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Messages - Barry Graham

1
Announcements / Re: Web site/server changes
How do I mark a topic or unread posts as read (without actually reading them)?
[EDIT]
Ah yes - Click on New Posts then Mark as Read (with age getting dumb and dumber).
5
General Discussion / Re: MIDI to MP3 conversion
Bill:
Yep - Didn't read the fine print.
I just saw my file in the database and requested it's removal.

Peter:
I don't understand!
I have an X-Fi card and load soundfonts into it with the Soundfont Bank Manager included with the card software.
There are plenty of good soundfonts freely available.
Here is a link to my favourite Chaos 8Mb sf.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3449356/Chaos8.zip

If you need help with loading soundfonts get back to me.
The X-fi software will allow you to record playback directly to wav or mp3.
7
General Discussion / Re: Difficult Notation
Old?  Confused?
Welcome to the club!

Lawrie Pardy has written a good intro to using VST instruments with NWC.
http://nwc-scriptorium.org/helpful.html#Explanations
(Scroll down the page to find it).
With a VST host you can use soundfonts or sample libraries like Garritan Personal Orchestra.

If you want to go down the free soundfont path and you don't have a Creative soundcard then search this forum for:-
Synthfont
and
Syfon


Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
8
General Discussion / Re: Sound (was Difficult Notation)
Ian:
You don't say what your system is (Win XP, Win 7, Win 8)?
The solution to the poor sound quality is definitely your sound device.
What card is installed on your system?

These are some ways to improve the sound:

1. Install a Soft Synth.
Applies mostly to earlier operating systems.

2. Use soundfonts
If your soundcard supports soundfonts (mostly Creative soundcards) you can install soundfonts which are portable samples.
Many good quality soundfonts may be found on the net.

3. Use a good quality external keyboard.
Direct the sound output via a MIDI or USB cable to a keyboard with built-in quality sounds (Roland, Korg etc.).
Operating system independent.

4. Use an external synth module.
Direct the sound output via a MIDI or USB cable to an external synth module like the Ketron SD2.
Operating system independent.

5. Use a sound font player like Synthfont or SyFon1.
FREE solution! (Check the Synthfont web site for compatibility with Win 7 and 8).
Requires a virtual MIDI cable (see below).

6. Use a sample library with a VST player.
The sound output is processed internally by routing the MIDI messages through a software player such as Kontakt 2 or Aria Player accessing a sample library like Garritan Personal Orchestra or Jazz & Big Band samples.
Requires a virtual MIDI cable like MIDI-OX or loopBe.

The last should give the best result.
For example the JABB library contains an array of brass instrument mute samples (Cup, Straight, Harmon etc) and various articulations (legato, staccato etc.) as well as additional instruments not found in the General MIDI set.
Some of the key switching may be difficult with NWC and dynamics use CC1 by preference.

I personally use soundfonts on the X-Fi card with XP.
But playback enhanced MIDI files via Aria Player and the Garritan Jazz and Big Band Library.
I don't use NWC for scoring or playback.

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
9
Tips & Tricks / Re: Download this PIANO.NWC, the ideal dynamics!
I have carried out a similar experiment comparing dynamic output from Volume. Expression and Velocity on my soundcard.

In preparing MIDI files I use:-
Volume for track balance (0ne controller per channel).
Expression for dynamics, swells and fades with sustaining instruments.
Velocity for all accents and dynamics on non-sustaining instruments.

I anyone is interested the results are in the file DYNAMIC.pdf
Download from here:-
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3449356/DYNAMIC.pdf
10
General Discussion / Re: Transposing help
Quote
Read the Eb chart as if it were Bass Clef (add 3 sharps to the key sig and be aware of accidentals)
OR if you have a Bass clef part (say Trombone) you can play it on an Eb instrument by reading it as treble clef (and take OFF 3 sharps from the key sig, again, watch for accidentals)

Care to check that Lawrie!
11
General Discussion / Re: Wrong sounds in an orchestral score??
Stephen:
One thing you haven't told us is the sound device you are using.
It could be possible that your sound device has two synthesisers like the Creative X-Fi or Audigy.
If that is the case you can have 16 channels per synth port without conflict.
14
General Discussion / Re: I need help with Pitch-bends
Easy to implement in a sequencer.
It only requires the addition of Controller 101 to the MPC controller list.
(and CC100 if that doesn't default to zero).
The discussions that Rick referred to were back in 2005/6.
One can only wonder why Noteworthy Support continues to ignore Pitch Bend range > 2 semitones.


15
General Discussion / Re: Playback in Windows 8
Quote
There are no playback devices listed.
Thanks for the heads up.
Hell will freeze over before I switch to Win 8.
I can only hope it becomes abandon ware.
Even my new Android phone will play back a MIDI file!

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
18
General Discussion / Re: NWC Viewer and multiple MIDI devices? Yeah I know, I'm bonkers
Does your sound device have multiple ports?
I use a Creative X-Fi soundcard that has two onboard synths A: and B:
Each synth provides 15 channels + 1 percussion channel.
I have the same soundfont loaded in each synth.
Giving 30 melodic channels and 2 percussion.

I can't comment on the Viewer as I don't have it.

19
General Discussion / Re: Latency
I use an M-Audio Uno 1x1 for note entry with my Creative X-Fi soundcard.
I experience NO noticeable latency in any of the music programs I use, including NWC.

NWC just passes the MIDI messages to your sound device - that is where the problem lies.
20
General Discussion / Re: Pitch bending (Portamento controller65 support)
Quote
What sequencer did you use, Barry.
A very old version of Cakewalk (Version 3.00)
The last of the "MIDI Only" versions.
Velocity variation on every note.
Swing quantize for Jazz and Swing.
and access to ALL controllers.


Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
Soundcard - Extreme Gamer X-Fi
Soundfont - Chaos 8MB.
21
General Discussion / Re: Pitch bending (increase value range)
Absolutely correct!
User definable controllers in the MPC dialogue would allow for Portamento (CC65),extended Pitch Bend (CCs 100, 101) and many other useful controllers like CC121 (Reset All Controllers).

Here is an example of a Pitch Bend of 2 octave range in a MIDI file of mine..
(Trumpet in the concluding measures)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3449356/Fallout.mp3
Had to be done in a sequencer - couldn't be done in NWC.

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
25
General Discussion / Re: midi software synthesizer - out of the box
Mike:
Your X-Fi Soundfont ports are A: and B:
You can load additional soundfonts into empty Bank slots in each device.
You would then have to select both Bank and Patch when selecting a staff patch in NWC to access these.

The other thing you could do is select the required patches from your soundfonts and load these into the Presets replacing a patch in one soundfont with a patch from another.

Perhaps I should ask:-
1. What are these soundfonts you wish to load?
2. How large are the soundfonts?
3. Will you only be using specific patches from each of the four or do you want all patches in all soundfonts available?

As an alternative you could use a soundfont editor (like Vienna) to make up a custom soundfont from patches derived from your 4 GM soundfonts.

Regards

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
27
General Discussion / Re: Sound card
These are some ways to improve the sound:

1. Install a Soft Synth.
A software synthesizer with built in samples such as Yamaha's SyXG range which will supply better sound via the audio on your sound device.
(I can help with an SYXG synth for XP but not if you upgrade).

2. Use soundfonts
If your soundcard supports soundfonts (mostly Creative soundcards) you can install soundfonts which are portable samples.
You could add a Creative X-Fi Extreme Gamers card to your XP system but NOT the Audio version.
How this card is supported in Win 7 I have no idea (Check the Creative web site).

3. Use a good quality external keyboard.
Direct the sound output via a MIDI or USB cable to a keyboard with built-in quality sounds (Roland, Korg etc.).
Operating system independent.

4. Use an external synth module.
Direct the sound output via a MIDI or USB cable to an external synth module like the Ketron SD2.
Operating system independent.

5. Use a sound font player like Synthfont or SyFon1 - suggested earlier.
FREE solution! (Check the Synthfont web site for compatibility with Win 7).
Requires a virtual MIDI cable (see below).

6. Use a sample library with a VST player.
The sound output is processed internally by routing the MIDI messages through a software player such as Kontakt 2 or Aria Player accessing a sample library like Garritan Personal Orchestra or Jazz & Big Band samples.
Requires a virtual MIDI cable (like MIDI-OX or loopBe).

The last should give the best result.
For example the JABB library contains an array of brass instrument mute samples (Cup, Straight, Harmon etc) and various articulations (legato, staccato etc.) as well as additional instruments not found in the General MIDI set.
Some of the key switching may be difficult with NWC and dynamics use CC1 by preference.

I personally use soundfonts on the X-Fi card with XP.
But playback enhanced MIDI files via Aria Player and the Garritan Jazz and Big Band Library.
I don't use NWC for scoring or playback.

If I can help - let me know.

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
29
General Discussion / Re: midi software synthesizer - out of the box
Mike:

Open the Soundfont Bank Manager.
Click on the MIDI Devices button.
In the Soundfont Device list select Synth B.
Click on the Bank button - (Configure Bank SB X-Fi Synth B[D000]) appears at the bottom.
Highlight the existing soundfont in the Bank Stack and click on the Replace button.
Select another soundfont in the file dialogue.

If you want to use Chaos on this synth - copy and rename Chaos8Mb to something else.
If you want to try another soundfont here is a link:
http://www.hammersound.net/
Click on Sounds...then Soundfont Library ....then Collections (for the standard 128 GM patches).
Or you could download soundfonts for specific instruments from the list.
(Note: Larger does not mean better when it comes to soundfonts)

When Synths A and B are loaded with soundfonts you will have 2 MIDI Ports.
Each port providing 15 Instrument and 1 Percussion channel making 32 channels in all.

To use a second MIDI Port (synth) with NWC:-
Make the second synth available.
Tools>Options>MIDI tab
Highlight the required synth in the Available Play Devices list then click on the -> arrow.
This will move the synth to the Devices Used by Playback list.
Which should look like:-
SB X-Fi Synth A [D000]
SB X-Fi Synth B [D000]

To select a synth and patch for a staff.
Click on the staff then Staff Properties (or key f2).
Under the MIDI tab select the required synth from the Playback Device list.
Under the Instrument tab - select from the Predefined Instrument list.
[OR]
MIDI Patch Instructions and select the Patch number and Bank (MSB only for the X-Fi).

Below is a list of drumkits available on the Percussion channel (10) in the Chaos8.sf2.
Patch (0 based -add 1 for 1 based)
0   Standard 1 [SC-55]  
1   Standard 2 [SC-88]  
7   Room [SC-88]  
8   Room [SC-55]  
16  Power [SC-55]  
24  Electronic [SC-55]  
25  TR-909 [SC-55]  
26  Dance [SC-88]  
32  Jazz [SC-55]  
40  Brush [SC-55]  
48  Orchestra [SC-55]  
49  Ethnic [SC-88]  
50  Kick & Snare [SC-88]  
56  SFX [SC-55]  
57  Rhythm FX [SC-88]  
99  Chaos Standard Drum  
127 CM-64/32 Set [SC-55]

For example:
Select Patch 40/41 on a percussion staff using Channel 10 to hear the Brush set.

If you have any questions - ask them here.

-----------
Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
37
General Discussion / Re: What have I done wrong, diapearing guitar chords?
Carl:
Could I ask what the chords are at concert pitch?
I'm not bad at transposition but I'm having trouble reconciling the tuned down/capo guitar chords as written with the harp/vocal.

Do you mark the pedals for harpist or leave it to them?

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
39
General Discussion / Re: music recognition/transcription?
Thanks to Rick for resurrecting those threads.
The same discussion was going on 12 years ago.
And the technology hasn't advanced.

In 2000 I posted this:

Quote
To those who still believe that there are programs that will convert wav to midi - here's a challenge.
I will send you a few bars of a big band midi file converted to wav or (preferably) mp3.
All I ask as proof that your program works is to return to me the complete score in NWC format.
Couldn't be easier!

Over 10 years ago and still waiting!

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia

40
General Discussion / Re: music recognition/transcription?
Phil:

Obviously our musical interests are in different worlds.
I often have to produce arrangements from mp3 files.
The sheet music for most of them was never published and if it was the harmonies and arrangement are nothing like the sheet music.
Transcription from audio is the bread and butter of staff arrangers in TV.
It's a challenging exercise to reproduce the content of a recording as a score.
If a program could simply recreate the correct chords it would be a great time saver.
I don't believe that full score reproduction will happen in my lifetime.

Debaumann:
This thread is about the production of a score from an audio source not a print source.
There are several programs that can do that well but I have yet to find one that can reproduce a score from a recording.

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
42
General Discussion / Re: Garritan Personal Orchestra
Sorry Rob,

I should have read your first post through.
It seems you are on  Vista and I don't see a Mid Yoke version for Vista.
I use it with XP.

Did you reboot aftering installing Midi Yoke?

According to Lawrie you can use Midi Yoke with 32 bit Vista.
For detailed instructions on how to set up a VST instrument download Lawrie's document
http://nwc-scriptorium.org/helpful/vstfdum.pdf
Although he is using Synthfont through VST Host as the output device he describes the process better than I could.

If  that won't work perhaps you could try the Maple virtual cable which is suitable for Vista.
http://www.maplemidi.com/Maple_driver.html

Basically you make one end of the virtual cable the playback output in NWC.
The other end is set as the input into Aria player.

Regards

Barry
43
General Discussion / Re: Garritan Personal Orchestra
You will need a Virtual Cable (like MIDI Yoke).
Download and install MIDI Yoke.
http://www.midiox.com/
Click on the MIDI Yoke link to get to the download.

Set MIDI Yoke 1 as the output from NWC.
Set MIDI Yoke 1 as the input into Aria under Tools>Preferences.
Also select the audio output from Aria to your sound device.
Load the instruments in the Aria channels to correspond with the channels in NWC.
Play the score from NWC.

You may have to add a Modulation controller with a value of about 100 in each staff as a Multipoint Controller.
GPO uses Modulation as the dynamic controller and Volume for track balance.


----------
Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
44
General Discussion / Re: buying advice?
G'day Joe,

I haven't used GPO but I do use Garritan Jazz and Big Band but I don't use it with NWC.
GPO offers a range of instruments,articulations and control over vibrato.
For example Brass and String mutes,bow,pizzicato,tremolo, legato articulationsand portamento.
Additional instruments - eg. Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, Piccolo Trumpet, Bass Trombone (more)

Instruments are switched with keyswitches - notes in the lowest MIDI octave placed in the score.
The default dynamic controller is Modulation (CC1) which affects both dynamic output and timbre.
Volume (CC7) is used for track balance.
You might have difficulty adapting existing NWC scores for GPO.
 
The notation software I use automates the process using controller mapping and xml files but it's still a big learning curve.

Check out GPO here:-
http://www.garritan.com/
Click on Products>Peronal Orchestra 4 then:-
Features (inc Demos)
Instrument Lists
Control

Probably not your thing but from Products>Jazz and Big Band
Listen to the demos Scream Trumpet and Trombone Section Open and with the various mutes.

If someone here has had experience with GPO and NWC they would be a better reference.

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
45
General Discussion / Re: trouble witn win7 and midi
Lets take this one step at a time.

Under TOOLS>MIDI INPUT ACTIVE you have enabled this function?
Under TOOLS>OPTIONS>MIDI (Tab) you have selected a functioning output device?
Under TOOLS>OPTIONS>RECORD (Tab) you have selected the input device that corresponds with your keyboard?

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
46
Version 1.75 Discussion / Re: Problems with wmf files
It works fine at home because you have the NWC true type font on your system which provides the marks and noteheads..
If that font is not installed on another machine some other font is substituted.

The options are to convert the file to a bitmap or print to PDF with embedded fonts.

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
47
General Discussion / Re: buying advice?
FWIW:
On my laptop (XP) I use the Yamaha SYXG50 soft synth.
For soundfonts I use Chaos 8Mb sf2 with Synthfont VST or SFX through VST Host and MIDI Yoke.

-----------------
Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
48
General Discussion / Re: Pitch bend
O.K.
If Andrea wants to tune pitch to something other than the Equal Temperament scale I would suggest Synthfont or Synthfont VST for playback.
Each has the option to change the pitch of each note in the scale.
Synthfont can be used with a VST host through MIDIOX as a playback device from NWC.
(See Lawrie's tutorial on VST playback).

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
49
General Discussion / Re: Pitch bend
Andrea  said:
Quote
I know that MIDI protocol has a message to tune in real time single notes; it has a range of 16384 (only positive), and increase the pitch from 0 to 100 cents.

The normal range is -2 to +2 semitones (4 total) represented by 16384 steps.
This is 400 cents not 100.
In most sequencers the 16384 steps are centred on 0 with the range becoming -8192 to +8191.

In NWC the pitch range is -8192 to +8191 representing a range of 4 semitones (400 cents).
0 represents Pitch Wheel centred (no change in pitch).
-8192 represents 2 semitones below
+8191 represents 2 semitones above

So from the above 1 semitone = 4096 and 1 cent = 40.96 (41 approximately)
To raise the pitch 1 cent enter a Pitch Bend value of 41.
To lower the pitch use negative values.
To lower the pitch 75 cents (40.96 x -75) enter -3072.

It is possible to change the Pitch Bend range using Controller 100 (and 101).
Values in Data Entry Controller 6 set the range in Semitones.
Values in Data Entry Contoller 38 set the range in Cents.
Of these 4 controllers only Controller 6 (Data Entry MSB) is available in the NWC Multi Point Controllers list.

Hope that clears it up.

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia
50
General Discussion / Re: Hardware M-audio Oxygen 61 Problem
TOOLS>OPTIONS>(RECORD Tab)
Select Input device (USB Audio Device or M-Audio Oxygen if listed)
Enable Echo MIDI Input (to hear what you play)
Select Echo MIDI Input Play Device (where you will hear what you play)

TOOLS>MIDI INPUT ACTIVE (Click to enable - tick)

I use a  MIDIMan keyboard which works with these settings.

-------------
Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia