This might be a long shot but I have purchased a Compaq IPAQ off EBAY. Apart from it being a great machine I can connect to the web save sheet music and MP3 using pocket pc word and window media 8 player. A great device for portable practicing with. My problem is I can't get it to to play midi files such as the tunes featured on this site.
I find a PDA (I use the Palm OS) just great for quick(ish!) on-the-spot notation of interesting tunes, plus it's great to have a display of them so you can have all your repertoire available - I recently used mine at a festival near Cardiff (Wales) and found it great to be able to have a quick look to see what was most appropriate as my turn came around. Sometimes it's difficult hearing a tune in your head while others are playing (yes, I know, I should just be enjoying what everyone else is doing but some of these solo singers go on a bit!!). The abc notation displays as real notes on a stave - it's a bit small but is great for just reminding me "how the first bit goes". After that I'm usually OK!
In the future, we will no longer use paper to store "the dots"...it will all be stored digitally! Symphony Orchestras will have screens attached to music stands, and annoying page turns will be a thing of the past...
Tim
Tim, it wouldn't work. If you look in on an orchestral rehearsal, of whatever standard right up to the top professionals, you'll see that the players spend some time writing instructions, in pencil, on their copies - bowings, phrasing, fingerings (sometimes), changes in tempo and dynamics required by the conductor, cut bars, the list is endless. I can't see how that could be done with electronic screens. And what if such a screen goes on the blink, or there's a power cut!
In practice, page turns are managed quite successfully, if necessary by photocopying a page, and the music publishers anyway generally try to assist by careful laying out of the music on the page.
Trevor
Actually, I think there are ways to overcome that...there are screens you can handwrite things with...
Besides, I was only joking...the PDA thing just reminded me of watching star trek...
I think the electronic screen thing is already done with a few specialized orchestras, for example, movie-soundtrack sessions, where they can make changes even during the recording session. As Trevor said, it will be a while before it works for Classical music.
Glauber, thanks for that info. I can see that it would work for a film company's in-house orchestra where time and money are at a premium. I've heard these guys are so good they can do a film track recording in one take without rehearsal. If the music score is stored on a computer I suppose it could be beamed directly to the player, and so could on-the-hoof alterations to the score.
As you said, it's unlikely to be used for live concert performances in the foreseeable future. Yesterday I had a 3-hour orchestra rehearsal for Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado", in preparation for a fortnight's run next month. The parts are hired from Doyley Carte with the usual portentous injunctions that all markings *must* be erased from the parts before returning them (106 pages in my cello part, if you please!) , and no copies by any means whatsoever to be made, etc etc. Can't understand how the copy I received from DC was already covered in pencilled bowings, fingerings, changes in dynamics and speed, etc ...
Trevor
I got ABC Viewer (shows staffs and notes of ABC files) and PalmABC (plays music of ABC file on PDA speaker) from Palmgear.com. Several programs are available to convert midi to ABC. I use Harmony Assistant, a VERY inexpensive shareware program from France. H.A. also handles many other types of files and will display and play from them.
Luck
Bruce
Using a PDA for practicing tunes
Using a PDA for practicing tunes
This might be a long shot but I have purchased a Compaq IPAQ off EBAY. Apart from it being a great machine I can connect to the web save sheet music and MP3 using pocket pc word and window media 8 player. A great device for portable practicing with. My problem is I can't get it to to play midi files such as the tunes featured on this site.
Anyone got any suggestions?
# Posted on April 21st 2003 by Jaff
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
There are a few applications for Palm PCs to play ABC music. Check out the references under here:
http://www.gre.ac.uk/~c.walshaw/abc/#software
# Posted on April 21st 2003 by glauber
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
I find a PDA (I use the Palm OS) just great for quick(ish!) on-the-spot notation of interesting tunes, plus it's great to have a display of them so you can have all your repertoire available - I recently used mine at a festival near Cardiff (Wales) and found it great to be able to have a quick look to see what was most appropriate as my turn came around. Sometimes it's difficult hearing a tune in your head while others are playing (yes, I know, I should just be enjoying what everyone else is doing but some of these solo singers go on a bit!!). The abc notation displays as real notes on a stave - it's a bit small but is great for just reminding me "how the first bit goes". After that I'm usually OK!
Mark
# Posted on April 21st 2003 by Mark Harmer
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
In the future, we will no longer use paper to store "the dots"...it will all be stored digitally! Symphony Orchestras will have screens attached to music stands, and annoying page turns will be a thing of the past...
Tim
# Posted on April 21st 2003 by loscann7
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
Tim, it wouldn't work. If you look in on an orchestral rehearsal, of whatever standard right up to the top professionals, you'll see that the players spend some time writing instructions, in pencil, on their copies - bowings, phrasing, fingerings (sometimes), changes in tempo and dynamics required by the conductor, cut bars, the list is endless. I can't see how that could be done with electronic screens. And what if such a screen goes on the blink, or there's a power cut!
In practice, page turns are managed quite successfully, if necessary by photocopying a page, and the music publishers anyway generally try to assist by careful laying out of the music on the page.
Trevor
# Posted on April 21st 2003 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
Actually, I think there are ways to overcome that...there are screens you can handwrite things with...
Besides, I was only joking...the PDA thing just reminded me of watching star trek...
# Posted on April 22nd 2003 by loscann7
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
Can anyone advise me where to go on the net to get compatabile abc software for compaq iPAQ ?
Thanks,
Tommy
# Posted on April 24th 2003 by fego
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
there's tablet PCs available now that will recognize handwriting and would be great for making notes on digital sheetmusic.
# Posted on April 26th 2003 by Daffydd ap Llewellyn
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
I think the electronic screen thing is already done with a few specialized orchestras, for example, movie-soundtrack sessions, where they can make changes even during the recording session. As Trevor said, it will be a while before it works for Classical music.
# Posted on April 28th 2003 by glauber
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
Glauber, thanks for that info. I can see that it would work for a film company's in-house orchestra where time and money are at a premium. I've heard these guys are so good they can do a film track recording in one take without rehearsal. If the music score is stored on a computer I suppose it could be beamed directly to the player, and so could on-the-hoof alterations to the score.
As you said, it's unlikely to be used for live concert performances in the foreseeable future. Yesterday I had a 3-hour orchestra rehearsal for Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado", in preparation for a fortnight's run next month. The parts are hired from Doyley Carte with the usual portentous injunctions that all markings *must* be erased from the parts before returning them (106 pages in my cello part, if you please!) , and no copies by any means whatsoever to be made, etc etc. Can't understand how the copy I received from DC was already covered in pencilled bowings, fingerings, changes in dynamics and speed, etc ...
Trevor
# Posted on April 28th 2003 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Using a PDA for practicing tunes
I got ABC Viewer (shows staffs and notes of ABC files) and PalmABC (plays music of ABC file on PDA speaker) from Palmgear.com. Several programs are available to convert midi to ABC. I use Harmony Assistant, a VERY inexpensive shareware program from France. H.A. also handles many other types of files and will display and play from them.
Luck
Bruce
# Posted on May 8th 2003 by bpfrocket