Quickstart
Setup Wizard
The Setup Wizard will run automatically the first time you launch Sinfonia®. It will detect and allow you to select your MIDI input and audio output devices.
Default Layout
The first time you launch the program, you will see a layout with multiple facets.
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Playhead
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Timeline
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Songs
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Markers
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Instrument Mixer
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Keyboard Layout
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Inspector
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This is just a small subset of the available Sinfonia® control and editing parameters. It's enough to get you going. It also illustrates one of the design principles: you will most likely use Sinfonia® in an orchestra pit environment, often on a laptop with limited screen real-estate. The idea is to call upon windows and tabs only when you really need them and otherwise hide them so they don't clutter your screen.
The features we established in this default view represent one some of the core items people would want to see while performing. But of course, depending on your taste and the way you like to work, you might prefer to see a different layout. Note the four buttons above the Songs list. The 'Clock' represents the Timeline, the 'Eye' represents the Visual Click (hidden), the 'Musical Note' represents the Rhythm Window (hidden) and the 'Dot Matrix' represents the Editing Tabs. Clicking these buttons shows or hides these areas. For performance, you may choose to hide the Editing Tabs (in the screenshot currently displaying the Instrument Mixer) in favor of the Rhythm Window and/or the Visual Click. You can find videos on the layout and customization thereof below.
Basics
Transport
If you want to want to hear music fast and just want a quick, no frills performance, you can use the Transport window as you would most music devices (with the benefit of a few extra bells and whistles).
Click the Play triangle to set the music in motion. When you hit the Play button, it will turn into a Stop button, ready for when you need to end playback.
Playing Sinfonia®
The Transport window is good for controlling passages with a steady tempo, or if you've gone ahead and edited tempo to your specifications ahead of time.
But, just using Stop and Play negates what makes Sinfonia® such a singular product.
Sinfonia® is actually an instrument, meant to be played in real time. It doesn't shine when used as a playback device like a CD or MP3 player. The true benefit of Sinfonia® is that you can move with the ebb and flow of the performance, reacting to every situation, from a subtly lengthened pause to an extreme stage mishap. To get the most out of its expressive potential, you should play Sinfonia® live.
You may find it helpful to print out a set of keyboard labels to indicate which keys are mapped to which Sinfonia® functions. You can download a set of labels here.
The most basic way to play Sinfonia® is through the Tap keys. By interacting with the tap keys at your desired tempo, as you would a piano, you propel the song according to your individual interpretation. The process is analogous to conducting in the traditional sense; as you beat time, Sinfonia® responds. You can speed up and slow down to follow the performance. You can create deep rubato passages or taut accelerandos. 'Playing' is the essential way to breathe life into Sinfonia®.
So for starters, try using the Play keys to perform some songs. By default, you'll see several Play keys assigned in the Keyboard window. These are designated by the pointed finger icon.
Tap Keys and Rhythm Window
Play the rhythm notated in the Rhythm window. Notice how a blue highlight and cursor progresses to indicate where you are in the score.
Many functions in Sinfonia ® can also be controlled from the QWERTY Keyboard - the SPACE bar itself acts as a tap key! This is also worth noting as a backup technique. If something were to go wrong with your MIDI keyboard during to performance (i.e. someone accidentally kicks out the cord), you could quickly switch over to the space bar to carry on with the show.
Simple Navigation
The Songs window displays your tracklist for the currently loaded show. You can jump to various songs within the show by clicking on them with the mouse, or by using the Page Down/Page Up keys on your QWERTY keyboard.
To jump to a specific spot within a song, you can simply type in the measure number on your QWERTY keyboard. Hit return once to "arm" the relocation, and once more to activate it. (This is done to make relocations during live performances easier and more effective).
Play, Tap, and Cruise
Sinfonia ® has three basic play modes: Play, Tap, and Cruise.
Play : "Play" will perform the song at the pre-programmed tempo. Please note, this is not the recommended way to use Sinfonia ® , but is included as a matter of convenience. (this was previously called 'go mode' in Sinfonia 2)
Tap : When you "Tap" control Sinfonia ® , tempo changes are immediate and you can start and stop on a dime, just like you would if you were playing any other musical instrument. (this was previously called 'play mode' in Sinfonia 2)
Cruise "Cruise" is sort of a hybrid of "Play" and "Tap". You still manipulate the tempo in real-time, but a cruise tempo is established with each tap. As such, you may not have as much control over big changes in the way you do with "tpa" mode (you can think of it in terms or turning a big a ship). But "cruise" mode can be useful for long stretches of songs where the tempo is not going to change drastically. Simply tap out the tempo using the "Tap" keys, and switch to "Cruise" once the tempo is set. As you can to tap the "cruise key(s)", the tempo is adjusted. When you lift off "cruise", Sinfonia ® will now continue along in the set tempo until you start using the "Tap" keys again.