# New StaffPad Book ==> Now Available



## stevebarden

I'm happy to officially announce the release of my new book, Mastering StaffPad: Digital Music Notation for the Modern Composer. It is available for pre-order on Amazon now and is expected to be released around August 1, 2020, from Hal Leonard. It will also be available directly from Hal Leonard and your favorite book store.

The book is a complete reference guide for the amazing app as well as some music notation basics, a full glossary, musical terms in Italian, French, and German, and also a foreword from StaffPad creator David William Hearn!

Amazon link: Mastering StaffPad


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## dcoscina

EDIT- ordered! 

Now August cannot get here fast enough!


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## stevebarden

Thanks David! You might see your name (as well as other FB group members) in the acknowledgement for all your support.


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## dcoscina

stevebarden said:


> Thanks David! You might see your name (as well as other FB group members) in the acknowledgement for all your support.


Cool. Hey will there be any references to different articulation lists and text commands? I always forget which syllables do what for VOXOS. . I think you even posted a link or screenshot awhile back on the FB forum but I'm off FB so I don't remember....


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## dcoscina

hey are you playing an A major7th 1st inversion on the cover? LOL


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## stevebarden

dcoscina said:


> Cool. Hey will there be any references to different articulation lists and text commands? I always forget which syllables do what for VOXOS. . I think you even posted a link or screenshot awhile back on the FB forum but I'm off FB so I don't remember....


Yes, I put in what was available at the time. But I can see a second edition coming out before the year is out, LOL.


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## kclements

Congrats Steve! 

kayle


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## stevebarden

kclements said:


> Congrats Steve!
> 
> kayle


Thanks, Kayle!


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## laurikoivisto

cool! Any idea when it's released in Europe?


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## stevebarden

Here is the Table of Contents for my book since the book preview on Amazon is not available yet. 


Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1 - StaffPad Features

Handwriting Recognition

Editing Notation

The Power of Text

Performance Symbols

Chords

Selecting Things

Playback

Sample Library Add-ons
Sharing Your Work

Chapter 2 - Music Notation Basics

The Staff

Key Signatures

Clefs

Bass Clef

Alto and Tenor Clefs

Stems

Time Signatures

Note Values

Bar Lines

Repeats

Expressions and Articulations

Dynamics

Recap

Chapter 3 - Where to Begin

Device Requirements

The Welcome Page

New Score

Score Details

Key, Time Signature, and Tempo

Adding Instruments

Toolbars

Fenby

Chapter 4 - Music Input

How to Write Notation in StaffPad

Writing Notes

Inserting Notes

Writing Rests

Active Bars

Pending Bars

Underfilled and Overfilled Bars

Erasing

Accidentals

Slurs and Ties

Articulations

Multiple Voices (Voice Layer)

Divisi Staffs

Pickup Bars

Time Signatures

Key Signatures

Transposing Score vs C Score

Clefs

Barlines

Repeat Endings

Drum Kit Notation

Percussion Notation

Markup

Chapter 5 - Text

Dynamics

Technique text

Preset Change

Swing Playback

Tempo

Tempo Staff and Importing Tempo Maps

Expressive text

Text Options

Lyrics

Chapter 6 - Symbols

About Symbols

Trills

Mordents & Turns

Tremolos

Glissando & Portamento

Arpeggios

Hairpins (Crescendo & Decrescendo)

Octave Lines

Mute

Open / Harmonic

Up / Down Bow

Doits, Falls, Plops and Scoops

Grace Notes

X Noteheads

Fermata

Pedals and Retakes

Rehearsal Marks

Bar repeats

DC, DS, Coda Repeats

Chapter 7 - Chords

Manual Entry

Show Chords

Chords Staff

Chapter 8 - Selections

How to Select

Duplicating a Bar

Copy and Share

Review of Selection Bar Buttons

Selecting Individual Notes: The Lasso

Selecting Items

Chapter 9 - Playback

Playing Back Your Score

Automation Layer

Changing Bar Numbers

Controlling the Tempo

Tempo Staff

Import Tempo Map from MIDI File

Mixing Your Score

ScoreSync and StaffPad Reader

Chapter 10 - Score Management

Library

Collections

Templates

Settings

Saving

Versions

Chapter 11 - Sharing

Print / PDF

Audio

MusicXML

MIDI

Template

StaffPad Score

Chapter 12 - Store

Products

Restore Purchases

Download Errors

Chapter 13 - Writing Tips

Tip #1 - Size Matters

Tip #2 - Stem Distance to Note Head

Tip #3 - Beaming Trouble

Tip #4 - Auditioning Articulations

Tip #5 - Reducing Complexity

Tip #6 - Expand the Bar - Make Room to Write

Tip #7 - Focus on The Rhythm

Tip #8 - Lasso That Sucker!

Tip #9 - Clean Up Your Mess

Tip #10 - Write Fast!

Tip #11 - Drawing Tools

Tip #12 - Compose First, Details Last

Tip #13 - Lasso Dynamics

Tip #14 - Take Advantage of Versioning

Tip #15 - How to Write That Effing f!

Tip #16 - How to Write Accidentals

Tip #17 - Export MusicXML or MIDI File?

Tip #18 - Voice Layer

Tip #19 - Bartok Pizz ... It’s a Snap!

Tip #20 - Flutter and Rips

Tip #21 - Voxos Syllables

Tip #22 – Experiment with Pitches

Chapter 14 - StaffPad Reader

Reader Menu

Main Toolbar

Annotation and the Ink Toolbar

Start Your Engines

Ready, Set, Go!

Keeping Time

Keeping the Lines of Communication Open

Viewing Options

In-App Purchases

Settings

Appendix A: Add-on Sample Libraries

CineBrass

CineWinds

CineStrings

CineStrings Solo

CinePerc

CineHarps

CinePiano

Voxos

Berlin Strings

Berlin Brass

Berlin Woodwinds

Berlin Percussion

Berlin Strings: First Chairs

Berlin Symphonic Harps

The Orchestral Grand

Spitfire Symphonic Strings

Spitfire Symphonic Woodwinds

Spitfire Symphonic Brass

Spitfire Symphonic Percussion

Spitfire Chamber Strings

Steel Drums

Union Chapel Organ

Originals: Felt Piano

Toy Glockenspiel

Guitars, Vol. 1

Accordion

Retro Keyboards

Antique Keys

Scoring Synths

Appendix B: Glossary

Appendix C: Common Musical Terms in Italian, German, and French

Italian Terms

German Terms

French Terms

Appendix D: Musical Instrument Names in Italian, German, and French

Acknowledgements

About the Author


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## stevebarden

laurikoivisto said:


> cool! Any idea when it's released in Europe?


Sorry, no idea. Amazon has control over that distribution.


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## stevebarden

Gene Pool said:


> How about a Kindle version?


I have put in a request at Hal Leonard to make a Kindle version available.


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## emasters

Looks interesting. Much of this I've come up to speed with through YouTube videos and practice. That said, having a complete reference for all the Performance Symbols, Articulations, score markings, etc. (ideally including 3rd party libraries), would make this a no brainer to buy. I know there are standard music references to help with this. But I find myself often wondering what the standard product and each expansion library actually support in terms of articulations and the appropriate way to notate each in the score. Having this in one place, would be really handy.


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## Michael Antrum

Hi @stevebarden,

Congratulations on the new book. Do let us know when it will be available in Europe, you've already got my order - if only in spirit at the moment.

I very much hope that the sections on the third party libraries will include all the 'articulation tiggers' for each library. In that case it will be an essential purchase for anyone with Staffpad. A kindle version would be a great idea - particularly if there are any updates on existing third party libraries.

Wishing you the very best of luck and I very much look forward to being able to order a copy...


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## stevebarden

Unfortunately a complete list of ‘articulation triggers‘ has not been made available by either the manufacturers or StaffPad. There are many tips from things I’ve discovered on my own but far from being a comprehensive list.


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## Michael Antrum

stevebarden said:


> Unfortunately a complete list of ‘articulation triggers‘ has not been made available by either the manufacturers or StaffPad. There are many tips from things I’ve discovered on my own but far from being a comprehensive list.



Yes, I'm half expecting to find that if you double tap the pencil whilst whistling the theme to Vandervalk and simultaneously standing on one leg, you will unlock a previously hidden Berlin Harps fluttertongue articulation, or some such nonsense.

Just an idea, and perhaps a silly one, but how about a reference page with basic instrument ranges on it ?

I can see myself with my iPad in one hand and your book in the other, and it might be handy to have this to hand for when I've been drinking had a long day..... anyway - just a thought....


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## emasters

It's the one short-coming -- that StaffPad folks who know all the articulations/triggers/notations, have not taken the time to compile a complete list. The obvious ones are straight-forward (Arco, Divisi, etc.). But I do wonder what I'm missing or haven't discovered yet (particularly with some of the Expansion Packs). With DAW sample libraries, there's typically a documented list of articulations or you can see them on the GUI. I wonder if David at StaffPad would help with such an effort in your book, providing the details that you could then document and share?


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## CatOrchestra

Is there a section on key commands? For those that connect a keyboard to their iPad?


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## wcreed51

Key commands are listed in the SF help document


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## stevebarden

CatOrchestra said:


> Is there a section on key commands? For those that connect a keyboard to their iPad?


Yes, for both platforms.


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## Vonk

Gene Pool said:


> How about a Kindle version?


+1


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## stevebarden

Amazon has finally included the “Look inside” feature so you can get a preview of some of the pages from the book. 

The book is still in the Pre-Order phase. I’ve been told that the pandemic has slowed down the printing process but it should be available soon as well as a Kindle version.


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## visualride

Thanks for the update Steve! I've ordered mine.


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## dcoscina

stevebarden said:


> Amazon has finally included the “Look inside” feature so you can get a preview of some of the pages from the book.
> 
> The book is still in the Pre-Order phase. I’ve been told that the pandemic has slowed down the printing process but it should be available soon as well as a Kindle version.



Oh there's a Kindle version? Sweet.


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## Michael Antrum

Your book has finally turned up in the Amazon UK store, so I've pre-ordered it. Looking forward to getting it. There is no Kindle version listed however.

I do hope that there's lots of gratuitous sex and violence in it......


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## stevebarden

Michael Antrum said:


> I do hope that there's lots of gratuitous sex and violence in it......



Only in the audio book.


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## dcoscina

stevebarden said:


> Only in the audio book.


Hopefully it is narrated by Joe Pesci. ;O


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## Michael Antrum

Fifty Staves of Gray......


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## stevebarden

The Kindle version of the book is now an ordering option at Amazon! It’s still in the pre-order phase and I’m hoping it will finally be available soon.


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## dcoscina

stevebarden said:


> The Kindle version of the book is now an ordering option at Amazon! It’s still in the pre-order phase and I’m hoping it will finally be available soon.


Looking forward to it!


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## Michael Antrum

stevebarden said:


> The Kindle version of the book is now an ordering option at Amazon! It’s still in the pre-order phase and I’m hoping it will finally be available soon.






​


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## stevebarden

The Kindle version of the book can be downloaded now!


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## wbacer

After a long wait, my copy of the book was just delivered via USPS.
Looks pretty comprehensive although some of the pages are stuck together on the top edge.
Looks like a binding error. Nothing a razor blade won't fix.
Looking forward to the read.


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## Michael Antrum

wbacer said:


> Looks pretty comprehensive although some of the pages are stuck together .....



So you really like it then.....


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## wbacer

Michael Antrum said:


> So you really like it then.....


Looks promising but have not had the time to really dig in...
It's always good to have a quick reference source rather than rewatching multiple YouTube videos searching for the one thing your looking for.


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## Michael Antrum

Well I ordered the Kindle version but I had to return it as as it isn't comapatible with - rather surprisingly - with my new Kindle Oasis !

Whilst it it works quite happily with the Kindle App on iPad, I wanted to use it side by side - So I ordered and finally received my hard copy a couple of days ago.

I'm still working through it - but I'd say its an essential add-on to the app.

I think it's a great book, and Steve should be congratulated on what is clearly the result of a lot of hard work.


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## stevebarden

Michael Antrum said:


> Well I ordered the Kindle version but I had to return it as as it isn't comapatible with - rather surprisingly - with my new Kindle Oasis !
> 
> Whilst it it works quite happily with the Kindle App on iPad, I wanted to use it side by side - So I ordered and finally received my hard copy a couple of days ago.
> 
> I'm still working through it - but I'd say its an essential add-on to the app.
> 
> I think it's a great book, and Steve should be congratulated on what is clearly the result of a lot of hard work.


Thanks, Michael. I'm sorry that it didn't work on the Oasis. I'll let the publisher know and see if there is a remedy for this. Thanks for letting me know.


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## Michael Antrum

Actually, now I've actually got it, I rather prefer the hard copy. ...


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## Montisquirrel

I received my copy 3 days after ordering (I am based in Germany). I am still waiting for my Surface Pro 7 but during the waiting time I can dive into this book. I like it a lot. Easy to read and easy to follow and it seams to have all informations you need. 

In the end of the book there is a very detailed Glossary of common musical terms used with notation, which is extream helpful for me, as I just start to learn notation and score reading. And there are also lot of pages with translations to English from Italian, German and France of musical terms and instruments which is a nice addition for diving deeper into notation and score reading.


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## jonathanparham

@stevebarden Is there an advantage of the kindle overprint? Future updates perhaps with the kindle version?


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## stevebarden

jonathanparham said:


> @stevebarden Is there an advantage of the kindle overprint? Future updates perhaps with the kindle version?


The short answer is no. If this was a self-published title I could update the Kindle version any time I wanted, but since this goes through Hal Leonard any updates have to go through the full layout process which is for both print and ebook. That’s the problem writing about software - it changes frequently. That said, I’m hoping to get an updated edition out in the next few months.


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## jonathanparham

stevebarden said:


> The short answer is no. If this was a self-published title I could update the Kindle version any time I wanted, but since this goes through Hal Leonard any updates have to go through the full layout process which is for both print and ebook. That’s the problem writing about software - it changes frequently. That said, I’m hoping to get an updated edition out in the next few months.


Thanks for the answer. Ignorant questions but' We'd have to buy the 'new' edition for your revisions correct?' Congratulations on publishing with Hal Lenord.


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## stevebarden

jonathanparham said:


> Thanks for the answer. Ignorant questions but' We'd have to buy the 'new' edition for your revisions correct?' Congratulations on publishing with Hal Lenord.


Unless the publisher decides to make the next edition a "new" book, the Kindle version should get updated, however, the print edition would need to be purchased again. Sorry.


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## jonathanparham

ok so I'm leaning towards the kindle version. Thanks for the answer


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## emasters

Purchased the Kindle version for the ability to get updates (hopefully). With Software like Staffpad, the shelf life of a specific version is pretty short.


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## stevebarden

emasters said:


> Purchased the Kindle version for the ability to get updates (hopefully). With Software like Staffpad, the shelf life of a specific version is pretty short.


Yes, this is the problem with writing about software.


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## Michael Antrum

@stevebarden - I originally purchased the Kindle version, but it wouldn't load onto a new Kindle Oasis I bought in the sale - so I returned it and bought the paper version.

Does the kindle version now work on the Kindle Oasis ?


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## jonathanparham

@stevebarden Thanks for your book. I was racking my brain and found my relief in an explanation in your book!


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## stevebarden

jonathanparham said:


> @stevebarden Thanks for your book. I was racking my brain and found my relief in an explanation in your book!


Thanks, Jonathan! Glad it helped.


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## jim2b

Wonderful book!

I learn something new everyday from it. Great presentation!

Jim


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## stevebarden

jim2b said:


> Wonderful book!
> 
> I learn something new everyday from it. Great presentation!
> 
> Jim


Thank you, Jim!


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## jaketanner

Has this been updated with everything new this year?


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