Rhapsody3
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Chapter 9
9.1 Loading a score
Loading and saving follow the usual RISC OS standards. A Rhapsody file can be loaded either by double-clicking on it, by dragging it onto the Rhapsody icon on the icon bar or by dragging it into an open score window. MIDI and Maestro files can also be loaded by dragging in the same way.
Loading of Rhapsody3 files is immediate but older files may take a short while to load as the file has to be updated first. If you have a number of long Rhapsody 2 files, it is recommended that you load them into Rhapsody 3 and then save them again so that they load more quickly in future.
Loading Maestro files is usually fairly quick but loading MIDI files can take quite a long time because Rhapsody has to translate the time data into note values in exactly the same way as notes are transcribed in real time capture. Indeed, exactly the same quantisation options are available. When you attempt to load a MIDI file, the following window appears:
Briefly, fixed length quantisation is best if you know that the MIDI data is accurate (eg it was originally produced by a computer or has previously been quantised). Variable length is best for live MIDI data but is equally good for most MIDI files. Legato will eliminate short rests. Triplets will transcribe triplets but should be used with care.
The four note values represent the minimum quantisation value. The five icons beneath determine how the 'black ' notes are transcribed and finally, the bottom three icons determine the way stems are decided. If you need more details on these options, see the chapter on capuring and transcribing (eg page 54).
9.2 Saving a score
Saving a Rhapsody score is a standard RISC OS procedure. Bring up the save window and either click on the OK box, or write a new name in the filename box and drag the file icon into a directory viewer.
Saving a MIDI file is similar but leads to the following window:
There are two common MIDI file formats, 0 and 1. Rhapsody 3 can load and save both types. Type 0 should be compatible with all other MIDI software - but type 1 is better because it preserves information about the staves as well as the channel numbers. If you save a piano score in format 0, when you reload it, all the notes will be on one stave because only one MIDI channel was used for both staves.
In general, quite a lot of information is lost when saving a Rhapsody score as a MIDI file and the same is true in other respects when loading a MIDI file into Rhapsody. MIDI files should not, therefore, be seen as an alternative way of storing Rhapsody data - the facility is provided for compatiblity only and as a way of obtaining quality music without the trouble of entering it all in.
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