Manual
© 2022 OrchPlayMusic
He says he's the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts. And it's a private message for him.
He says he's the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts. And it's a private message for him.
He says he's the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts. And it's a private message for him.
He says he's the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts. And it's a private message for him.
"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."
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:
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
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.
Note: If you are reading this User Manual from the OrchPlay application you should skip to the next section
Uncompress the .zip file and move the OrchPlay.app in your Application folder (or another folder of your choice).
Launch the software, you will be asked to create your OrchPlay account.
OrchPlay 2 is currently available in English. A French version will follow soon.
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!
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 Bookmark Lists page contains downloadable Bookmark Lists with examples and exercices.
The Orchestration Techniques Taxonomy page offers additional documents specific to the study of orchestration.
Learn to download OrchPlay files, import stereo files, manage your content and search your 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.
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.
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.
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
Choose a recording and select ADD SELECTION TO LIBRARY.
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
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.
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
OrchPlay can display your Library in 5 different views:
Selecting a composer, artist, conductor will display a list of recordings. Double-click on a recording to open it in OrchPlay.
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.
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 and select File Information to open and edit the Metadata of your recording.
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:
Recording
You may enter here information relative to the recording:
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
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.
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.
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"
Playback preferences will be made available in a future update.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Score Matrix interface will allow you to make corrections and modifications.
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.
Activate the Score Matrix in the Score Display Options.
Press Play to start the playback. It is recommended that you start from the beginning of the recording.
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.
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).
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
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:
The advantages of this system are innumerable when used within a pedagogical context:
Piece bookmarks are unique for each individual piece and are stored inside your OrchPlay file package (OPL).
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.
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.
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.
Select "Create New Bookmark List" from the Bookmark Menu.
Select an existing Bookmark in any piece.
Select "Save current Bookmark to Bookmark List" from the Bookmark Menu.
Your Piece Bookmarks will be stored in your List.
Load your Bookmark List and select "Export Current Bookmark List..." from the Bookmark Menu.
Type a name for your exported Bookmark List, select a destination and click "Save"
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.
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.
You can Drag & Drop any document type on the Embedded Document area (secondary stereo audio file, text, pdf, images, OrchPlay Bookmarks, shortcuts, 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.).
Timeline of major updates, releases and features
• OrchPlay will now import compressed .OPL file format
• Fixed an issue with the General Information text disappearing when loading importedstereo audio files
