If I do edit lyrics, I can go to the directory of st3. I have saved my pdf files there. but st3 does not want to link it to the song. I also noticed that I cannot import mp3 files that have been downloaded to the ipad after the installation of st3. everything that was already on the ipad before the installation of st3 will be added.
importing pdf and mp3 files
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What do you mean by linking? Stage Traxx does not display PDF files, it can only import text from PDF files.
And did you refresh the song list after adding files to the ST3 folder? Please explain in detail the steps you take to add new files? I really don't know what you are doing and where exactly the problem is.
the songs are in a file under forescore or garage band. now I have created a file with mp3 under the file ST3 in which I store my mp3. This works well, I can also import the files in forescore, but only the older ones that were downloaded after the installation of ST3.
now I would like to link my lyrics to my playlist, but that doesn't seem to work yet.
all my texts are in pdf and I would like to import them, or should I save them as a text
Have you read the user manual chapter about working with lyrics?
https://stagetraxx.com/user-guide/lyrics/
It describes how to import lyrics from files.
It would be nice if someday PDFs could be imported and displayed as if it were a Placeholder song. Sometimes I just need to be able to read a chord chart and not leave the ST3 app.
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SoloGuy my oppinion, PDFs are not a good choice of file format as you cant easily edit them without a specific software i would rather that JPG was easily loaded to ST3 as it is a very common file format that can be easily created by taking a snap shot of the screen of any other text format that its looking at and can be quickly put on screen on ST3 making it much more useful for all users no matter what format they are useing.
The requests for pdf support did indeed increase in the last months. I thought I would create a poll to get a sentiment for what feature should be implemented next, but I think pdf support beats the other 2 (automatic syncing of multiple devices and looping of different sections).
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peter my opinion regarding PDF files used as lyrics.
My limited knowledge on these files is that you can’t easily edit them they have been designed not to be manipulated which is the reason why they should not be used by a flexible tool like ST3.
It is the last format i would use for lyrics unless i wanted to protect my own lyrics not to be fiddled with but then people can just take a snapshot anyway, so why use this format.
It would be very easy to take a snapshot of the PDF and paste the JPG to ST3.
So I don’t see why you would need to introduce a new file format to ST3 unless it is absolutely necessary.
It is less confusing knowing the one file format that works and is editable.
Unless it is a file format that is used by users regularly and is not that easy to convert to text like JPG. Lots of people just take a photo of their text needs and display it on screen perhaps this would be more handy for ST3 to do.
I personally like simple text as it is.
I have copied many lyrics from all different formats and find it very simple and flexible but PDFs are not.
The most important thing that would help a lot more people would be to be able to have the ability to import multiple simple text files and the Lyrics songs to be immediately created with the respective titles of the song text files.
This would increase productivity greatly.
tommynoels Just a suggestion,
Convert all the files to text files if possible as PDFs are not editable i would stay away from PDFs as they are not your friend if you want lyric flexability.
Cheers Damir
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peter I dont believe that PDFs should be used with ST3 as that format is designed not to be easily manipulated and thats why it is the last format i would use, you can achieve the same thing with a much more flexible format like JPG.
Why?
Because you can just take a photo or scan or a screen shot of the lyrics and if you were then be able to place that in to ST3 it would do the same thing as PDFs but allow you to grab text from anyone or anywhere including PDFs.
Much more user friendly and something everyone uses.
Editing jpg files is a breeze on iphone or ipad PDF files are used by professionals so they cant be manipulated so why would you use this format for lyrics, its exactly the wrong format unless you are protecting your own lyrics and even that is silly because someone can easily copy it with a snap shot convert it to a text file and then manipulate it.
So using PDFs for lyrics does not make sense in the first place.
Cheers Damir
I normally work with Leadsheets. And this is where the PDF format shines. You can zoom in and out without losing quality. That's not possible with images. I don't care about editing leadsheets at all in an app like Stage Traxx but it would be a help seeing the notation instead of just plain text.
peter i see what you mean, but i gave it some more thought and what Brian said earlier and i do agrre with him that keeping a focus on what Stage Traxx is about, and thats Audio backing and Lyrics and chords, people that reguire sheet music dont normally require backing tracks and there are plenty of page turners out there, once you introduce PDFs people will want multiple files as their music spreads across them then you will have issues of screen size if you zoom out you wont be able to see the detailed notation then you will need to change so many things to suit a minority and unnecessarily complicate ST3 for the wrong reasons, i dont know of anyone in my musicians circle that would benefit from this as they all perform with a backing track and are good enough musos to create music without notation.
ST3 is about backing tracks and some help with lyrics chords and prompts to help on stage live performance, it can now change your midi instruments in sync and lighting, which is great but still more than most people require, if you need a page turner there are plenty of them out there you could even use photo to page turn jpg photo texts.
So my opinion is i say NO to different formats in ST3.
Looping on the other hand is the future that should have been here years ago but no one has done it sucessfully to be used live Ableton live has given it a good shot but its not designed for a large number of musicians that perform live on stage and want simple yet powerful control of their backing track performance.
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Damir I don't tend to import or export a PDF file unless I'm sure it is correct. But even when I do need to make corrections, it's not hard to make the corrections within the app that I created the PDF file from in the first place. In this case that would be iReal. I don't think it's practical to try to edit PDFs after the fact anyway. That is always a clumsy effort. Also, PDFs are the best way to view chord charts. Text editors don't work well at all for chord charts which is why we need PDF support.
peter no argument here i am just pointing out i only use pdf if i have to word if i am creating a document but mostly notepad and simple text cause thats the easiest when dealing with most music software.
I'm happy with what i have to use to achieve my on stage needs although i feel that could be slightly improved to make it more easier to edit than introducing new ways of working.
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Damir Simple text and Notepad for music software? If by that you mean notation software, I'd like to know how you're accomplishing that. How do you input Time Signatures, Key Signatures and repeat signs etc?
Incidentally it is not difficult to create PDFs - well, at least not on a Mac. Just hit "Print" and click on "Save to PDF" on the lower left of the mini window. No one is introducing new ways of working, just the inclusion of a particular file format. If peter decides to include PDFs as a supported format, and I hope he does, you are not obligated to use it. Also... "Software programmers"? I'm not one but I have no issues doing normal computer usage procedures like creating PDFs.
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Just to make a case for the PDF format. This is an example what a typical leadsheet I write looks like:
This is one of our own instrumental songs and here in the south of Germany I can give this sheet to any professional musician and they can stand in on a gig without rehearsals even though it is a song they don't know. They just need to read it. It contains all unisono lines, all hits we need to play together and the whole structure of the song.
Adding the ability to show sheets like that directly in Stage Traxx will be a huge win in my opinion.
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SoloGuy sorry guys i dint mean to step on toes what i meant to say ST3 does a great job for backing tracks with lyrics and chords and thats it.
If you need page turns of full on music notation there are plenty of page turners out there my experiance is who ever needs a backing track is normally a small band or a solo musician and most of us play our instruments without needing precise notation which was created for people that didnt have natural musical ability and wanted to play an instrument, and for those musicians playing in orchestras that played very complicated and long music pices and found it impossible to remember everything perfectly unless they were a genius.
I dont se ST3 being used by orchestras for page turners that is not what this software was designed for and as i said there are a number of software packages that already do that.
I believe more fine tuning is reguired on the software as it is, before adding something new that really isnt new.
I know why you want this feature on ST3 and i dont blame you because the same principle of operation in pdf page turner would be fantastic compared to other not so logical operating software out there but its not what ST3 was designed for.
Perhaps Peter could create a brilliant PT3, Page Traxx 3 specifically designed for this using the same overall principal but aimed at that job specifically, i recon he would do a briliant job, i think a lot of people would leave the over complicated On Song etc in a flash.
Just thinking out loud stay safe.
Oh dont forgrt LT3 Loop Traxx 3