Digital Music Notebook

[Orbit]

I'd be curious to hear some opinions from the the group on the Digital Music Notebook program that comes with the CVP.

Is ordering songs from Yamaha (either through IDC or computer connection) significantly different from downloading a good (public domain mind-you) midi file + a little Cakewalk or similar program know-how?

Granted, the quality of a midi-file will vary, according to source, but there are midi files out there that have multi-tracks for background, and you can still print the score, and use guide lights (I think).

thanx!

[Orbit]

In a related question, I can't seem to delete any of the pre-loaded content, or content that I browsed. Any suggestions? I find the interface less than glorious.

Thanx!

[Howard]

With regard to buying MIDI files, there are some great files to be found on the net that are shareware/freeware etc, there are also plenty of duff ones. As you would expect the Yamaha files are predominantly very good quality. At the end of the day it is consumer choice - spend some time hunting out the good stuff or pay a premium that reflects the time taken by pro players/Yamaha as a commercial business to produce quality files.

Howard

[Orbit]

Ok, I finally got around to purchasing my first Yamah Digital Music notebook piece.

I bought the Train/Drops of Jupiter song. I already had the easy version, which I didn't care for and wanted to have the sheet music +midi file to learn the regular version.

For what it's worth - here's my experience:

I was able to print the score as promised. You only get one chance to print, so make sure everything is set up correctly. If you goof, you have to re-buy the piece. Caveat Printor.

but here's my real dissapointment -
while I could play the piece with the Music Notebook software on my PC, I wasn't able to download the CVP. True, I was able to get the MIDI connections, so I could hear it off the CVP, but I'm missing out on the guide and repeat features of the CVP. The control interface, while functional, just doesn't have the level of control as does a program like Cakewalk or PrintMusic.

Basically, you can start/stop at a given point, change the tempo, or transpose - that's about it. Very clunky.

I guess it's my own fault for not reading the fine print until it was too late, as the music notebook help file does say (in an obscure place mind you), that the software will only work on a PC and you cannot download to an instrument.

While I do get some midi playback on the precise piece I wanted, I'm bummed because I was really hoping to use the benefits of the CVP when learning this piece. Not to mention the fact that now I have to go plug in the computer and boot up the Music Notebook program any time I want to hear the midi file.

One last gripe - they put songs you have previewed or purchased into a "my library" tab, to keep things separate from the monster list of availalble songs. Unfortunately, as best I can tell, you can't delete items from this tab, so it just gets more cluttered the more file you look at.

BTW: I tried just purchasing a Scorch sheetmusic+midi file from the Musicsoft Web page. The file I wanted was listed, but there was no way to put it in the "cart" during checkout. Perhaps that particular file is no longer available, but they don't tell you that.


I will only use the music notebook if I can't find the sheet music anywhere else, or am desparate to hear how a particular piece of sheet music goes.

ok, I'll be quiet now.

[ClavinovaGuy]

Sorry to hear it didn't work out as well as you had hoped. Great tune, though - I'm gonna have to learn that one someday.

[kempedkemp]

Regarding the Music notebook and Yamaha's marketing of music scores... it just goes to show you, you can't do EVERYTHING well!

Its really nice listening to everyone's midi creations/orchestrations, especially original stuff like Clavinovaguy and Andreas have shared.

How do we go about getting our .mid files up here... or is it better to post audio files?

[wizardofmid]

First... make sure you get the Keyboard Lesson Plug in for the notebook. It's available on the Digital Music Notebook site. If you have it, it is under Tools on the tool bar. Using this will give you Guide Mode like functions using the computer with the songs on Digital Music Notebook. Setting "Melody" and "Waiting" is the Next Note or Follow Lights function.

Second... Under tools, look for Easy Song Arranger. When used, it will add accompaniment tracks to the song you downloaded provided that the song has guitar chords. Works just like adding a style to a song on the CVP.

Yes, both of these can be used at the same time providing you with Guide Mode and an orchestrated backup track to the song you download to Digital Music Notebook.

[Orbit]

Thanks Wiz,

That does add some improved functionality. Also, after hunting around the help files, I found you CAN set loop points, which is helpful during practice. (It's the S and E buttons on the player control panel)

Still, it would be nice to access these features from the CVP. I will give it a try however - after all I did get the exact piece I wanted with playblack, even if it is clumsy.

[Orbit]

I was thinking if there was some way to have the CVP record the playback initiated from music notebook, you could still have the song in midi format on the CVP and would not require a computer for playback.

However, even when the song is playing, none of the 16 channel lights turn on when looking at the Channel on/off screen. I tried recording but nothing.

Perhaps there is a way to tweak the midi settings, I don't have enough experience with that.