musictomysoul

Happy 2016! As many of you know I love technology and all it can do. However, I just don’t take the time to blog about my findings. One of my goals in 2016 is to blog more often and even create some “how to” videos! So, here we go! Let’s get started.

It always helps to have a project! My neighbor’s daughter made Honor Choir and I’m planning to help her learn her music. What better way to support her practice but to create an Audio Track that she can use at home. There are a number of ways to do this – enter all the notes of the choral score using Finale; play the score into Logic or Pro Tools; or try using my iPad and Apps. I’ve chosen the third option as it is a new solution to me and probably to many of you!

First up – NotateMe. This app that is by Neuratron includes an optional plug-in to use the camera of your iPad to capture the notation and then recognize it as a file readable by Music Apps. I purchased the plug-in and think it will be a time saver for all.

After opening NotateMe (the paid App), I selected “PhotoScore” from the upper right hand navigation. After granting PhotoScore permission to use my camera, it was as simple as taking a picture of each page of my score. In between each picture, the software recognized the score and then gave me the option to take pictures or the next page, Retake, or Finish. After completing the picture-taking process, I then was able to play the score. Yes, there were some mistakes but I could certainly take 5 pictures of a 3-part choral arrangement faster than I could enter all the music into Finale or Logic.

Now I have two options. I can edit the score in NotateMe using handwriting recognition and my Apple Pencil or I can export the score to Notation. Let’s start with the first option and see how it goes.

Well, I just completed 28 measures of the melody. There is a learning curve! PhotoScore did include some of the dynamic markings in the regular score and messed up more of the lyrics than the notes. It was VERY easy to use the Apple Pencil and correct the notes by mostly adding dots and ties. The pitches were mostly correct! YEA in the treble part!!!

I’m now going to Export the score and select “Open In” “XML” and select “Copy to Notion.” Now that the score is opened, I can tell you learning Notion will take some time. It took me ages to figure out how to delete a measure within the score. I finally had to resort to Google to discover how!

Well, I’m not finished yet but still working my way through the notation, mainly the keyboard part. I will say that NotateMe did a pretty great job getting the notes correct! I could probably correct things in Finale faster but just like any new software, it takes time to learn! So, I’m going to plod on and check back in a few days!

Wish me luck!