Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cmcl2!yale!cs.yale.edu!mohr-eric
From: mohr-eric@CS.YALE.EDU (Rick Mohr)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: music typesetting & text notation..
Message-ID: <1842@cs.yale.edu>
Date: 9 Oct 89 20:27:35 GMT
References: <1403@syma.sussex.ac.uk>
Sender: news@cs.yale.edu
Reply-To: mohr-eric@CS.YALE.EDU (Rick Mohr)
Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept, New Haven CT  06520-2158
Lines: 52

I'm considering setting up a system for computerized publishing of traditional 
dance tunes (reels, jigs, waltzes, polkas, ... ).  I wonder if people 
familiar with the various score formatting systems and keyboards could comment 
on how well they meet my rather specific needs.  I'm interested in programs
for any type of computer.

The tunes themselves don't require a lot advanced features; they're just 
single-line melodies on single staffs.  On the other hand, getting a 
professional-quality product requires fine control over size, spacing, 
placement, etc. -- the ability to override the black-box style they 
probably give you.

Some form of real-time input is a must.  If the program can quantize a 
simple MIDI input, great.  Otherwise, I'm happy to write my own program to
quantize my simple tunes if they'll just tell me how to format the result into 
a file which the program will recognize as valid input.

Here are the features of my ideal system:
    - input
        - low-quality piano-keyboard input (just pitch and duration)
        - or well-documented input-file format
    - score editing and formatting
        - don't need
            - multiple staffs
            - multiple notes per stem
            - lyrics
            - dynamics (volume levels, crescendoes, etc)
            - meter changes
        - do need
            - transposition 
            - grace notes
            - ties
            - ability to specify default spacing of notes, measures, and staffs
    - output
        - high-quality graphical output (somebody's laser printer format)
        - low-quality monophonic audio output

What's the cheapest piano-keyboard I can get with MIDI output?  It doesn't
even need audio output.

Are there any score formatting systems available which either provide source 
code or give a well-defined input file format so I can build my own 
pre-processor?

Thanks,

    Rick Mohr                   INTERNET:  mohr@cs.yale.edu

    Eric Mohr                                  INTERNET:  mohr@cs.yale.edu
    Computer Science Dept, Yale University       BITNET:  mohr@yalevm.bitnet    
    Box 2158, Yale Station                        
    New Haven, CT  06520                       (203) 432-4712