Using Scorch

Scorch is a web-based medium for viewing, hearing and printing music generated with the Sibelius music software.

To get the Scorch plug-in, go to www.sibelius.com, click on “Downloads,” then click on Sibelius Scorch and follow the on-line instructions.

Scorch is a very user-friendly platform. On this website, it allows you to not only view the music, but to hear the tune (by means of a synthesized vocal sound on the songs–-where too fast to pick up, you can adjust the slider at the top to the left to slow down the tempo, or to the right to speed it up. If you find it too high or too low when you try to sing along with the song, the pitch--and all the music you see as well!--can be transposed (i.e., the music can be moved) up or down as much as you need to put it in a comfortable vocal range. Not only does the sound change, but also the pitch and the key change, so you are seeing exactly what you are hearing.

You may also print from the Scorch format; if you prefer the look of the PDF, you may print from that.

Listening to songs and tunes via Scorch

When major variations occur in the melody of a song or a tune, ossias have been used to indicate the variation. (Ossias are short alternate passages written in a smaller font size above the primary musical line.) These have been included in the PDF versions of the songs and tunes, so one can have additional details available to him when learning the song. These have been eliminated from the Scorch versions of the music, as both the ossias and the original music would play at the same time, making listening rather confusing.

Where it has been necessary to end the song or tune with a coda, occasionally the playback will not read the coda sign and jump to the end as one would expect. When an odd jump occurs, look for the two coda signs (Ø). The last time through the song or tune, simply make the jump from the first to the second coda sign to bring the piece to a more logical conclusion.

Where there is a D@ or  D.C, the playback will skip the first endings, thus playing each section once rather than twice. (This is in keeping with standard classical practice such as the Minuet and Trio, in which, on the D.C.to the beginning of the minuet, the repeats are ignored.)

Though unfortunate, these are minor drawbacks to the Sibelius program and its audio realization through Scorch.