Help:Sibelius

Sibelius 5 is a music notation program which may be used in and of itself to produce images and midi files for use on Wikipedia.

Producing images

1. Select portion of score
2. File:Export graphics
   1. Select, deselect, or set desirable options such as "Program/Format: PNG", "Pages: Selected systems [or] Graphic selection", "Folder: Filename", "Size: Dots per inch", "Size: Use smallest bounding box", and "Options: Monochrome" "Options: Substitute: Lines [&] Braces".
3. Upload
4. Post to article

After producing the necessary or desired notation in Sibelius, it is often desirable to select a portion of the total score, by entire measures or systems (perhaps two measures out of two pages), that you wish to include in the image (this is not necessary if the correct portion of the score is already selected). If you want to create an image of an entire page, select every measure of an entire page (select all).

Select File:Export graphics and the Export graphics window will open. From the "Program/Format" menu select PNG, from pages select "Selected systems", from Folder doublecheck the filename and select the location on your computer which you which to temporarily or permanently store the file before uploading it to Wikipedia. From Size select a file size (300 dots per inch is a good size, 150 works for almost all uses) then click "Adjust size to improve staves" and "Use smallest bounding box". From Options select monochrome unless your file needs to include color and select Substitute lines and braces. Hit "OK".

Regarding notation: Select "Layout: Document Setup" and adjust the paper size and orientation and staff size to optimize the notation example. You want the notation to be as large as possible, but still fit on one page (the "Change page" buttons below the image should either not be highlighted or your desired piece of notation should fit on only one page). In general, if one creating an image of a melody select "Letter" and "Landscape" and lower the staff size appropriately while if one is creating an image of single chord select "Band" and "Portrait" and raise the staff size appropriately. For example:

File:Add6 chord on C.png: Band, portrait, .76

File:Add6 chord on C letter .3.png: Letter, landscape, .3

File:'Oh, Susanna' pentatonic melody.png: Band, landscape, .3

File:'Oh, Susanna' pentatonic melody letter.png: Letter, landscape, .39

Midi pitch bend

Sibelius is also highly useful do to its midi pitch bend capabilities. Through midi pitch bend signals in the format "~B 0,64" Sibelius can bend multiple pitches in one voice in one instrument.

Thus non-12-tone equal-tempered intervals, scales, and chords may be notated and played melodically but not harmonically. However, through the use of pedal, bent notes may be played somewhat simultaneously rather than successively.

secondary byte: 1/32 half steps

initial byte: 1/128 x 32 half-steps

There's some complicated seeming math involved with calculating the midi pitch bend commands from the cents divergent from equal tempered notation (p.328-29). The Sibelius 5 Reference (p.60) manual also gives a brief explanation on how to use the commands using only the most significant byte, giving only approximate 3 cent control (100/32=3.125). In this instance ~B 0,64 creates and is the unaltered conventional 12TET pitch, perhaps on C. To create a just major third, 386 as opposed to 400 cents, one would then create the next note on the E above that C with ~B 0,59 since 400-386=14, 14/3=4.66, 4.66 ≈ 5, and 64-5=59.

Using the least significant byte, giving only approximate 0.25 cent control (1/128*32=0.25 cents). In this instance ~B 0,64 creates and is the unaltered conventional 12TET pitch, perhaps on C. To create a twelfth-tone, 16.67 as opposed to 0 or 100 cents, one would then create the next note with ~B 67,64 since twelfth=16.67, 16.67/0.25≈67, and 0+67=67.

External links

• "Using MIDI Pitchbend and MIDI Tuning Dump to LucyTune your music", LucyTuning
• http://www.tigoe.net/pcomp/code/serial-communication/midi