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diff --git a/Documentation/automated-engraving/software.itexi b/Documentation/automated-engraving/software.itexi new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..250299eec3 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/automated-engraving/software.itexi @@ -0,0 +1,114 @@ +\input texinfo @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*- +@ignore + Translation of GIT committish: FILL-IN-HEAD-COMMITTISH + + When revising a translation, copy the HEAD committish of the + version that you are working on. See TRANSLATION for details. +@end ignore + + + +@node software +@unnumberedsec What's wrong with music notation software + +Computers have made music printing accessible to the masses, but they +tend to deliver mediocre typography. Apparently, programmers have +been doing a shoddy job on notation programs. To illustrate that, we +had an amateur user set a piece of music in one of the most popular +‘professional’ notation programs sold today, Finale +2003. It was made with all of the default settings. The music is from +the Sarabande of the 2nd Cello Suite by J. S. Bach. + +@emph{ +(Finale is a registered trademark of MakeMusic! Inc.) +} + +@divClass{float-center} +@divEnd +@image{pictures/finale-sarabande-full,,,.png} + +This example far surpasses the previous one when it comes to +formatting errors: there are serious errors in literally +@emph{every} measure. The errors come in all sizes: a big one is the +oddly s p a c e d   o u t last line. A smaller one is the flat in +measure 13, which is covered by the note preceding it. Here is a +magnification of that measure: + +@divClass{float-center} +@divEnd +@image{pictures/finale-flat-detail,,,.png} + +The errors go down to the teensy details: below is a blowup of the +beam in that measure. Of course, in proper typography the beam should +not stick out to the right of the stem, and the ribbles provide a +telling glimpse into Coda Music Technology programmers' aptness (or +lack thereof) with the underlying PostScript technology. + +@divClass{float-center} +@divEnd +@image{pictures/finale-beam-detail,,,.png} + +Now, one could refute that Finale has a graphical interface, and it +lets you easily move about elements to correct errors, or use plug-ins +to do so. This is certainly true: in fact, good professional +engravers that use Finale typically spend the majority of their time +correcting all the errors that Finale routinely makes. But do you +want to spend your time on correcting all glaring errors? For the +spaced out line, it is doable, but imagine that you have to correct +each and every beam that sticks out of the stems.... by hand? + +There is a less obvious reason why correcting things by hand is a bad +idea. Consider again measure 13 reproduced above. The misplaced flat +is pretty obvious, but did you notice that repeat bar? Its lines are +too far apart. Did you notice that the eighth rest is too far down? +Did it occur to you that the stem of the last eighth note is too long? + +@divClass{float-center} +@divEnd +@image{pictures/finale-flat-correct,,,.png} + +Unless you are an expert, typographical errors will irk you without +being obvious. Many of them will go uncorrected and will still be in the +final print. + +This example may seem contrived, but in fact, it's not. All +major producers of notation software claim to follow engraving +standards, but we have not seen any that gets the basics right; all of +them make systematic mistakes. If you want to assess the output of your +favorite program, then buy a decent hand-made score from a respectable +publisher, and try to reproduce one page of it. Then compare them: + +@itemize +@item + +How does the page layout compare? Typically, computer scores are more +widely spaced so they take up more pages, meaning more annoying page +turns. + + +@item + +How does the spacing compare? Is it as lively and flowing as the +hand-made score? If in doubt, try measuring both with a ruler. + + +@item + +Put both on a music stand, 1 meter away; that is not uncommon when +performing. Can you read both pages? Almost all computer scores have +an anemic look: they use lines which are too thin, and symbols which +are too light. That makes them hard to read from a distance. If in +doubt, measure the difference with a magnifying glass. + + +@end itemize + +@divClass{float-right} +@divEnd +Next: @ref{problem-statement.html,How not to design software}, +or: modeling music notation. + + + +@bye + |