Free Companion

Copyright © 2002-2005 D. Michael McIntyre. All rights reserved.

An expanded and more complete version of this text is now available as Rosegarden Companion, published in July 2005 by Bomots.de.

Contents

1 Introduction

• 1.1 What is Rosegarden?

• 1.2 About This Guide

• 1.3 Version and System Requirements

  • 1.3.1 Linux Version

  • 1.3.2 Equipment and Software Required

• 1.4 Special Thanks

2 Producing Sound

• 2.1 Playing MIDI

  • 2.1.1 What's in My Computer?

  • 2.1.2 External MIDI Interfaces

    • 2.1.2.1 Joystick Port MIDI Adapters

    • 2.1.2.2 USB MIDI

      • 2.1.2.2.1 USB Keyboards

      • 2.1.2.2.2 USB MIDI Interfaces

  • 2.1.3 MIDI without External Hardware

    • 2.1.3.1 Cards with Synth Support under ALSA

      • 2.1.3.1.1 SB Live! Modules

      • 2.1.3.1.2 Set the Mixer Volume

      • 2.1.3.1.3 Load a SoundFont

    • 2.1.3.2 Cards without Synth Support under ALSA

      • 2.1.3.2.1 Check your Modules

      • 2.1.3.2.2 QSynth

        • 2.1.3.2.2.1 Configure the Audio Driver

        • 2.1.3.2.2.2 Loading a SoundFont

      • 2.1.3.2.3 SynthPlugins

• 2.2 Playing Audio

  • 2.2.1 What is JACK?

  • 2.2.2 Obtaining a Suitable Kernel

  • 2.2.3 Starting and Tweaking JACK

  • 2.2.4 Configuring the JACK Server

    • 2.2.4.1 The Evil XRUN

  • 2.2.5 Managing JACK Connections

3 A First Look

• 3.1 The Main Window

• 3.2 Special Toolbars

• 3.3 The Tracklist

  • 3.3.1 Instrument vs. Name

  • 3.3.2 Track LEDs

  • 3.3.3 Changing the Track Name

  • 3.3.4 Adding, Removing, Moving Tracks

• 3.4 Segments and Segment Parameters

  • 3.4.1 Creating a New Segment

  • 3.4.2 Moving and Copying

  • 3.4.3 Splitting and Joining

    • 3.4.3.1 Split by Pitch

  • 3.4.4 Segment Previews

  • 3.4.5 Segment Parameters

  • 3.4.6 Repeats

  • 3.4.7 Segment Quantizer

  • 3.4.8 Transposing Instruments

  • 3.4.9 Delay

• 3.5 Getting Around in the Composition

  • 3.5.1 The Playback Pointer

  • 3.5.2 Loops

  • 3.5.3 The Transport

• 3.6 Time and Tempo

  • 3.6.1 New Tempo

  • 3.6.2 New Time Signature

• 3.7 Document Markers

  • 3.7.1 The Manage Markers Dialog

  • 3.7.2 Creating a New Marker

  • 3.7.3 Markers In Position

• 3.8 Miscellany

  • 3.8.1 Importing and Merging Other Compositions

  • 3.8.2 Autosave

4 The Studio

• 4.1 What is a Studio?

  • 4.1.1 What is a Connection?

  • 4.1.2 What is a Device?

  • 4.1.3 Putting Connections and Devices Together

    • 4.1.3.1 A Simple Sound Blaster Live! Studio

    • 4.1.3.2 A Typical QSynth Studio

    • 4.1.3.3 A More Complex Studio

• 4.2 Enough Theory Already! How Do I Configure MY Studio?

  • 4.2.1 Connections

  • 4.2.2 Record Devices

  • 4.2.3 Play Devices

    • 4.2.3.1 The Easy Road (General MIDI Only)

    • 4.2.3.2 The Harder Road (Loading Device Definitions from the Library)

    • 4.2.3.3 Loading a Device from the Library

    • 4.2.3.4 Turning a SoundFont into a Device

    • 4.2.3.5 Once You've Made Your Choice

    • 4.2.3.6 The Hardest Road: Creating a List of Programs from Scratch

      • 4.2.3.6.1 Naming the Device

      • 4.2.3.6.2 Why Name Programs and Controllers?

      • 4.2.3.6.3 Gathering Information

      • 4.2.3.6.4 Variations

      • 4.2.3.6.5 The Percussion Checkbox

      • 4.2.3.6.6 Send in Your Device Descriptions

• 4.3 Custom Controllers

• 4.4 Default Document Properties

  • 4.4.1 Lilypond Headers

  • 4.4.2 Audio Directory

  • 4.4.3 Custom Colors

• 4.5 Saving Your Studio as the Default

5 Managing Instruments

• 5.1 Instruments

• 5.2 Routing a Track to a Device and Instrument

• 5.3 MIDI Instrument Parameters

  • 5.3.1 Simple General MIDI Instruments

  • 5.3.2 GS Program and Variation Instruments

  • 5.3.3 Drum Instruments

  • 5.3.4 GS Drum Kits

  • 5.3.5 Alternate Drums in Separate Banks

  • 5.3.6 Controller Knobs

  • 5.3.7 Setting Initial Track Volume and Other Parameters

• 5.4

• 5.5 Audio Instrument Parameters

• 5.6 Audio Instrument Parameters

• 5.7 Synth Plugin Instrument Parameters

  • 5.7.1 Select a Synth Plugin

    • 5.7.1.1 Xsynth

      • 5.7.1.1.1 Xsynth's External Editor

    • 5.7.1.2 FluidSynth

      • 5.7.1.2.1 FluidSynth's External Editor

      • 5.7.1.2.2 Selecting a Program

6 Recording

• 6.1 Recording MIDI

  • 6.1.1 Create a MIDI Track

• 6.2 Recording Audio

  • 6.2.1 Set a New Audio Path!

  • 6.2.2 Create an Audio Track

  • 6.2.3 Configure the Mixer

    • 6.2.3.1 Capture vs. Playback

    • 6.2.3.2 Mixing for Results

      • 6.2.3.2.1 Clipping

      • 6.2.3.2.2 Other Unintended Consequences

• 6.3 Check Your Configuration

  • 6.3.1 The Finite Composition

    • 6.3.1.1 Audio Recording Time

• 6.4 Play Something!

  • 6.4.1 Previews

• 6.5 Punch In

• 6.6

7 A Different View

• 7.1 The Event List Editor

  • 7.1.1 Events and Properties

    • 7.1.1.1 Opening and Event List View

    • 7.1.1.2 Changing the Time Base

    • 7.1.1.3 Filtering Events from View

    • 7.1.1.4 Filtering Events out of a Selection

    • 7.1.1.5 Creating a New Event

    • 7.1.1.6 Editing Existing Events

  • 7.1.2 Example Uses

    • 7.1.2.1 Inserting a Mid-Composition Program Change

      • 7.1.2.1.1 Determine the Insertion Point

      • 7.1.2.1.2 Open the Editor, Create an Event

      • 7.1.2.1.3 Create the Program Change

      • 7.1.2.1.4 Changing an Event Time

    • 7.1.2.2 Managing System Exclusive Data

• 7.2 The Matrix Editor

  • 7.2.1 Special Considerations of Performance vs. Display

  • 7.2.2 Overview

• 7.3 The Local Cursor

  • 7.3.1 Entering New Notes

  • 7.3.2 Adjusting Existing Notes

  • 7.3.3 Selecting and Acting on Multiple Notes

  • 7.3.4 Velocity

    • 7.3.4.1 Showing the Velocity Ruler

    • 7.3.4.2 Setting Multiple Velocity Properties

    • 7.3.4.3

  • 7.3.5 Controllers

• 7.4 Example Uses

  • 7.4.1 Sequencing a Drum Pattern

    • 7.4.1.1 Create a New Segment

    • 7.4.1.2 Route the Track to a Percussion Instrument

    • 7.4.1.3 Set the Grid and Loop Points

    • 7.4.1.4 Sequence the Pattern

    • 7.4.1.5 Copy the Pattern

    • 7.4.1.6 Finish with a Fill

  • 7.4.2 Adjusting Velocities with the Selection Event Filter

    • 7.4.2.1 Make a Selection

    • 7.4.2.2 Configure the Selection Event Filter

    • 7.4.2.3 Adjust the Velocities

8 Notation

• 8.1 Notation Editor Overview

  • 8.1.1 Notation Toolbars

• 8.2 Opening Multiple Staffs

• 8.3 Notation Basics

  • 8.3.1 Notation Rulers

  • 8.3.2 Clefs

    • 8.3.2.1 Key Signatures

  • 8.3.3 Tempo and Time Signature

  • 8.3.4 Entering Notes and Rests

    • 8.3.4.1 Notes

    • 8.3.4.2 Rests

    • 8.3.4.3 Chords

    • 8.3.4.4 Nudging an Incorrect Pitch

    • 8.3.4.5

    • 8.3.4.6 Erasing Notes

    • 8.3.4.7 Avoiding Multiple Voices

    • 8.3.4.8 Making Selections

    • 8.3.4.9 Collapsing Rests

    • 8.3.4.10 Accidentals

      • 8.3.4.10.1 Respelling

      • 8.3.4.10.2 Cautionary Accidentals

    • 8.3.4.11 Triplets and Tuplets

    • 8.3.4.12 Keyboard Entry

      • 8.3.4.12.1 Select a Duration

      • 8.3.4.12.2 Dots and Double Dots

      • 8.3.4.12.3 Quicker Triplets

      • 8.3.4.12.4 Chord Mode

      • 8.3.4.12.5 Quick Pitch (Do Re Mi) Mode

      • 8.3.4.12.6 Rest Mode

      • 8.3.4.12.7 Step Recording Mode

      • 8.3.4.12.8 Changing Incorrect Note Durations

  • 8.3.5 Ties, Slurs, and Other Groups

    • 8.3.5.1 Slurs

    • 8.3.5.2 Stem Direction

    • 8.3.5.3 Micro-Positioning of Notation Elements

    • 8.3.5.4 Moving Notes

    • 8.3.5.5 Ties

    • 8.3.5.6 Beaming

  • 8.3.6 Marks, Slashes and Fingerings

    • 8.3.6.1 Slashes

      • 8.3.6.1.1 Piano Fingerings

      • 8.3.7.0.1

  • 8.3.7 Hairpins

  • 8.3.8 Text Events

    • 8.3.8.1 Text Styles

    • 8.3.8.2 Annotations

    • 8.3.8.3 Lyrics

      • 8.3.8.3.1 The Lyric Editor

    • 8.3.8.4 I ii iii IV

• 8.4 Legible Notation from Performance Data

  • 8.4.1 The Quantizer

  • 8.4.2 Triggered Segments and Ornaments

    • 8.4.2.1 Before

    • 8.4.2.2 The First Try

    • 8.4.2.3 The Second Try

    • 8.4.2.4 Reusing Ornaments

• 8.5 Tweaking Parts with the Selection Filter

  • 8.5.1 Bringing Parts into Range

  • 8.5.2 Correcting Odd Durations

9 In The Next Edition

10 The A-Maze-Ing Composition

11 Appendix A: MIDI Primer

• 11.1 Channels

• 11.2 Programs

• 11.3 Banks

• 11.4 Controllers

12 Appendix B: Addendum

• 12.1 My Studio

  • 12.1.1 My Computer and Software

  • 12.1.2 How I Have it Hooked Up

• 12.2 Who Are You? Why Are You Writing This?

13 Appendix C: General MIDI Program Names

14 Appendix D: History and License

• 14.1 History

• 14.2 Copyright and License