# Staffpad Update 1.5 Videos



## CyberPunk

So here are the videos of the new update on Staffpad some cool stuff. 





Tempo Mapping 


Editing Audio Clips


Adaptive Audio


Elements


Pizz/Arco symbols
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHnGNEd1nqo

Audio Effects
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owifyzk1Xlg

Cover Art Thumbnails 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdv1kaa1Rmo

Adding Audio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouN1cEa0DkE

New Symbol Tile 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAuEL5Hxe-0

Ipad Key Commands 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xui-gnXjOpY

Dinamic Drag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRJvrAWOCF8

Note Stretch 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VfsPePbZak


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## CyberPunk

Also pretty cool composition by composer Steve Barden using the new importing audio features.


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## mopsiflopsi

Woohoo!


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## eakwarren

@CyberPunk Perhaps the thread title should be updated to 1.5? The YT vids still say 1.2, but Staffpad is now at v1.5.


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## CyberPunk

eakwarren said:


> @CyberPunk Perhaps the thread title should be updated to 1.5? The YT vids still say 1.2, but Staffpad is now at v1.5.


thanks haha and done


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## Aldo_arf

GREAT update!! I hope next big update implement video playback


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## CyberPunk

Aldo_arf said:


> GREAT update!! I hope next big update implement video playback


I once asked for this and they told me is on the roadmap


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## emasters

Fantastic update -- really expands the possibilities - great job, StaffPad!


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## sundrowned

One thing I like about the update that doesn't seem to have been covered is the save and load times are quicker. And in general things seem slightly snappier. 

The release notes say this, which may have something to do with it, although I'm on windows. 


> On iPadOS15 and supported devices, StaffPad now has access to more RAM, resulting in increased stability


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## Jett Hitt

sundrowned said:


> One thing I like about the update that doesn't seem to have been covered is the save and load times are quicker. And in general things seem slightly snappier.
> 
> The release notes say this, which may have something to do with it, although I'm on windows.


Until the iPad Pro with the M1 came out, Apple limited iPad apps to 5GB.


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## jonnybutter

You can write without being in a key! I am thrilled they included this.


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## gussunkri

jonnybutter said:


> You can write without being in a key! I am thrilled they included this.


What are the practical workflow difference compared to just having a minor as key? Do they not look the same in StaffPad?


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## jonnybutter

gussunkri said:


> What are the practical workflow difference compared to just having a minor as key? Do they not look the same in StaffPad?


This is not a Staffpad question exactly. Check your music theory on that one (not about minor keys). But a big workflow difference is the fact that when you grab a chord or note and move it up and down the scale, it’s chromatic - it doesn’t snap to the scale you are in.


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## ZenBYD

I'm finding they fixed a lot of stuff and added a few things that aren't in the release notes... pretty amazing what this team are able to do and one of the most exciting pieces of music software in recent times. I bet there's a lot of people playing around with Staffpad at avid and Steinberg HQ this morning lol!!


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## jonnybutter

Proper splits for pianos, harps, marimbas - anyone happen to check to see if this works on import now? I assume not, but you never know. That would be another biggie, at least for me. That, and midi input. It’s going to be killer app.


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## gussunkri

jonnybutter said:


> This is not a Staffpad question exactly. Check your music theory on that one (not about minor keys). But a big workflow difference is the fact that when you grab a chord or note and move it up and down the scale, it’s chromatic - it doesn’t snap to the scale you are in.


This was what I expected, but the reason I asked was because I experienced it as equivalent in behaviour to a minor. This gives me hope that I just didn’t test it properly.


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## odod

the store items is rather more expensive that the staffpad itself :(


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## jonnybutter

gussunkri said:


> This was what I expected, but the reason I asked was because I experienced it as equivalent in behaviour to a minor. This gives me hope that I just didn’t test it properly.


Sorry gussunkri, you are right (and I didn’t realize that you meant A minor - sorry for the misunderstanding). When you are in no key, and you drag up or down it is indeed not chromatic. It is *supposed* to be but it’s not. Not sure what’s up with that. I tried key combinations and still no chromaticism.

EDIT: I asked them about it and will report back when I hear. Cheers


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## gussunkri

jonnybutter said:


> Sorry gussunkri, you are right (and I didn’t realize that you meant A minor - sorry for the misunderstanding). When you are in no key, and you drag up or down it is indeed not chromatic. It is *supposed* to be but it’s not. Not sure what’s up with that. I tried key combinations and still no chromaticism.
> 
> EDIT: I asked them about it and will report back when I hear. Cheers


Thanks for asking them about. That functionality would be a great time saver for me most of the time.


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## CyberPunk

gussunkri said:


> What are the practical workflow difference compared to just having a minor as key? Do they not look the same in StaffPad?


This is more like when you write in transpose score, all the transpose instruments usually will have their key signatures, while that is ok, I feel is better to have no keys at all specially for scoring. Then you just have to worry about writing the accidentals.


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## themeworks

Writing. Dynamics. Better. Thank. You.


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## jonnybutter

CyberPunk said:


> This is more like when you write in transpose score, all the transpose instruments usually will have their key signatures, while that is ok, I feel is better to have no keys at all specially for scoring. Then you just have to worry about writing the accidentals.


Precisely. This is the response from Staffpad:

“The benefit of the no key functionality is most obvious when working with transposing instruments really. When working in a score with no key only the notes transpose when you toggle to viewing transposed pitches, and the key remains blank which is the main distinction from the behavior when working in C Major/A Minor. The vertical dragging functionality remains unchanged from how we previously handled this.”

​In other words, the functionality here is not very obvious at all. It’s almost 2022! People have been writing non-diatonic music for over 100 years. This is not just for academic composers - every other scoring app lets you write atonally for good reason. It’s useful even if you’re writing film music! Very disappointed. You can’t really call Staffpad a pro app yet. Maybe someday. The new features are nice, but where is the bread and butter? Like MIDI or XML import that actually works? Or proper split points on grand staves, MIDI input, and atonality? Staffpad will be a great app someday, but I might be dead by that time, unfortunately.


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## CatOrchestra

Any word on staffpad being able to notate from audio?


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## muratkayi

IIRC, audio transcription is meant to be on the schedule for the next update and my guess is MIDI will never come. It just isn't meant for MIDI. The playback engine relies heavily on not having to cope with realtime note entry. Basically, it's the whole point about Staffpad


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## ZenBYD

jonnybutter said:


> Sorry gussunkri, you are right (and I didn’t realize that you meant A minor - sorry for the misunderstanding). When you are in no key, and you drag up or down it is indeed not chromatic. It is *supposed* to be but it’s not. Not sure what’s up with that. I tried key combinations and still no chromaticism.
> 
> EDIT: I asked them about it and will report back when I hear. Cheers


I can see why you're confused here but basically it's for when you want to write atonally but don't want to imply a key signature for transposing instruments. It's definitely not supposed to be a chromatic drag... that would be a different feature request all together...

as far as I can see, they just implemented open key the same way the other notation programs do it, which is... fine.... a bit dull... a bit theoretical... The audio stuff is blowing me away though. super cool.


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## Bereckis

Hello,
I am very excited about the new update.

The possibility to use pre-recorded audio files in Logic Pro in Staffpad helps me immensely when composing melodies and arranging string or wind parts.

My final version is created in Logic Pro, where I also do the mastering.

I think that the handwriting recognition of the Staffpad has become much better with the update. Can anyone confirm this?

I always prefer to work better and faster with the Staffpad and wouldn't want to do without it.


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## jonnybutter

muratkayi said:


> ZenBYD said:
> 
> 
> 
> I can see why you're confused here but basically it's for when you want to write atonally but don't want to imply a key signature for transposing instruments. It's definitely not supposed to be a chromatic drag... that would be a different feature request all together...
> 
> as far as I can see, they just implemented open key the same way the other notation programs do it, which is... fine.... a bit dull... a bit theoretical... The audio stuff is blowing me away though. super cool.
Click to expand...


Yes, but why would a key need to be implied for transposing instruments anyway if you were truly not in a key to begin with? Why can’t we have a chromatic ‘key signature’? That’s been available in Finale for many years, and similarly in Dorico. Maybe there’s something I’m not getting here? When I used to do this by hand (as it were) I would just transpose transposing instruments’ notes, still with no key signature. I wouldn’t spell notes as double sharps, C flat, etc. W/a notation program there can be problems with stuff like that popping up, but they can be cleaned up.

Being free from traditional perfect 4th tetrachords - both key sig. and vertically dragging notes chromatically - are two parts of the same thing: *not being in a key*. I don’t know why that would be two feature requests. No key means no key. It doesn’t mean being in C and adding accidentals 




muratkayi said:


> IIRC, audio transcription is meant to be on the schedule for the next update and my guess is MIDI will never come. It just isn't meant for MIDI. The playback engine relies heavily on not having to cope with realtime note entry. Basically, it's the whole point about Staffpad


So notation from audio, which is quite complicated to implement I would guess, is an obvious step, but MIDI note entry (not necessarily realtime) is too hard? Really? 

One of the things that excited me about Staffpad when I first read about it was the promise of editing. The idea of being free to input notes in many ways and then edit/draw notes in a tactile way right on the iPad with the pen, was an exciting prospect. Get notes into the app via handwriting+MIDI+audio transcription, and then edit/rework at will. It seems like the easiest of these 3 would be MIDI! But I confess that I don’t know how the engine works.

There’s another thread about how SP has ‘lost its way’ - and I wouldn’t say that. Their way and some composers’ diverge, but that doesn’t mean they’re lost. It just means SP is not what I hoped. It’s still useful sometimes. And obviously others love it. Cheers to all.


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## muratkayi

jonnybutter said:


> So notation from audio, which is quite complicated to implement I would guess, is an obvious step, but MIDI note entry (not necessarily realtime) is too hard? Really?


Keep in mind I don't know anything about what Staffpad aims to do or how it actually works. Still, it is not about it being too hard. The audio engine seems to have been designed from the ground up for never having to respond to MIDI which is often used for realtime playback of virtual instruments. If you do away with that, you can have your audio engine look up the necessary samples way ahead, instead of having to rely on for example keyswitching between articulations. To my ears, the audio playback in Staffpad sounds way superior to most of the stuff I can get done in a first pass with MIDI and keyswitching articulations, e.g.

Audio transcription does not aim to facilitate playback of samples. It just takes the sound and transcribes, so there is no realtime playback involved, either.

If there is one fact that implies there will "never" (they say never is a long time, but what the hell) be MIDI, it probably is the price of something like Spitfire Chamber Strings. The reason you can access the sound of these samples for just 99€ is not only that most of the rather exotic articulations and specialties are being left out... It is rather that you won't be able to use it the same way Spitfire's "normal" customers who pay something like 600€ use them, i.e. MIDI and realtime.

It's a design decision.


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## rsg22

We're talking about two different things here. Taking MIDI input to render notes in Staffpad (and use the existing audio/rendering engine for playback) is one thing, having Staffpad store and playback data AS MIDI (like a conventional DAW) is a separate thing. As far as I can tell, most users asking for MIDI input support are asking for the former.


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## muratkayi

Well, if people took Midi input without playback it might happen eventually


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## jonnybutter

rsg22 said:


> We're talking about two different things here. Taking MIDI input to render notes in Staffpad (and use the existing audio/rendering engine for playback) is one thing, having Staffpad store and playback data AS MIDI (like a conventional DAW) is a separate thing. As far as I can tell, most users asking for MIDI input support are asking for the former.


Exactly. I think most of us are looking for MIDI input to render notes in Staffpad, not realtime DAW-like functionality. That way you could input data however is optimized for a particular thing you are trying to achieve.


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