These are an assortment of files and accessory programs which may be of use to the budding NoteWorthy
Composer.
[Fonts]
[NWC2 ITrees]
[Soundfonts]
[NWC Files]
[Explanations]
[VST with NoteWorthy]
[Macros]
[MIDI Utilities]
[Harmony Utilities]
[Converting between NWC and ABC]
[SBLive! info]
[Soundcard Volume]
[Templates]
Several NoteWorthy Composer fanciers have written utilities to expand the usefulness
of NWC, or to manipulate midi files in various ways. In the true spirit of the web, several
packages are created by more than one author, often from different continents. These proggies are
provided for your use and enjoyment, and are believed to be bug-free, but carry no warranty as to
suitability for any given purpose. The authors believe them to be free of viruses, but we suggest you
should always scan any executable file with an up-to-date virus scanner before running it.
[NWC mpc's]
[GM Controllers]
[SB Live! info]
With the addition of new multi-point controllers (MPC's) in NoteWorthy Composer
V1.70, several individuals contributed information which will be useful in implementing these in your
work. The NWC mpc table gives the controller numbers accessed by the various mpc's, and the GM Controllers
tables give the function of all the General Midi Voice Messages and Controllers. The SB Live! info
link will be useful to owners of this popular sound card. We hope to publish similar tutorials for
other cards as users supply them.
Fonts
Lawrie Pardy's excellent suite of fonts.
Visit zoundz! The home of "SwingDings"
Please note that the upload speed on the host site has limited bandwidth and using a
download manager to activate multiple threads will only slow things down.
- NWC2HiVisLP.ttf is a high(er) visibility NWC2 notation typeface font.
It is based on NWC2MusikDingsSans.ttf but the symbols have been made bolder and, more importantly, the note heads have been enlarged and made round.
The objective was to make NWC2 printed output easier for people with a vision impairment to see.
To install and use, download the font to your hard drive and then copy it to your "Fonts" folder. It is recommended that you do not download directly into your "Fonts" folder. This is known to cause problems.
Once installed the font will be available in the: |File|Page Setup|Fonts (tab)|Staff Metrics|Change| dialogue. Simply click on the "Notation Typeface" pull down and it should be there waiting for you.
- SwingDings, A matching suite of fonts that contains an extended jazz/swing equivalent of Boxmarks, standard and euro enhanced text fonts, a chord construction font, an alternative NWC2 system font that can coexist with NWC2's standard system font and a replacement for the NWC1 system font. There is also a PDF with instructions, a comprehensive set of character to extended ASCII tables and an NWC2 "Big Band" template.
These fonts are all in the same style and make creating jazz/swing charts with that "handwritten" flavour a breeze.
- MusikDingsSerif
A matching suite of serif fonts that contains an extended equivalent of Boxmarks, standard and euro enhanced text fonts, a chord construction font, an alternative NWC2 system font that can coexist with NWC2's standard system font and a replacement for the NWC1 system font. There is also a PDF with instructions and a comprehensive set of character to extended ASCII tables.
- MusikDingsSans
A matching suite of sans serif fonts that contains an extended equivalent of Boxmarks, standard and euro enhanced text fonts, a chord construction font, an alternative NWC2 system font that can coexist with NWC2's standard system font and a replacement for the NWC1 system font. There is also a PDF with instructions and a comprehensive set of character to extended ASCII tables.
- ChordFontsDoSiGermanic March 2009
A new supplement to the Dings font suites is available. The additional files are:
SwingChordDoSi.ttf, SwingChordGermanic.ttf, MusikChordSansDoSi.ttf
MusikChordSansGermanic.ttf, MusikChordSerifDoSi.ttf, MusikChordSerifGermanic.ttf
The character mappings are identical to the *Chord fonts EXCEPT for the following:
- DoSi - A to G have been replaced by La, Si, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol
- Germanic - Maj6/9 (a triangle followed by 6/9) has been moved to Chr$ 0189 and an H introduced in its place giving the letters A to H for those countries that use H in lieu of B and B in lieu of Bb
Please note that while Andrew Purdams excellent TransposeChords user tool will work just fine for the DoSi fonts it will need modification for the Germanic versions to allow for the altered B and H usage
Installation simply requires extracting the zip files contents to a known location and then copying the resultant ttf files into your fonts directory. It is recommended that you do not download directly into your "Fonts" folder. This is known to cause problems. - Comments are always welcome
Update
- Updated System Fonts - 18th February 2012
Updated NWC system font files for SwingDings, MusikDingsSans, MusikDingsSerif and NWC2HiVisLP. - 18th February 2012
As of version 2.5 of Noteworthy Composer there are additional glyphs in the system font. The zip file contains updated versions of my system font alternatives suitable for NWC 2.5.
Installation is as simple as deleting the current fonts: NWC2SwingDings.ttf NWC2MusikDingsSans.ttf NWC2MusikDingsSerif.ttf NWC2HiVisLP.ttf and installing the ones in the zip file to replace them.
Please note, the new fonts are completely backward compatible with V2.0 and V2.1 and will work correctly with those versions.
If you downloaded the font suites after 18/2/2012 you do not need this update as it is incorporated in the suite downloads.
- David Palmquist has provided a really handy nwc file Font Settings that will help you to identify required text symbols
- BoxMarks.zip, Barry Graham's famous font (updated Dec. 98) containing all the work-around characters that we've been using for the last year. Trills, mordants, glissandi, arpeggio marks, rehearsal marks (hence the name), they're all here, and many more. The zip file includes installation instructions and an example NWC file.
- Boxmark2.zip:
Beta 1 of the latest update to Boxmarks, by marsu (aka Dominique Portier). All the symbols in the original Boxmarks font were retained, and several new user-requested glyphs have been added. We suggest installing Boxmark2.ttf beta 1 in addition to the original Boxmarks, until such a time as the font reaches final release. Any comments, requests for additional symbols, or other correspondence should be addressed to marsu.
- Geoff Walker has provided a really handy reference sheet for users of Boxmarks and NWCV15. Best if you print this one out.
- NWCJazz.zip:
Is a replacement of the standard NWC15 font from Robert Morris, using a style more appropriate to jazz charts. A cute way to freshen up your engraving!
NB: Because it has the same name as the standard NWC font, you will probably have to install it in Fonts before you can see it. Comes with installation and removal instructions.
- cresc.zip:
Pierre Schmidt wrote this often-requested font to insert
"hairpins" (crescendo and descrescendo symbols) into your NWC files. Several different
sizes are provided.
This version updated by Robert Allgeyer.
- nworn3.zip, NWC Extra Ornaments, was created by D.G. Catt to augment a few ornaments found in some early works. (Unzip it into your Windows Fonts folder). Now version 3.02 - Updated by Robert Allgeyer
- If you are peeved at the numbers used by NWC to make time signatures, grab this updated version of nwcv15.ttf, modified by Joshua Day to include more common looking numbers. (Close NWC and save the font to your Windows Fonts folder).
- Bach31pc.zip, is
Dr. Yo Tomita's very useful Bach font.
It combines a standard Times-Romanish text font with many extra characters to help create musical
examples in-line with standard text. It may also be of use for some NWC files.
The Bach font is shareware. If you use it, please pay for it.
- tocfug.zip, is a pair of fonts,
Toccata and Fughetta, by Blake Hodgetts. Click
here to obtain more information about them,
as well as ordering information. The fonts, designed for Finale but quite usable with NWC, are
shareware. This package is shareware. If you use it, please pay for it.
- Times New Roman Unicode - these fonts contain many
more international characters, and are needed to properly display lyrics and other text in some
middle-Eastern ethnic NWC files. They can safely replace your existing fonts, or rename them so that
you can install/uninstall them as needed. Warning: large file (680k).
- Timeital font - This is a TrueType font supplied by Stan Takis that allows you to use both regular and italic letters in the lyric tool of Noteworthy Composer. It also gives Noteworthy Composer the ability to use breves, or double whole-notes. Full details and example in the file.
- xfonts.zip, how to print or electronically publish band arrangements with drum parts that have X - style noteheads. An auxiliary font and directions as to how to use it. Courtesy of Al Stevens.
- Romital.zip This font solves the problem of how to put both regular and italic characters as lyrics in NWC, using only a single font. It would be useful when a song has lines in different languages. The font achieves this by tossing out characters little-used in the Western languages from
the upper codes, and replacing them with italicized versions of the alphabetic characters. The most common
accented characters from Spanish, French, Itlian, and German have been retained as italics. The ZIP file contains the font, a GIF character map, and a text description. The font is offered with free public license.
Courtesy of Robert Allgeyer.
- Bongos20.zip The ZIP file contains an original, free font "Bongos." Look at the GIF image contained within the ZIP, and it will be apparent what "Bongos" does. This font depicts X-head notes, with or without horizontal connecting line. Although one could use it within NWC as text, its primary intention is as
free-standing text in a word processor. Export NWC as WMFs, place them, and add "Bongos" at the bottom.I created this font because some contemporary church hymns (particularly Latino style) have a hand drum
accompaniment. "Bongos" does the job, without having to hack NWC.It might also be useful for rap, to the limited extent that rap is useful for anything at all.The font is offered with free public license. Courtesy of Robert Allgeyer. This latest update also has stems in the opposite direction.
- NWslur.zip This font may be used as text within NWC, to place ties and TILTED slurs at various jumps and lengths. There are also some "dashed" ties. From time to time in SATB choral, a slur or tie on the Alto or Tenor line (which must be placed between the staves) interferes with the lyrics, and you may not want to increase the inter-stave spacing. This font allows free placement of the tie or slur. But it would be too tedious to use this approach throughout a composition. (Real NWC slurs and ties must be used if the music is exported to MIDI.) The font also contains pre-made notes sized to NWC, as well as 75% size notes (for use when lyric lines have alternative syllable counts).The font is offered with free public license. Courtesy of Robert Allgeyer.
- fretqwik.zip version 4 A font from Robert Allgeyer for creating guitar tablature diagrams. Virtually any fret diagram can be created, and used as text within NWC or anywhere.
- NoteHedz.zip A font from Robert Allgeyer who writes :
This is an updated (version 1.70), original, free public license True Type font. As with my other music fonts, anyone can use it. But portions have been
specifically scaled for use with the NWC2 program (portions also work in NWC1).
Purpose: From time to time, a user requests "shaped notes." These notes use up to 7 different symbols depending on the scale degree (do, re, mi
...) and are part of the 19th century American hymn tradition from the south (formerly known as Dixie).
NWC2 allows notes to be placed with empty notehead. Symbols from NoteHedz can be placed as text, and are designed to merge with the NWC stems. Robert has also written a number of scripts nwc2-replacescript-pages.zip that would assign the correct symbol depending on scale degree and stem direction.
Also in NoteHedz are fully-formed text notes at 75% of standard NWC size, for use as lead-ins, and a number of other symbols that are not
useful in NWC.
- Mus6.zip, Here is a font, from Kevin O'Brien, with 90 slurs that closely match the NWC ones.
The are moveable and are designed to fit close to note heads. These are needed when trying to fit 4 part choral works onto 2 staves.
NWC2 ITrees
Instrument trees are used to create and select predefined instruments, with full control over all instrument properties, including bank select, transpose, and default dynamic note velocities. Instrument Tree files are added to a dedicated folder that is controlled from Tools|Options|Folders, so you can override the default location of these files.
- Jeux Itree
Provided by Andrew Purdam
- Roland Edirol Orchestral VSTi/DXi instrument Itree
Provided by Ertuğrul İnanç.
- Stefan's Cathedral Pipe Organ Instrument Itree
Provided by Cliff Bohnson.
- English Organ Instrument Itree
Provided by Cliff Bohnson.
- Jeux d'Orgues 2 Organ Instrument Itree
Provided by Cliff Bohnson.
- Flurmy's Instrument Itree
Provided by Maurizio Spagni
- A collection of Itrees for different organs provided by Tony Smedley.
The following are available:
AWE Organ, Cinema Organ, English Chamber Organ, English Organ, Jeux d'Orgues, Jeux.
If you need the associated soundfont files, then search the Internet for the following names:
aweorgan.sf2, cinema_organ_c102.sf2, english_organ_102.sf2, Jeux14.sf2, JJs_Eng_Chamber_Organ1.sf2 and Orgue.sf2
Soundfonts
Soundfonts are palettes of (generally) musical sounds that can be uploaded into any soundcard that supports them, eg Soundblaster AWE-32 and AWE-64. They are normally used to provide special sounds not well supported by the General Midi sound set, and are generally selectable within NWC using bank select. Consult the soundfont's and your sound card's documentation for more directions on how to do this.
- Church Organ Eax configuration file, supplied by Paul Beelen, can be used by Soundblaster Live! owners. You can import the 'church organ.ea2' via the Audio-HQ options. Once this file is installed, you can select this audio-effect; every song you play (it doesn't matter if you play them with nwc-player or with the browser plug-in) will be played with the church organ soundeffect. Note - You may need to right click the link and select "Save Target As"
- Hammer Sound is one of the best libraries of Soundfonts on the net. Have a look for other General Midi and special libraries.
How to use Jeux and AWEOrgan soundfonts in NWC.
- Using your favourite text editor, find and edit the file NTWPatch.ini, it will be in your NWC program folder. Have a look, and you'll see how to insert the info from the attached NTWPatch-Jeux.txt (and/or NTWPatch-AWEOrgan.txt for AWEOrgan soundfont). You'll only need to do this step once, or repeat it if later NWC installations clobber this file (in which case, make a copy).
- Using your soundcard software, load Jeux into user bank 42 (this will also load bank 43 if you are using the latest version of Jeux, which
includes Jeux Romantique). This is the standard for Jeux soundfonts.
Typically, AWEOrgan uses bank 1, but this sometimes clashes with other banks provided by General Midi soundfonts.
-
- In NWC, select instrument, for a staff. Check "Select a patch bank". For
some soundcards, set controller 0 to 42 for Jeux, 1 for AWEOrgan. In other soundcards, you may need to set controller 32. This is a real pain, as this makes files less portable? (Can someone confirm this? - I use Controller 0).
- Choose Jeux (or AWEOrgan) from the Patch Type, and choose whichever organ stop takes your fancy.
NWC Files
- Various Utilities Warren Porter has a suite of webpages to create or modify nwctxt or NWC clipboard data. Included are tools to convert from abc notation, create guitar chords and twelve tone rows, modify dynamics or duration of a NWC file, and assist with user tips on n-tuplets and triplets.
- Channel Test.nwc A file submitted by Warren Porter which will test each midi channel
- Patch Test.nwc A file submitted by Warren Porter which will give you an example of each of the 128 GM sounds that your sound card can produce.
- Partial Layering A file submitted by Tony Hyman which gives you an example of partial layering. Instructions :
1. Copy 2nd stave into a new 3rd stave.
2. Delete sections not to be layered.
3. Edit note stems accordingly.
4.Layer staves 1 and 2
5.The part should now read and sound as a layered piece using Nwc.
- Multibar_rests.nwc supplied by David Palmquist. Instructions are in the file info but just keep it open, and copy the appropriate hidden bars and visible text-based multi-bar rests into your song file. Needs Lawrie's SwingDings font set up as UserFont 3, size 16
- GuitarStrum.zip An easy way to achieve an otherwise difficult and time-consuming effect, namely, natural-sounding strummed guitar chords in NWC files. Submitted by Milton Orgeron
- reset.nwc, NWC file that performs as many MIDI controller resets as is useful (most recently tinkered with by Fred Nachbaur).
- Blanks.zip, various blank score forms and
templates contributed to the newsgroup by Ertuğrul İnanç
and Jeff Adlon using the new "hide
anything" features of V1.70. Further corrections and refinements Jan. 2001 by Grant Hicks.
- Compasses.zip, two NWC files which describe
the compasses (ranges) of many popular instruments and voices. These were definitely a group
effort! The compasses are intended as a guide only, and are not definitive.
- Fontmaps.zip NWC files
containing font maps that can be used to insert rests, accidentals, and other objects from
the native NoteWorthy Composer font (NWCV15.TTF) into your scores. (Submitted by Fred Nachbaur)
- Chordcharts.zip NWC
files containing chord charts in treble and bass clef. (Files by Carl Fritsche, submitted
by Jan Hjelm)
- drum.nwc NWC file containing
names of drum sounds on percussion channel (with several different patches). (Files originally by Howard Starks, expanded and submitted by Andrew Purdam)
- drumkit1.zip ZIP file submitted by Geoff Walker, a combination of an NWC file "palette" of where the normal drumkit sounds are on the MIDI percussion channel, and an Excel file of pointers and reminders.
- rhythms.zip ZIP file
of over 800 rhythms and riffs as midi files for importing into NWC.
Collected and donated by Barry Graham.
- drumpatterns.nwc
Some examples from the above collection, compiled into an NWC file by
Andrew Purdam.
- gliss.nwc is an example of how to do a long smoothe glissando, by Fred Nachbaur. You will need to inspect the hidden staves to see how it is done.
- scatriad.zip A summary of
major and minor scales in all keys, along with the triad chords and arpeggios, for educational
and reference use. Submitted by Tony Wilson.
- xg-full.nwc and
xg-cond.nwc are NWC "toolbox" files of sounds
available in various banks on Yamaha XG systems. These are as implemented by the DB50XG card and
SoftSynths; more advanced devices such as the SW1000XG will support additional sounds not
included here. xg-full.nwc is the complete version, one bank per staff, and is therefore easily
customizable to your particular implementation. xg-cond.nwc is a condensed version more
suited for toolbox use; on both you can use the Goto Bar function to check out the available
sounds for any given patch number.
xg-drums.nwc is a similar file for channel 10 percussion
sounds on XG systems (again, as implented on the DB50XG). Not included in any of these files are
the TG300B sounds available on many XG systems; these may be provided at a later date.
. See also xg.xls below, for
a summary in Excel format.
- reset5!.nwc NWC file that performs Midi Controller resets on the first five midi ports. The controllers reset are : Volume, Pan, Patch, Expression,Mod-wheel, breath, reverb, chorus, detune, phaser and pitch-bend. Supplied by Ertuğrul İnanç
- newjazz.zip contains 24 NWC tempo tracks that give a more natural jazz feel than the tracks that use a formula to divide the beat into 2 tempos. The tempos range from 68 to 160 beats per minute. I couldn't get the formulas to work, so these are the result of a lot of trial and error. Each one has "Joe Turner Blues" also included so you can hear for yourself whether they have the right jazz feel. Enjoy! Submitted by Milton Orgeron.
- Jazzyquavers.zip Here is a "helpful file". It's a little spreadsheet that implements Marsu's formula for calculating swung notes in jazz or in other styles. Submitted by Geoff Walker
Explanations
- If you want some help with running the user tools found in the Scriptorium,
then why not download Lawrie Pardy's invocation instructions available accessed from each user tool information page
and also, for ease of access, here : Invocation Instructions.
Please note that these instructions Please note that these instructions have been updated for NWC Version 2.75.
- Harald Mueller
has produced extremely useful keyboard templates for use with NWC version 2.75
Cheat Sheet in English fomatted A4
Cheat Sheet in English formatted Letter
Cheat Sheet in German formatted A4
- Lead Sheets in NWC2.pdf, Need to know how to put together a lead sheet?
This instructional document from Lawrie Pardy will show you on a step by step basis
- Dynamics.pdf, Tina Billett's instructional document containing
all you ever wanted to know about dynamics, velocity and volume.
- MPC Guide, Tina Billett's instructional document containing
a very good introduction and grounding to the use of Multi Point Controllers in NoteWorthy
- brasband.txt, Fred Nachbaur's condensation
of useful points by Jonathan West, Matt Johnson, Neeraj Mathur and Carl Fritsche about brass
band instrumentation and orchestration.
- scoreorders.txt A very useful couple of
lists of how to order parts in a full score.
- neut1316.txt An explanation of "Neutral
Thirds and Sixths in 17/33 System" ("Notes on Eastern Tone System III") by Ertuğrul İnanç.
With example nwc file.
-
The Scriptorium has put together
an excellent "Ranges of Musical Instruments" spreadsheet which will be indispensable
for anyone writing orchestral or band pieces. Available in the original
Excel 2000 format, also readable using Excel 97.
If you don't have a recent version of Excel, download the
PDF version (requires
Acrobat Reader.)
- XG.xls A table of available sounds for Yamaha
XG users,
The first column
gives the standard GM sounds, the other columns give the sound produced in different banks. In
NWC, set Controller 0 to 0, and Controller 32 to the desired bank number.
- Anndra MacEanruig's Orchestration Notes, parts One and Two (PDF files).
- Complements of Geoff Walker Transposing Instruments
There are two files included :
A file that gives the written note when the sounding note is middle C. It will help you to set up the correct transposition when writing for transposing instruments.
A File that shows the keys to be written for various transposing instrument groups, with the tonic in each key.
- Jonathan Bel. has supplied a file containing the ranges of many different common instruments.
Macros to use with NWC
- Ntworthy.rec is a macro file to use with Windows 3.1's RECORDER.EXE program (which also more or less works with Win 95). The macros are for use with Noteworthy Composer (though only tested on NWC 32 bit version - NB: window names may change between versions, rendering the macros useless), and include "single" (Ctrl-Shift-letter) key commands to: "tripletise" triplets imported from midi files, enter octaves quickly, change accidentals in chords, change enharmonic spellings, move non-notes up and down, enter chord and inversions, double sharps and double flats. More details and instructions are available in the Property part of each macro. (Submitted by Andrew Purdam)
Sometimes these macros look as if the computer has hung for 10 seconds. That normally indicates that the cursor was incorrectly positioned and the conditions weren't correct for the macro to work. When the system returns from limbo, click on the Recorder button on the task bar, read the explanation as to why the macro failed, read the Properties part of the macro to make sure you were positioned correctly, and try again.
Microsoft no longer ship recorder.exe with Windows, making Windows 95 and 98 no longer backward compatible with Win 3.1. I guess it is no longer "supported" by them. To make Win 95/98 more functional, you will need
recorder.exe, recorder.dll and recorder.hlp (37k).
Simply extract them to your system directory. Use of recorder.exe - like all Microsoft software - is at your own risk, but we haven't had any big problems with it.
- RecEdit.zip (147k), is a free utility written by Greg Wolking and provided by Ziff-Davis (PC Magazine October 1995). It allows you to edit MS recorder.exe macro files, making macro recording a much more useful option.
MIDI Utilities
- gm_reset, is a sysex-based midi file to reset the soundcard (useful for getting rid of lingering controller settings). NB: May unload soundfonts.
- Chord Splitter is a Visual BASIC program for Win9x by Drake Donahue, which allows you to split a staff containing chorded notes into several monotonic staves. Export the desired staff as a Type 0 midi named chordmid.mid and run the program; it will generate a new midi file called splitmid.mid which you can then re-import into NWC for further editing, etc.
Also available are a
Q-BASIC version, a
Win3.x version (needs VBRUN300.DLL), as well as a stand-alone
Self-executable DOS version, all compiled by Richard Woodroffe.
- Drumkit.zip This is what you need to do standard drumkit notation in NWC. This zip file contains a Qbasic utility written by Barry Graham, to convert a midi drum track to notation - or - notation to a midi drum staff in NoteWorthy Composer. The destination notes are customizable through data statements in the program. The file also includes a Visual Basic version written by Drake Donahue.
(Win9x only.)
There are several NWC score files showing how to use the programs including a description of how to set up the Windows 3.x Midi Mapper to play your written drum notation.
- Drum Conversion Another superb conversion kit (Version 1.10) from Barry Graham. This zip file contains the entire Drum Convert program including exe, dll and data files. The contents of the zip file should be extracted to a suitable folder - Drum Convert (for example). It does a one-way conversion from MIDI sound to MIDI notation that can be imported into NWC as a drumkit track.
The original MIDI file must first be prepared by importing then saving as a MIDI file from NWC. The Help text file explains all - and is available "on-line" when running the program.
- MidiExp-V.2 is a little QBasic program (and converted DOS executable for those without QBasic) which takes music (not percussion tracks) and expands and/or inverts notes to provide very easy (and often interesting!) counterpoints for reimporting back into NWC. Also available is
BRUN45
which is the runtime package needed for the standalone exe. Contributed by Barry Graham.
Harmony Utilities
- harm24b.exe (V2.4b) by Fred Nachbaur is a Harmony Analyzer
package (including harmonic.exe, miditemp.exe and pianotun.exe) which
lets you design your own N-tone scales, experiment with different
tempers, compare scales against the harmonic series, and even give the
required notes and pitch-bends to make your new scales work with NWC
Midi.
VERSION 2.4b FEATURES:
- Direct import from Manuel Op de Coul's database of over 2000 scale
temperaments, or load *.scl files directly. Get the full database from the
Scala Home Page.
- Adjust centre frequency (tone centre) from A=392 to A=494.
- Improved editor accepts decimals, fractions or cents input.
- Fully usable with Windows 3.x or 9x (ico and pif files included).
- Insert, delete or re-order scale tones.
- Play individual scale tones or the entire scale via the PC speaker.
- Midi note "shift" option.
- Self-extracting executable installs into C:\HARMONIC by default.
- "Midi-Temper" tempers midi files with single notes (no overlaps or chords) according to .dat file exported from Harmonic Analyser.
- "Piano-Tuner" tempers single-voice (e.g. piano, harpsichord) midis by mapping each note to a separate channel. Chords allowed.
- Either tempering program can now be called from within the Harmonic Analyser environment, using current data.
- Read harmonic.txt, miditemp.txt and pianotun.txt for full instructions
Options for how to temper a NWC file are discussed by Andrew Purdam.
Converting between NWC and ABC
- Warren Porter has a webpage to convert abc clipboard data to nwctxt and it includes links to shortcuts which finish the conversion to a nwc file.
-
Bryan Creer has created a means for converting between NWC and ABC formats. This allows you to access the huge number of ABC files on the net, as well as "publishing" your NWC file in another form.
Go to http://www.abacusmusic.co.uk/.
NWC Multi-Point Controllers
Each of the controllers shown below is used in the example file
MPCs.nwc so you can easily check which controllers your midi card supports.
Description |
number |
Displayed as |
Tempo |
(N/A) |
tempo |
Volume |
7 |
vol |
Pan |
10 |
pan |
Breath Control |
2 |
bc |
Pitch bend |
(N/A) |
pitch |
Modulation |
1 |
mod-wheel |
Foot Control |
4 |
foot-ctrl |
Portamento Time |
5 |
portamento |
Data entry MSB |
6 |
data-entry-msb |
Balance |
8 |
bal |
Expression |
11 |
expression |
Effect Cont. 1 |
12 |
effect1 |
Effect Cont. 2 |
13 |
effect2 |
Effects (Reverb) Depth |
91 |
reverb |
Tremolo Depth |
92 |
tremolo |
Chorus Depth |
93 |
chorus |
Celeste Detune Depth |
94 |
detune |
Phaser Depth |
95 |
phaser |
Significant General Midi Controllers
(Not all are implemented on your soundcard. see your Midi Implementation Chart)
Voice Messages
status bytes (in hex) |
Function |
(n represents channel number) |
8n |
Note On |
|
9n |
Note Off |
In NWC implemented as Note On with Veloc. zero |
An |
Key Aftertouch |
rarely implemented |
Bn |
Control Change * |
Sends Controller No. and Data |
Cn |
Program Change |
Sends Patch assignment |
Dn |
Channel Pressure |
Implemented in different ways e.g. Tremolo |
En |
Pitch Bend |
default +/- 2 semitones |
* Controllers
No |
Name |
Function |
Comments |
0 |
Bank Select |
Coarse (MSB) |
|
1 |
Modulation |
Coarse (MSB) |
|
2 |
Breath Control |
Coarse (MSB) |
If implemented usually Vibrato. |
3 |
(Not defined) |
|
|
4 |
Foot Pedal |
Coarse(MSB) |
If implemented (Rare) |
5 |
Portamento Time |
Coarse(MSB) |
If implemented with Cont. 65 |
6 |
Data |
Coarse(MSB) |
Data for (N)RPN's |
7 |
Volume |
Coarse (MSB) |
Channel Volume |
8 |
Balance |
Coarse (MSB) |
Stereo Instruments (drums) balance across pan position. |
9 |
(Undefined) |
|
|
10 |
Pan |
Coarse(MSB) |
Channel Pan |
11 |
Expression |
Coarse(MSB) |
Channel Expression |
12 |
Effects Cont. 1 |
Coarse (MSB) |
Depends on sound device - |
13 |
Effects Cont. 2 |
Coarse (MSB) |
usually Reverb parameters. |
1415 |
(Undefined) |
|
|
16-19 |
General Purpose Data |
Not usually implemented. |
|
20-31 |
(Undefined) |
|
|
32 |
Bank Select |
Fine (LSB) |
|
33 |
Modulation |
Fine (LSB) |
Rarely used. |
34 |
Breath Control |
Fine (LSB) |
Rarely used |
35 |
(Undefined) |
|
|
36 |
Foot Pedal |
Fine (LSB) |
Rare |
37 |
Portamento Time |
Fine (LSB) |
Rarely used |
38 |
Data |
Fine (LSB) |
Data for (N)RPN's |
39 |
Volume |
Fine |
(LSB)Rarely used |
40 |
Balance |
Fine (LSB) |
Rarely used |
41 |
(Undefined) |
|
|
42 |
Pan |
Fine (LSB) |
Rarely used |
43 |
Expression |
Fine (LSB) |
Rarely used |
44 |
Effects Cont. 1 |
Fine (LSB) |
|
45 |
Effects Cont. 2 |
Fine (LSB) |
|
46-63 |
(Undefined) |
|
|
64 |
Sustain Pedal |
0-63 Off 64-127 On |
All notes held until Off |
65 |
Portamento |
0-63 Off 64-127 On |
Following notes all slide in time set by Cont.5 |
66 |
Sustenuto |
0-63 On 64-127 Off |
Holds only notes that are On. Following notes are normal. |
67 |
Soft Pedal |
0-63 Off 64-127 On |
Reduces chnl vol. when on. |
68 |
Legato Pedal |
0-63 Off 64-127 On (slur) |
Omits note attack while on. |
69 |
Hold Pedal 2 |
0-63 On 64-127 Off |
Increases note off decay |
70-74 |
Variation, Timbre, Release, Attack & Brightness of note patch. |
75-79 |
Sound Control parameters. |
80-83 |
On/Off Buttons |
0-63 or 64-127 |
Depends on device |
84-90 |
(Undefined) |
|
|
91 |
Effects (Reverb) |
Channel Reverb level 0-127 |
|
92 |
Tremolo |
Channel Tremolo level 0-127 |
|
93 |
Chorus |
Channel Chorus level 0-127 |
|
94 |
Celeste |
Channel Detune level 0-127 |
|
95 |
Phaser |
Channel Phaser level. |
|
96 |
Data Increment |
(N)RPN |
data step up |
97 |
Data Decrement |
(N)RPN |
data step down. |
98 |
NRPN Parameter |
Fine(LSB) |
usually addresses |
99 |
NRPN Parameter |
Coarse(MSB) |
usually addresses |
100 |
RPN Parameter |
Fine(LSB) |
usually addresses |
101 |
RPN Parameter |
Coarse(MSB) |
usually addresses |
102-119 |
(Undefined) |
|
|
120 |
All Sound Off |
ALL sounds inc. sustained notes. |
121 |
All Controllers Off |
Reset all controllers to default |
122 |
Local Keyboard |
0-63 Off 64-127 On |
123 |
All Notes Off |
Notes that are on turned off (but not sustained notes) |
124 |
Omni Mode On |
These messages are of relevance to chained and linked instruments using midi in /through. |
125 |
Omni Mode Off |
126 |
Mono Operation |
127 |
Polyphonic Operation |
SBLive Effect Settings
In the Environmental Audio applet, click on the Source tab. You can specialize what
effects you want for Wave/DirectSound, CD Digital, SPDIF, and whatever analog source (such as CD Audio
or Microphone) you have set as the Recording Device. For instance, if you do not want your wave files
to have any reverb or chorus, set them to 0% on the Source tab."
What this means:
For those of you with SBLive, there are three tabs in the Environmental Audio control: Master,
Source, and MIDI. MIDI tab is where you specify what effect is to be assigned to each MIDI controller
(reverb and chorus by default to 91 and 93). In the Source tab, you specify what sources OTHER than
MIDI should receive effects (WAV, MIC, CD analog, etc.).
Finally, the MASTER tab is the key here. If the master tab is set to 0%, no source or MIDI will
exhibit the effects. The Master tab is the "final say" on how much effect will take place on the other
sources and on MIDI.
For example, you set WAV to 60% reverb on the SOURCE tab. On the MASTER tab, you set reverb to 50%.
The WAV playback will have 30% reverb -- 50% of the original 60% you asked for on the WAV source.
With MIDI, it seems you set the % amount with the Controller command itself. But the MASTER tab
still controls how much of that % will be realised.
For more information on using the SB Live! to the fullest, be sure to visit Lars Ahlzen's
Live! Center page. Included on the site is a midi page from a Live! perspective, as well
as midi information of a more general nature.
Soundcard Volume and Velocity
Fred has done a mini-study on the velocity response (loudness vs. dynamics setting) of
various common sound cards and synthesizers. The results are summarized in a PDF document,
sndcards.pdf. If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader
4 or 5, and have the browser plug-in enabled, just click on the link to view online. Or
download, and view/print offline.