Dancing Dots - Tips for Using Music Scanning Software with GOODFEEL

• We used to recommend learning Lime with GOODFEEL before learning the music scanning software but the scanning software has gotten much better and easier to use that now we now recommend learning the scanning software first especically if you can't read music. It is always helpful to learn both the scanning software and Lime but it's probably better to learn one at a time and you can be productive quickly by learning the scanning software and just a little of how to use Lime. By scanning software, we are referring to SharpEye and SmartScore.

• You must fix all rhythmic, clef, time and key signature errors in the scanning software before starting to work in Lime. It's much better to fix rhythmic errors in the scanning software because Lime may get confused or confuse you. I actually just make sure each measure has the correct amount of time in it and leave the real editing for Lime. When you first get into Lime from the scanning software, check the whole piece for any errors that are better off fixed in the scanning software. Have Lime play the piece for you; this is an excellent way to detect rhythmic errors. If you find any errors, go right back into the scanning software and fix them before you do any work in Lime.

• If you only need certain staves or parts from a piece of music that you are scanning, you may want to either mask out the parts (with paper) you don't want when scanning or use an image editor to delete those parts. This will eliminate any complaints from Lime which are due to scanning errors from the undesired parts.

• SmartScore users: be careful to keep track of where all your files are saved. When using scanning SmartScore you will make: TIF files (the scanned image), MND or ENF files (MIDISCAN or SmartScorefiles), NIF files (to allow you to get to Lime) and finally Lime files. It can get confusing keeping track of all these files. We recommend making and dedicating a directory where all these files will go.

• SmartScore users: if scanning a piece with more than one voice on a staff, delete a voice in SmartScore's note editor and enter this deleted voice in Lime. Whatever you do, don't go from SmartScore to Lime with more than one voice on a staff; it may look right in Lime but it may be wrong internally and this will be reflected in your GOODFEEL output.

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