Is there any way PDF scans, e.g, can be resized, then enlarged so I can better read the lyrics? An example is a 1/2 page song from a fake book. I can't enlarge it on my printer, as it is already full width, but I have plenty of length to work with. I have cut and pasted, but this seems very archaic in this day and age. I can change the orientation to landscape, but that presents display problems.

Bernie,

The only way I know of is to open the PDF scan in one of the photo programs, then resave it as a .jpg file. The file can then be opened in MS Word as a graphic and enlarged to any size you wish by dragging the corners of the image.

Good Luck,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

PDF is the way to go. There is so many free programs available that you can do about anything you want. Also there is a lot of PDF format music floating around already. So this is pretty much the standard.

The way I do it if it's already in PDF format is to use the camera tool. I just put the box around the music doing away with any unneeded margins. I then put it in Microsoft Publisher and size it to the blank page. Then I stretch it down about an inch's worth and save it as a pdf.

For scanning your own I just scan it as it is at 300 dpi, go to print it as a pdf where I can make it small enough to fit the blank page and crop it and streatch it like I mentioned in the above paragraph.

I am using my laptop on it's side and use a 2 button footswitch for turning pages.

This works pretty slick and I'm very pleased with the results.

Scott
http://ScottLMusic.com

Thanks guys for your help. I am working on it, but not getting the results I want. The aspect ratio remains the same. In the meantime, I am switching to Landscape mode on my Music Pad, which also does the job.

Scott

Could you explain how you are using a 2 button footswitch to turn the pages on you laptop?

Thanks

Peter

Hi Peter

It's a USB footswitch. Here's the link.
http://www.bilila.com/pagescore_turner

I might add that I am also using software called Pivot Pro which causes everything on the screen to rotate in this case 90 degrees to the right so all files and programs etc are easy to read and you don't get a stiff neck.haha

The Pivot Pro runs $39.95 but I was lucky and bought an unopened one on ebay for $9.
http://www.portrait.com/us/products/pp_overview.html

So I get to use all of the regular computer features of the laptop and the above 2 items are the only expense I have in this project which is minimal when considering the alternatives. All pdf programs are free.

Bernie

If you want to send me something you're working on I'd be willing to see if I can improve things in any way.

Thanks Scott. You have mail

Thanks Scott.

Good stuff, I'll check it out.

Peter

Hi Bernie

You have mail.

Scott
Thank you for your time and trouble. Great job. What programs do I need to duplicate what you did.

I would also be interested to know how you did it.
thanks

If it's already in pdf format I bring it up in Adobe reader and use the snapshot tool. I put a box around just the music I want and get rid of any extra margins.

I then paste it in Microsoft Office Publisher and decrease it's size (in most cases, or increase it if needed which means a lesser quality reproduction sometimes) to fit the template from left to right. I then just stretch it down from about what looks like an inch on the template to all the way down to the bottom of the template, depending on how it ends up looking.

I then print it using PDF Creator, a free pdf tool. This saves it as a pdf file. If it's more than 2 pages, I use PDF Split & Merge, another free program which does just as the title suggests. In this case I'd merge the 2 pages.

If I scan a sheet of music, I do it at 300 dpi grayscale. I do it by going through Microsoft Office Publisher, Insert>Picture>Scanner. It will be processed and show up in Office Publisher in an oversized format. I then size it as stated above.

I am sure that if you don't have Microsoft Publisher that there are free programs that will do the same thing that you could find at cnet.com or sourceforge.com.

There are other programs you can use to annotate and other things, all of them free.

Hope this helps.

Scott

P.S. Bernie, I notiece how clear your original was you sent me. I wonder if you could tell us how you get it looking this clear and good.

Thanx

I just scan it in my Brothers 7820N laser 3-in-1 in PDF AT 300 dpi true gray. It appears what I'm lacking, is the ability to print in modified form. I will look into c'net etc. The reason I have to print it, is because I have to scan the stretched version for tranfer to my Music Pad Pro.

I'm not sure if I'm following this, but if I understand what you're saying, the PDF Creator that I mentioned will print off of almost any program that you can print on a piece of paper, but with the PDF Creator, and you use the print function, it will turn whatever you have into a pdf which as I understand it can be easily converted to MusicPad Pro. If you actually print it on paper and scan it and then convert to MMP you will probably not get a very clear copy.

Sorry Scott, I was not very clear. My scanner/printer is set up to scan any doc into PDF format and into a PDF file. These files are then tranferred to my MPP. Sometimes, the print is too small for these old eyes, and I wish to reconfigure the piece so I can rescan and enlarge. Let's say it is 5 measures wide and 6 measures long. The width is aleady to the margins, but if I narrow to 3 or 4 measures wide, I can lengthen it, and then enlarge.

Nothing has to be converted except for MPP converting the PDF into it's format.

Bernie,

Have you tried for assistance at the Freehand forum? Their tech people monitor the site and may be able to help with your MPP question.

Here's the link:
http://www.freehandsystems.com/phpBB2/

UPDATE, I just went to the site and see you have posted the question there.

[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 08-20-2008).]

Hi Scott,

I also have been following this post, & have done as you explained. I scanned a sheet of music (A4) by going through Microsoft Publisher & then expanded it to fill a blank page which i then saved as a PDF file by using "CutePDF Writer".

A lot of my music i use is written over 2 manuscript pages, which i need to view together.

1. Will a program like "PDF Split & Merge" allow me to view the 2 pages of music side by side on the screen ?

2. I have downloaded "PDF Split & Merge" & saved it to a folder in My Documents. I now find that i have 15 ZIP files for this program.

3. Where do i go from here ?

4. "CutePDF" also have Split & Merge capabilities available in Their "Pro" program for $--. Would this be a simpler & more convinent way to go ?

Thanking You,

Yours in Music
Alan

I use Gios PDF Splitter and Merger from http://www.paologios.com/ a free open source program and very simple to use

Hi

Have anybody noticed my "Music Book Viewer" software at http://www.jososoft.dk/yamaha/software/pdfviewer/index.htm

Displays pdf files at the computer screen. Is fully controllable from a numeric key pad - and the normal computer keyboard as well.

Regards
Jørgen

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The Unofficial YAMAHA Keyboard Resource Site

Hi mikeathome1,

Have downloaded GIOS PDF Splitter & Merger and now have it up & running with good results.

Many thanks,

Alan

I have well over 2000 songs in PDF format and they display great on my laptop with one problem - scrolling. If anyone has a good method they use for scrolling my problem would be solved. It would be neat if a foot switch could be used instead of a mouse which I have not found to be very easy to use. I use Adobe Reader V9 and it works great - the display is the easy to see and is a huge improvement over paper.

Hammer

Hammer

No need to scroll. Set your laptop on it's side, get a Footime usb pedal. Pivot Pro also alows you to see all programs and files and file names at whatever angle you choose. Works like a charm

http://www.bilila.com/pagescore_turner

http://www.portrait.com/us/products/pp_overview.html

I just got my page turner and have been playing with it for about an hour. Folks, if you are reading music from a computer this is the best little gadget sinced sliced bread. For under $60.00 shipped it is a real deal. I think the link to the guy who selles them is in a previous post if you are interested.

Hammer

I thought I would update my progress with turning my lead sheet books in to PDF files. I now have about 2000 tunes on my laptop in PDF format. It is a long and tedious process but will be worth the effort when completed.

I used several programs in the process - MS Word, Adobe Reader V9, 995PDF which prints PDF files from Word, and Foxit PDF Editor. I already had a lot of songs in PDF format and did not have to scan many of them.

This is a work in progress and I am still trying to figure out the exact size(such as 100%, 125% etc.) so that the files will "page" with the next line of the song ending up at the top of my laptop screen. Perhaps some of you here who are also converting your books into PDF files have a a solution for that problem. Also, multiple page songs are a problem.

By the way, I just bought a new Sony Vaio laptop and the thing will not open beyound about 45 degrees so I can't use it on end and get a "portrait" type page. So all my files must be wider than long. I went back to the store and discovered that all the new laptops no longer open past about 45 degrees - bummer.

Anyway - I thought there might be a few members here still interested in this thread.

Hammer

[This message has been edited by hammer (edited 09-26-2008).]

To overcome the multiple page thing, if you're using Adobe, just press Control L and the entire screen is filled and turns pages to where they should be.

As far as no laptops being made that will fold 180 degrees flat, somebody either don't know what they are talking about or don't want to honor the exchange/return. There are all kinds of them out there. I check out that feature all the time when I'm checking out laptops.