Category: Software and Computers

Update: After working in my scores with these different chord fonts, I prefer Norfolk Chord ASL Standard for all layouts (Full Score, Piano/Vocal, and Parts)

Getting the right chord font for notation software is a big deal for the player that has to read the music on the fly. Often I’m orchestrating scores for shows that I am working on and I need the fonts to be intuitive. When a score is laid out well visually then it’s a pleasure to play through scores for rehearsals and performance. I can’t waste a split second trying to differentiate a chord marking. It needs to be crystal clear.

Continue reading “Sibelius Chord Notation Fonts: Opus Standard, Norfolk ASL Standard and Norfolk ASC Standard” →

The endless debate on which notation software to use seems to now be centered on Finale vs. Sibelius vs. Dorico. I’ve been using Sibelius since 2007 and I love it, while at the same time I feel a little shame that I haven’t mastered Finale. Here are some of the reasons why I’m once again sticking with Sibelius (while also feeling ashamed).

Continue reading “Why I use Sibelius notation software” →

My WordPress sitemap page was empty and it took me a while to locate the problem. Hopefully this is helpful to another user.

Problem:

Sitemap.xml page empty. Page only had header information without content. Showed as blank page.

Source of Problem:

I was using the WordPress plugin WPcache which was prevent three different sitemap generation plugins from working.

Continue reading “WordPress sitemap page empty” →

My blog was started back in 2006 with WordPress and over time the categories have gotten crazy out of hand. I write about the shows I work on, my original productions, science, religion, software and everything in between. It’s bad practice from an SEO standpoint and bad for focused business marketing, but it’s my personal blog so it is what it is.

Continue reading “WordPress Disable Sidebars” →

As music producers we use a lot of different software formats. With my music libraries alone I counted 18 different companies that I’ve worked with in the last year. Most needing their own installation procedures and authorizations. It’s just part of the business and quickly leads to the no-fun zone.

Overall I think customer service across the board has improved greatly in the technology and music app sectors over the last ten years. There are three companies which have really stood out to me above all the rest in 2015 for outstanding customer service.

Continue reading “My Top Picks for 2015 Technology Customer Service” →

(Overture from Romeo and Juliet the musical by Conrad Askland – Sibelius screen shot)

Here it is late 2015 and there is still the grand debate of whether to use Sibelius or Finale as your main music notation software. You can read hundreds of technical break downs that compare the two. Here, I will give you a real-world breakdown of my experience with both programs.

Continue reading “Finale vs. Sibelius” →

In Sibelius notation software there’s a great feature where part names automatically print at the top of each page. Unfortunately this is also where your song title and subtitle are placed by default. The end result is that at the top header of each page over the first title page, the part title (full score, keyboard/vocal, trombone, etc.) prints on top of the title text and makes it all unreadable. The part name clashes on top of the title header text.

Continue reading “Sibelius – Part Name Prints Over Header Title on Subsequent Pages” →

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9pXEXBmKvA

BETA testing just opened for everyone that signed up early and opted in. See you soon in The Old Republic!

SWTOR.com is Star Wars the Old Republic – an new MMORPG game from Bioware, Electronic Arts and Lucas Arts. Video above are some of the design team stating their opinions of the Sith Inquisitor vs the Trooper. Mmmm……I think I’m sold on the Sith Inquisitor. For those of us playing SWTOR that used to play Warcraft (which is probably most everyone) this seems a little like the Orc Warrior vs. a Rogue with some Mage abilities.

Continue reading “SWTOR Massive Beta Testing Begins November 2011” →