This guide is designed to walk you through the creation of your own basic scrolling score for the Decibel ScorePlayer using the ScoreCreator application. It explains what the various fields in the program mean, and how they affect the way in which the score is read by the ScorePlayer.
These fields are used to enter the name and the composer of the work. It is important that they form a unique combination, since the ScorePlayer app uses them to determine whether any other iPads on the same network are viewing the same score. Because of this, no two works of any composer should share the exact same name.
The duration specifies the length of the piece, in seconds. For a scrolling score, this determines the rate at which the image moves across the screen.
The start offset specifies the size of a score's left margin, in pixels. If nothing is entered here, then the score will start scrolling from the very edge of the page. Entering a value here is particularly useful in cases where instructions are placed at the left hand side of the score, or where there is a large left margin that would leave a considerable silence at the start of a performance. This is also the point that the score will be brought back to when the reset button in the ScorePlayer is tapped. (To find out the exact size of the left margin, it is best to use a raster graphics editor like Photoshop or the GIMP.)
The start of Longing, by Cat Hope. The score has a start offset of 900 pixels, as shown by the position of the playhead.
The playhead offset adjusts the position of the vertical playhead on the screen, and can be entered into the field as a value in pixels or as a percentage by selecting the adjacent checkbox. These are both measured from the left edge. The width of the iPad screen is 1024 or 768 pixels depending on the orientation, so this should be kept in mind when choosing a suitable value. The default value of 150 pixels is used if nothing is specified here.
The image file field allows you to select the image that contains the score's content, and that is to be scrolled across the screen. This should be a PNG or JPEG file. The maximum available height (when the iPad is in the portrait orientation) is 951 pixels and anything bigger than this will be scaled down. So for best results, images should not be much taller than this. Due to memory constraints on the iPad, files of a width larger than 20,000 pixels may not load properly. If a score appears blank after being loaded onto the iPad then the size of the chosen image is the most likely cause, and further scaling down may be required.
The instructions file is an image that can be used to accommodate instructions about notations and other information relevant to the interpretation of the score. If it is included, the ScorePlayer will display a button in the upper right hand corner of the score (while it is stopped) that allows performers to access this information. This image should be under 540 pixels in width, but can be as tall as desired since the view that displays it can be scrolled vertically.
The instructions for Agilus, Mimoid, Symmetriad, by Lindsay Vickery.
Parts as PNG or JPEG files can be added and removed in the parts table. This allows the performer to cycle between the score and individual parts by swiping up and down on the iPad. These images should be the same width, and have the same margins as the score to ensure that events align with one another. Including parts is particularly useful for complex scores where it is clearer for each performer to see only their own part.
Once all of the required fields have been completed, the create button will be enabled. This will allow you to export the score as a DSZ file, which can then be imported into the ScorePlayer app on the iPad via iTunes.
If you have any troubleshooting enquiries, please forward them to:
info@decibel.waapamusic.com