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
Exporting
- Select portion of score
- File:Export graphics
- 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".
- Upload
- 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".
Notating
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:
One should also considered the distance between staves. This may manually be adjusted by selecting a stave or staves and dragging them with your mouse, or you may adjust the minimum space between all staves by selecting "House Style: Engraving rules: Staves" (often the better option, since it will keep your score consistent and orderly).
Producing MIDIs
MIDIs are fairly easy to export (File:Export:Midi File...). I have discovered that the end of MIDI files tend to be cut off when playing back, either in Wikipedia or in my (or all) browser(s). Thus it is a good idea to put a fermata on the last note of any file, even those one wouldn't think to do so with. For example:
The last note in the MIDI file accompanying the above image has a fermata on it, which one might not guess from listening to the file. But without the fermata the end of the file sounded cutoff, almost as if it where missing a note.
MIDI pitch bend
Sibelius is also highly useful due 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. It also appears that through the use of multiple voices Sibelius can bend different pitches differently.
- 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, 386.31 as opposed to 400 cents, one would then create the next note on the E above that C with ~B 0,60 since 400-386.31=13.69, 13.69/3.125=4.3808, 4.3808 ≈ 4, and 64-4=60.
Using the least significant byte, gives approximately 0.025 cent resolution (1/(128*32)≈0.025 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 43,69, calculated as follows:
- one twelfth = 16.67 cents
- 16.67/100 * 128 * 32 = 683
- 683/128 = 5, 64+5 = 69
- 683-5*128 = 43
See also
- Help:Music
- Help:Score to directly embed music notation in Wiki pages.