Objectives

• Understand how to set up your software for using a MIDI device to enter performance data
• Experience real-time and step-time entry systems
• Learn how to do basic and advanced editing
• Experiment with saving MIDI files

Directions

1. Connect a MIDI keyboard or other MIDI device to your computer
2. If you have not already done so, download a copy of the Music Shop demo from the CD to your disk (see below).
3. Open the application by double-clicking on the file "Music Shop 2.0.1" within the Opcode folder of your hard drive.
4. Spend a moment reading the "General Overview" and the "Special Features" files. Each of these provides more information about Music Shop. The "Quick Tutorial" would be good to read as a follow-up to Project 13.
5. Complete the tasks on the Guidesheet below and use the Project Worksheet for Project 13 to record the results of your work.
6. Submit the completed Project Worksheet with the Evaluation Form for Viewport VI.

Software

• The Project Worksheet for Project 13 is an Adobe Acrobat file. You will need to install the Adobe Acrobat reader on your disk drive to use this file. From the Acrobat reader you can print out copies of the form to use for this project.

 
• Click here to view the Project Worksheet directly from those Web browsers that will automatically display Acrobat files (e.g., Netscape, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mac and WinWeb, Windows AOL browsers).

 
• For those Web browsers that will not display Acrobat files (e.g., Mac AOL Browser) download the Project 13 Checksheet to your hard disk. Then drag the "vp6pj13.pdf" file onto the icon of the Acrobat reader application.

 
• Music Shop. A demonstration copy of this software is available on the EMT-CD.

Information on downloading and setting up Music Shop.

Hardware

In addition to the MIDI device, we suggest that you connect a tape recorder or other kind of recording system to your MIDI device(s) in order to record the projects described below. This is especially important if you are working with the demonstration software. Your instructor may have specific instructions for you about this.

Music Shop is an entry level music sequencing program designed to produce MIDI-based performance files. It allows the musician to enter performance information in real-time in layers or "tracks," and offers several editing options. It is typical of the many MIDI sequencers available today.

Note: The program that we use here does not contain the ability to include digital audio. We discuss this special feature in Viewports VI and VII in Experiencing Music Technology. If you would like to experiment with the ability to include digital audio in your MIDI sequencing work, check out the Demo folders for Viewports VI and VII for examples of sequencer/sampler programs that merge MIDI data with digital audio.

Project 13 focuses on setup, note entry, editing and saving features of Music Shop. It will give you an opportunity to load in a previously created MIDI file and to create a completely new one yourself.

There are six parts to this project:

1. Setting Up Your Software and Hardware
2. Basic Operation
3. Real-Time Entry
4. Step-Time and Pencil Entry
5. Basic Editing
6. Advanced Entry and Saving

Return to Project Menu

Step 1: Setting Up Your Software and Hardware with OMS (Open Music System)

The following setup issues are important for Project 13:

• MIDI Management. As with all of the MIDI-based software for Windows computers that we have included on the EMT-CD, we assume from the start that you have installed the proper MIDI Drivers that are necessary for your machine and for your particular kind of MIDI hardware interface.

MIDI Setup. Opcode includes with its Sequencers a MIDI Setup application called "OMS Setup."  You will need to use this program to setup your MIDI "studio" to assign MIDI In's/Out's.  If you do not have external MIDI devices you may navigate to the OMS Setup icon found in the Opcode folder and double-click on "OMS Setup."  If you do have external MIDI devices (i.e.  Patchbays, keyboards, modules, etc...) be sure to turn them on before running OMS Setup so that OMS can automatically locate them.  Once the application is open OMS will search for any available OMS studio setups.  If it doesn't find one it will then try to create one for you.  View the OMS Setup Page for more information.

• Other Setup Options. You may find it necessary to do a few final setups before Music Shop can use your new studio setup.  Run the Music Shop application and check the following:

 
• Assigning Patch Names to your MIDI Instruments

 

Go to the Windows Menu in Music Shop and select Names. This window will open that allows you to assign default patches to any particular instrument. Select the device by clicking on its icon on the far left side of the window.  While highlighted go the "Names" menu above and select "Subscribe".  It will ask you to locate the patch name file for the device.  This will usually be located in the Opcode directory in the System Folder.  Then select the appropriate patch list for your hardware.  If you are unsure, consult your OMS/Device manual.  Continue this process until you've selected patch names for all the devices you wish to use.

• Enabling Input Devices

Next, navigate to the MIDI menu in Music Shop.  Next select Enable Input Devices. Place an "X" in each box that is capable of sending MIDI Input information to Music Shop.  (For example, these are usually keyboards..) Click "OK".

• Further Setup Items of Interest
Familiarize yourself with some of the Program default setups within Music Shop listed below:
 

As you can see, most of the Metronome preferences can be found under the Setups Menu in Music Shop.  Before starting, open the Metronome option and set it to play on the device you wish.  You will have an option to either have the metronome play through the internal speaker or have it play through your midi device.  The first seven options under the Setups menu deal with recording options in Music Shop.  Listed below is a quick explanation of some of more important menu items.  For a more detailed explanation of these items and their importance consult the Music Shop manual.
 

Setup Menu Action Replace Default recording mode.   Will replace entire track with new data Punch Like Replace but records info only at specific points Overdub Records info and blends with data Wait for Note Begins recording when first note is received Countoff Counts off then begins recording Multichannel Record Records multiple channels on separate tracks Metronome Sets Metronome Prefs Preferences Prefs for Program Options

MIDI Menu Action Default Track Setup Allows for the setup of which instruments will use tracks 1-16 and 17-32 OMS MIDI Setup Opens OMS Setup Enable Input Devices Allows configuration of MIDI Input devices Auto Remapping Allows MIDI files not created on your computer to use your studio setup Turn off Stuck Notes! PANIC

• Hardware Issues. Sequencing software requires some sort of MIDI device for most of the major work to be accomplished. There are many ways to configure a MIDI system, depending largely on the kind of MIDI device or devices you have. Here are some additional tips. We covered these in Project 11 when we were working with Finale:

 
• Make sure your MIDI device is in "Poly" or "Multi" mode (Mode 3, technically as we described in Modules 10 and 21 in the text.) This will ensure that your MIDI device is receiving separate MIDI channel information so that you can hear polyphonic, multitimbral music. Many MIDI devices today have this as the "default" mode when they come from the factory, but it's worth checking.

 
• Make sure your MIDI device has "Local Control" switched to "Off." Local Control is one of the MIDI settings on your MIDI device that shuts off any features that are built into your device that might interfere with an external device like a computer. This step helps to ensure that the computer "takes charge" and controls the MIDI features through software. (This may not be necessary with some MIDI devices, but it's a good idea just the same.)

 
• Set up Music Shop so that MIDI Thru works properly if you have multiple MIDI devices working together. To do this in Music Shop, select Keyboard Thru from the MIDI Menu.

On your Project Worksheet for this project, record any problems or concerns you have with the setup procedures described here. If all seems well, continue with the project. Return to this part of your worksheet later, however, and record any changes in the setup that you made as you began to use the program and your hardware.

Return to Project Menu

Step 2: Basic Operation

Now that we have our software ready to go and our hardware in place, let's begin by opening a Music Shop/MIDI file that has already been entered and learn about the basic operation of the software.

Go to File => Open.  Navigate to the Opcode directory and locate a file called "Tutorial."  Music Shop installs this file during the program installation.  (Full version only -- if using a demo version just use any MIDI file you have on your hard drive)    Below we have included the basic window that is displayed when you open the file followed by a brief description of Music Shop's various tools.

 

These are the "Transport Controls".  They work much like any standard tape recorder.  The buttons underneath the "Rec" and "Cont" buttons either jump to the beginning or end of the song according to the direction of the arrow.  The button

underneath the "Play" and "Stop" buttons allows you to scroll through the song much like Rewind and Fast Forward buttons.  You can use this button while the song is playing to "scrub" through parts of the tune.

 

The top window is the "Counter" window that keeps track of where you are in the song.  The display is read as such:  bar . beat . ticks.  Below and to the left is the Metronome window.  You can set the base beat as well as the speed.  Click on the item you wish you change.  It will be highlighted in yellow and an up/down arrow will

appear.  Click with the mouse to change the settings.  To the right is the Loop window.  Click on the double bars to enable looping and on the number inside to change at which measure number the looping begins.
 

The tools in this window are advanced editing and view selection tools.  We will cover these tools in more detail later but for now we will briefly explain a few of them.  The button labeled "step"

allows you to enter notes using the mouse.  The next 2 buttons change the view of the song being worked on.  For now click on the button with the 4 ovals on it.  This button allows you to toggle the view between Piano Roll notation and "Script" notation.  (Click the button once more to go back into "Script" notation.)  Read the next section below about viewing more than one track at a time.  The last three buttons (square, I, and pencil) allow for manipulation of notes.  We will discuss these tools more in depth later.
 

This is a partial view of the main window known as the Edit Window.  Music Shop automatically defaults to showing the music in notation mode.  The numbers on the far left side are the available tracks.  Any number in bold print is a track with data stored on it.  The current track shown will always be highlighted in black and have an arrow next to it.  (for example, track number 5 is currently active in the example to the left).  To select a track, just click on the number and the track will open in the Edit Window.  To select multiple tracks, first click on the number of the track you wish to see and drag the mouse to the last track you wish to see or you may hold the Ctrl button and click on the track(s) you wish.  (Note: large MIDI files may take a bit to load!)   The up and down arrows on either end of the number list allow you to scroll through the track numbers.  The "Trumpet" button, when clicked, will give you a

list of instruments (patch list) available for each track.  The patch list was determined when we gave the MIDI device a patch list.  (See Assigning Patch Names above under the OMS Setup section.)  To change a patch, first select a track then hit the "Trumpet" button.  The available patches will be listed and can be selected by clicking on them.  The "A" button is one of Opcode's most power features available in both Music Shop and Vision.  It allows the user to "string" together sequences to create an "arrangement".  For example, let's say you are writing a "pop" tune with verses, choruses, bridges, etc..., you could save each section of your tune as a separate MIDI file and place the finished "chunks" of the song together in another sequence altogether.  This allows you to work with smaller portions of your tune and experiment with different arrangement options without re-writing the tune over from start to finish.

Music Shop allows up to 32 simultaneous tracks of MIDI data. (For more information on the concept of a "track" in MIDI sequencing, read Module 20.)  When you ran Music Shop for the first time it probably asked you which device you wished to use as the default instrument for Tracks 1 - 16 and 17 - 32.  If you have multiple MIDI devices, you can change them at anytime by going to the "Track Setup" menu option under the Windows menu in Music Shop.

To change a device click the output device next to the track you wish to change.  If you have other MIDI devices they will be shown here and you can choose from the available devices.  If you don't see your other devices then you haven't completely setup OMS.  If this is the case see the OMS Setup section above.

You can use this window to change the output channel a track will send the MIDI data to.  Click the "Chan" box on the track that you would like to change.  A window will pop up that allows you to select the device's channel for output.  The "8va" column of this window automatically transposes a track up or down an octave.  The "Vol/Vel" column affects the Mixer Window Properties.  When it is set to "Vol", the fader affects the Volume of the track.  When it is set to "Vel" the fader affects the Velocity of the track.  However, these changes are not specified on the Mixer window itself.  This window is the main way you tell what your slider position is changing.  (To open the Mixer window go to Windows => Mixer)
 

The mixer window is one of the most important windows to get acquainted with.  You can adjust the volume settings, mute, solo, or change the pan settings of any track. As you place the cursor over a Mixer Fader, the track properties will show up in the two white windows above.  The box on the left is read as follows: "track#:device-channel while the other window shows the current patch selected for the track. Above each fader are two white boxes.  The upper box will show MIDI data (much like an LED) while the song is playing.  The lower box is the "Panning Slider".  You can use this to change the panning of the track.   The two buttons below each fader are as follows: M = mute S = solo Mute and solo buttons can be used on multiple tracks.


 
• Metronome and Recording Countoff Options

 

To set the Recording Countoff Options go to the Setup Menu and click either Countoff or Wait for Note. The Wait for Note option will wait until you've played the first note and then begin recording.  (First note played is included with the recording) The Countoff Mode can be setup up to count off a specific number of measures and then automatically begin recording.  To change the number of measures that Music Shop will count off, look at the bottom left graphic of the example shown and click in the number field.  You will get an arrow that points up or down depending where you place the mouse within that field.  Click to raise or lower that number.

Click anywhere else in the screen to escape the countoff field edit mode.
 

Choose Metronome from the Setups Menu bar item. The following window will pop up allowing you to configure the Metronome properties in Music Shop.  It's a good idea to click "MIDI Note" and use your main MIDI device as the output device. Use Channel 10 of the main MIDI device to play the clicks.  For the most part you can leave the Note, Velocity,

and Duration boxes alone as they are usually set to work on virtually all keyboards and are GM compatible.  Put check marks in the Click in Play box if you wish.  (Make sure Click in Record is checked as well otherwise you'll hear nothing!)  Click OK.

Hands-On Recap

Before going any further, make sure you understand how to do the following simple operations:

• Open a pre-existing MIDI file.
• Selecting Single/Multiple Tracks.
• Changing the view between Piano Roll and Script Notation.
• Use the Transport Controls to Play the MIDI file.
• Use the other transport tools to see how they work.
• Change a patch (voice) of a track.
• Change the output device of a track.  (if applicable)
• Change the channel of a track.
• Change the Metronome tempo.
• Change Metronome Prefs. (Setups  => Metronome)
• Use the Loop Option.
• Open and use the Mixer panel.
• Change between Countoff and Wait for Note Recording Modes.  (Setups Menu)
• Configure the Countoff options.

If you have the full-featured version of Music Shop, save different versions of this file in a location appropriate for your situation. If you are using the demo supplied with the EMT-CD and have a tape recorder or other kind of recording system connected to your MIDI equipment, record a few versions of this file.

On your Project Worksheet for this project, provide a complete description of the experiments you have conducted while working with the basic operation of this software.
 

Return to Project Menu

Step 3: Real-Time Entry

Now that you have an idea of how Music Shop works, let's enter some new music in real time. To do this, choose a previously composed piece or a create a new one for this purpose. Try to select a piece with at least four parts that would lend themselves well to four different tracks. You might want to practice playing each part on your MIDI device so that you are comfortable with the musical performance requirements. Don't forget that you can record the music slowly and then use the Tempo Window to play back the piece at a faster tempo.

Warning: If you are using the demo software provided on the EMT-CD, please be aware that the software will quit after a certain time period. You may want to practice recording a relatively short piece and save it to tape fairly quickly. This is not a problem with the full-featured version of the software.

• Music Entry.

Follow the following steps to record your music in real time:

1. Set up your software by first identifying each of the four tracks with devices, channels, and programs (timbres) using the Track Setup Window under the Windows menu bar item.

 
2. From the Setups Menu select the Replace record mode.

 
3. Select which track to record first. Click on the track number in the track number scroll bar next to the edit window.  If there is a recurring drum track, do that one first. If there is no drum track, select a part that begins the piece and that is dominant throughout.

 
4. Set a recording tempo that is comfortable and use the metronome and the "measure for nothing" options. (Actually, you can do without the metronome if it gets in the way of your entering music that may have a good deal of rubato. This is especially true if you have no desire to have a printed score from your work.)

 
5. From the Setups menu select either Countoff or Wait for Note depending on your preference.  (Configure the Countoff option if you need to.)

 
6. Click on the record button (red dot) in the Transport Window and record the first track.

 
7. Move on to the next track by clicking the number of the next track you wish to record. If all goes well, you should hear the first track playing back at the same time. (If you do not hear the first track, be sure that your MIDI device is in the proper multitimbral mode.)

 
8. Proceed in a similar way by playing in the remaining tracks. If you need to erase a track, click on the track number to the left of the edit window in the scroll bar. This will select the entire track and you can then cut or clear the MIDI data and start again. Also, don't forget the "undo" option under the Edit menu.

 

• Punch In

An important part of recording music with sequencing software is making global changes quickly. Punch In options allow the definition of an area for re-recording in real time. If there was a small section in one of your tracks that did not come out well, chose it for recording.
 

Select Punch from the Setups Menu. The white bar underneath the Pencil button now changes to show the current Punch In/Out times.  The numbers are read exactly as the Counter window.  (measure.beat.ticks)  The first set of numbers (with the record icon next to it) shows the Punch In point.  The second set of numbers (with the square stop button next to it) shows the Punch Out point.  Click on the number you wish to change and up or down click (cursor changes to an arrow).  Be sure that the "Stop at Punch Out" option in the Setups menu is clicked as well.

Nothing will be recorded until the software reaches the start point. At that point it records what you play and then stops recording at the end point.

If you have the full-featured version of Music Shop, save your real-time entry file in a location appropriate for your situation. If you are using the demo supplied with the EMT-CD and have a tape recorder or other kind of recording system connected to your MIDI equipment, record your file to tape.

On your Project Worksheet for this project, provide information about the name of your file and where it is located. Explain how you recorded your composition and what features you used.

Return to Project Menu

Step 4: Step-Time and Pencil Entry

As with notation packages, Music Shop allows you to use step-time and pencil (mouse) approaches to enter music in both "Script" notation mode or "Piano Roll" mode. This mode of entry allows you to enter complicated passages one note at a time using a MIDI device and/or the typewriter keyboard and mouse to select the pitches.

Piano Roll and Notation Step-Time Entry

Here is a suggested approach for work in step-time:

1. Select a track to work with and click on the toggle button that switches the view between Piano Roll and Script notation view to enter the desired mode of operation.

 
2. Click the Step button.  A new window will pop up asking you to select a note value.  (Use Size)

Click the Size value button.  (One with the Quarter Note in it) A new window will open allowing you to change the base value of the input notes.  Come back to this window if you need to change the values at a later date.

3. Once you've selected a note, you may begin entering notes.  Music shop is waiting for MIDI information to be sent from you primary input device.

 
4. Notes and chords played by the MIDI device will be entered in step time.

 
5. To enter a rest, use the space bar on the typewriter keyboard.  Use the backspace key to "erase" mistakes.

 
6. To enter tuplet values, use the Step window and select a note as the base of the beat. Check the box next to the tuplet and set the boxes depending on the length of your tuplet.  (i.e..  3 in time of 2)  Continue entering notes as usual.  You may have better luck using the Script view entering tuplets!

 
7. Step Entry will use the velocity information coming from the MIDI device. You can change this by clicking on the pop up box next to "Velocity."  You have two options to either use "As Played" or "Constant".  When in "As Played" mode, Music Shop will use the velocity you play.  If in "Constant" you are allowed to define a velocity number that will be applied to all of the notes entered.  Whatever you choose can be edited later.  This will be discussed in the Advanced Editing features later.

 
Piano Roll and Notation Pencil Tool Entry

Pencil editing can be used to enter individual notes. Simply choose the pencil tool and click on the staff line in Script mode and keyboard area in Piano Roll mode you wish the note to appear.

Here is a suggested approach for work using the Pencil Tool:

1. Select a track to work with and click on the toggle button that switches the view between Piano Roll and Script notation view to enter the desired mode of operation.

 
2. Click the Pencil Tool.  The same window will appear when you clicked the Step button.  Configure as needed.

 
3. Next to the Pencil tool is a Pop up window labeled "Notation."  If in Notation view, select Notation.  If in Piano Roll select "Edit".  The note value next to it quantizes the view to the value selected. Important: Be sure to select the note value that is one step faster than the fasted note you will enter.  This will help in the placement of tuplets!

 
4. In script view, place the cursor over the staff area.  The cursor changes to the note value selected in the Step box.  Click to place a note.  The cursor will also change this note value in Piano Roll notation.  In Piano Roll notation use the Keyboard to the left to gauge where the pitch is and click in the measure area you wish to place it.   It takes a lot of practice to use Piano Roll entry with the Pencil tool.  It is probably best to use Step Entry rather than the Pencil Tool in this fashion.

 
5. You can also look at the long white box (where you set the countoff options) to tell what note and on what beat you are about to place a note.

 
6. Click on a note head once again to edit the note. (A selected note will change to have a clear note head.)  Move the cursor slightly around the note head and notice the change(s) in the mouse cursor.  Moving the mouse closer to the top or bottom of the note head will allow you to change the pitch.  (click and drag)  Moving the mouse closer to the left allows you to drag the note to the left or right.  Moving the mouse closer to the right allows for lengthening the value of the note.  In Piano Roll view you can drag the value.  In Notation view, a pop up window will appear for the selection of the new note value.  In this case, Music Shop will automatically add ties and dots where applicable to reflect the note value change.  (Advanced editing takes much practice and is quite tedious.  If you find that you need to edit a large portion of your song, you may find it easier to re-record the passage or simply re-enter the notes as you see fit.)

 
7. To change keys, move the cursor slowly to the right of the clef (this works only in Script view) until the mouse cursor changes to a sharp.  Clicking here will allow you to specify the key of the work.  Do this before entering notes as the transpose feature may produce undesired effects.

 
8. To change meter, click on the number of the time signature you wish you change.  Up or Down click to change values.

Find a complicated passage in a piece you are working on presently. Practice entering the passage in step-time using the procedures explained above. Listen to the playback to see if it is accurate. If you are using the demo version of Music Shop, take a screen shot of the passage, print it out and attach it to your Project Worksheet. If you are using the full-featured version of the software, save a copy of the file to a location that is appropriate for your situation.

Provide a description on the Project Worksheet of how you used Step-Time and Pencil entry systems.

Return to Project Menu

Step 5: Basic Editing

Once the material is in place, it's quite likely that you will want to make changes. Here are some important tips for editing. This step presents basic editing procedures and the next step deals with more advanced editing.

Begin by opening either a MIDI file provided in the demo folder or one that you have created. Experiment with the following:

• Changes Using the Edit Window

 
• Move/Copy a Track. To move a track to a different position, click on the extreme left column in the Track Window that contains the number of the track you wish to move. From the "Do" Menu click on "Select All"  Then go to the Edit menu and select Cut.  Select the new track you wish to place the data on and hit "Paste" from the Edit menu.  You will have to change the Track name from the Tracks option in the Windows menu.

 
• Selecting a Measure or specific notes within a measure. Use the I tool next to the Pencil tool to select an entire measure or measures by clicking and dragging over the desired selection.  Click and drag with the Dotted line Box selected to select single notes.  You may also click on the note/oval depending on which view you are currently in.

 
• Inserting/Deleting Measures. With the "I" tool, select the measure you wish to add a measure before.  While selected go to the Edit menu and choose "Insert Blank Time."  Music Shop will insert measures according to how many measures are selected.  For example, if you select two measures Music Shop will insert 2 measure of blank time.  To delete a selected measure (using the "I" tool once again) choose Clear Selection from the Edit menu.

 
• Changes Using the Step Editor.

 
• Note specifics. In either view, click the note you wish to change and move the cursor around to note to get the mouse cursor to change as you did in the previous step entering notes under Notation/Piano Roll Pencil entry.  (See Step-4 Piano Roll and Notation Pencil Tool Entry)

• Velocity Editing. In either view, click the button next to the view toggle (button with vertical lines.) You will see a smaller window underneath the notation with little vertical lines formed at the beginning of each bar that represents a note. These vertical lines are graphic representations of the initial velocity (loudness) of the note.

The window to the bottom left shows the velocity of each note.  If you select a note by clicking on it, its velocity is highlighted as well. To edit a note's velocity, place the cursor over the velocity window.  A pencil cursor is now available that lets you click and draw a new velocity value. Use the "I" tool to select multiple notes then click the pencil to edit them.  NOTE:  the new velocity will affect all of the selected notes! Click on the window that says "Key Velocity".  You can change what items Music Shop shows by using this window to change it. Experiment with editing the key velocities and/or any other item you wish. (This option is available in both view modes.)

• Program (Timbre) Changes. Click the Key Velocity button in the window shown above and select Patch Changes.  The window will remain but this time a number is shown.  In the measure you wish to send a patch change click with the pencil tool.  A list of available patches will pop up.  Select the desired patch.  When the music gets the that measure, Music Shop will automatically change the patch and continue to perform the piece.

 

All of these basic editing procedures are worth trying with a MIDI file of our choice. Work with each one and report on what you did on the Project Worksheet. What worked well or less well? How would you imagine using each of these basic editing procedures?

Return to Project Menu

Step 6: Advanced Editing and Saving

Advanced Editing. You have already discovered a great deal about Music Shop and sequencing software. Here are few more features that are very useful.

• Quantize Selection (Do Menu):  This allows for the tightening of rhythmic flow.  Select either a note or multiple notes.  Do the Quantize Selection and notice the results.  This option will only change the initial attack of the note leaving the durations untouched.  Music Shop uses the Quantize To option (upper right corner) as the beat to snap the notes to. To quantize note durations (so that they are evenly quarter notes etc...) select Quantize Note durations from the Do menu while the notes are highlighted.

• Move Events: You may find it necessary to move "chunks" of data/notes around.  The Move Events option under the Edit Menu is a quick way to do just that.  Select the "chunk" of data you wish to move and select Move Events.  A window opens that allows for the precise placement of the MIDI data.  Experiment with these options to see how they work.

Saving. Saving files is the final topic we will cover in this tutorial. You have options for saving sequencer files based on what use you have for them. You can save files as native Music Shop files for musical performance of course, but you can also save files as either Type 1 or Type 0 standard MIDI files. Selecting Save or Save As will automatically save the file as a Music Shop file.  Selecting the Export option allows you to save the file as a Type 1 or Type 0.

Type 1 MIDI files retain all the tracks as separate entities. This is the best option if your intent is to use the MIDI file as the basis for a notated score. (Be sure to treat this file in a strict rhythmic fashion, using the quantizing options noted above. You want to be sure that the rhythmic values conform as exactly as possible to standard notated values so that the notation program will represent your work as accurately as possible.)  Make sure the checkbox next to Multitrack is clicked.

Type 0 MIDI files place all tracks into one mega track. This might be appropriate if you simply want to create a drum and bass track as a basis for another MIDI file in a different sequencer or notation program or the bottom track of a file in a digital audio sequencing program. Make sure the Multitrack checkbox is NOT clicked.
 
 

Using the Arrangement Option

You can use this option to make a medley of MIDI tunes within one file.  To do this hit the "A" button (Arrangement).  The currently open song will be shown as "A".  Select "B" and go to File => Open.  The new file opened will be placed in the "B" section.  Continue this until you have placed all the files you wish in sequential order.  You can change the order of these by opening the Arrangement Window found under the Windows menu.  See the Music Shop Manual or the On-Line help for more information on using the advanced features of the Arrangement window.

Now, simply save the song sets as a new file using the appropriate item in the the Save or Save As Options and you can have access to a MIDI file medley without having to open all the files separately! Pretty cool.

To end this project, return to either your own sequenced file or one of the files provided on the EMT-CD. Choose three of the advanced editing options described and apply them to the file. If you are using the full-featured version of this software, save the results of each experiment and save the files in a location that is appropriate for your location. On the Project Worksheet, record the tiles of your files and explain in some detail what you did in the experiment. If you are using the demo version of the software, record the experiments on the tape recorder attached to your MIDI system and fill in the Project Worksheet by writing about your experiments.

If you are using the full-featured version of this software, practice saving a few song sets. Regardless of which version of the software you have, provide a description on your Project Worksheet of how you might use the song playlist options of sequencing software in a real-life performance situation.

Project 13A is completed. Congratulations!

Version 1.0
©1996 David B. Williams and Peter R. Webster
Schirmer Books