daemon@bartok.Sun.COM (04/13/90)
Music-Research Digest Thu, 12 Apr 90 Volume 5 : Issue 37
Today's Topics:
PC/DOS music notation
typeseting music (2 msgs)
Typesetting music
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Date: Thu, 12 Apr 90 09:26:27 EDT
From: Randal Baier <REBX@edu.cornell.cit.cornellc>
Subject: PC/DOS music notation
To: MusRes <MUSIC-RESEARCH@com.sun.eng.bartok>
Message-ID: <9004121331.AA11543@Sun.COM>
There is a recent review essay in Notes (Music Library Association, USA)
concerning music notation software for PC/DOS machines. It's by Garrett Bowles
in the March 1990 issue.
This review is exhaustive and excellent, and it compares the same or similar
operations on 6 or 7 notation programs, both DARMS and graphic based. Several
bars of the same music are notated for visual comparison of output.
Prices vary, of course, and all factors related to value are considered.
If you're looking for software, read this first.
Randal Baier
Cornell University Library
REBX@CORNELLC.BITNET
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Date: 10 Apr 90 16:08:50 GMT
From: Duy-Minh NHIEU <dmnhieu%watdragon%watserv1%utgpu%news-server.csri.toronto.edu%cs.utexas.edu@edu.ohio-state.cis.tut>
Subject: typeseting music
To: music-research@prg
Message-ID: <23102@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Some one point out that MuTex is available (anonymous ftp ) from ubc.cs.ca
However, there is a directory under src called MuTex (ie /src/MuTex) but
when I tried cd to it it said no such file or dirctory. Is MuTex available
from elsewhere?
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Date: 11 Apr 90 19:01:09 GMT
From: Bruce Dumes <bad%pearl%lectroid%transfer%xylogics%samsung%cs.utexas.edu%hellgate.utah.edu%helios.ee.lbl.gov%pasteur@edu.be
Subject: typeseting music
To: music-research@prg
Message-ID: <1067@lectroid.sw.stratus.com>
In article <23102@watdragon.waterloo.edu> dmnhieu@watdragon.waterloo.edu (Duy-Minh NHIEU) writes:
>Some one point out that MuTex is available (anonymous ftp ) from ubc.cs.ca
>However, there is a directory under src called MuTex (ie /src/MuTex) but
>when I tried cd to it it said no such file or dirctory. Is MuTex available
>from elsewhere?
I was getting hung up on this, but if you look carefully, you'll find it is
not "MuTex" but --> "MuTeX" <-- with a capitol X.
--
Bruce Dumes | "Massachusetts has the best
bad@pearl.sw.stratus.com | politicians money can buy"
Stratus Computer, Inc.
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Date: 11 Apr 90 07:29:15 GMT
From: Mark Gresham <mgresham%artsnet@edu.gatech>
Subject: Typesetting music
To: music-research@prg
Message-ID: <777@artsnet.UUCP>
In article <823@dgis.dtic.dla.mil> jkrueger@dgis.dtic.dla.mil (Jon) writes:
>jdudeck@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (John R. Dudeck) writes:
>
>>I would like to know whether there is an established leader in the field,
>>[of music typesetting] or is it still wide open?
>
>Neither. There are several packages on Macintosh and at least one I
>know of for DOS machines. All require laser printers for reasonable
>output, which still costs a lot for individuals. All can accept
>reasonable notation, some make it easier to enter notes than others.
[...]
>My impression is that the market is fragmented right now, roughly
>divided into two groups: the MIDI tools, which can control a lot of
>electronics and some of which can parse keyboard events into
>conventional notation, and the notation tools, which provide input,
>editing, and lots of outputs of conventional notation. [...]
I've been using SCORE for DOS-based machines, and using it
specifically for notation/typesetting, as I have no need/use for
the limited MIDI functions now. It is a 'higher priced' item,
currently well over a grand, but produces *genuine* professional,
publication-quality results. It is a bit harder to use than
'video-game' styled programs :-). It DOES have extensive
capability for non-conventional notation, BTW. There is also a
newly-produced tool for good direct MIDI input to SCORE which has
just hit the market. Several large publishing houses use SCORE at
this time.
[Flame shields up!]
I know there are people on this newsgroup who swear by FINALE, but
I have yet to see what I consider adequate text-handling (one
publisher's work I've seen required much cut-and paste BY HAND in
order to properly space some text with notes). I'm also not
convinced by some other visual placement attributes -- sure,
smooth lines and edges, but placement of objects sometimes doesn't
satisfy me (i.e. beaming).
[Flame shields down.]
But by far the most interesting and exciting typesetting program I
have seen is the one developed and used by A-R Editions of
Madison, Wisconson, for the Sun computers. They've got a
mainframe and numerous workstations (they've just added some
Sparc1 pizzaboxes) with output to a Linotronics 300. They
developed their own music fonts which look better, I think, than
the SonataFont stuff and are a good match for SCORE in terms of
placement and visual balance. (Designed after some high-quality
European engravings.) At least what I've seen so far, which was
briefly. I would like to see some more extensive examples of
their work.
As a final note: No typesetting program is ultimately better than
the skills and eye of the operator!
Cheers,
--Mark
========================================
Mark Gresham ARTSNET Norcross, GA, USA
E-mail: ...gatech!artsnet!mgresham
or: artsnet!mgresham@gatech.edu
========================================
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End of Music-Research Digest