Music Roll Editing and Editor Programs
By Robbie Rhodes
The subject heading above is a much more accurate term for our use of computer software in making arrangements for automatic musical instruments. Believe me, composers still *compose* with pencil and paper; it's so much faster than fighting a computer, and you can see the whole piece laid out on your work table. Almost every composer/arranger I know says he begins his work with the computer switched off!
After the inspiration dissipates, it's time for the perspiration of editing to produce the final score; the Schubert turns into a Beethoven. Many, but not all, arrangers will use a Sequencer-Editor program of some sort to do the detailed arranging, while monitoring the sound with a music synthesizer.
(The term "sequencer" loosely implies "looping" a repetitive rhythm to repeat every four measures, and you only have to turn on the radio to hear what it sounds like. So we just use the program as an Editor, analogous to using a Text Editor to refining your short story.)
Incidentally, printing a good-looking music manuscript is an entirely different process from editing. The powerful (and very expensive) program "Finale" creates beautiful manuscript on a laser printer, but it takes months to learn it. Since only music publishing firms need this sort of quality, many less-complex computer programs are now available which produce manuscripts suitable for studio recording sessions, for example.
Even so, when arrangeing for a music roll, David Wasson and I and several others all prefer "piano roll" display over a display of notes on a staff in manuscript format, for these reasons: (1) We are used to viewing music rolls, (2) we have much better and faster ability to control grace notes and glissandi and "rips", and (3) we can conveniently handle non-playing control functions such as organ registration changes.
There is a close analogy again to the world of prose: the author uses his old typewriter or a simple text editor to edit and polish his work, and the publisher uses a Linotype machine or modern computer to make a nice looking printed manuscript. In our case we have no need for a manuscript: when the editing is finished we perforate the roll and the job is done.
MIDI, the Musical Instrument Digital Interface, was born in the early 80's as a non-proprietary standard for transmitting control signals, by wire, to music synthesizers. The first commerical computer program (running on a IBM-PC) was demonstrated at the Music Merchants show in January 1984, and suddenly the industry realized that a standard disk file structure was needed, along with the "Midi wireline" hardware standard, so the Midi File Specification was created. In the decade since its introduction, virtually all vendors of music editing and printing programs have added Midi File import/export capability, so that the musician can freely move his song to any program and use its best features. David Wasson has capitalized on this compatibility in his arrangeing efforts.
I'm reminded that the fledgling phonograph industry all agreed on the 78 rpm lateral standard, which immediately led to the separation of music recording from phonograph manufacturing. (Thomas Edison refused to cooperate -- his product withered and died.) In a rare display of cooperation, the player piano industry agreed to a standard music roll format in America, and it blossomed from there.
Peter Smakula asks if there's any shareware kicking around. Well, I can't think of any that I'd find useful for editing. Again, it's like word processors: the good, powerful programs take so much development investment that the publishers don't give 'em away.
I prefer MasterTracks on my Macintosh for music editing; other users -- who all deal with piano performances -- include Richard Tonnesen (Custom Music Rolls), Rob DeLand (BluesTone Music Rolls), Richard Riley (PianoMania recordings) and Eric Bernhoft (Upright & Grand). David Wasson gave a good report on several editor programs for the PC, which I'll summarize here:
Cakewalk - Popular, not too expensive, useful. The "piano roll"
display is somewhat low-resolution and limited size. Displays
only one track at a time, which is maddening when editing organ
arrangements of multiple manuals. Ignores (and deletes) lyrics.
MasterTracks - I'm told the new edition on the PC is the same as the
Mac version. Only one track displayed, as in CakeWalk, but
excellent time resolution when using a high-resolution monitor.
Supports lyrics. (If Richard Tonnesen can someday fit a laser
printer onto his perforator I have "Word Roll" files ready!)
Good control of tempo variation.
Cubase - no data
Vision - Inexpensive, can display several tracks simulataneously.
I've not used it, David says it doesn't do well with Midi files.
[They are therefore *doomed* if they don't fix it.]
Final Cut - Inexpensive, can display several tracks simultaneously.
File size may be limited by available computer memory. I liked
the simultaneous tracks in color, when David help me set the
registration for a big organ arrangement.
No commercially sold program can cope with the strange problems that arise in editing reproducing rolls, such as static and dynamic skew, and so "off-line" operations are frequently necessary. I have written many routines for processing Midi file data and will be happy to talk with anyone interested in this.
-- Robbie Rhodes <rhodes@foxtail.com> 10 August 1995
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