JMSL FAQ

Q: How can I learn how to use JMSL?
A: First check out the README which includes a few simple programming exercises.  Read the "Java Development Environment Notes" and the examples that follow.

Then check out Developer's Notes which has even more examples you can compile and run and study.

For an overview, look through the JMSL Tutorial. 

Study simple examples by dragging the source folders jmslexamples,  into a project in your Java IDE. 
Pay attention to the ones in the "simple" package first! Compile and run each one and study the source code. 
Then compile and run the examples in jmsltestsuite, and study the source code.

Q: Musical rhythms sound ragged or uneven.
A: Increase JMSL clock advance.  In your software, do JMSL.clock.setAdvance(0.1)
In JScore, this is under the Edit menu.  A typical value is 0.1 or more, maybe 0.2 or 0.3.  
Advance Time is how far in the future JMSL posts musical events when it plays back.  The advance time
needs to be big enough to absorb jitter in Java's scheduling of Threads.  This varies from
OS to OS, and even from version to version of Java


Q: How do you play a specific measure in JScore?
A: You can play a specific measure or range of measures by defining a section:
Click anywhere in a measure
From menu, choose Measure - Section - start
Click on another measure (or don't click anywhere if you want to use the same measure).
Measure - Section - end

You will see << >> appear over at the start and end of the section you have defined.
Check "Play section" checkbox.
Click Play

Note that CTRL F11 and CTRL F12 are shortcuts for this feature.

Q Are there shortcuts to play a section, stop playback, play the piece?
A: Yes. CTRL-spacebar plays section. spacebar stops playback. CTRL-SHIFT-spacebar plays from beginning of piece.  
For these to be active, the cursor must be clicked somewhere, anywhere, in the score itself (as opposed to having last clicked a button).
 

Q: What about Applets? 
A: Browsers do not support Java Applets any more, so we do not discuss them.