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#261227 09/02/14 04:11 PM
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Is there a way to view the notes on the staff as they are being played live via MIDI using Band in a Box?

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Hi Josh,

If you enter either Notation Mode or Lead Sheet Mode, you'll be able to see the notation (if it exists) by selecting the track you wish to view. (The highlighter single eighth note shown below will take you to "Notation Mode" and the green pair of notes beside it will take you to "Lead Sheet Mode".)



On the image below, the "S" between the [G]uitar and [M]elody track is selected. This means that the notation shown applies to what is on the [S]tring track. (What you are seeing in this image is the Lead Sheet view.)



Regards,
Noel


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Thanks for the info Noel. That shows the midi notes as BIAB plays them. What I would like to see (as I am playing notes live with my midi instrument) the note(s) that I am playing appear on the staff.

Any other ideas out there?

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Hi Josh,

Sorry. I mis-interpreted your post. I don't know of any way to get notes played live to show up on a staff.

The only thing I can think of is that you could record your midi playing as a melody or solo and then, when you play it back to play along with it, it will be on the Melody or Soloist staff respectively.

Regards,
Noel


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I concur with Noel. But I'm curious, Josh, why would you want to do that? Are you looking for an educational application, to show a child for example what notes he/she is playing? For anyone more accomplished, I think such a display would drive you crazy...

Just trying to be sure we understand your question.


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You can view them on the Piano display, so why not notation? I think I understand the request, but I don't know of any way to do it currently.

Cool idea.
To Matt, why do they show them on the Piano view? You can look at the keyboard and see the key you played .. notation would be different.


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Good question, Bob. By showing what you played in Notation, one could learn about notation. But what do you learn by seeing a display of the note you are playing on just a larger keyboard?

I do appreciate seeing some visual feedback, though. If some setting is wrong, it tells me that at least the input device is functioning, even if I'm not hearing anything. My Rolands display a MIDI activity light; same purpose.


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I agree with Matt. I know what I'm playing as I play it. I can't think of any reason to see the notation as I'm playing unless it's for the novelty of it. Later, Ray


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I want to train myself to sight read. Basically, when playing my guitar thru my midi pickup, I want to see the notes placed on the staff. Thus directly tying my muscle memory to a direct graphical representation of the note(s) on the staff.

Should be very simple. Many consumer level Yamaha keyboards that I've seen have that capability. There should be some way to do it for any midi instrument. There has to be something out there, I just don't know where to look.

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Any number of notation programs will take what you play on a MIDI instrument and notate it. BIAB will also do this. But how does this help you learn to sight read? I'm still not following.


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I know there are notation programs out there. I don't want to record what I play, then go back and see what I played. I would like to play a note on my guitar, then see at that exact moment the note displayed on the staff. This will help me learn to visualize what I am playing as I play it.

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Ok. I think, for BIAB, the answer is no. In my notation program of choice, what I play on a MIDI device shows on a staff, but does not calculate note lengths, bar lines etc. until after I have stopped recording. I could see the pitch but not much else of use.

In BIAB, you can see the pitch of the note you are playing on a piano keyboard, if that helps.


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Thanks! What program is that, by the way?

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I use Encore. In its present condition, however, I could not in good conscience recommend the company.


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