posted 11-04-2005 08:41 AM            

It has three main purposes:

1. To produce printed sheet music, with chords, single melody and lyrics.
2. To produce MIDI and karaoke files based on this score with added embellishments using Yamaha styles.
3. To help you play an instrument by highlighting the notes in the score and by showing the fingering for different instruments live.

In version 3 a lot has been added for this last purpose. Besides the fingering for keyboard it can now also show the fingering for recorder (melody) and guitar (chords). The part of the window with the scrolling karaoke and score (both highlighting the current position) can be customised.

Instead of playing the score with styles loaded in the PC, you can also play the styles in a connected arranger keyboard (any brand or type). In that case Busker will play the chords and melody thru the MIDI connection, thus replacing the activity of the keyboard player. For the synchronisation Busker can now be both slave (receiving MIDI clocks) and master (sending MIDI clocks).

Busker costs $30 ($10 upgrade for current users). For more info and a free demo visit http://www.1manband.nl/busker/index.htm

posted 11-04-2005 06:28 PM            

This one sounds particularly interesting

"Instead of playing the score with styles loaded in the PC, you can also play the styles in a connected arranger keyboard (any brand or type). In that case Busker will play the chords and melody thru the MIDI connection, thus replacing the activity of the keyboard player."

Wish I had an arranger keyboard left to actually try it with.
best wishes
Rikki

posted 11-08-2005 06:04 PM            

Busker 3.0 can be used as great teaching tool to show beginners how to play the melody line with the right hand and the chords with the left hand. The on-screen display shows the fingering of both hands plus the staff notes, chords and lyrics.

It becomes a whole lot more fun when you hook up a keyboard that has illuminated keys! For a test I hooked up a cheap $69 Casio LK-56 keyboard that has lighted keys. Watch the Casio in action as Busker plays Auld Lang Syne. See how the lighted keys on the Casio match up to the fingering on the screen.

www.land.state.az.us/alris/transfers/html/images/busker.jpg

Busker has a transpose function that lets you convert the score to any key of your choice. To make matters simple, I selected the key of C. The notes and chord progression instantly changed to the key of C (C, G7, C7, F, C, …).

Busker also has a convenient loop function for learning difficult phrases. For this demo, I set it to loop through bars 1 and 4.

For those who may be interested in using an arranger keyboard with Busker, here are the setup details:

I used a Yamaha UX-16 USB-MIDI cable to connect the Casio to the XP desktop running Busker.

Here are the relevant Settings on Busker:

MIDI In = Yamaha USB IN 0-1
MIDI Out = Yamaha USB OUT 0-1
MIDI Thru = ON
Synthesizer Type = GM
Auto Accompaniment Method = Use the Styles in a connected arranger keyboard
Chord Channel = 1
Melody Channel = 1
Synchronization = Slave (receiving clocks)

Basically I set Busker to transmit the melody and chord notes on channel 1 and follow the clock of the external arranger.

On the Casio LK-56, I had to use these settings:

GM Mode = OFF
Keyboard Channel = 1
Navigation channel = 1
Chord Judge = ON
Local = ON
Accompaniment Out = ON

Accompaniment Mode = Fingered (Split below F2#)

The keyboard channel (1) is the global receive channel on the Casio.
I turned Chord Judge on, so that notes received below the F2# split point will be interpreted as chords and trigger the chord changes.
I set the navigation channel to 1, so that the corresponding keys light up when the notes are received on Channel 1 from Busker.

I had local ON so that I could play along. It was important to set Accomp Out to ON, so that the clock could be sent out to Busker. Busker is relying on the external clock to play back in time.

Then all I had to do was select a 16 beat style on the Casio, hit [Syncrho Start] to have it set to go, then press the [Play] button on Busker when a window came up telling me that it is waiting for the Start Signal. At this point, all I had to do was press a chord, and it initiated playback from Busker in perfect sync with the Casio's internal style. I could now play the fills or variations or change styles or tempo as the looped section played through. I could even follow the lights and play the melody part.

So there you have it. For a grand total of $99 ($69 for the Casio, $30 for Busker), you have a versatile learning tool that shows you how to play any printed score complete with guiding lights and full accompaniment.

Throw in One Man Band version 8 ($50) and you can instantly transform a synth workstation like a Yamaha Motif 8 or Korg Triton Extreme into a versatile Arranger. The thousands of free Yamaha styles that OMB uses, sound best when played through an XG sound source. I picked up a used Yamaha MU100 for $270. I am very pleased with the results.

Music making and learning has never been so affordable and so much fun!! Thanks Jos for continuing to make your great programs even better.