Bars per line

[camosaurus]

Hi, I have a simple question about notion. How do you change the bars per line from 2 to say 4 before exporting to print? Hope this isn't a stupid query.

[thorrild]

Camosaurus,

Not a stupid question at all, since the 2-bars-per-system layout is one of the most perplexing differences between Notion3 and Notion for iPad.

As I understand it, you cannot change any aspect of the score layout when printing from the iPad. At least not yet. Remember that this app is very new, still in its infancy at version 1.1. We can only hope that the app will become even better with every update. In addition, it seems safe to assume that future iPads will have more processing power and memory, both of which will permit a greater feature set in Notion for iPad (and all sorts of other apps).

We've heard on this forum that Notion is working on new features for the iPad app; specifically the ability to accept MIDI input. Maybe improved layout, both on screen and in printout, is on their list as well... But they haven't said anything about it yet. Let it be a surprise!

Best,
Thorrild

[pkx166h]

Being a 'new' application is no excuse for a relatively expensive Ipad application. I read that a lot here - oh remember it's new, they're promising updates etc.

Look if you are going to release something and something based on a product you already have experience with, at least make it work. Notion has really missed a trick here. I think a lot of people will be annoyed by the amount of money spent on an iPad app that crashes nearly every time it is used and cannot even produce more than 2 measures per line on a print out?

They're charging 200+ pounds for their premium product, I think the authors should know what they and their software are about. That is really poor. Really poor. Try printing out 100+ measures out and stick that on your music stand to play. I'd be laughed out of my orchestra.

Please don't make excuses, leave that to the software developers - unless you are one of them, in which case, fix this please.

[thorrild]

If Notion for iPad were as capable as its desktop counterpart, it would not be priced as inexpensively as it is. I am happy to be in on using it from the start, and possibly be able to influence its future development by supplying Notion with constructive criticism.

Until a few months ago, the iPad wasn't even capable of printing of any kind. How fast should we expect this feature to be perfected? Even Apple's own iPad versions of Pages and Numbers are unable to print certain aspects of files created by their desktop counterparts, and certain layout options are simply missing. Pointing out that the iPad is not a full-fledged computer, and that Notion for iPad is not a bargain-basement killer of the desktop version is actually just stating the obvious. It is not intended as an excuse; it is meant as an injection of realism into other iPad users' expectations for the Notion app.

It seems to me unrealistic (but marvelously optimistic) to expect the iPad app to be capable of producing a beautiful-looking orchestra part. Some people (including me) would argue that not even the full version of Notion does a good job in this department. May I suggest a desktop computer and a dedicated printing application like Finale or its competitors? That combination is sure to give you great looking printout if that is your primary concern. Unfortunately you'll be saddled with many other shortcomings which are addressed by Notion, and it'll cost you a good deal more than this iPad app.

Best wishes,
Thorrild

[camosaurus]

Thanks for the responses. I think it is a great app for the few bucks and will keep an eye on it. With the two bars per line issue, I will try opening it in a better program like sibelius (which I find hard and slower with note entry) and then change the bars per line there, hopefully. I just love the convenience of lying in bed and using the ipad in general!

[pkx166h]

How on earth am I supposed to give more 'constructive' criticism on 2 bars per line than er... you should be able to do more than 2 bars per line?

I don't need to buy finale or Sibeliuis, I already use a much better (and free) tool to make output for my music (LilyPond), and I didn't buy Notion for just outputting average looking scores, I bought it for composing, and you simply cannot compose anything of any worth easily (note the word 'easily') for more than a few instruments at a time with 2 bars per line.

As to the age old 'it's an ipad therefore you cannot expect it to be as good as the desktop product' argument or the 'well before X months ago there wasn't even anything that did Y' that always gets trotted out, it's irrelevant. This is not a beta product nor is it a 0.x release where my expectation would be less perhaps. It's a fully released product by a company that _already has_ an existing piece of the software commercially available, and I note that no where in the webiste or the literature does it say for the ipad version that only 2 bars per line are printed.

If I wanted to just make some tunes or turn out midi, then I'd go elsewhere for products that are cheaper (Garage band? or Music Studio) are less crash prone than this release is and buy those.

By all means release a product that is not as good as its desktop counterpart and I wouldn't expect as much for a 20th of the price, but for goodness sake this is composition software, it's supposed to be able to be used for composing on.

I shouldn't have to scroll down acres and acres of screen or print out reams and reams of paper just because my composition happens to begin with 25 bars rests for all but 2 sections in the orchestra. You cannot even produce intelligently constructed full-measure rests.

Stop making excuses for this software. If it were free or if they _clearly stated_ this limitation I would have thought twice about buying it.

if anyone from this software company is reading this, please make sure you do list this as limitation or how about giving a free version where you cannot save or print (agin like all the other major music software vendors do for the ipad). You are seriously missing a trick here.

[Admin]

How on earth am I supposed to give more 'constructive' criticism on 2 bars per line than er... you should be able to do more than 2 bars per line?

I don't need to buy finale or Sibeliuis, I already use a much better (and free) tool to make output for my music (LilyPond), and I didn't buy Notion for just outputting average looking scores, I bought it for composing, and you simply cannot compose anything of any worth easily (note the word 'easily') for more than a few instruments at a time with 2 bars per line.

As to the age old 'it's an ipad therefore you cannot expect it to be as good as the desktop product' argument or the 'well before X months ago there wasn't even anything that did Y' that always gets trotted out, it's irrelevant. This is not a beta product nor is it a 0.x release where my expectation would be less perhaps. It's a fully released product by a company that _already has_ an existing piece of the software commercially available, and I note that no where in the webiste or the literature does it say for the ipad version that only 2 bars per line are printed.

If I wanted to just make some tunes or turn out midi, then I'd go elsewhere for products that are cheaper (Garage band? or Music Studio) are less crash prone than this release is and buy those.

By all means release a product that is not as good as its desktop counterpart and I wouldn't expect as much for a 20th of the price, but for goodness sake this is composition software, it's supposed to be able to be used for composing on.

I shouldn't have to scroll down acres and acres of screen or print out reams and reams of paper just because my composition happens to begin with 25 bars rests for all but 2 sections in the orchestra. You cannot even produce intelligently constructed full-measure rests.

Stop making excuses for this software. If it were free or if they _clearly stated_ this limitation I would have thought twice about buying it.

if anyone from this software company is reading this, please make sure you do list this as limitation or how about giving a free version where you cannot save or print (agin like all the other major music software vendors do for the ipad). You are seriously missing a trick here.

I assure you we are reading this:)

This is certainly something that is a high priority for us, and possibly one of the more difficult things to accomplish within the constraints of the iPad. We will accomplish a better solution for the formatting for print and output. Thank you for your patience and stay tuned for updates!

[bozarts]

Hi All,
I arrange music for school mixed wind ensembles up to 10 independent lines.
I currently download midi files of suitable pieces to Sibelius music-writing software.
When I try to do the same into Notion, the view I get of the score is in a vertical, stacked display - i.e. one bar to view at a time in large font, rather than the landscape view of the full score score + a number of bars at once that I get with Sibelius.
Q: How do I set up the view on Notion iPad so I can see virtually the full page of a score of 10 instrument or so midi file?
Basic question I know, but I'm just a beginner with the iPad and Notion.
Best wishes and thanks

[trueblue]

As for the two bars per line limitation, take a look at the symphony pro app if you would like. It looks like they allow changing the number of bars per line.