Harp tab and notation software

[Winslow Yerxa <76450.3230@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

TO: internet:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Doglas Tate bemaons the difficulty of using various notation
programs, including Finale.

I use Finale and regularly curse it, but I must say that Version
3.x is far and away easier than version 2.x (running under
Windows in my case). I still have to juggle 2 of the manuals and
find the occasional circuitous workaround for a seemingly simple
need, but it's getting friendlier as I use it more. I just used
it to create the 32-page harmonica section in the songbook for
Blues Traveler's 'Four" album, which gave me a good chance to get
acquainted with its quirks and limitations.

By the way, Douglas, there is a CompuServe forum for Finale (GO
CODA). One of the regulars remarks - Finale is amazing. Why,
there's nothing you can't do with Finale that you couldn't do by
traditional means in half the time.

========== David Drazen asks about my harp tab font. Three copies
were auctioned in the recent harp-L auction (weren't you one of
the bidders?), and I used it for the harp tab in the
above-mentioned Blues Traveler project, and it will be used in
HIP, starting with No. 5 (coming out probably July for all my
*extremely* patient and long-suffering subscribers). Earlier
issues used an imporivsed version of the same idea.

It is a type font called "Harmonica Sans." if you type the number
2, for instance, what will apear on the screen and on the printer
page will be a 2 with a downward-pointing arrow above it (2
draw). The top row of number keys give you 12 draw notes, and the
row below, 12 blow notes (with arrow pointing up). Use the shift
key and the hollow arrowheads change to solid. This is for
chromatic players to indicate that the slide is pressed in.

There are additional number symbols without arrows. These can be
placed above the main arrow-and-number symbols to indicate
chords:

    ^
    4
    3
    2

Would be a blow chord with holes 4, 3, 2 and 2.

For 16-hole chromatic, I have a complete set of "dot-numbers."
On a 64, the first four holes are below the regular range of a C
chromatic, and are numbered 1 thru 4 with dots above the numbers
to distinguish them from the regular holes 1 thru 4 that follow. I
moved the dots below the numbers to get them out of the wawy of
the arrows.

Symbols for flat, double flat and triple flat can be placed in
front of an arrow/number symbol to indicate a note bent down 1,
2, or 3 semitones.

I also have an overblow symbol. Sharps can be added to this for
raised-pitch overblows.

Expressive "scoop" bends also have a symbols (both up and down),
as do glisses across the harp and various slide ornaments for
chromatic. Warbles are notated, and I have symbols to indicate
left or right side tongue block for tongue switching.

Harmonica Sans is available for both Mac and Windows-OS/2
platforms, and comes in both Truetype and Type 1 (scalable
Postscript) formats on the same disk.

In Finale it can be placed as lyrics under written music (this is
how I used it in the "Four" songbook). It can also be used
without musical notation in a word processor (the only problem
might be vertical alignment of a chord stack on successive
lines). you could prbably also find ways to use it in a
spreadsheet, paint program, etc. I've used it in Corel Draw and
Ventura Publisher, as well as the Windows NotePad and Windows
Write. It can probably also be used with non-WYSIWIG
character-based DOS programs if they can use TYPE 1 or TrueType
FOnts, but it would look pretty weird onscreen.

For a sample page and keyboard layout chart, drop me a line with
your snailmail address.

Winslow Yerxa
Harmonica Information Press
Z
Z