Per-note performance dynamics

Per-note performance dynamics - please! (2)

1999-03-31 05:00 am

(This refers to https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=943 which has become too big: 25186 bytes!)

Some people consider NWC as a print-only program.
Some other think of it as a sequencer only.
Some as both.
None is happy with the features he/she uses.
Okay, let's face it. Is it because you *want* some work to be done more easily (that's computer purpose, indeed)? Is it because you think hat the "other part" (print or hear) is unnecessary and "yours" should be privileged? Is it because you do not want to find out a solution, though I know there is not *always* a(n) (acceptable) solution)?
In any case you're frustrated. BUT if you decide to find an innovative way, using more widely NWC, or making new use of features you think you know, sometimes you'll find a clever and easy answer.

For instance:
One not per chord must be accented. Problem: NWC do not let you "edit" a chord to manage each note separately. But NWC allows you a create a "hidden" staff where you'll put only rests plus the some notes you want to make more brilliant. This is *not* so tedious to do. And will allow you much more effects indeed... Just use your imagination. There are only 12 (21 if differencing # and b) notes in occidental music, but how numerous are melodies! There are maybe not plenty "items" in NWC, but many combinations are available.

Other example:
One note per chord must be printed bigger than others. No solution at the time being. Maybe, if you consider the problem in another way: all notes as smaller (grace notes), and biggers as normal...No, not satisfactory. Well, wish list then.

Third example:
MPCs with "relative" values (a wish I made long ago). Not possible yet. But you still can note somewhere (text items, or Comments in File Info) why some values or such. Just a reminder, it will not correct the tempo when you decide to change the starting tempo... but you'll know why, and what values it had (especially when you get back to it 2 years later)

4th example:
You want to make your score swing. NWC has no option for it. But you can add MPCs that will manage 2 beats in 4 unequal parts, using Tempo MPC (much simpler than one MPC per half-beat as I proposed earlier). Moreover, you can adjust swing for each half-beat... As no sequencer does (to my knowledge).

NWC may not print as some would like. But it does it nicely, quickly, and for much less effort than many other software.
NWC may not sound as some would like. But for music-readers, it's much simpler than using ticks/events. At least, you still think as MIDI as music. Even if what you hear will highly depend on the hardware used (unless you aim low-level hardware, as you should for larger scope).
NWC is not perfect. No program is, especially when they become larger... But what NWC does, it does it well. Chi va piano va sano, so let's go and propose many new features, provided they're usable by anyone, and don't turn NWC into a softnightmareware.

NWCly yours

Re: Per-note performance dynamics - please! (2)

Reply #1 – 1999-03-31 05:00 am

The separation of printing from playing using hidden playback staff is very powerful. Staff layering solves many notation problems. But as the product works now, you get a lot of duplication, which makes updating the music tedious (you need to change it in two or three places.)

One simple feature would really help. It has been requested in bits and pieces by many people. Every notation unit (note, dynamic, text, everything) should have (at least) a Hide property. There are many reasons for turning off display - hiding dynamics, octave shift, etc. Even hiding text makes sense if you want to write a comment to yourself, as suggested above. In many cases a separate playback staff would be unnecessary if everything could be hidden. Hiding rests would make staff layering much easier.

Suppressing playback would also useful. For example, you could show a note, but really play some hidden notes. So maybe every notation unit should also have a Suppress Playback flag as well.

This simple request would greatly increase the ease of use of the product, make the user interface more consistent, should not be hard to do, and would not cause software bloat in this fine product.

Re: Per-note performance dynamics - please! (2)

Reply #2 – 1999-03-31 05:00 am

Blair: Amen!

Re: Per-note performance dynamics - please! (2)

Reply #3 – 1999-03-31 05:00 am

Well stated, Blair. The avoidance of the "bloatware syndrome" is one very important to me also. I've tried sequencers and other software that purports to do "everything"... but it's so complicated and bloated that I can't do _anything_, and give up in frustration trying to do even the simple things. My very favourite quality of NWC is its simplicity -- and I'd much rather put up with sensible workarounds than have a program so full of buttons and menus and options that I don't know where to start.