In this issue we have a review of the new Music Publisher
software from Hybrid. We hoped to have two reviews of this product but the
second has been delayed awaiting a reply from Hybrid about problems experienced
with the package. We hope to carry the second review in our next issue.
Hybrid's Music Publisher package
Lol Taylor
Overview
The package is a highly automated, user friendly, set of
programs for the preparation and printing out of musical scores. The standard
is intended to be competitive with other desktop music publishing packages, whilst
being much simpler to use.
The package consists of a ROM, a 5.25" DFS issue disc,
and a user guide, packed in a plastic book-shaped box. There are also three
labels for the user to stick on his own discs.
The requirements are a BBC, BBC+ or Master computer, a
monitor or TV, a disc drive, and an Epson graphics compatible printer.
Setting up
Instructions for fitting the ROM are given in the user
guide. Note that the AMPLE ROM is not required. If there are no ROM stations
free, AMPLE could be prised out and the space used. Master users can buy an interchangeable
cartridge to plug into their computers. Many dealers, including BEEBUG, are
able to supply cartridges.
Although the user guide advises the user to note the ID
number of the ROM at the back of his guide, I couldn't find any ID number on
mine.
The user is expected to make his/her own system disc(s) from
the issue disc. Most of us have experienced this sort of thing with Hybrid
products before. It is quite simple and the instructions are very clear. The
issue disc supplied is 40- and 80-track compatible.
The files
Once the user's system disc has been prepared you will find
on it a boot file, 8 program files, 9 example files, and 5 template files.
Of the program files, 3 are in BASIC, one is *LOADed by one
of the BASIC programs to page 4, and the other four appear to be MODE 7
screens. All this is invisible to the user. He doesn't need to do anything
apart from follow instructions as they appear on the screen.
The example files are a great help. They can be experimented
with as a means of learning.
The template files are there to give the user a selected
layout for starting each of his/her own pieces.
Switching on
On boot-up the main menu appears on the screen. Here we have
the pivot for all that follows. Scores can be cleared, loaded, saved, edited, previewed
or printed. There is also a choice to change the printer settings if the
defaults are not suitable for the one you are using. All this is explained in
the user guide. Most people will use the default settings.
Getting started
There are three very clearly written chapters which lead the
new user into the system by easy stages. I had no difficulty in mastering these
within an afternoon.
Serious use
Codes are divided into two groups, out-bar codes and in-bar
codes.
Out-bar codes
Out-bar one-letter codes include such things as alignment
for the main title (double width), and other titles, left, centre or right
justified.
The stave type comes next. There are 4 available: G, F and
two C clefs. If braces are required, as in a piano score, they are entered by
double brackets at this point. You may ask for 1 or 2 parts for each stave.
More about that later.
Then comes the metronome marking if you require it.
Key signatures consist of negative or positive numbers. For
example (-3) sets up automatically an E flat major key signature at the
beginning of every stave. (+5) provides B major.
Time signatures are also very easy to enter. (3/4) will
enter three over four, for example. You can even ask for strange time
signatures such as 17/64, if you can find a use for them!
There is also an optional beat indicator. This tells the
computer how the shorter notes should be grouped together with beams, or have
separate tails. This selected standard can be overridden if need be at the time
the notes are entered.
The number of every fifth bar is automatically printed in
the final print-out, without the user having to do anything about it.
Some other out-bar codes are also available.
In-bar codes
Bars are usually entered to completion one at a time. The
first code is the opening square bracket [ followed by the bar number.
Then on the next line you enter the uppermost part, followed
by a vertical bar, then the next part down and so on until the lowest part
which ends with the closing square bracket. Once that bar is complete, pressing
TAB will display what the print-out will look like for that bar. You will see
on the screen one or two staves at a time depending on where the cursor is resting.
The first code for each part is the length of note. This is
a lower case letter, w m c q s d or h. See if you can guess what these letters
stand for.
The next code for each part is the number of the octave that
the note is in. There are six octaves available spread around middle C. Each
number covers the rising notes C to B. Therefore to enter a quaver on middle C
you would enter q4C.
If the length of note doesn't change for the following notes
a rising scale would be q4CDEFGAB5C. These quavers would have beams connecting
them in groups depending on your previous choice of time signature or beat indicator.
While on the subject of beams I need to mention that the
programming here is very powerful. The beams follow the direction of the notes,
sloping up, down or horizontal. Where the notes connected to the beam vary in
length (quavers with semiquavers as an example) this is catered for, and the spacing
between the notes is accurate. Any other parts above or below are also aligned
correctly in the final print-out.
Chords can be entered - for example, C&E&G for the
major triad in C. Rests are entered as R and percussion notes as x.
There are codes for dotted notes, triplets, arpeggios,
sharps, flats and naturals. Also ties, staccato and tenuto, trills, 8va, 15ma,
pedal marks and fermata.
Lyrics can be entered and appear automatically under the
correct notes with accurate spacing.
So far, everything has been a gift for preparing a score.
All the neat setting out is done for you.
Performers' parts
As far as I can see the best way to prepare parts for each
performer, take a string quartet for example, is first to save the complete
user file. This is in pure ASCII, so it can be loaded into a word processor.
Using VIEW say, you could quickly delete all the lines not required. For the
first violin part: the second violin, viola and cello parts could be deleted a
line at a time.
Then the file could be saved with its own filename. Running
it in the Music Publisher program would produce a neat printed part for the
first violinist only. Similarly with the other performers' parts.
If you don't have a word processor the unwanted lines can be
deleted using the Music Publisher program, but it will not be quite as quick.
Comments
Within a couple of days I was entering some of my own
compositions which up to then had been untidily scrawled in the heat of
creation many years before. That was a hard test for the package.
The facilities I miss are phrasing and dynamics. These
should be catered for by slurs, pp to ff, and 'hairpins' (~ 0 Len -4 Len and =L
+L -L in AMPLE). I entered some words like mf, cresc, dim and rit as 'lyrics'.
For single staves they appear below; for braced staves below the lower stave.
Then I couldn't find how to enter double sharps and double flats.
Six parts are available, but in contrapuntal music that may
only allow three staves. The program has been arranged so that single notes or
block chords only are possible in each part. If in the stave we find two voices
of a chord remaining while a third voice moves in passing notes, it means that two
parts need to be allocated to that stave to accommodate it.
There are no facilities for the different key signature of a
transposing instrument included within a group, nor could I see how to enter the
name of an instrument at the beginning of each line. Changing clefs within a
bar is a problem I have not solved yet.
The package is very new as yet and Hybrid seem very willing
to listen to suggestions for improvement. I foresee the possibility of these coming
out in time.
Conclusions
In its present form the package should prove very useful to
those of us who wish to get our pieces neatly on to paper, with the view of
them being read or played by other people. For many pieces no manuscript
amendments will be necessary.
However, in my case, I will have to enter some signs such as
slurs (which my type of music uses extensively) freehand. Then it will be a
matter of photocopying the amended master print-out, rather than making more prints
from the computer.
All in all I'm very glad to have the package.
The Music Publisher package costs £70.50 inclusive of
postage and packing and is available from Hybrid at the address below:
Hybrid
88 Butt Lane
Milton
CAMBRIDGE
CB4 6DG
88 Butt Lane
Milton
CAMBRIDGE
CB4 6DG
Tel: (0223) 861522
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
