Did you ever want to write your sheets on your computer? Or maybe even better:
write your music and listen to it with taiko sounds?
Then check this guide on how to do it!
We’ll use the notation used by Nippon Taiko Foundation and its pretty simple:
1. Notes above the line are played with the right hand. Under is left hand.
2. The notes and its duration are the same used in western notation.
3. “Normal” rounded notes are played in the center (DONs and KONs) while crossed notes are the edge notes (KANs and RANs).
Go to musescore.org, download and install MuseScore.
Its a free open source program available to Windows, MacOS and Linux.
Start the program and create a new score.
Enter the information or you can fill/change it later. Then, hit next.
We will start with a blank score. So go to “Choose Instruments” and click next.
Select “Wood Blocks” under Percussion – Unpitched. You can double click or hit add and then click finish. You can also click next to change time signature, tempo, etc. You can change these later.
To insert notes and rests:
select a starting position;
enter note input mode (fig 1 or <N> on your keyboard);
select a note duration (fig 2 or 1~9 keys);
hit <A>, <B> or <0> on your keyboard to add notes.
*to add a “both hands at the same time” note hold <shift> while pressing <A> or <B>
You can listen to it by pressing play (fig 3 or <space bar>).
Learn more here.
Okay, but what about the taiko sounds?
Go to my store and download the wadaiko pack I made for this (HERE).
There are some instructions on how to use the files within the downloaded file.
After that, you will be able to insert shime, okedo, nagado, odaiko and katsugi lines.
Use the shortcuts to add notes <A>, <B>, <C> and <D>. Here is a quick demo:
And that’s it! Let me know if you like it and feel free to send me some feedback!