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MMD > Archives > January 2002 > 2002.01.19 > 03Prev  Next


Replicating Music Roll Labels
By Sam Harris

Concerning the topic of music roll labels. I have enjoyed making my
own with my flatbed scanner and my Lexmark printer.  Interested in the
outcome?  Here is a link to a before and after :

  http://www.geocities.com/anneharris1/dalables.jpg

Please remember these are actual scans of the finished product, and the
resolution is set to screen resolution so it does not take all day.
The new labels appear to have a grain look but this is hardly
noticeable on the actual label.  I also printed these labels in the
"normal" setting rather than the "high quality" setting which looks
much better and takes much longer.

Below are the steps involved:

1.  Find a label like the one you need to replace.  Find the best
looking one you can.

2.  Scan it.  I use 300 DPI and like the quality just fine.

3.  Import it to a photo editing studio.  I use PhotoImpact from ULead;
it's great.

4.  To make the blank label you have to "cover" the old text section.
To do this select a section of the label that has only the background
color.  Then copy and past this section over and over until you have
completely covered all the old roll text information.  If your program
supports objects now would be a good time to merge all these objects
into one image and then save this image.  The format is up to you.  Now
you have the blank label to use with this roll label and any others you
may need in the future.

5.  Select fonts which will match as closely as possible.  Most labels
use more than one font so you will need to be diligent here if you want
an authentic looking label.  If your photo editing software does not
handle text very well you can save this image to a file which you could
import into a desktop publishing program (I like MS Publisher 2000),
and then simply layer a text box over the blank label for your text
editing.  I use the photo editing program for the entire project.  Save
this new image with the fonts as a new file so you will have both a
blank and a full label complete with text

6.  Print, cut, glue.

When you scan an old roll label to use you are actually getting a
template that already looks aged.  I like this a lot.

If my original box had labels on both ends I remove the worst one and
place the new label there.  If there is only one label I place the new
label on the opposite end preserving the original.  I have also made
original looking Duo-Art labels for my re-cut rolls.  They sure look
nice in the cabinet when all the labels match.

I personally like fussing with the details but if you don't then you
need to get the software "Piano Roll Box Label Maker".  It's $40 and
if you don't like fussing around with scanning, or if you do not have
a suitable label to make the initial scan, then this is the way to go.
See http://www.pianorollstuff.com/labels/ I have no interest in this
product, but after fooling with only a few brands of labels I can see
where this is a great deal since it includes so many templates ready
to go.

Sam Harris - Greenville, North Carolina
http://www.Geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/9374


(Message sent Sat 19 Jan 2002, 00:43:47 GMT, from time zone GMT.)

Key Words in Subject:  Labels, Music, Replicating, Roll

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