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#429674 - 03/09/17 05:10 PM Tools to improve making pdf's
Scott Langholff Online   content
Senior Member

Registered: 06/09/02
Posts: 3163
Loc: Pensacola, Florida, USA
I am looking to get the best pdfs for sheet music possible. I would be interested in hearing about software (free preferred), and techniques that will give superior results.

Looking for best way to go about scanning so that the copy can have a darker print than a light original, to clean up the background so it is “whiter”, remove blemishes, etc.

For sheets already in the pdf format am interested in the same as above along with being able to straighten a crooked image.

Also any other editing that would be beneficial such as typing in chords, blocking out incorrect chords and the like.

Any tips and techniques appreciated.

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#429681 - 03/09/17 10:14 PM Re: Tools to improve making pdf's [Re: Scott Langholff]
Uncle Dave Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
iScan
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No longer monitoring this forum. Please visit www.daveboydmusic.com for contact info

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#429685 - 03/10/17 02:10 AM Re: Tools to improve making pdf's [Re: Scott Langholff]
abacus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 07/21/05
Posts: 5347
Loc: English Riviera, UK
Originally Posted By Scott Langholff
I am looking to get the best pdfs for sheet music possible. I would be interested in hearing about software (free preferred), and techniques that will give superior results.

Looking for best way to go about scanning so that the copy can have a darker print than a light original, to clean up the background so it is “whiter”, remove blemishes, etc.

For sheets already in the pdf format am interested in the same as above along with being able to straighten a crooked image.

Also any other editing that would be beneficial such as typing in chords, blocking out incorrect chords and the like.

Any tips and techniques appreciated.


Your printer will have come with free software to do most of that, (Advanced if you have Microsoft Office) plus the software that comes with the scanner will be able to do the rest. (The free Libre Office program also allows you to edit PDFs)

Hope this helps

Bill
_________________________
English Riviera:
Live entertainment, Real Ale, Great Scenery, Great Beaches, why would anyone want to live anywhere else (I�m definitely staying put).

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#429718 - 03/10/17 01:22 PM Re: Tools to improve making pdf's [Re: Scott Langholff]
MacAllcock Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/02/02
Posts: 1221
Loc: Preston, Lancashire, England
I use the "curves" adjustment process in "paint.net" on my windows pc to improve the contrast of scanned music and reduce the effect where the music on the other side of the sheet bleeds through. I think this adjustment is available in most photo editors.
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John Allcock

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#429722 - 03/10/17 02:24 PM Re: Tools to improve making pdf's [Re: Scott Langholff]
Stephenm52 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 04/13/05
Posts: 5126
Loc: USA
Scott, Not sure this will help but worth a look. Get to the part of the video that talks about Calibre. I've never used it but it's a freebie

https://youtu.be/8uhu3lxTjpc


https://calibre-ebook.com/


Edited by Stephenm52 (03/10/17 02:28 PM)

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#429775 - 03/11/17 11:28 PM Re: Tools to improve making pdf's [Re: Scott Langholff]
Mark79100 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/23/06
Posts: 1661
Loc: USA
Originally Posted By Scott Langholff
I am looking to get the best pdfs for sheet music possible.

Looking for best way to go about scanning so that the copy can have a darker print than a light original, to clean up the background so it is “whiter”, remove blemishes, etc.

For sheets already in the pdf format am interested in the same as above along with being able to straighten a crooked image.

Also any other editing that would be beneficial such as typing in chords, blocking out incorrect chords and the like.


I've been using a 15 year old version of Paperport

Paperport (scanning software)

It contains all the tools you need for scanning music into PDF's. I've scanned about 1500 songs already and touched them up as needed.

You can change the DPI setting to make the notes darker...or lighter to avoid what's on the other side of the page.

auto-Straighten a "crooked" image

erase what you don't want

add what you DO want

enlarge and shrink images

convert one image type to another

etc etc etc

I'm sure a more recent version does even more, but I've been a dedicated user of the original Paperport for many years now!

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