Please join me in my new YouTube channel now in it’s 3rd month and 22 videos completed. QR code below:
The channel deals with music technology and music creation mainly on iPad and iPhones, and a variety of apps that add in this goal.
Most notably, I have been focusing on StaffPad, GarageBand iOS, and other music apps that aid the media creator in a variety of ways to write music.
It’s a valuable source for educators to show the short videos about a variety of topics in music creation.
Summer goals will be to start a new webpage in Wix or Square Space with sales of various music products created for students of music in schools and adult education.
To bring people closer to understanding music creation on an iPad and with StaffPad for iPad, I’m creating videos to help others about basic composition/creating music.
There are three earlier videos about writing a trio, a duet, and a melody. They are all good to introduce you to StaffPad and basic music composition techniques.
Thank you for your support. Please subscribe and support my various social media to help others celebrate the Arts in You!
In my new piece of music, You Don’t Belong Here, I use the StaffPad app, my iPad Pro and its Apple Pencil. The greatest joys are hearing beautifully played strings with some techniques (pizzicato, tremolo, open harmonics) and edit directly as I write.
Challenges I’m having with this app include learning to predict how the balance of volume will be slightly different in the audio version. This is mostly seen in the bass being too loud. The Berlin String Library’s version for StaffPad has a well-balanced sound, with the exception of 32nd notes played at moderate tempo, as in a sweep of notes. The sound is horribly distorted and a revision to sixteen notes is required. Hopefully, in time this problem will be eliminated. The automation and reverb features are some of the best on this app which I continue to get better with.
If you haven’t tried StaffPad yet, I highly recommend it only for iPad, as I’ve never used the Surface Windows 10 version. If you are a composer that wants to write from anywhere, this is the time to buy StaffPad (about $90 US – worth every bit of it).
You can see many of the successes of StaffPad on its Facebook site. There, you can get honest and kind feedback, and chat about issues that you are experiencing.
Please contact me if you have any questions or comments. Take the best care during this difficult time with the Covid-19. Stay indoors, and if you have to go out, wear a mask and disposable gloves.
Writing from a different musical context is an exciting and valuable problem solving tool for exploring the performance practices of the Baroque and Classical time periods of music.
Written in 1996, Light and Dolce was composed with the early synthesisers and notation programmes of the day, Finale and Korg. I have updated it with StaffPad included instruments, the Berlin Brass Library for the three horns, and the Antique Keys from RealSamples English Harpsichord (1766).
As a TV show theme, it describes an English drama about Britain’s high society of the mid-20th century. Its musical style replicates music of late Baroque period with short motifs, patterns and predictable chord progressions. It also shows a small example of the layering of the theme and motifs in fugal form.
I welcome your thoughts and discussion about this and all my work posted here on WordPress. Thanks for visiting my site.
Frippery for Horn and Woodwind Quartet was composed on the new iPad version of StaffPad. It was created to test the woodwind and horn sounds that come with the app, which are very impressive. In purchasing the add-on libraries from CineBrass and Berlin Brass Library, you will hear the Berlin horn 1 in this recording. StaffPad for iPad Pro 12.9″ is my recommendation and will set the standard for all future notation methods. Check out staffPad.net for complete details of this paradigm-shifting app. I welcome all comments and suggestions. It was quite a challenge to balance the brassiness of the horn part with the subtle timbre of the flute and oboe. I look forward to each new piece with StaffPad; it truly excites me as a creator of media.
Paradigm Shift… a time when the usual and accepted way of doing or thinking about something changes completely
Music technology has taken major leaps over the past ten years since the advent of the iPad or tablet devices. Companies of music notation apps like Notion, Symphony Pro and Touch Notation have shown brilliance in leading musicians away from their indoor studios to compose ‘on the go’ anywhere where there is inspiration.
Recently, an app company, StaffPadreleased its first iOS version of StaffPad. This was originally only for Windows Surface tablets released in 2015 and appeared on my tech-radar at a similar time. Described as a painting app for music by developer David William Hearn (and Matthew Tesch), it was something I was so enthusiastic to try. Four years later, it is now available for iPad (Pro) and Apple Pencil 2 (ultimately) at the cost of approx. $90 US, complete. For your information, base cost of Notion is $14.99 US (IAP), Symphony Pro 5 $14.99 US (IAP) and Touch Notation $11.99 US (IAP). Each have their own plus and minuses.
February 5th, 2020:
Today is a big day! We’re announcing a huge update to StaffPad; iPad support; a new free app called StaffPad Reader for realtime, connected parts across multiple devices; Jaw dropping playback in partnership with industry leading sample library developers, and much more. Let’s make some music!
StaffPad for iPad and Apple Pencil/Windows tablet devices that support ink and touch
David William Hearn’s “Snow Falling” Demo Score using additional cost pro libraries e.g., cinesamples, Berlin Symphonic Libraries, Spitfire Audio Collection
After purchasing the app almost a week ago, I took the developer’s recommendation and watched all tutorials on YouTube on their StaffPad YouTube site. His next suggestion was to work on mastering the basic gestures as they require some time to get acquainted with. This is NOT the time to be working on a new project but practice basic note entry as if it was an artist’s brush or penmanship class. This is true. In reflection, most frustrations I experienced early in the week were caused by pushing too hard with the Apple Pencil 2 and over-drawing the notation. The website gives examples of each aspect of the app’s capabilities here.
In this same time period, I adjusted to navigating the app as my first composition was penned. Each few bars presented me with a problem solving issue that I had to locate its solution… where do I find the arpeggio tool?, for example. Eventually, after spending a few hours each day, by the third day, I was becoming more intuitive with the app… when it became an extension of my thinking (similar process in learning Notion iOS and Mac, Symphony Pro, and Touch Notation… we won’t even talk about 30 years on Finale for Mac!).
StaffPad Navigation – some of the available notation palettes
In this exploratory time period, a haunting issue vexed me… how many instruments and notation can I add before the app doesn’t respond properly or crashes? I should mention here I am using an iPad Pro 3rd generation 12.9″ with Apple Pencil 2. On their website, the recommendation is “we recommend using the latest generation iPad Pro“. In reading through reviews, one person purchased the app for his regular iPad and Apple Pencil 1 and found it to be “riddled with errors” referring to handwriting recognition. He concluded that he may get an iPad Pro in the future and give it another try countering this with the extremely attractive orchestral samples available as an in-app purchase. My experience has taught me to save your file every few minutes, or when it seems to lag.
StaffPad comes with an attractive collection of 55 instruments that makes your score sound impressive, especially with the adjustable reverb that brilliantly enhances the expressiveness of your music. Adding and switching instruments and their particular articulations or techniques is very easy and convenient, solo horn to French Horns all in one staff, if desired. This was one of the many features I love about Notion, too.
Score setup
One of my favourite aspects of StaffPad is its automation layer that allows you to draw your dynamics – volume and panning. This assists to animate my writing as I imagine it and not simply with putting dynamic markings at a specific spot. This is available in many DAW, e.g., Logic Pro, but made easier with the use of the Apple Pencil 2. This feature empowers the personal and expressive qualities of your music beyond static, dynamic markings. My score can be less cluttered by dynamic and hairpin markings, and just sound good. Time is necessary to develop the skill to use StaffPad’s capabilities and to reinforce the developers recommendation to not overuse the automation feature too much. This was my experience after I overindulged with it on a solo flute line at the opening of my first score.
Opening bars of my test piece for StaffPad
There are too many reasons to discuss here why I am enamored with StaffPad. Check out staffpad.net site for all details, examples and broader descriptions of its features. Upon further reflection of a lifetime of using notation software with each passing decade, StaffPad is one of the few apps/software that I feel truly enhances my writing ability for the following reasons:
quality sampled sounds included (and available at a reasonable cost) – you would know this if you’ve bought orchestral sound libraries (e.g., Spitfire BBC Symphony Library -$999. US – bought one month ago!)
chord analysis – shows the chords of your score – useful in learning and validating chord progressions, and hopefully that of others when scores are shared
ease of adding articulations, dynamics and instrument techniques (some take practice, e.g., accents and ledger lines)
automation layer for volume and panning – expressiveness = aesthetics
exports seamlessly with Finale 26 and Logic Pro with XML or MIDI, if desired
easy screen capture for teaching purposes – copy/paste into other apps
intuitive divisi and part writing
simple and quick transposition
Apple Pencil 2 fluid writing (with practice!)
the free app, StaffPad Reader… imagine the implications in education with students using this – effective collaborative tool
Top reason: my iPad Pro with StaffPad and, eventually, added libraries can be carried on one device anywhere to create music without the need of a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation, e.g., Logic Pro X), a laptop or desktop, and external hard drives for sound library storage. This app is the axis that brings music writing – DAW and notation together in the most forward-thinking manner.
With StaffPad, you can just write music; not worry about technology.
Quirky Piece for Cor Anglais and Piano is a playful piece filled with twists of tonality, subtle discord, and the playful interplay between the Cor Anglais and piano. The time signatures changes throughout adding a feeling of ‘where’s the beat’? The Cor Anglais haunting and deeper oboe tone can easily perforate through the piano part, as well as blend on sustained notes. This can be observed in the first of the two sections while the two instruments dialogue with motifs and themes. Cor Anglais players may notice the slower, plaintive section takes the instrument to the top of its register. If played by a musical artist, it would sound more emotive and less shrill. The piece lacks a third movement which may appear in the future. Please let me know how you like it. Re-posting it is the greatest compliment you can give.
This activity introduces students to the Live Loops Interface on GarageBand for iOS. Students will create a script for themself (or partners) to be performed while playing a set of Live Loops that complements the script or message. The activity sheets introduce Live Loops, where to find and download them on the iPad (Internet connection required), and the basic of their use. With a little practice, a structured piece of music can be impressively achieved within one lesson. Your students will love this!
The goal is to create a musical background or accompaniment for the script. The script can take on any form and expressed with elements of drama and other Arts areas. Students audition Live Loops from the many free, downloadable packages through GarageBand for iOS (iPhone, iPad). Each set is genre-based. They are encouraged to use headphones and listen to each loop (horizontal) and loop sets (vertical) to determine what is best for their background.
Using the accompanying planning sheet(s), students can write their script in point form, choose their Live Loop set and loops, and decide on any expressive elements they will add to make their performance expressive and memorable by the audience. In the spirit of innovation and creativity, students are encouraged to add live elements to their background, such as acoustic instruments and sound effects. In an ideal situation, the performance could be recorded by a second device and/or video camera to capture other live instruments and sounds, dramatic and subtle movements by the performer(s), and elements of visual art projected on a screen.
The audio performance from Live Loops is easily recorded as the student interacts with the Interface.
Suggested purposes include:
• storytelling
• commercials
• conversations
• poetry
• dance movements with voice
• visual art reflections with background music and vocal description
• debates
• use of text types (narrative, recount, explanation, procedures, etc.)
• background for a student-created video (a little tricky without a time display in this interface and device compared with GarageBand for Mac.
Future Live Loop for GarageBand iOS activities will include creating your own set of favourite Live Loops and creating your own live loop using chords, musical motifs, drums, and various textures of sounds and tonal colour (Alchemy Synth). The sale and success of this activity will push the creation of others. Keep in touch and let me know your needs! I’m a full-time educator, possibly like yourself, hopefully soon to retire to create full-time. This will allow me to better equip our students with music creation experiences for their future! Thanks for your support.
Over the past ten years, iMovie and GarageBand iOS were my chosen apps for quick, on the spot editing and creation. Video apps for mobile devices have evolved to include several notable apps that have functions similar to the desktop version giants like Final Cut Pro.
These include Adobe Premiere Rush (cross-platform), LumaFusion (iOS), KineMaster Pro (Android) and iMovie (iOS).
LumaFusion by Luma Touch LLC
I have made it my goal to produce more video with my own music creation via LumaFusion and GarageBand to better prepare myself for future training in upcoming workshops and classes of eager students. LumaFusion allows me to do things with the pinch of fingers to video not possible in iMovie. It has a wide variety of import and export options, and text and filters can be added to in the goal of acquiring better effects to express me. So far, I’m impressed. YouTube has many excellent help videos produced by the company and its users.
LumaFusion 2 is a moderate price of approximately $19.99 US. It’s installation, and use is remarkable intuitive; predictable if you are comfortable with a logical menu-driven operation which most apps of this type have.
Check out my first attempt in the video link to my YouTube channel. As usual, comments are welcome and appreciated.
Expressivo 