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Helpful Articles
How to Use Notation Products
What is the best way to learn Notation? What self-help resources are available?
Different people have different preferences for how to learn to use software, the main distinction being whether they prefer to read documentation, view videos, or use no documentation and just...
Where can I find the User Guide (documentation)?
You can find all the available documentation types for the User's Guides for both Notation Musician and Notation Composer at https://www.notation.com/Documentation.php . Please see there what is...
Are there any tutorial videos available?
Yes, there is a growing series of tutorial videos available at https://www.notation.com/TutorialVideos.php
How can I use VST instruments with Notation products?
For a full discussion of how to use VST instruments with Notation products, please see the many discussions in our Users Forum (https://www.notation.com/vb-forum/index.php ), as well as the Tutorial...
How can I transpose one (a single) staff?
For a video tutorial about Transpositions, you can see our page at https://www.notation.com/TutorialVideos.php For "transposing a single staff", we'll need to differentiate between 3 different...
What options are there for preparing piano parts?
Notation Musician and Notation Composer offer many options for preparing piano parts from MIDI files: If the piano part in the MIDI file is all in one staff (track), you can split that staff into...
How do I use the Garritan Personal Orchestra (or other sound libraries) with Notation products?
We have a tutorial video for this which you can view or download at https://www.notation.com/TutorialVideos.php There are also discussions in our User Forum...
How do I add a note in Notation products?
There are many ways to add notes to a song using Notation Composer. You can add notes with the mouse, with your computer keyboard, with a virtual piano, or with a MIDI instrument connected to your...
How can I change the pitch of a note?
Notation Composer allows you to change the pitch of notes by selecting them (simply left-clicking on the note(s) you want to change), and then using the up/down arrow keys to move the note(s) to the...
How can I get a PDF of my score?
Our software has an option to save a PDF of your file. You can use File/Export...PDF to save a PDF copy of your file. The PDF export is a high resolution export. If this export file is too big for...
How can I tranpose the song or parts?
Notation products' Staff menu offers two commands: (1) Transpose Actual Pitches and (2) Transpose Instrument Key. The first command transposes all of pitches up or down-- both what you hear and what...
Why are no lyrics displayed for a MIDI file?
Many MIDI files (with a .mid file name extension) do not have lyrics. If there are not lyrics in the MIDI file, then there are no lyrics for Notation to display. All Karaoke files (with a .kar file...
How can I copy an excerpt of a Notation score into another application's document?
Notation Musician and Notation Composer have high-resolution image export, using File -> Export image. You can then edit the exported image file in your favorite editor and bring it into your other...
What types of files can Notation products read?
Notation products can open MIDI files of format 1, into notated scores. MIDI files have a Mid file name extension. Notation products can open Karaoke (.kar) files into notated scores. Notation...
How can I reduce the number of pages that Notation uses to print a song?
Notation products offer many ways to reduce the number of pages in a printed score: If the score shows parts for instruments other than the one you wish to print its part, then use the Part "drop...
When I open a MIDI file, the parts for many instruments are shown. I just want to see the part for the instrument I play. How can I do that?
Notation products automatically produce single-instrument Parts for each staff that contains music notes. To quickly see any of these, use the convenient Part "drop list" in the main menu bar to view...
How do I re-enable the GS Wavetable in Notation Software products?
The Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth is disabled by default in our products, but can be enabled by doing the following: For Notation Composer and Notation Musician: 1. Open your Notation Software...
How can I share my music with my friends who don't have my Notation program?
To share your music with friends (eg. send them a song file via email, or post your music on your website), there are a few different options, depending on what you want to do. 1. If you would like...
How do I connect my USB keyboard to a Notation product?
You can typically just use the USB cable that came with your unit and plug it into your computer. You should install the most up-to-date driver from the keyboard manufacturer. Have the keyboard...
How do I get Notation to recognize my MIDI devices?
If your MIDI setup includes not only a soundcard and the internal Notation Software Synth, but one or more MIDI software sound synthesizers, or extra MIDI devices, then you may need to use MIDI Device...