Nightingale X FAQs

QUESTIONS about Nightingale X.
Note that the evolving OS X operating system may be referred to as follows: 10.2 is Jaguar, 10.3 is Panther and 10.4 is Tiger.

QUESTION: I've been sent a Nightingale file via email and it won't open. The bird 'scor' icon is missing.

Often this is a result of missing 4 letter type code. Nightingale score files will be type SCOR with creator BYRD. Various utilities can restore this information. We use Resorcerer, by former Nightingale programmer Doug McKenna (at mathemaesthetics.com). There are several Freeware or Shareware programs available as well. For OS X (Panther or Tiger) Quadrivio's General Edit Lite is available for free at http://www.quadrivio.com/products.html#QGELite

For OS 9, the shareware FileTyper is available for $10. http://dazuma.freeshell.org/filetyper/index.html

[To avoid this problem in the first place, the file should be sent compressed. Stuffit is one choice. Using Apple's Disk Utility to created a new disk image from a folder is another: simply place the file you want to send in a new folder first, and create the .dmg file.]

Sometimes this lack of a type code will affect Nightingale's ability to import MIDI files, particularly if they've come from a Window's environment. To put in the proper type code (Midi) the products above work well. For OS 9, the freeware Midi It! is also available at http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/Midi_It/
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QUESTION: What is a good way to convert my Nightingale files to a listenable format?

The first thing to do is to export your score to a MIDI file, which is simply done via a command in the File menu. MIDI files can be played by a variety of players, including Apple's free QuickTime Player and iTunes. If you want to preserve the instrument settings, you may need a more powerful player. The Pro version of Quicktime will let you insert General MIDI instruments onto the various MIDI tracks. (Procedure: use the 'get movie properties' command, then select 'music track' and 'instruments' in the option boxes.) QuickTime 6 will work in OS 9, and 6.5 will function through OS X Panther. The Pro key for these versions costs $29.

QuickTime 7 seems to have LOST the ability to edit the music track, and is not currently recommended. QuickTime 7 works on Panther and Tiger (and presumably future OS upgrades) only. The Pro key for this also costs $29.

For OS 9 and earlier, in addition to QuickTime, the shareware program MIDIGraphy is worth a look. It is available at http://www.tucows.com/start_dl/206353_84305_2862. The shareware fee is $20.

All of these programs will let you save your MIDI file to the AIFF audio format, which can be dragged to iTunes or Toast and burned onto a CD.
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QUESTION: Nightingale only imports MIDI files of the type 1 format. How can I import a type 0 MIDI file?

Various programs will do this conversion. A low cost one is the OS 9 shareware program MidiKit, which is available at http://www.geocities.com/mixage/ for a shareware fee of $12. This converts 0 to 1 and 1 to 0, and also lets you insert the Midi type code (as per an earlier question). Also at this site is Qmidi, for both OS 9 and X, which is a very good MIDI player, also with a shareware fee of $12.
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QUESTION: I know that printing on a PostScript capable printer will give engraver quality results with Nightingale, but I don't have one right now. What should I do?

If you don't have a PostScript printer, the best alternative is to make a PDF file. If you are using Panther or Tiger, this is simple and effective (see below).

In OS 9, using Adobe Acrobat/Distiller on a Nightingale PostScript file is the best way. Unlike Acrobat's reader, this is not a free program, although it is reasonably priced if you you are eligible for an academic discount. Other programs such as Illustrator will also open PS files. (A customer has also suggested Jaws PDF Creator 3.0 as an alternative to Acrobat.)

In OS X Jaguar, you can save your score file as a PDF file in the print dialog, either by hitting the 'save as pdf' button, or be going to 'Output Options', checking the 'Save as file' box, and saving as a PDF. (You can also save as a PostScript file here. Results are not the very best, however, and you may want to resort to old Nightingale tricks such viewing at 200% and setting the Page Setup scale to 50%. 400/25 also works.)

In Panther and Tiger, however, the situation is much improved. Save your Nightingale file as a PostScript or EPS file. You can then open it in Apple's Preview program and save it as a PDF file. The results are very good and comparable to those you can get by printing straight to a PostScript printer.
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QUESTION: Why can't I hear my file play back?

If you are using the Mac's built in speakers (or speakers connected to the Mac), you can listen using the instruments of Apples' built in DLS Synthesizer. Just make sure that the device window shows the DLS. This window can be found in the Master Page's Instrument dialog. However, the simplest way to set the device is to go to the Play/Record Menus 'Instrument MIDI Settings' dialog, make sure the DLS synth is in the option window, and press the 'To All Parts' button.

If you are using an external Synthesizer, you will need to use the Audio MIDI setup Utility located in the Applications/Utilities Folder. The Mac help for this Application in Jaguar systems is less than minimal. We suggest visiting the website of Doug Wyatt, veteran of OMS and Apple, at http://www.sonosphere.com/MusicSoftware/MacOSX/AudioMIDISetup/

Basically, the idea is to connect the picture of your MIDI interface with virtual 'cables'. The interface should show up if its driver is properly installed.

In Tiger, the Mac's online help for CoreMIDI setup is a lot more descriptive. Also look at our 'Basic Audio Midi setup.pdf'.
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QUESTION: Do I need to have Classic Mode installed to use Nightingale X?

You do not need Classic to run Nightingale X. However, because we are currently (early 2006) behind in some of our efforts, there are several reasons to have access to it.

Some preferences in Nightingale are found within the Application. However, to edit all of them, you will need to either use a Resource Editor (such as Resorcerer) to edit the Nightingale X prefs CNFG resource, or use our NightCustomizer Utility, which is still only a Classic Application. (Note: you can use Apple's old classic application ResEdit on the Nightingale X prefs file, but not on the Nightingale X Application.)

Likewise, our ancient but still useful Users Guide, created for version 3, is still a Classic Application. We also need to port or incorporate NightStaffSizer, which allows for cue staves of a different size than the predominant staff size in a file, and NoteScan, which converts TIFF files into a format which Nightingale can import.

This page last updated 29 November, 2006.