AE_Manual

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(Manual Version 3.0)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................3

2. INSTALLATION.....................................................................................4

3. QUICK START.......................................................................................6

4. ACCOMPANEASE® FEATURES...............................................................8

4 1 Meter/Measure: 8

4 2 Transport Controls 8

4 3 Tempo Control 9

4 4 Save Arrangement 9

4 5 Transpose 10

4 6 Timel ine 10

4 7 Metaevents 10

4 8 Edit Region 11

4 9 Edit ing Metaevents 12

4 10 Wait/Times 14

4 11 Song List 15

4 12 Parts 16

4 13 Markers 17

5. USING ACCOMPANEASE®................................................................... 18

6. KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS.................................................................... 20

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1.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing AccompanEase®. AccompanEase

® is an easy to use software program that

assists in the learning and rehearsal of theatrical musicals. The popularity of AccompanEase

®

is due toits simple interface and wide range of features. Whether you are a music director, choreographer, or

member of the cast, AccompanEase®

will become your personal assistant as you prepare for performance. Because everyone learns differently, AccompanEase

® was designed with extraordinary

flexibility.

As soon as you receive AccompanEase® it is ready for rehearsal. A simple click begins the music. You

don’t need to be a pianist to use AccompanEase®, yet you have complete control over tempo, scorenavigation, the isolation of individual parts, etc. AccompanEase

® plays not only the complete musical

accompaniment, but all of the individual vocal parts and lines. As an aid to learning the music,AccompanEase

® allows the individual vocal parts to be isolated, muted, dynamically changed, looped,

tempo adjusted, and grouped in a variety of ways. These rehearsal strategies make AccompanEase®

ideal for ensemble, sectional, or individual work sessions. Whether you’re on stage, in a rehearsal hall,

or at home, AccompanEase®

is at your service!

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2. INSTALLATION

To install AccompanEase®, simply double-click the downloaded installation icon for your selected showand follow the on-screen instructions.

Once installed, you will immediately be able to run the Program in trial mode. Generally, this means youcan work with the first five songs of your selected show, trying out all the available features described

later in this manual. Once you determine that AccompanEase® will work for your needs, you may then

purchase an unlock code to get full access to all songs.

To authenticate, either click the Authenticate button after launching or click “Authorize Full Version”from the Player window. In either case, you will be walked through the necessary authentication steps.

(Essentially - supplying some contact information and emailing the resulting registration file to us.)

In most cases, completing the authentication steps will automatically send us the necessary data.

However, if your computer does not have an active Internet connection, the authentication wizard will place a small authentication file on your computer’s desktop. If this happens, you will be instructed toemail us this file from a computer with Internet access.

After we receive your registration information, we will send you an electronic invoice. Then, after wereceive payment, we will email you the unlock code.

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Once you have your unlock code, paste it into the unlock code field (the last screen of the authenticationsequence).

Your AccompanEase show should now be fully accessible.

Note: Your unlock code may be used by anyone involved with your production. Provided everyonesupplies the same information as the original person who requested the unlock code, the same code will

work on as many computers as you want. Therefore, if you are the person purchasing the unlock code, be sure to circulate the unlock information with your associates in the production. And conversely, if

you did not purchase an unlock code, but you know that someone at your organization did, pleasecontact that person to get the unlock info. The unlock information must be entered *exactly* like the

original person who purchased the code. Spelling, punctuation and capitalizations count.

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3. QUICK START

metronome/meter/measure: Displays the meter with the current measure and beat location. Clicking

the metronome icon toggles metronome click on and off.

transport controls: Control strip containing Play, Stop, Rewind, Next Measure, Prtevious Measure,

Next Song, Previous Song, and Exit Vamp buttons.

tempo control: Displays original tempo, user adjusted tempo, and contains an A tempo button.

custom save: Allows user to save edits and changes made to the arrangement.

transpose: Permits the user to transpose a song.

metaevents: Allows the user to put Cuts, Vamps, Repeats and Attaccas into a song.

edit region: Displays the start and end locations for metaevent editing.

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timeline: A scrolling graphic overview of the measure and metric structure of the arrangement.

wait/times settings: Allows for specialized placement of rmetaevents (i.e. 1st/2

nd ending scenarios).

Only visible when editing metaevents.

song list: A list of the individual songs contained in the arrangement.

part lines and controls: Displays the individual part lines and accompaniment of the current songincluding on/off, volume control, and instrument selection for the individual parts.

markers to navigation points: Allows the user to create measure location markers for quick relocationand navigation.

Click the Play button or hit the Space Bar to start music. Click on other songs or markers to navigate todifferent areas of the score. Or double click in the timeline to jump to a different part of the song. Adjust

the part faders to bring them up or down in volume. Adjust the tempo slider to speed up or slow down.

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4. ACCOMPANEASE® FEATURES

4.1. Meter/Measure:

Displays the current measure, beat, and meter of the song. Clicking metronome icon at left will toggle

metronome click on/off.

4.2. Transport Controls

The transport control provides the buttons that play and move around the song.

Play: Clicking on the Play button starts playback of the current song. Playback will

begin from the location displayed in the measure counter.

Stop: Clicking on the Stop button will stop the current song.

Rewind/Previous Song: Clicking on this button will rewind the current song to the beginning. Clicking the button while at the beginning will move AccompanEase

® to the

beginning of the previous song. Additional clicks on the button will continue to moveAccompanEase

® backwards in the song list.

Next Song: Clicking on this button will move AccompanEase®

to the beginning of thenext song. Additional clicks on the button will continue to move AccompanEase

®

forward in the song list.

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Next Measure: Clicking on this button will immediately advance the song to the beginning of the next measure. Additional clicks on the button will continue to advance

the song forward by measure.

Previous Measure: Clicking on this button will immediately move the song to the

beginning of the previous measure. Additional clicks on the button will continue to movethe song backwards by measure.

4.3. Tempo Control

The Tempo Control displays the original tempo associated with the current song. You can override theoriginal tempo by adjusting the slider. The adjusted tempo is displayed beneath the original tempo. An

Reset button returns the tempo to the original tempo.

4.4.

Save Arrangement

The Save Arrangement button allows the user to save modifications made to the songs. If you

customize an arrangement, click this button to save it for a future rehearsal. These changes may includetempo alterations, the inclusion of Cuts and Vamps, volume adjustments, etc.

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4.5. Transpose

The transpose box displays the transposition level of the current song. The default setting is ‘Original

Key’ - no transposition. You can click on the transpose arrows in either direction. The Up arrowtransposes the song up and the Down arrow transposes the song down. The transposition occurs in half

step increments with a range of one full octave. The Reset button returns the transposition to theoriginal key – default setting. Each song can have its own transposition level.

4.6.

Timeline

The timeline is a graphic representation of the current song. It contains helpful information includingmeasure layout and meter changes. Using the Zoom function, the span of the timeline can be adjusted to

the user’s preference. As the song plays, the timeline scrolls to keep the display current. In addition torepresenting the structure of the song, the timeline also includes the location of metaevents (see 4.7

Metaevents).

You may relocate to a new measure by simply double-clicking anywhere on the timeline.

AccompanEase® will immediately jump to that location.

4.7. Metaevents

AccompanEase® uses ‘Metaevents’ to help manage and navigate the playing of the music. The

Metaevents are Cut, Vamp, Repeat and Attacca.

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Cut: When inserted into a song, the Cut metaevent will direct AccompanEase® to cut(jump over) a section of the music. The section to be cut is determined by indicating the

start and end locations of the Cut (see 4.9 Editing Metaevents).

Vamp: When inserted into a song, the Vamp metaevent directs AccompanEase®

to

repeat a section of the music. The section to be vamped is determined by indicating thestart and end locations (see 4.9 Editing Metaevents). The Vamp repeat is indefinite. The

user exits the vamp by clicking on the Exit Vamp button on the transport control strip(see 4.2 Transport Controls). When the Exit Vamp button is clicked, AccompanEase

®

will exit the vamp upon completion of the current repeat.

Repeat: When inserted into a song, the Repeat Metaevent will direct AccompanEase® to

repeat the designated section. By default, AccompanEase® will establish a 1x repeat.When considering repeats, remember that the total passes through the music is one more

than the repeat number. In other words, if the repeat value is 1, the section repeats onceand is thus heard twice. To modify the repeat settings, see 4.10 Wait/Times.

Attacca: When inserted into a song, the Attacca Metaevent will direct AccompanEase®

to immediately jump forward to the next song in the Song List and begin playing. The placement of the Attacca is determined by indicating the start location (see 4.9 editingMetaevents).

These metaevents are available for use at the user’s discretion and can be freely inserted throughout thesong. To create a new metaevent, drag over a selected region in the timeline (or in the case of Attacca,

simply click on a single point), and then click the desired metaevent button. You may also deleteexisting metaevents by highlighting in the timeline and hitting the delete key. The following sections

demonstrate how you may also edit metaevents.

4.8. Edit Region

The edit region box allows the user to specify start and end locations for metaevent editing. Theselocations inform AccompanEase

® on when and for how long a Metaevent is active. Enter location

information into the edit region fields by clicking and typing.

Start and End locations are entered in the following format:

Measure Beat Tick

Measure: A number representing a valid measure in the current song.

Beat: A number representing the beat within the indicated measure.

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Tick: A number representing the subdivision of the beat within the measure.AccompanEase

® divides each beat into 480 ticks. The tick number has the following

correspondence:

eight note = 240 (ticks)

sixteenth note = 120 (ticks)

eight note triplet = 160 (ticks)

dotted eight note = 360 (ticks)

In the following example, if you want to cut from the last eight note in measure 5 to the

beginning of measure 10, the following edit region data would be used:

4.9. Editing Metaevents

In addition to using the edit region fields to enter start and end locations manually, AccompanEase®

allows you to specify locations by clicking on the timeline. To enter a location region, click at the start

location and drag the mouse to the end location. AccompanEase®

highlights the region on the timelineand inserts the exact locations into the edit region box.

Once the start and end locations have been specified, simply click on the desired metaevent.AccompanEase® responds by inserting the following metaevent icon into the timeline:

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In Edit mode, all metaevents will display. However, they may shrink in vertical size if there areoverlapping events. They may also appear in a lighter color, depending on their wait value. See the

Wait/Times section for more details.

To change the start or end location of an existing metaevent, first click the existing event and then adjust

the values in the edit region fields . To delete a metaevent, click anywhere in the region to highlight it.Hit delete to remove the event.

When inserting a metaevent using the timeline click and drag method, AccompanEase® is accurate to the beat resolution. If tick resolution is needed, then manual editing of the tick field is required.

4.10. Wait/Times

After a metaevent is created, it is possible to refine its behavior by adding wait and/or times values. Thewait and times fields are visible in the upper right portion of the timeline when you select a metaevent

for additional editing.

The ‘Times’ value determines the total number of times an event will execute on successive passes

before expiring. The classic use is in conjunction with repeats. A repeat with a times value of 1 willrepeat one time (i.e. the playback will relocate 1 time when the repeat event is hit, and consequently the

section of music will play twice.) On the second (or third, etc). passes, no relocate takes place becausethe times count has expired.

The Wait value determines the total number of passes before a given event engages. The classic use is

with first ending/second ending situations. In this case, you may have a cut that you want to engage thesecond time around. For example, you might have a repeated section of music from measures 10-20.However, the second time through, you want to cut measures 18-19.

To do this, you would need two metaevents:

- a repeat from measures 10-20 (with a times value of 1)

- a cut from measure 18 to 20 with a wait value of 1

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The cut would not be performed the first time through. Instead, the cut would wait one pass beforeexecuting (the second time through). Thus, the music sounds as indicated by the first ending//second

ending scenario contemplated above.

An event with wait value > 0 will display in a lighter color, so they are more easily identified for editing.

An event with times value = 0 will perform every time (e.g. a vamp).

4.11. Song List

AccompanEase® organizes all of the individual songs in the scrollable Song List. Clicking on a song

highlights it and makes it the current song. You can also navigate the Song List using the Page-Up and

Page-Down buttons on the QWERTY keyboard.

Page-Up = Previous Song

Page-Down = Next Song

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4.12. Parts

Each song is broken down into separate parts and displayed in the Parts window. Depending on the

song, the parts represent important musical components such as the accompaniment, drum track,individual vocal lines, cues, etc. When played together, these individual parts represent the complete

song. By clicking on the on/off icons, the parts may be individually muted or unmuted in order toisolate lines and control the overall texture. This capability and flexibility is invaluable when rehearsing

and learning music. In addition, each line can be individually mixed using the volume slider.Furthermore, each part can be given a unique sound to help isolate it in the composite texture. This is

achieved by using the drop down patch menu to select from over 100 sounds. These features makeAccompanEase® an extraordinary pedagogical environment.

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4.13. Markers

Markers are used for quick relocation and navigation in a song. While some songs may come with

markers already in place, you may edit these by renaming them, changing their location or deleting themaltogether. You may also enter brand new markers.. To go to a marker location, simply click on the

marker. Alternatively, you can use the arrow keys to move forward or backward through the marker list.When a maker is clicked, AccompanEase

® displays an updated timeline to reflect your new location.

Marker locations are identified by the familiar measure/beat/tick format (see 4.8 Edit Region).

Each marker has a text field that allows the user to further identify the location with an appropriate name

or label. Markers are very helpful for organizing rehearsals and practice sessions.

To add a marker, click on the + button.

A new marker is inserted into the marker window at the current measure/beat/tick location. The textfield is blank. You may edit the location fields or the text field by doubling clicking in the field.

To delete a marker, click to highlight it and click on the – button.

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Keyboard Shortcuts:

Up Arrow = Previous Marker

Down Arrow = Next Marker

5.

USING ACCOMPANEASE®

AccompanEase® was designed to assist in the rehearsal and learning of vocal and theatrical music. As a

result, there are numerous strategies that can be used to take advantage of its extraordinary capabilities.You may find the following tips helpful as you begin to use the program.

Tip #1

Markers: Inserting markers into a song can be very helpful and save time during a rehearsal.The ability to quickly navigate a song by clicking on a marker helps the rehearsal stay organizedand focused. Markers can also help outline the structure of a song and serve as cues for

important musical moments.

Tip #2

Vamping: Traditionally, vamps are used to temporarily repeat a musical passage in order tosynchronize music with stage action, especially in situations where stage timing is indeterminate.

During vocal rehearsals, vamps can also be quickly inserted into a song to repeat, or loop,specific sections or passages that require drilling.

Tip #3

On/Off: While learning a musical part, it is often helpful for a singer to highlight the part inrelation to the harmony and other vocal lines. The On/Off option allows a singer to experiment

with hearing various combinations of ensemble by selectively isolating different parts. It ismusically insightful and to encourage this kind of musical awareness.

Tip #4

Volume Adjustment: AccompanEase® allows individual volume adjustment on any of the parts.

During rehearsal, it is often advantageous to bring out a line(s) dynamically in order to

emphasize it. This is helpful for singers who may have difficulty hearing their particular linewithin the ensemble.

Tip #5

Patch Change: Similar to volume adjustment, AccompanEase® allows each part to have a

unique sound or patch. This option can be used to help accentuate a specific part by separating

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or contrasting its sound from the other parts. This technique helps the singer to sonically isolatetheir line within the overall ensemble.

Tip #6

Tempo Adjustment: One of most useful rehearsal techniques is the adjustment of tempo while

learning a song or difficult passages. Decreasing the tempo allows the learning to proceed at the

singer’s own pace. Furthermore, any adjustment to tempo can be saved for use at the nextrehearsal using the Save Arrangement option.

Tip #7

Transpose: Transposing can be used to fit the range of a song more appropriately to the range ofa specific singer.

Tip #8

No rehearsal pianist: AccompanEase® is ideal for situations where a rehearsal pianist is

unavailable. However, the benefit of AccompanEase® doesn’t end there. In the hands of arehearsal pianist or music director, AccompanEase® becomes the rehearsal assistant. This allows

a pianist or music director numerous ways to interact with the ensemble and to enhance thelearning process. With or without a pianist, AccompanEase® is a versatile and flexible rehearsal

assistant.

Tip #9

Individual practice: Because AccompanEase® is a software program, it may be installed onmost any computer. It is easy to take AccompanEase

® into a private practice room and have

your singer work one-on-one. Using the computer’s internal speakers, a small playback systemor headphones, a singer can take advantage of all that AccompanEase

® offers … and at his or her

own pace. In this scenario, AccompanEase® is invaluable.

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6. KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

Space Bar toggle Play/stop

Left Arrow previous measure

Right Arrow next measure

Up Arrow previous marker

Down Arrow next marker

Page Up rewind/previous song

Page Down next song

X exit vamp

+ faster

- slower

[Ctrl]H or ! ! " !H transpose up half step

[Ctrl]L or !L transpose down half step

[Ctrl]K or !K restore original key

[Ctrl]P or !P restore original parts settings

[Ctrl]R or !R reset metaevent counts

[Ctrl]T or !T restore original tempo

[Ctrl]E or !E restore everything

[Ctrl]M or !M toggle metronome on/off

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AE_Manual