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#188684 01/05/13 10:42 PM
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I learned to write counterpoint on paper that showed 4 staves: Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass. I got used to writing that way and kept doing after I was introduced to MIDI. I used Cakewalk version 3.x. In staff mode, I could see multiple staffs - SATB for instance, or just violins and bass, or whatever voices I selected. I could write on any or all of the staves as I went along.

I cant do that any more. Now I have Win 7 and my old version of Cakewalk wont run. Power Tracks, Real Band and all the other MIDI editors I have tried will only let me see and edit one staff at a time. Doesn't work for me - I need to see all the voices on the screen, and have them all be editable, as though I were working on a big piece of paper with multiple staves. I need to look at the effect a change in one voice will have on the other voices.

Do any of y'all know of a MIDI editing program that will show multiple editable staves this way?

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Hi Flatfoot,

Have a look at Musescore (http://musescore.org/). It will do what you're after. Also, it's free and there are some great Youtube videos to show how to use it.

Regards,
Noel


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And MuseScore reads BIAB files, including chords.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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This is exactly the reason I try to keep my old PCs in good working order. If your old PC and OS still work, continue to use them until you can find a new program that works as well or better than what you can do on your old machine.


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Sounds to me like what is being described is called, "Four Part Harmony" rather than Counterpoint.

Counterpoint is typically made up of separate melody lines that may not move in the vertical correspondence to chords or harmony. It is "linear" rather than vertical in nature.

Good examples of Counterpoint use are those songs which can be played or sung at the same time and sound interwoven in nature.

Powertracks, Realband and Band in a Box can be made to show the Grand Staff of Treble and Bass Clefs simultaneously as well as manually defining a Split Point at any note you need to make the printout the way you want to see it (like two voices on Bass Clef, two other voices on Treble Clef) by using the Opts button in Notation View and changing the dropdown slot to the kind of Staff you need.


--Mac

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Sometimes when I write for voices or instrumental arrangements I think contrapuntally. I will usually have a melody to start with. I write the bass part as I play the melody in my head. Now I have the melody and the harmonic framework. I gradually fill in the middle voices. All the parts have independent rhythms, and I think about the 'singability' of the separate parts as I write. Each part has to work as a melody on its own.

I dont do this all the time, but often enough that I need software that works this way. Musescore is looking good...


Flatfoot sez: Call me when 'Talent-in-a-Box' is ready to ship! -- [8{>

Got some tunes on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/flatfoot50
.
My BiaB lesson site:
http://jdwolfe0.wixsite.com/learnbiab
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