Tutorial: Using Ensembles (Ensemble Edition only)
This tutorial will introduce you to intelliScore's multiple instrument recognition capability. Included in the Samples subdirectory is an MP3 file of Peter Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker called the Sugarplum Fairy. It contains celesta, bassoon, pizzicato strings, and clarinet. The audio file was recorded using the recommended settings described in the manual. We will use this music as we use the New Project Wizard to give you practice at adjusting recognition settings. You can compare your work to the project and MIDI files we came up with. Feel free to experiment, however. That is the best way to learn how to use all the features of intelliScore to their maximum potential. To preserve the original files, back them up to a different folder or rename them, or else you will be prompted to replace them as you follow the tutorial. You can also preserve and compare the results of your experiments using different filenames. This tutorial assumes you are using the default settings in the Options window and that you installed intelliScore at the default setup path.
1. Click the Blank Document Icon in the Tool Bar to start the New Project Wizard.
2. You are asked where the audio will be obtained from. Choose the first option on the top next to the folder icon, since an audio file for this tutorial already exists. Click the Next button to continue.
3. You are asked to specify the name of the audio file. In the Select Audio File dialog box, change to the folder in which you installed intelliScore. Select the file Samples\Sugarplum Fairy.mp3. Click the OK button to remove the message and the Next button to continue to the next step.
4. Select I know what instruments comprise the original audio. Click the Next button to continue.
5. Since the audio file contains several different types of instruments, choose the Multiple option and click Next to continue.
6. At this point you can click on the button with the Open Folder icon to select one of the saved ensembles rather than accept the default Example - Piano and Organ. For this tutorial, however, you will create your own to specify which instruments are in the original audio. Click on the button with the Globe icon to open the Ensemble Editor.
7. In the first row, change the Example ensemble Instrument from 0 - Acoustic Grand Piano to 8 - Celesta. You will be asked if you want the pitch range automatically changed to match the selected instrument. Click the Yes button.
8. In the second row, change the Example ensemble Instrument from 16 - Drawbar Organ to 70 - Bassoon.
9. Activate the third and fourth rows by checking the Active checkbox next to those rows. Change the Instruments to 45 - Pizzicato Strings and 71 - Clarinet.
10. Click the OK button to close the Ensemble Editor and return to the New Project Wizard. Click Next to continue.
11. Now you are asked if you want easy or synchronized timing settings. For this tutorial, just select the Easy radio button. Click Next to continue.
12. Accept the suggested MIDI filename of Sugarplum Fairy.mid and click Next to continue.
13. Click the Finish button to close the New Project Wizard and start the recognizer.
14. When it is finished, the SyncPlayer window will open and play the MP3 and MIDI file synchronously so you can listen to the conversion results. (If the Auto Sync Play feature in the Options window is disabled, your MIDI editor will open instead.) You will notice that in spite of the overlapping pitch ranges, most of the high notes are assigned to the celesta. Most of the low notes are assigned to the bassoon. At the end of the piece, the clarinet part becomes more prominent. This is intelliScore's revolutionary multiple instrument recognition capability at work.
15. If you desire, you can adjust some settings in the Project Editor and run the recognizer again. For example, within the Project Editor, you can reduce the Pitch Ranges to improve the likelihood that the notes will be assigned to the correct instruments.