Exchange scores with other musicians - part 1

You are writing scores with capella mostly not because you want to archive them but for someone else who is to listen to your score, learn from it, sing it or play it. But how to transform your score electronically so that your fellow musicians, choir singers, students can use them? And in what form?

Which format?

In which format you pass on the score depends on how the recipient is to use it:

• The recipient only needs to listen to the score, looking at it is not necessary.
• The recipient only needs to look at the score, listening to it is not necessary.
• The recipient needs to look at, listen to and print the score.
• The recipient must be enabled to edit the score.

There is a different approach to each of these use cases which also depends on the equipment the recipient has at his disposal. Today we are starting a small series about the different options.

Part 1: Listening to scores, not looking

Meanwhile many choir directors  provide their singers with rehearsal files or CDs. This way everybody can practise his or her voice alone.

The next question is: Is it sufficient to listen to the scores on the computer, or should they run on a CD player, MP3 player or smartphone?

MIDI

The easiest thing to do is to export a MIDI file: With three mouseclicks on File - Export - Midi File... you receive a file which everybody can listen to on the computer (MIDI support required). There are MIDI players even for tablets or smartphones.

If you want you can create a file for each voice of the ensemble by adjusting the volume settings:

A hint: Please do not use the default piano sound in rehearsal files for singers; select a different wind instrument for each voice.

In this format you cannot influence the sound quality as it will be created on the playback device only.

We are leaving out how to attach a Midi file to an email.

MP3 and CD

In your choir or ensemble there might be singers who don't want to practice on the computer but would rather rehearse in the kitchen or car. They will not be able to use the Midi file, they need a MP3 file or a real CD. You can create both with capella playAlong.