1) Running the Program
Blue Scripter always remembers the last sheet in memory, so if you have previously worked in the program we nee a fresh start.
Under the Edit menu, click New Sheet.

2) Header Fields
Now our sheet editor show only the properties for the page:

Title - This is the bold title that appears top center of the printed sheet
Artist - Sheet subtitle
Arranger - Appears in the upper right side of the sheet
Tempo - Enter a bpm or text
LineSpace - Line spacing in twips (~1400 twips per inch) Setting a lower value will render staves closer together and allow more staves per page.
SheetFont - The name of an installed font to be used for printed text. If there is an error in the font name, the program will default to Arial.
FontSize - The default font size (in points)
LyricsFont - The font used for rendering lyrics
LyricsStart - The amount of extra space to be alloted before starting the lyrics print.

Now let's start our sheet. Enter the following values:

Title=Caladonia Artist=Muddy Waters Arranger=Mojo Mergler (your name) Tempo=128 LineSpace=1700 SheetFont=Comic Sans MS FontSize=12 LyricsFont=Comic Sans MS LyricsStart=100

This section of the document we call the "Header".

3) Adding Measures
After the header we add tagged settings for each measure on our sheet. Each measure begins with the new measure tag

<Measure

and ends with an end tag

/>

Under the Edit menu, click New Measure.

A new empty measure tag appears in the editor. Enter the following values:

<Measure clef= ts=4/4 c=Heavy Swing Feel,-800,,,12 space=200 c=G,-450 q=g0 q=b q=d q=e />

Notice that as you type the measure is rendered in the measure preview toolbar.

The measure settings enetered above are rendered in the order they are entered. Each setting in the measure consists of a command and that command's parameters. The command appears to the left of and equals sign ( = ) and the parameters appear to the right of the equals sign. The parameters are delimited by commas ( , ) when a command has more than one parameter. Blue Scripter currently supports 36 commands which are listed on the right side of the editor. You can see the full list of commands and parameters HERE. The editor displays, the parameters available at the bottom of the screen as you type.

Let's look at the commands in this first measure:

Line	Description
clef=	This is usually the first command in any chart. You can leave the parameter empty for the default (bass clef) or enter "clef=treble" for treble clef.
ts=4/4	Time signature is set with the command ts=. Enter your beats per measure followed by a slash and the beat unit.
c=Heavy Swing Feel,-800,,,12	You can add comment text to any position on your sheet. The c or comment command instructs the program to place text on the sheet at the current cursor position. Parameters allow you to reposition the text. The command shown here will render the phrase "Heavy Swing Feel" about 0.75" above the measure (Y Position -800) in a 12 point font.
space=200	The space command advances the cursor in the number of twips specified (1440 twips per inch)
c=G,-450	This comment puts the letter G directly over the measure.
q=g0	Quarter notes are created by the q command. The parameter indicates not and octave (g1, g2, g3, g0 etc.)

 

Once your develop a comfort level with the common commands, you can write music easier than the pen & paper method. You can also copy (ctrl-c) and paste (ctrl-v) measure settings.

You can press F5 at ay time to see the layout of the current sheet.

Press F5 again to reutrn to the editor.

Here is the settings for the rest of the measures:

<Measure q=g q=e q=d q=e /> <Measure 4s= /> <Measure 4s= /> <Measure 4s=C /> <Measure 4s= /> <Measure 4s=G /> <Measure 4s= /> <Measure 4s=A- /> <Measure 4s=D7 /> <Measure 4s=G /> <Measure 2s= 2s=D7 bar=2 bt=Instr /> <Measure sec= 2 4,600,14 bar=2 bt=Verse 1 /> <Measure sec=12 bar=2 bt=Chorus /> <Measure c=Cala-donia!,600,-600m=,,10 hut= q=g space=100 qr= space=200 c=Cala-,600,,,10 hr= /> <Measure c=donia!,600,-180,,10 hut= q=g space=100 qr= space=200 hr= /> <Measure c=what make your big head so,600,-200,,10 c=|-----3-----| |-----3-----|,-300,,,14 q=g space=100 q=g space=100 q=g space=100 q=g space=100 q=g space=100 q=g /> <Measure space=100 c=hard?,600,-80,,10 hut= q=g qr= hr= /> <Measure 4s=C /> <Measure 4s= /> <Measure 4s=G /> <Measure 4s= /> <Measure 4s=A- /> <Measure 4s=D7 /> <Measure 4s=G /> <Measure 4s= bar=2 bt=Commentary Verse /> <Measure sec= 1 2,600,14 bar=2 /> <Measure c=Chorus,-400,,,10 sec= 1 2,650,14 bar=2 bt=Solo 1 /> <Measure sec= 2 4 , 800,14 bar=2 bt=Verse Talk /> <Measure sec= 1 2 , 500,14 bar=2 bt=Chorus /> <Measure sec= 12 ,500,14 bar=2 bt=Solo 2 /> <Measure sec= 2 4 , 800,14 bar=2 bt=More Solos /> <Measure c=repeat as necessary,,,,8 sec= 2 4 , 800,14 bar=2 bt=Talk Verse /> <Measure sec= 12 ,500,14 bar=2 bt= /> <Measure c=Chorus,-400,,,10 sec= 12 ,500,14 bar=2 bt= /> <Measure c=Crazy 'bout this woman,,-300,,8 hut=d2 q=d2 space=300 qr= space=400 hr= /> <Measure c=Caladonia is her name,,-300,,8 hut=c2 q=c2 space=200 qr= space=200 qr= space=300 8r= 8=g0 tie=180,600,300,,-1 /> <Measure q=g0 q=b q=c q=d /> <Measure c=drum fill,,-300,,8 wr= /> <Measure c=Db,-400 b=e acc= w=e /> <Measure c=G,-400,,,12 hut= q=g0 qr= hr= bar=3 c=,,,,14 />

Enter or paste this into your Blue Scripter editor and use your cursor the move through the measures. Change some of the settings to see how they react.

This is the best way to see how the commands work.

3) Adding Lyrics
Lyrics, when added, will appear below the last staff line on your sheet in the font size last specified on your sheet (notice the last command in the last measure c=,,,,14 ).

The lyrics tag <Lyrics and end tag /> specify the lyrics printed:

<Lyrics Walk with my baby she got great big feet She long lean lanky had nothin to eat She my baby- I love her just the same Ya know I'm crazy about this woman -cause Caledonia is her name Caladonia, Calendonia, What make your big head so hard? I love her - I love her just the same Ya know I'm crazy about this woman -cause Caledonia is her name />

Donwload some sheets from the library and do the same experimentation. You'll soon be ready to create sheets of your own.

For the full list of commands, click HERE.