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Topic: Play before transcribe (Read 2981 times) previous topic - next topic

Play before transcribe

I am a new (registered) user of NWC. I used to use PianoMan, an MS-DOS program, with which I could play notes on my keyboard and when I was satisfied with them, I could transcribe them. I have not found this function in NWC, but need it. My ear is not good enough to know what the notes will sound like as I am composing unless I actually play the notes.

I saw something in previous messages about this, but am unsure if it meant that a play-before-transcribe function is available in NWC.

Is it?

If not, it is a much needed function. Now, to get the same thing I have to switch between two different programs, a keyboard player, and NWC, and both take over the MIDI mapper, not allowing the sound to come from the other after the first program has been used.

If NWC does not have a play-before-transcribe function, what are some solutions the rest of you use (besides having a piano, which I don't own, beside your computer) to sound out music you are composing before transcribing?

Thanks,
Wayne

Re: Play before transcribe

Reply #1 –
It is not obvious from your question whether you are trying to do real-time or step time entry. I am guessing that you are doing step time entry. In this case, you can simply turn off Tools | MIDI Input Active while trying to find the note, then turn it on again when you are ready. Of course, it would probably be easier to just delete the notes that proved to be wrong.

In real-time, you capture your performance using Tools | Record. You can edit it afterward to fix mistakes. You can also do it repeatedly, and throw out efforts that were not good enough.

Lastly, NWC is fully capable of sharing the MIDI port with other programs. Check the Port Usage option in Tools | Options | Midi. However, not all other programs support such a capability.

Re: Play before transcribe

Reply #2 –
>It is not obvious from your question whether you are trying to do real-time or step time entry. I am guessing that you are doing step time entry. In this case, you can simply turn off Tools | MIDI Input Active while trying to find the note, then turn it on again when you are ready. Of course, it would probably be easier to just delete the notes that proved to be wrong.<

I'm sorry, but I do not know what this means. What I am trying to do is sound out the notes on my computer keyboard, so I then know what notes to put in NWC. I need to hear the notes come through my computer speakers. It is too much of a bother to keep experimenting with different notes on NWC, then listening to them, then erasing them, trying again, until I get it right. I'd like to be able to hear notes as I press a key, then go back and record those notes. Ideally, it would be nice if NWC could remember the last 20 or so notes I have played, to save me time re-entering the notes by hand on the staff, but my major need is to be able to hear the notes.

>In real-time, you capture your performance using Tools | Record.<

I haven't been able to hear the notes yet as I hit any keys. Sorry if I'm not making myself clear.

> You can edit it afterward to fix mistakes. You can also do it repeatedly, and throw out efforts that were not good enough.<

I have done this and it is tedious with NWC. It would be a big help if I could hear the notes one at a time then I could record them once I get the notes right.

>Lastly, NWC is fully capable of sharing the MIDI port with other programs. Check the Port Usage option in Tools | Options | Midi. However, not all other programs support such a capability.<

I'm sorry, but I don't understand this. What does it mean to check Port Usage. What am I supposed to check? What do I look for? What do I change? How do I get both the sound to come from both programs, NWC and the other program (Aldo's something or other, which has a piano keyboard I can play on, which I need in NWC).

I'm sorry if this isn't clear. I can keep trying if it isn't.

Thanks,
Wayne

Re: Play before transcribe

Reply #3 –
Based on what you have written, I am guessing that:

1 - You have a MIDI keyboard
2 - You have the necessary MIDI cables connecting your keyboard to your computer
3 - You have the necessary MIDI drivers installed so that your computer can communicate with the keyboard
4 - Your MIDI keyboard does not have an on-board synthesizer
5 - You want to hear what is played on the keyboard

If this is the case, you simply need to setup the MIDI echo feature from Tools | Options | Record.

Re: Play before transcribe

Reply #4 –
Upon further review, it looks like you do not have a MIDI keyboard. If this is the case, you have two options:

1. You can hear what you just entered by playing it back after you enter it. You can configure play back to start from your current position, which helps to hear what you just entered. This is done from Tools | Options | Midi, right next to the Port Usage feature mentioned before.

2. You can use PIANO.EXE to find the notes. See https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=896 and https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=1251 for more details.