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Manual

© 2016-2023 OrchPlayMusic
1. Getting Started
2. Music Library
►
OrchPlay Music LibraryNaxos Music LibraryImporting audio filesNavigation and loading filesOrganizing your library
3. Playback Controls
3. Playback Controls
►
Transport controlsPlayback barSelection / Locator bar
4. Scores
►
OrchPlay Library scoresImporting scoresScore matrix & synchronizationColor markings
5. Concert stage6. Mixing Desk
7. Bookmarks
►
Piece BookmarksBookmark ListsBookmark Navigator
8. Embedded DocumentsKeyboard ShortcutsUsing OrchPlay on ZoomTroubleshootingRelease notes

OrchPlay User Manual

Version 2.0

01. Web Design

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02. Art Direction

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03. Photography

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04. Coaching

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support:
support@orchplaymusic.com
information:
info@orchplaymusic.com
"Music is at once the product of feeling and knowledge, for it requires from its disciples, composers and performers alike, not only talent and enthusiasm, but also that knowledge and perception which are the result of protracted study and reflection."
Alban Berg
1

Getting Started

Welcome to OrchPlay

OrchPlay is the culmination of years of development by dedicated musicians.
With this new software iteration, our primary aim has been to modernize the listening experience, the discovery of music and the sharing of musical knowledge. We wish to offer solutions for both teachers and students, as remote teaching is rapidly becoming a new option. Here are only some of the features the new version of OrchPlay includes:

  • OrchPlay Multichannel Library
  • Stunning Music Library Navigation
  • Advanced Metadata Management
  • Efficient Bookmark System
  • Score Follower for All your Music
  • Score Markings Playback
  • Flexible Score Layouts
  • Download of Bookmarks Lists
  • Mixing Desk
  • Concert Stage View
  • Exclusive Content for Academic Institutions

Whether you are a music enthusiast, composer, teacher or musicologist : OrchPlay has been tailored for you.

We hope those new tools can prove helpful!
Your OrchPlay team

3:15

Welcome to OrchPlay

Watch this short video introduction to get started with OrchPlay. Learn how to install the software and create an account. Discover the features and benefits of the Free, Pro and Teacher versions.

Watch Tutorial

Choosing your OrchPlay version

You are welcome to use OrchPlay for free and without any advertisement! 😉
Start building your own music library. Learn how easy it is to use the Score Follower and Score Markings features. Create bookmarks and share them as OPLL files.

Subscribe to the Pro or Teacher version to gain access to the OrchPlay Music Library and discover the full potential of OrchPlay. Download multichannel audio files with synchronized scores and extra teacher content. Hear only the instruments highlighted on the score. Use the Mixing Desk and the Concert Stage view. Synchronize an unlimited amount of imported scores. Create bookmark lists and more!

OrchPlay 3 Features
FREE
PRO
TEACHER
Create your music library
Import your audio files and scores
Stylish music library interface: Add pictures for composers, artists, albums & conductors
Open-ended metadata management system with labelling and list creation
✓
✓
✓
Score Follower: Synchronize all your scores with your recordings
Score Matrix: Optical recognition of bar lines and staff lines
Automatic page turns and optional "zoom on music systems" during playback
Start playback directly from the score from any measure, score pages follow the playback cursor
✓
Limited to 10 scores
✓ Unlimited
Automatic Sync. with OrchPlay Music Library
✓ Require both OrchPlay & Naxos Music Library  Institutional subscriptions
✓ Unlimited
Automatic Sync. with OrchPlay Music Library
✓ Requires both OrchPlay
& Naxos Music Library  Institutional subscriptions
OrchPlay Music Library (OPML) - Multichannel
‍
Download multichannel audio files with scores (XML package format) and extra content
OPML scores can be displayed in separated or combined staves, in C or transposed
OrchPlay Music Library (OPML) - Naxos
‍
Download OrchPlay files containing public domain scores synchronized with Naxos Music Library recordings
Limited to
4 selected files
✓
✓
Colored score markings
‍‍Instantly hear highlighted instruments and sections of the score
Write colored text in the score
✓Markings can't affect the playback of instruments
✓
✓
Mixing desk
‍‍
Change the balance between instruments
━
━
✓
✓
Concert stage
‍
Select the instruments you wish to hear on a virtual concert stage
━
✓
✓
Bookmarks
‍‍‍
Piece bookmarks: Instantly recall instrumental combinations, selected measures, score pages, markings as well as the mixing desk balance
Bookmark Lists: Instantly navigate bookmarks across pieces and prepare presentations
OrchPlay Bookmark Lists
‍‍‍
Download Bookmark Lists containing hundreds of classroom-ready examples and exercises
Automatic download of all content for OrchPlay-provided Bookmark Lists
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Naxos Music Library website integration - beta
‍‍‍
Browse the Naxos Music Library and control the audio stream with OrchPlay
Synchronize scores and use OrchPlay features for Naxos Music Library selections
━
━
✓Requires both OrchPlay
& Naxos Music Library  Institutional subscriptions
✓Requires both OrchPlay
& Naxos Music Library  Institutional subscriptions
OrchPlay Library assignments - formatted for the classroom
Piano reductions and orchestration score assignments in pdf format
━
━
✓
Additional OrchPlay Music Library downloads for teachers
‍
Original orchestrations with piano versions
━
━
✓
OrchPlay Features
FREE
PRO
TEACHER
Create your music library
Import your music files (wav, aiff, flac, mp3, m4v, wma) and scores (pdf)
Stylish music library interface: Add pictures for composers, artists, albums & conductors
Open-ended metadata management system with advanced labelling and list creation
✓
✓
✓
Score Follower: Synchronize all your scores with your recordings
Score Matrix: Optical recognition of bar lines and staff lines
Automatic page turns and optional "zoom on music systems" during playback
Start playback directly from the score / option to have playback cursor follow score pages
✓
Limited to 10 scores
✓ Unlimited
Automatic Sync. with OrchPlay Music Library
✓ Unlimited
Automatic Sync. with OrchPlay Music Library
OrchPlay Music Library (OPML)
‍
Download multichannel audio files with scores (XML package format) and extra content
OPML scores can be displayed in separated or combined staves, in C or transposed
Limited to
4 selected files
✓
✓
Score markings
‍‍Instantly hear highlighted instruments and sections of the score
✓Markings can't affect the playback of instruments
✓
✓
Mixing desk
‍‍
Change the balance between instruments
━
✓
✓
Concert stage
‍
Select the instruments you wish to hear on a virtual concert stage
Limited to instruments placement on stage
✓
✓
Bookmarks
‍‍‍
Piece bookmarks: Instantly recall instrumental combinations, selected measures, score pages, markings as well as the mixing desk balance
Bookmark Lists: Instantly navigate bookmarks across pieces and prepare presentations
✓
‍
Limited to pieces bookmarks
✓
✓
Naxos Music Library website wrapper (beta)
‍‍‍
Browse the Naxos Music Library and control the audio stream with OrchPlay
Synchronize scores and use OrchPlay features for Naxos Music Library selections
✓Requires additional
Naxos Music Library
subscription
✓Requires additional
Naxos Music Library
subscription
✓Requires additional
Naxos Music Library subscription
OrchPlay Library assignments (formatted for the classroom)
Piano reductions and orchestration score assignments in pdf format
━
━
✓
Additional OrchPlay Music Library downloads for teachers
‍
Original orchestrations with piano versions
━
━
✓
Select a license upgrade
Pro
$85 CAD 🇨🇦 / year
Pro for Student
$55 CAD 🇨🇦 / year
(student ID required)
Teacher
$130 CAD 🇨🇦 / year
Institutions
We offer global subscription
prices for institutions

Home screen

‍

Featured
News
Teaching & Learning Resources
The Featured page showcases the latest and most popular content for OrchPlay.
Here you may quickly access Multichannel Releases, Bookmark Lists, Videos, etc.
The News page contains all the latest information about OrchPlay, including release notes for new software updates.
The Teaching & Learning Resources section offers additional content for teachers and students.
2

Music Library

4:20

Introduction to the OrchPlay Music Library

Learn to download OrchPlay files, import stereo files, manage your content and search your music library.

Watch Tutorial

OrchPlay Music library

The OrchPlay Music Library offers a continuously expanding library of classical music orchestral masterpieces in a multichannel OPL file format (proprietary OrchPlay format).
Each OrchPlay file contains the audio tracks for each instruments as well as a score file.

OrchPlay files offer unique possibilities: You can instantly hear instruments highlighted in the score, change the score format to combined staves, display the score in C or in transposed pitches, change the volume of instruments, listen to selective piano reductions, print orchestration assignments for your class, navigate by measure numbers, interact with the concert stage and more.

Downloading from the OrchPlay Music Library

When browsing the OrchPlay Music Library you will notice a Download button in the Link column of the selected file.
Unselected files that have not yet been downloaded will display a grey dot instead of a download button. Files already downloaded will display a green dot.

opl File format

OrchPlay music files have the OPL extension. This is a proprietary package format. Inside the package are located the Audio Files, Bookmarks and Ressources folders as well as the Composer.png (composer picture) and OrchMeta.oplb file.

The OrchPlay Music Library audio tracks are in full 24 bit quality and are compressed in an encrypted FLAC format.

The OrchMeta.oplb file contains global data, bars & timing information, instruments position on the concert stage, installation information and the metadata.

* The content of OPL files shouldn't be modified unless you are well versed in information technologies.

Naxos Music library

Adding a Naxos recording to your library
1

Select Naxos Library Connection and choose your institution from the list.

❗ A login window to your institution will appear. For some institutions, access to the Naxos Music Library requires the configuration of a proxy connection.

Instructions on how to configure a proxy connection:
Université de Montréal

2

Choose a recording and select ADD SELECTION TO LIBRARY.

3

OrchPlay content for your Naxos selection(s) will automatically be created in your personal library (accessible from the My Library menu item). The FILE INFORMATION window will appear, you may immediately edit the Metadata.
⇨ See section on Organizing your library

Importing audio files

1

Press the Add OrchPlay File button and then select Browse for Audio File(s).
The compatible file formats are: flac, aiff, wave, mp3 and mp4.

2

Select your audio file(s) (⌘-click to select multiple files) and choose Open.
The FILE INFORMATION window will appear, you may immediately edit the Metadata.
⇨ See section on Organizing your library

3

Alternatively, you may simply drag and drop audio files directly on a composer, artist, conductor or album picture.

navigation and loading files

Click the Home button and select My Library.

OrchPlay can display your Library in 5 different views:

Composers view
Conductors view
List view
Artists/Performers view
Albums view

Selecting a composer, artist, conductor will display a list of recordings. Double-click on a recording to open it in OrchPlay.

Organizing your library

Your list of recordings can be sorted alphabetically for each column of information by clicking on the column header. You may also reorder the columns by dragging them to the left or right.

Right-click on the header a column to show the list of displayable metadata fields.

Use the Search Library field to filter through the content of your library.

Metadata

OrchPlay offers an open-ended metadata management system.
Our system is based on the ID3 format (industry standard) but we provide new metadata possibilities useful for written music.

Right-click on a recording in the library and select File Information to open and edit the Metadata of your recording.

▶
▼
Metadata Fields Information
Metadata Fields Information

‍Notes:
- use the Family name of the Composer, Conductor, Performer for  uniformity in the database. (if necessary, add the  first letter of the surname; for ex.: StraussJ, StraussR)
- avoid all accents (é, ê, è, ü, etc.) and markings like ?,  /,   |,  ",  :,   *,  #,  ^, etc. for easy distribution over  different platforms.
- you can drag-and-drop pictures

Fill-in as much information as you can; this will prove helpful  for searches in your Library.

‍Piece
You may enter here information relative to the piece:

  • Title (type the title of the piece)
  • Subtitle (type the subtitle for the piece)
  • Movement (type movement number followed by it's title)
  • Measures (for sections of pieces or excerpts)
  • Composer (select from a list or add a composer along with a picture)
  • Year (type the year of composition)
  • Genre (choose a genre from a list of ID3 metadata standard)
  • Period (choose from a list of musical periods)
  • Form (choose from a list of musical form or add your own)
  • Lyricist (type the name of the lyricist)‍
  • Language (select form a list of languages)‍
  • Orchestrator (type the name of the orchestrator if different from the composer)‍
  • Key (select from a list of tonalities and atonal systems)‍
  • BPM (type the metronome marking)‍
  • Comment (add you own commentary to the piece)‍
  • Tags (select from a list of tags you have created)‍
  • Description (enter the piece description)

Recording
You may enter here information relative to the recording:

  • Album (select from a list or add an album along with a picture)
  • Artists, Soloist, Performers (select from a list or add along with a picture)
  • Conductor (select from a list of add a conductor along with a picture)
  • Orchestra Band (if different from the artists you may add the name of the ensemble)
  • Mixing and Mastering (type the name of the audio producer)
  • Audio Rendering (type the name of the virtual instrument performer)
  • Release Year (type the year the recording was released)
  • Disc Number (useful for playlists)
  • Track Number (useful for playlists)

Score
You may enter here additional information relative to the score such as:
"Orchestra, Chamber, Reduction, Piano version, etc."

Legal
You may enter here information relative to the recording or audio file

  • Copyright (type the copyright information)
  • Publisher (type the publisher information)
  • Version (generally used for OrchPlay Library files; if multiple version of a recording exists you may type a version number)
  • Url (type or paste the website of the copyright owner)‍
3

Playback Controls

3:15

Music Library

Video Description

Watch Tutorial

Transport controls

The Transport controls are located at the top-left of the OrchPlay window.
The Volume control (Global Output Level) is on the left of the Transport controls.

Play / Pause button (keyboard shortcut: Spacebar)
Previous measure & Next measure buttons

Playback bar

The Playback Bar occupies the centre of the interface. A round Playback cursor indicates the position of the playback head. When moving the Playback cursor the score pages will turn automatically (OrchPlay scores or synchronized PDF scores).

To the upper left are the information on the Playback position in time units (minutes : seconds . milliseconds) followed by the measure number.

selection / locator bar

The Selection/Locator Bar (blue) is directly under the playback bar; it is  activated/de-activated with a double-click or the keyboard shortcut = "L".
An excerpt can be selected by moving its extremities or by using the keyboard shortcuts for precise position at the beginning of the measure  (OrchPlay multichannel files).

Keyboard shortcuts:
Enable/Disable Locator playback = "L"
Move Left locator by 1 mes = "Shift-Arrow Left/Right"
Move Right locator by 1 mes = "Alt-Arrow Left/Right"
Move Right and Left locators together by 1 mes = "Shift-Alt-Arrow  Left/Right"

preferences

Playback preferences will be made available in a future update.

4

Scores

You may turn the score pages by moving the blue cursor at the bottom of the screen.

Keyboard shortcuts:
You may use the ← or → arrows on your keyboard to move forward or back by 1 page.
Use ⌘= or ⌘- to zoom-in or zoom-out on the page or hold ⌥ and use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom smoothly.

3:15

Music Library

Video Description

Watch Tutorial

OrchPlay Library Scores

OrchPlay Library scores are in a custom OPLS format (OrchPlay Library Score). The OPLS format is a package containing multiple encrypted MusicXMLs scores.

These score can be displayed in Concert pitch or Transposed. You may also choose to display Separated staves (one staff per instrument) or Combined staves (ex: 2 flutes combined on the same staff).

Teachers may choose to display selective Piano reductions on selected pieces.

OrchPlay scores are automatically synchronized with the multichannel audio files.

Importing Scores

After importing a stereo audio file or adding recording from the Naxos Music Library, you may drag and drop a corresponding score in PDF format on the music stand. Your score will be added to your recording.

OrchPlay will perform an optical analysis of your score order to detect bar lines and staves. Measures will automatically be numbered.

Imported Scores have different Display Options.

You may display either the Score Matrix or the Score Markings. The Zoom can be adapted to fit the page on your screen during playback. You may also show measure numbers at all times.

Score Matrix & Synchronization

Score Matrix

The Score Matrix displays the measures and bars that have been detected by OrchPlay. You may have to do some corrections if the original PDF score is not 100% clean, if the pages are wavy or if barlines are shorter than note stems and do not cross instrumental groups.

Score Display Options - Show Score Matrix
In order to show the Score Matrix interface, press the Score Display Options button and select Show Score Matrix.

The Score Matrix interface will allow you to make corrections and modifications.

New System Matrix - Keyboard shortcut: E
‍
Click-hold and drag your mouse over a music system
New Staff Line - Keyboard shortcut: R
‍
Click within a System Matrix to add blue staff lines. Staff lines are necessary for the creation of Color Markings in imported scores.
New Barline - Keyboard shortcut: T
‍
Click within a System Matrix to add orange barlines.
New Selection - Keyboard shortcut: Y
‍
Click-hold and drag your mouse to make multiple selections.
You may delete unwanted staves or bar lines by pressing the Delete/Backspace key.
Click on a measure number in order to edit its value.
The following measure numbers will be adjusted automatically.

It is recommended that you enter a value of 1b, 1c, 1d, at the beginning of each movements (for scores and recordings containing multiple movements).
Synchronization

When your Matrix is ready, you may synchronize your score with the recording.
Synchronizing scores in OrchPlay is intended to be done in a single listening of the recording and the synchronization can be tweaked afterwards.

1

Activate the Score Matrix in the Score Display Options.

2

Press Play to start the playback. It is recommended that you start from the beginning of the recording.

3

OPTION A
‍
Press M to record a Timestamp at measure 2 and press M again to record subsequent Timestamps at every following measures.

OPTION B

Press S to record a Timestamp at the beginning of the second system and press S again to record subsequent Timestamps at every following systems.

The score pages will turn automatically as you record your timestamps.

Once the playback has ended, all your measures or systems will be synchronized with the recording. Your score pages will now turn automatically during playback and when moving the Playback cursor.

In the Score Display Options you may select Playback Zoom = System and the score will adjust automatically to best fit your monitor during playback.

You may now start the playback directly from your score by clicking on the small Play icon above the system and measure underneath your mouse cursor.

Color markings

Highlights
You may create Markings of any color in the score. It is even possible to enable or disable the playback of those markings and listen to only the highlighted instruments and bars (with OrchPlay multichannel files).
In the Score view you will find a Color Palette. Here you may create an unlimited amount of colored categories for your markings.
Click on the + button to create a new color which will constitute a markings category.
Click on a color to open the Color Selection panel. Select your color and shade.
Double-click on the name besides the color to rename your markings's category.
Click and Drag your mouse to draw a marking. Your marking will automatically snap to staves and barlines.
You may fine-tune your marking horizontally by clicking again from the sides and moving your mouse, or add instruments by extending the marking vertically.
Activate the Locator bar (keyboard shortcut = L) and click on the speaker icon to enable the playback of the score markings made with the selected colors. The Locator bar will dynamically change to encompass the enabled score markings.
Note: This is only possible with multichannel files from the OrchPlay Music Library.
Click on the eye icon to show or hide markings.
Press the delete (backspace) key to remove the selected marking or a category of markings in the Color Palette.
The state of enabled/disabled or shown/hidden markings is saved within your bookmarks.
Text
‍
You may create Text of any color and size in the score. Text can be bold, italic or underlined.
5

Concert Stage

3:15

Music Library

Video Description

Watch Tutorial

The Concert Stage view is a bird's eye visual representation of  the orchestra.
Each instrumental family and member of the orchestra are  easily identifiable graphically.
Listen to any instrumental line, including  soloists and divisi strings.

Mouse Actions:
Click = solo an instrumental section
for ex.: Flutes, Oboes, Trumpets, Violins I
   (click on any flute, trumpet, etc.)        

Alt-Click = solo a specific instrument or divisi
for ex.: Clarinet 1, Horn 1, Violins I b.

Shift-Click = solo an entire instrumental family
for ex.: Shift-Click on any woodwind instrument to hear the complete  Woodwinds family."        

Visual Animation
The Stage View provides a visual feedback of the performance of every  instrument. When an instrument plays, it will be ringed by a circle whose  colour will vary according to dynamics: pale blue (pp) to intense orange  (ff).

6

Mixing Desk

3:15

Music Library

Video Description

Watch Tutorial

The Mixing Desk is a representation of a mixing console, commonly used in recording studios.

Each instrument, section and family has its own audio channel and set of individual controls: The audio from the Oboe 1 channel is sent to the Oboes auxiliary channel (sum of all oboes), it then passes through the Woodwinds auxiliary channel (sum of all woodwind instruments) before finally reaching the Main Output of your computer (controlled by the OrchPlay Volume knob).

‍All changes made on the Mixing Desk are saved with your Bookmarks.

Note: From the Mixing Desk you may also enable the playback of Piano and Orchestral Reductions (ORCHPLAY TEACHER).

Audio plugin support is currently in development

Move the Fader up and down to increase or decrease the volume of the channel (numerical values are in dB)
Press the S button (Solo) to hear only the selected channel(s)
Press the M button (Mute) to disable the sound of the selected channel(s)
7

Bookmarks

3:15

Music Library

Video Description

Watch Tutorial

Most of us are familiar with the notion of bookmarks, we use them on a quasi-daily basis when browsing the internet. They are shortcuts that allows us to navigate to our favorite webpages in seconds.

Similarly, in OrchPlay a bookmark essentially allows us to travel in seconds between sections of pieces. However, in addition to being able to jump immediately from one section of a recording to another, OrchPlay bookmarks aim to utilize the full potential of the software unique features.
Within a bookmark is stored the "state" of the application.

Here is a list of everything saved within an OrchPlay bookmark:

  • Playback cursor position
  • Locator selection
  • Current score page
  • Activated / deactivated  instruments (Score Markings or Concert Stage selections)
  • Hidden / Shown Score Markings
  • Mixer settings: (mutes, solos, balance, plug-ins)
  • Embedded document(s) page(s)

The advantages of this system are innumerable when used within a pedagogical context:

  • Quickly prepare lectures and presentations with Bookmark Lists
  • Organize your audio-visual material for Online classes
  • Instantaneously alternate between multiple selections of instruments; choose an instrument or build any instrumental combinations
  • Highlight the role of a specific instrument in a musical context by increasing its presence
  • Compare the musical interpretation of the same passage from different recordings

Piece Bookmarks

Piece bookmarks are unique for each individual piece and are stored inside your OrchPlay file package (OPL).

Creating a new Bookmark
1

Select a section of the recording with the Selection / Locator bar.
‍
With OrchPlay multichannel pieces you can solo or mute specific instruments and adjust their relative balance in the Mixing Desk.

2

Select "Create Bookmark" from the Bookmark Menu.

3

Name your Bookmark.

Your bookmark will be stored within the specific piece. You can store an unlimited number of bookmarks per piece.

A good practice is to mention descriptive elements like instruments, orchestral techniques, sections and measure numbers.

Bookmark Lists

A Bookmark List can store an unlimited number of Bookmarks from different pieces. This allows the organization of Piece Bookmarks by course, subject, genre, era, etc.

Creating a new Bookmark List

Select "Create New Bookmark List" from the Bookmark Menu.

Add a Bookmark to a Bookmark List
1

Select an existing Bookmark in any piece.

2

Select "Save current Bookmark to Bookmark List" from the Bookmark Menu.

Your Piece Bookmarks will be stored in your List.

Export and Share a Bookmark List with students oR colleagues
1

Load your Bookmark List and select "Export Current Bookmark List..." from the Bookmark Menu.

2

Type a name for your exported Bookmark List, select a destination and click "Save"

3

Right-click on the exported file and select "Share - Mail" to send by email.

To import a Bookmark List your students or colleagues will need to open (double-click) the exported Bookmark List file. If they are missing some of the required OrchPlay files the Bookmarks affected will be displayed as greyed-out. Clicking on them will automatically download the missing OrchPlay Music Library content.

If you wish to share Bookmark Lists that are linked to your imported audio and scores files you will also need to send the .opl files to the recipient.

Bookmark Navigator

After loading a Bookmark the Bookmark Navigator will be displayed.
Click on the left and right arrow to load the previous or next Bookmark in a piece or a list.

The Bookmark Navigator is blue when cycling through Piece Bookmarks.

The Bookmark Navigator is teal when cycling through a Bookmark List.

8

Embedded Documents

Embedded Documents

You can Drag & Drop any document type on the Embedded Document area: text, pdf,  images, OrchPlay Bookmarks, shortcuts, secondary stereo audio file, etc.

The files will be duplicated in your OrchPlay file and will remain available. A simple double-click will then open the documents with their associated software.

The OrchPlay Music Library always provides a study score in PDF (in several  versions for the ORCHPLAY TEACHER, ready to be printed for exercises,  assignments, etc.).

Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows / Menus
Home / Library
⌘+1
Score
⌘+2
Concert Stage
⌘+3
Mixing Desk
⌘+4
Bookmark Menu
⌘+5
Embedded documents
⌘+6
Video
⌘+7
Playback Controls
Play / Pause
Spacebar
move playback cursor by 1 mesurE (OrchPlay Library) /
1 Synchronization Marker (stereo files)
⌘→ / ⌘←
Fast forward / rewind
⌘⌥→ / ⌘⌥←
Advance / rewind playback cursor by 1 second
⌘↑ / ⌘↓
Advance / rewind playback cursor by 250 milliseconds
⌥⌘↑ / ⌥⌘↓
Advance / rewind playback cursor by 50 milliseconds
⇧⌥⌘↑ / ⇧⌥⌘↓
Locator
Enable / Disable Locator selection playback
L
move left locator by 1 measure (OrchPlay Library)
⇧→ / ⇧←
move right locator by 1 measure (OrchPlay Library)
⌥→ / ⌥←
move Left & right locator by 1 measure (OrchPlay Library)
⇧⌥→ / ⇧⌥←
Orchestra Playback (Mixing Desk and Concert Stage)
Tutti (OrchPlay Library)
0
solo woodwinds (OrchPlay Library)
1
Solo Saxes (OrchPlay Library)
2
Solo brasses (OrchPlay Library)
3
Solo percussion (OrchPlay Library)
4
Solo Strings (OrchPlay Library)
5
Solo Harps (OrchPlay Library)
6
Solo keyboards (OrchPlay Library)
7
Solo Strings soli (OrchPlay Library)
8
Solo Reductions (OrchPlay Library)
9
Mute woodwinds (OrchPlay Library)
⌥1
Mute Saxes (OrchPlay Library)
⌥2
Mute brasses (OrchPlay Library)
⌥3
Mute percussion (OrchPlay Library)
⌥4
Mute Strings (OrchPlay Library)
⌥5
Mute Harps (OrchPlay Library)
⌥6
Mute keyboards (OrchPlay Library)
⌥7
Mute Strings soli (OrchPlay Library)
⌥8
Mute Reductions (OrchPlay Library)
⌥9
Settings
Open Settings Window (OrchPlay Library)
⌘,
Home / Library
Display / Edit File Information of selected file(s)
⌘i
Open / Close Playlists
P
Score
Play from measure
⇧Click anywhere in the score
Next Page
→
Previous Page
←
Smooth Zoom
⌥Scroll wheel | Pinch on Trackpad
Zoom In
⌘=
Zoom Out
⌘-
Print
⌘P
Timestamps
[during playback] Add page turn synchronization Timestamp (PDF)
→
[during playback] Add System synchronization Timestamp (PDF)
S
[during playback] Add Measure synchronization Timestamp (PDF)
M
Play family from Mouse cursor position (OrchPlay Library)
⌥⌘+click
Play Section from Mouse cursor position (OrchPlay Library)
⌥+click
Play instrument from Mouse cursor position (OrchPlay Library)
⇧+click
Display Score in C / Transposed score (OrchPlay Library)
⇧+T
Display Seperated staves / Combined staves (OrchPlay Library)
⇧+C
Show all instruments / Playing Instruments (OrchPlay Library)
⇧+H
Show / Hide Piano Reductions (OrchPlay Library)
⇧+C
Markings
Enable / Disable Playback and Display of a specific Marking
⌘Click on eye or speaker icon
Enable / Disable Playback of all markings (tutti)
⌥Click on a speaker icon
Enable / Disable Display of all markings (tutti)
⌥Click on a eye icon
Matrix
New System Matrix
E
New Staff Line
R
New Barline
T
New Selection
Y
Bookmarks
Load next Bookmark
=
Load Previous Bookmark
-
Create New Bookmark
⌘N
Overwrite current Bookmark
⌘S
Delete Current Bookmark
⌘⌫
Save Current Bookmark to Bookmark List
⌘L
Create Bookmark List
⌘⇧N
Delete current Bookmark List
⌘⇧⌫
Save current Bookmark List as
⌘⇧S
Export Current Bookmark List As
⌘⇧E
7

Using OrchPlay on Zoom

OrchPlay was designed to be the ideal application for online music classes or presentations.

To get started in Zoom, select Share Screen.
Follow these steps to set up your audio and video:

1

Select OrchPlay or the Desktop screen on which OrchPlay is running (example: Desktop 1).

2

Select Share sound, click on the small arrow and select Stereo (High-fidelity).

3

Select Share.

4

In the OrchPlay menu, select Settings.

5

Under Audio/Output, select ZoomAudioDevice.

7

Troubleshooting

License Issues
I just upgraded to a pro or teacher license but I can't download files from the OrchPlay Music library
1

Quit OrchPlay. Wait for the PayPal receipt (email) and restart the application.
Your license should be immediately available.

2

Contact support@orchplaymusic.com if you require additional help after following the steps above.

My academic institution offers OrchPlay licenses for all students and teachers, how do I activate my license?
1

You will find the information necessary to activate your license here: OrchPlay for Institutions - Getting Started

2

Contact support@orchplaymusic.com if you require additional help after following the steps above.

Audio issues
There is no sound on playback
1

In the OrchPlay Settings (⌘,) verify that you are using the desired output device.

2

In the score Color Markings palette, verify that no speakers are activated for instruments that are not playing.

3

In the Mixing Desk, verify that no solo is activated for instruments that are not playing, or that the instruments muted are playing.

Score Issues
Color Markings are not displayed
1

In the score Color Markings palette, verify if the eye icons are activated.

2

In the Score Display Options, verify that Show Markings is selected.

I Can't Draw Color Markings
1

In the score Color Markings palette, verify if the eye icons are activated.

2

In the Score Display Options, verify that Show Markings is selected.

3

In the Score Matrix, verify that Staff Lines and Bar Lines are present.

Release notes

Summary

OrchPlay version History

Release Timeline

Timeline of major updates, releases and features

New OrchPlay launch for mac

Version 2

Complete list of changes

March 9, 2021
September 1, 2020

OrchPlay 1.5 FOR INSTITUTIONS (Beta)
release for mac

Versions 1.5 - 1.7.5
  • Redesigned fullscreen interface
  • Score follower (PDF and OPLS score format)
  • Flexible score layout
    - combined or separated staves
    - transposed or in C
    - hide/show instruments
  • Score markings
  • Visual library and advanced metadata management
  • NAXOS Music Library support
    (requires Naxos Music Library subscription)
  • Updated Mixer (in development)
  • Realistic Stage View (in development)
  • Web browser integration for news & manual
  • OrchView compatibility

OrchPlay Music Library
25 New Multichannel Releases

November 11, 2016

OrchPlay release for Windows

Versions 0.9.1 - 1.1.3
  • Automatic authorization system
  • Download window
  • Multilanguage support (English, French)
  • Free version of OrchPlay

OrchPlay launch for mac

Versions 0.7.3 - 0.8.6
  • OrchPlay Music Library (multichannel - OPL format)
  • Mixer View
  • Stage View
  • Study scores (.pdf)
  • Bookmarks
  • Stereo audio import
  • Embedded documents
July 29, 2016
See Full CareerHire Me

Detailed

2.1.16 Major Update - Complete List of Changes

2.0.6

  • OrchPlayMusic is now recognized as an Apple certified developper and the OrchPlay app has been notarized by Apple.
  • The installation process has been simplified to a zip file.

2.0 - New OrchPlay for Mac - Complete List of Changes

1.5 - release for Institutions - Complete List of Changes

1.1.3

  • New automatic authorization system on user login (following the purchase of a Pro or Teacher subscription)
  • It is now possible to use your OrchPlay Pro or Teacher license on a second personal computer.
  • New "About OrchPlay" menu with license and OrchPlay version information

1.0.29

  • You may now sort pieces by release dates in the OrchPlay Music Library download window (an optional "Released on" column has been added).
  • Changes to the OrchPlay Music Library database. This allows us to add support for advanced search requests in the future.

1.0.27

  • Added immediate access to "Create Account" and "Request Activation Key" to the Welcome Screen
  • Added OrchPLay Library size and hard drive space usage information in the Download Window
Mac:
  • Mac systems will now recognize OrchPlayMusic as an Identified Apple developer
  • Added a Tutorials tab to the Apple menu with links to specific pages of the User Manual
  • OrchPlay Pro and Teacher may now be used by multiple users on the same computer
  • The .zip format previously used for the Mac download has been replaced with a .dmg containing an installer package and the user manual
windows:
  • Fixed an issue with the OrchPlay files not installing when a user was not using the default documents folder path  on a secondary hard drive

1.0.25

  • A free version of OrchPlay is now available and replaces the previous Stereo version
  • New integrated download window
  • The installation process for OrchPlay files has been automated
  • New welcome tutorial and Language selection screens
  • Option to delete OrchPlay files from your library added - OrchPlay code improvements

0.9.1 Windows

  • Release of Windows version

0.9.1 Mac

  • Maintenance and matching with Windows version

0.8.6

  • Fixed an installation issue with the new downloadable .OPL format

0.8.5

  • The Bookmark Description text will now be saved automatically
  • User Manual added to the OrchPlay menu
  • Fixed an issue with the General Information text transferring over newly imported stereo files

0.8.4

• OrchPlay will now import compressed .OPL file format
• Fixed an issue with the General Information text disappearing when loading importedstereo audio files

0.8.3

  • Solos and Mutes for Reduction tracks have been enabled in OrchPlay Pro (the .pdf scoresremain exclusive to OrchPlay Teacher)

0.8.2

  • Fixed an issue with the OrchPlay Stereo license playing back multichannel files

0.8.1

  • Fixed a crash when saving bookmarks to bookmark lists

0.8.0

  • The OrchPlay Player Interface can now be stretched or compressed horizontally
    [The higher resolution possible on widescreen monitors enhances the accuracy of boththe locator-selection-system and the playback cursor]
  • French language is now supported

0.7.9

  • Initial Release for Mac

1.1.3

  • New automatic authorization system on user login (following the purchase of a Pro or Teacher subscription)
  • It is now possible to use your OrchPlay Pro or Teacher license on a second personal computer.
  • New "About OrchPlay" menu with license and OrchPlay version information

1.0.29

  • You may now sort pieces by release dates in the OrchPlay Music Library download window (an optional "Released on" column has been added).
  • Changes to the OrchPlay Music Library database. This allows us to add support for advanced search requests in the future.

1.0.27

  • Added immediate access to "Create Account" and "Request Activation Key" to the Welcome Screen
  • Added OrchPLay Library size and hard drive space usage information in the Download Window
Mac:
  • Mac systems will now recognize OrchPlayMusic as an Identified Apple developer
  • Added a Tutorials tab to the Apple menu with links to specific pages of the User Manual
  • OrchPlay Pro and Teacher may now be used by multiple users on the same computer
  • The .zip format previously used for the Mac download has been replaced with a .dmg containing an installer package and the user manual
windows:
  • Fixed an issue with the OrchPlay files not installing when a user was not using the default documents folder path  on a secondary hard drive

1.0.25

  • A free version of OrchPlay is now available and replaces the previous Stereo version
  • New integrated download window
  • The installation process for OrchPlay files has been automated
  • New welcome tutorial and Language selection screens
  • Option to delete OrchPlay files from your library added - OrchPlay code improvements

0.9.1 Windows

  • Release of Windows version

0.9.1 Mac

  • Maintenance and matching with Windows version

0.8.6

  • Fixed an installation issue with the new downloadable .OPL format

0.8.5

  • The Bookmark Description text will now be saved automatically
  • User Manual added to the OrchPlay menu
  • Fixed an issue with the General Information text transferring over newly imported stereo files

0.8.4

• OrchPlay will now import compressed .OPL file format
• Fixed an issue with the General Information text disappearing when loading importedstereo audio files

0.8.3

  • Solos and Mutes for Reduction tracks have been enabled in OrchPlay Pro (the .pdf scoresremain exclusive to OrchPlay Teacher)

0.8.2

  • Fixed an issue with the OrchPlay Stereo license playing back multichannel files

0.8.1

  • Fixed a crash when saving bookmarks to bookmark lists

0.8.0

  • The OrchPlay Player Interface can now be stretched or compressed horizontally
    [The higher resolution possible on widescreen monitors enhances the accuracy of boththe locator-selection-system and the playback cursor]
  • French language is now supported

0.7.9

  • Initial Release for Mac

The OrchPLay Team

Denys Bouliane
General Director at OrchPlayMusic
Composer, Conductor, Designer & Developer, Musical Interpretation
Composition and Orchestration Professor at McGill University
Félix Frédéric Baril
‍
Director of R&D at OrchPlayMusic
Composer, Designer & Developer, Musical Interpretation & Audio Rendering
Postdoctorate at McGill University
Baptiste Bohelay
Programmer
Visual and Audio Artist
Master in Computer Sciences at IRCAM

Philippe Macnab-Séguin
Composer, Music Entry and Interpretation, XML scores, Python scripts
Doctorate at McGill University
Dominique Lafortune
Composer, Music Entry and Interpretation, XML scores, Python scripts
Doctorate at McGill University
© OrchPlayMusic 2016-2021
Request a quote for your institution:
‍Info@orchplaymusic.com