Quote:

I am aware that notes can be deleted individually that was mentioned in my first post, but as an example deleting 4 or 5 bars of 32nd notes this way is not very efficient.



Glen,

Please be assured that I'm not trying to 'spin' my own point of view here and that I don't mean to waste yours or anyone's time on this, but I honestly thought that your original concern was that you (being in Editable Notation Mode), didn't like to remove notes one note at a time. Therefore, I was focusing on the fact that you said you were in Editable Notation Mode and not necessarily on a Delete key that you would like to zap everything in one, "swoop." Realize that my answer would have been quite different had I understood that the focus of your question was about the Windows delete key and it's use (or misuse) in BIAB. As I'll explain here, from my own point of view, I actually prefer the way the delete key works inside Editable Notation mode.

Again, you mention that, "... deleting 4 or 5 bars of 32nd notes ... is not very efficient" and I can agree with you wholeheartedly. However, given the way you phrased the question, I did provide specific steps which, had they been tried (in Editable Notation Mode), would have resulted in solving the specific issue. I realize that many here prefer to use other editing methods (I've found that some don't care for EN mode at all and then there are even those users who clearly discourage it's use). However, for the sake of those who would like to use this mode of editing (and would like an answer to your original post as it pertains to Editable Notation), I'd like reply here if I may, as there is information about this feature that I've recently come to understand and this has given me a new appreciation for this mode of editing.

Quite simply, my original reply to Glen's question explains how a user (who, already being in "Editable Notation" mode), using standard Windows OS mouse techniques by highlighting a range of something (entire bars, parts of bars, etc.), can then use either Copy or Delete (either using the menus or by using shortcut keys to do the same), to then bring up a sub-menu providing the user with more options than simply deleting everything in one swoop.

Certainly I think most of us can appreciate the meaning or "intent" of the DELETE key and that it means different things to different users -- that it's function also depends a lot on "when" and "where" it's being used. Hitting DELETE and then expecting everything to be gone in one, "swoop" would do for one user in one set of circumstances, but perhaps the next user or the next time it was used ... not. Yes? So, I've come to believe that the program (in Editable Notation as Glen mentions), works just exactly as the designer intended.

To shed light on this I'd like to point out a small caveat that perhaps some BIAB users don't realized about Editable Notation Mode. Note that my comments here are based on the now current, BIAB version 2010.5. Also, I'm not personally aware that there are any changes in this version from past versions regarding Editable Notation Mode.

I have found that there is a difference in how the program behaves depending on if the user is viewing their song in the Chord-Sheet window or if they are viewing the Notation window AND they are also in Editable Notation Mode. Personally, I find that I don't use the Notation window that often UNLESS I'm using the Editable Notation feature.

While viewing a song in Chord-Sheet view, if the user selects a bar or range of bars and then presses the DELETE key, the program will respond by instantly removing the contents of the bars or "cells". Notice that in this case however, the bars / measures themselves remain intact. Alternatively, if the user presses CONTROL + X (the standard MS-Windows shortcut for the CUT menu option), the program responds by removing both the contents of the bars, as well as the bars themselves. Logically, one might think the reverse -- that DELETE should zap more data than a CUT (and maybe this is the point you were making Glen and my apologies if this was the case).

However, interestingly enough, the BIAB program responds differently when a user views a song in Notation view AND has pressed the button to enter EDITABLE NOTATION MODE (and this was really the intention of my first post). In this view / mode, if the user selects a bar or range of bars and then presses the DELETE key, nothing happens at all. However, if the user presses CONTROL + X (again, the shortcut for the CUT menu option), the program responds by displaying a sub-menu CUT MELODY OR SOLOIST. This sub-menu then provides you with a fine-tuned set of criteria for your selection (it will automatically CUT starting from a Chorus, Bar, Beat and then for a select duration of beats -- OR -- it will CUT between two selected note values at varying octaves on the staff). Note too that the field values here will conveniently default to the range that you initially highlighted before pressing the shortcut. Further, while in this view you can highlight an infinite number of notes, rests and/or measures and the window will scroll your score as you highlight using the mouse pointer.

Personally, I find that most times when I'm using Editable Notation Mode it's because I want to do more than just cut or delete something (or a whole range of something's). Usually whenever I purposely choose Editable Notation (over some other method for example), I choose it because I intend to add, change and/or remove some range of the notation (measures, notes, rests, etc.). And this mode provides me the means to instantly make changes to one or many parts of my notation in a view of my song that I'm used to seeing (my song as sheet music).

For me at least, I feel that the Editable Notation is more interactive (than say Staff Roll Notation Mode), as this view allows me to see things on a note-by-note basis (as I have been used to working with when I'm making alterations to paper sheet music for instance). I confess too however, that my bias is likely due to the fact that I'm not yet comfortable with Staff Roll mode -- and I'm still toying with this on and off. I'm reasonably certain too that my limited understanding of MIDI also has a bearing on my choice here.

While I can appreciate that the set of PG programs offers lots of different ways to skin a cat, it's been interesting to me to find that Editable Notation Mode doesn't seem to have a "following" here. Interestingly, I'm often advised to try this method, or try that menu item or even abandon BIAB altogether and use a different program, but actually (mostly by way of trial and error), I've become a fan of this Editable Notation feature. Especially when I feel more comfortable doing my edits on a note-by-note basis. I'll admit that in Editable Notation Mode, entering your notation takes some getting used to, as it's obvious that this application's been programmed (on purpose), to think ahead for the user but ultimately I think it's worth the price of study.

Last edited by ikeinblackriver; 07/10/10 12:04 AM.
Ike