future enhancement to Composer that has not yet been released, and which will not be included in v2.0. Thanks for this feedback. Cheers -- Mark | |||
| Clyde (clyde) Senior Forum User Username: clyde Post Number: 814 Registered: 12-2002 |
Hi Mark, I shall look forward to that ... Clyde | |||
| Clyde (clyde) Senior Forum User Username: clyde Post Number: 1056 Registered: 12-2002 |
Hi Mark, I am reworking my organ versions of about 350 hymns (as I have purchased some more Virtual organs and are adding them together), and am finding that stop changes (or instrument changes in Composer) are proving to be very difficult to precisely locate. Currently, I understand that Composer links the instrument change to a note (as described in the manual on page 484). With classical and church organ music, changing stops is an art in itself, and its important to do the change when the stop change itself will not affect an already sounding note (although, in theatre organ playing sometimes this technique to change a note while sounding is deliberately used). Where the organ is unique from other instruments is that the staves which are separate instruments for orchestral music are separate manuals (keyboards/pedalboard) for the organ, and on the organ they can be coupled together. So it is very possible, and in fact is often the case, that the notes on a manual are sounding when no scores notes are being played on that keyboard, but as a result of coupling the manuals together. Therefore co-ordination of stop changes is not confined just to one stave, but consideration of stop changes on other staves (manuals) where there are no notes on the stave for that manual needs to be carefully timed. And it is at this point that one runs into trouble. The only way I have found around this problem is to insert 'dummy' notes into the stave so that the instrument change has something to 'link' itself to (as in the current implementation). This is simple enough to do, but there is a catch. As the organ is not a 'touch sensitive' instrument there is no way to actually insert a non-sounding note into the score (ie, one with zero loudness) as all notes sound equally loud. If the supposedly 'dummy note' is inserted at the wrong spot just (even marginally), for example a little after that other manual notes, then the stops will change while the notes are sounding, thereby giving bad result. If it is marginally early, then the 'dummy' note actually sounds a little before the actual played notes. I wonder Mark, if you can suggest a work around for my problem, with consideration to the following issues: (a) Precise placement of an instrument change when there are no notes on the stave, and (b) The instrument changes that are related to notes, needs to be related to the 'as played' start position, rather than as I suspect at present the 'as notated' start position. (c) If the notes in a chord are not struck exactly at the same time (which is often the case as shown by the 'as played' piano roll bars), and if the instrument change is related to the 'as played' will Composer implement the instrument change prior to any notes in that chord being played. I hope you can understand my problem. I see the current implementation as being ideal for most situations other than for organs. To be able to manually position the instrument change with bar/beat/tick seems to me to be the simplest next step, as the logic required to do it all automatically seems too hard and unnecessarily complex. I know this change is on the drawing boards as indicated above, but do you have any suggestions as to what I can do at present, as this placement problem of the instrument change constantly presents itself, and I cannot find a 'foolproof' workaround. Cheers ... Clyde | |||
| Mark Walsen (markwa) Notation Software Developer Username: markwa Post Number: 3354 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hello Clyde, I think I understand the problem. Basically, you'd like a way to tweak the exact playback location of an Instrument Sound Change object, right? Do you have a recommendation for the user interface for this? When a second organ staff is affected by an organ stop notated on a first staff, do you assign both of those staves to the same MIDI channel? How do you notate your organ stops, by the way? Could you show an example here? Cheers -- Mark | |||
| Clyde (clyde) Senior Forum User Username: clyde Post Number: 1057 Registered: 12-2002 |
Hi Mark, I have attached a WORD document that has some screen shots of two of Pipe Organs and a description on how they are driven from Composer, and how intrument changes affect the organ, together with some idea of what couplers do. This may help you appreciate the complexity involved in this part of the organ.
In regard to what I would suggest as a dialogue box for instrument changes I would like to see two things: (a) A way of specifying bar/beat/tick for the instrument change. (b) Optionally, as way to automatically display the 'patch' name on the score (currently it only does it if you move the mouse over it). It would be nice to be able to save typing the display text in all the time. (This is only a wish-list item). Concerning the more important issue of specifying 'bar/beat/tick' there are two broad options here: 1. the non-musical way. This implies just adding a section like you have on the 'GraphOverNotes' dialogue box. This I would feel would be the simplest to implement, and also from the user perspective total control. But it is not very 'musically' or 'stave' orientated.  Nevertheless, I would be extremely happy with this as a solution, as in reality this would not be a greatly used feature as the currently implemented instrument change orientated to notes and bar lines etc would meet most needs. 2. A more musical way. This would be to implement a 'handle' to the instrument change symbol when highlighted, that pointed to position on the stave where the instrument change occurred. Perhaps down on the bottom left the bar/beat/tick details could be shown. When inserting an instrument change, where they clicked on the stave (horizontal position only) would indicate bar/beat/tick. To change an existing instrument change, drag the handle to the new position. This concept is already in Composer in the way 'hairpins' work, but instrument changes would not need to be so complex. All of the above suggestions are in addition to the current functionality in Composer. If I had a preference, it would be for (1) above (non-musical way), although you may prefer the second approach. With thanks ... Clyde |
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