MITSYN Score Editor
In some time signal synthesis applications there is a need to be able to adjust parameters of a synthesizing and/or mixing process during a run in accordance with a specified plan, i.e., at instants specified with respect to some particular time base. This notion is often referred to by the terms "scripts" or "scores".
In MITSYN this need is met by the file data type called a "score". A score consists of data which can be read sequentially by a stream processing configuration. The particular way in which the various score items may be rendered by a configuration is described under the various score reading blocks in the Stream Processing Primitive Block Dictionary.
MITSYN scores are conceptually like scrolls on which are placed the various types of score notations. For graphical display purposes, the long (unlimited length) axis is positioned horizontally, and the horizontal positions of items are used to represent their temporal attributes. Time increases from left to right, and temporal positions and durations are measured in arbitrary units called "beats". A mapping from beats to "real time", e.g. seconds, is usually called a tempo mapping. The vertical dimension of a score plot is used to represent "levels" of most notation items.
The basic score file format is called a "MITSYN low-level score", and it is a fairly low-level notation in that data is represented in a numerical (graphical) format. (For musicians a MITSYN score is in concept somewhere between the very low-level score represented by a player piano roll and the much higher-level traditional musical score which is very symbolic and context dependent.)
The MITSYN Score Player/Editor may be used to create and edit such scores. It also supports the importing of score data from standard MIDI files (File→Open). MIDI files for musical scores are popular items on many Web sites. The Score Player page contains more on this topic. The Play commands discussed on that page are useful for debugging note content in a score, and also as a note learning training aid for multi-part choral music.
Finding Locations or Items in a Score
There are many ways of moving around in a score, e.g., by dragging the scroll box, by using the
scrolling keys (Page Up and Page Down),
by using the Goto command (Ctrl+G) to go to a specific score time (in beats),
or by using the Find command (Ctrl+F causes the Find Score Item toolbar to be
shown).
The
dropdown selector is called the "find filter" which can be used to search
for specific types of items such as notes, bookmarks, or tempo settings. The
two buttons are Find Next (F3) and Find Previous (Shift+F3)
search commands using the setting of the filter beginning at the cursor
location. For quick return to specific locations you may easily insert
additional bookmarks (a.k.a. a rehearsal
letters) using
the Bookmarks toolbar. The attributes
of found items will be shown in the Item toolbar.
See Editing Items in a Score for the manipulation of score items.
Synthesizer Keyboard and Score Item Entry
The Synthesizer Keyboard toolbar may be used for rapid entry of items into a score.
Notes may be keyed in using the keyboard keys, and other types of score items entered using the buttons. The Tooltips (help balloons) for the keys, buttons, images, and other controls describe their use.
Notes can be "keyed" into the score using the Synthesizer Keyboard by clicking the desired keyboard key with the "Insert Note" checkbox checked. The duration of the note will be that of the current step size as shortened by the setting of the staccato--legato slider. Then if the Auto step box is checked the cursor will be advanced by the current step. The current step size may be set by into the Step size text box or more quickly by clicking on a step size note graphic (i.e., the whole, half, quarter, ... notes) optionally followed by a modifier (dot, double-dot, triplet). Thus a sequence of the same duration notes may be entered by simply clicking successive keys on the keyboard. Clicking the Do step ahead button advances the cursor by the current step without inserting a note, which is thus equivalent to "inserting" a rest of the current step size.
Distinguish between voice numbers and note class (part) numbers. Often they are the same, but not necessarily so, and the relationship can be changed in the Voicing Assignments dialog box (elicited by the Voices button). Scores deal with note classes (parts) while the Voice Mixer deals in voices. For example, it is perfectly possible to assign the basses (voices) to sign the soprano parts (note classes). A quick way to set the current note class for insertions is to click on a "solo" button in the Voice Mixer but, as just mentioned, a voice might not be currently mapped into a note class with the same number.
Editing Items in a Score
In order to edit the attributes of a particular score item, or to delete it, the item must first be selected by being "found" by using a Find command. Attributes of the selected item will be shown in the Item toolbar, where their values may be edited. To change the item in the score delete the original (selected) item (shortcut key Delete), and insert the modified item using the Insert button (Ins New) on the Item toolbar.
The Item toolbar show the properties of the current "edit item". The edit item is updated with the properties of a score item whenever such a item is selected using a Find command. The first field of the Item toolbar shows the type of the item, e.g., Note, Command, Tempo, Bookmark, Key Signature, etc. New items may be inserted in the score by first selecting the item type from the dropdown box, and then setting the properties of the remaining fields, and then clicking the Ins New button. However, new items are usually inserted in a score using the Synthesizer Keyboard toolbar rather than the Edit Item toolbar, since that toolbar provides higher level specialized commands for most of the score item types.
Last updated 24-Sep-2009