T109

Unit III Extra Credit Project

 

The following instructions are crucial to completing this project. Read everything very carefully before going further!

 

1. Get the program

 

To complete this project, you will need to download a program from the internet. The program is available at this web page:

 

http://php.indiana.edu/~skleppin/rceintro.html

 

(You can also reach this page from other links on the T109 web site.)

 

Once you arrive at this RCE introduction page, you can click on the links at the bottom to download Macintosh or Windows versions of the program. The program is about 2 megabytes; this download should be very quick from a computer on campus but may take 5-10 minutes on a 56k modem. Once you have the program on your computer, you shouldn’t need to download it again.

 

The program should appear as an icon with the name “RCEmac” (Macintosh) or “rcewin” (Windows). The computer may ask you where you want the program before it starts the download; if it doesn’t, check the desktop.

 

 

2. Getting acquainted with RCE

 

Double-click the RCE icon to start the program. (It always takes a few seconds for the program to get going; don’t panic if your computer seems stuck for a moment!) If you can’t see the entire RCE window on your monitor, your screen resolution may be too low—set the screen resolution to at least 1024 x 768. (If you don’t know how to do this, check the troubleshooting section at the end of this little manual.)

 

There are three parts to RCE, which you can access at any time from the buttons at the bottom left part of the window. They are:

• “Cell Practice”—In this module, the computer plays rhythmic cells that you pick. This part allows you to learn better what each cell sounds like. You can control the tempo of the cells and the number of times the computer plays the cell before stopping by changing the numbers in the boxes at the bottom of the window. Be sure to practice both simple and compound meter cells—you can change between the two types with the buttons at the bottom.
• “Testing”—This part of RCE allows you to find out how well you can recognize each cell. After you enter your name and select the test type (simple or compound), the computer will play different cells for you to identify. To choose the cell you think you’re hearing, click the button next to the appropriate cell and then click the “Check Answer” button at the bottom. RCE will keep track of the number of cells you’ve tried to identify, the number correct, and the percent correct. To try another, click the “New Problem” button.
• “About RCE”—This screen is a quick rehash of the instructions given here.

 

Some important tips that will help you to work with RCE:

In both “Cell Practice” and “Testing” you should listen to cells as many times as you need, and you should try playing cells at faster or slower speeds if you have difficulty. That’s right: even in the “Testing” mode, you may listen to each cell as many times as you want before you pick your answer. You may change the tempo or the number of repetitions whenever you want. You can also hear the cell after you’ve checked your answer, so you can compare your incorrect answers.

 

Remember how the notation of rhythmic cells works (see the appropriate pages from Part 3 of the course packet). Each cell is displayed horizontally in three different notations, but each notation sounds the same. This is because the three different notations of each cell represent different time signatures. For example: in the screen of simple meter cells, the first notation for each cell represents time signatures in which the quarter note receives one beat (like 4/4 or 2/4). The second notation for each cell represents time signatures in which the half note receives one beat (like 2/2 or 4/2). The third notation for each cell represents time signatures in which the eighth note receives one beat (like 2/8 or 4/8). Check the appropriate pages from Part 3 of the packet carefully, along with the explanations on those pages, if you’re confused. These three notations are displayed simply to make you aware of the different ways you can write down the same rhythm!

 

Some may find it difficult to distinguish between the first two rhythmic cells (either simple or compound). This is because both cells consist entirely of equally-spaced notes, so it’s hard to tell where each beat starts, or how many notes are in one beat. If this gives you trouble, just keep track of how many notes you hear, and look at the bottom of the window to know how many times you’re hearing the cell. (You can set this number to 1 if that’s helpful.) Keeping those two things in mind should allow you to distinguish between these cells.

 

 

3. Completing the project

 

To receive credit for this assignment, you will need to demonstrate proficiency in recognizing both simple and compound meter cells. No partial credit will be awarded.

 

Complete a simple meter test in RCE. You must try at least 50 problems, and you must get at least 85% correct.

 

Complete a compound meter test in RCE. You must try at least 50 problems, and you must get at least 85% correct.

 

Note that you may try as many problems as you like, and you may start your test over whenever you want. If you try a total of 50 problems (or 60, or 100), you will still receive credit as long as you earn the minimum percentage score.

 

When you have achieved the necessary score and minimum number of problems, you may print you test results to any printer by clicking the “Print Current Test Score” button at the bottom of the screen. You must hand in the original printouts from both tests to receive credit for this assignment. Failure to complete this assignment on time because of technical problems will not be excused. (Get in touch with the instructor early if you’re having technical difficulties!) Some important hints about printing scores:

·      You can actually print your scores any time your percent correct is greater than 10%. Try printing your score once before you get too far, so that you can fix any printing problems before you spend a great deal of time working up a score you can’t print!

·      Note that you cannot save your scores. Your score will be erased forever if you:

—Start a new test.

—Switch to “Cell Practice” or “About RCE.”

—Quit the program. (RCE will remember your score if you switch to another program, but actually quitting RCE erases your score.)

You will not erase your score if you click the “Help/Directions” button, change the tempo or number of times each cell is played, or print your test score.

 

 

Troubleshooting RCE

 

If after reading all the lame advice below you still can’t solve your technical problems, please get in touch with the instructor right away (mclater@indiana.edu). This program was finished very recently, and it definitely has bugs. Please allow yourself some time to get these bugs resolved so that you can still complete the project on time. Failure to complete this assignment on time because of technical problems will not be excused. Most of all, thank you for being patient with this program—I wouldn’t be spending so much time on it if I didn’t think it would be valuable to students like you.

 

Some typical problems:

 

I’m just not a computer person, and this whole assignment makes my palms sweat. First: Just try it! You may surprise yourself—it’s not really as hard as all these directions make it seem. If you have trouble figuring out the computer stuff, then let the instructor know. He’ll be glad to meet with you and help you get started.

 

I can’t get the download to work. If nothing happens after you click on the links to the program, go to the Window menu of your browser (Explorer or Netscape) and look for the Download Manager. Odds are good that it’s already being downloaded, and the appropriate screen telling you this just didn’t appear.

If the program doesn’t show up where you expected it after the download, search your drive. (Macintosh: use Sherlock in the Apple Menu to search for “RCEmac.” Windows: use “Find File/Folder” in the Start Menu to search for “rcewin.”)

If the program doesn’t work when you try to start it, make sure you’ve downloaded the right version for the computer at which you’re working!

 

I can’t see the whole window on my monitor. If your screen resolution is too low, RCE won’t be able to display everything you need. Reset the screen resolution to at least 1024 x 768. (Macintosh: go to the Apple Menu | Control Panels | Monitors [sometimes called “Monitors and Sound”] and reset the resolution. Windows: right-click on the desktop, go to Properties, click the Settings tab, and reset the resolution. For more detailed instructions, click here for Macintosh or here for Windows.) You can change the screen resolution back when you’re done working with RCE.

 

RCE seems to be choppy and uneven when playing things back, or it seems to drag a lot. This problem happens because RCE depends on millisecond timings provided by the system software to be able to play each note at the right time. If the computer is too busy doing other things to provide this timing at the moment RCE needs to play a note, then a delay results and you hear a chopped-up mess.

A work-around is to keep RCE at slow tempi. Macintosh users may get some improvement by turning off virtual memory (go to the Apple Menu | Control Panels | Memory, turn off virtual memory, and restart), and quitting other programs may also help. If at all possible, try RCE on a different machine. RCE has been tested on Windows and Macintosh computers in the STC’s in the music library, and it works well there.

Finally, the Windows version of RCE always, always, always sputters a little on the first cell it plays after you start it. Don’t ask why—just hit the play button again and it’ll run fine after that.

 

I don’t understand what I’m being asked to do in RCE. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of rhythmic cells (were you sick that day of lecture?), or just can’t make sense of these directions, get in touch with the instructor. He’ll be happy to meet with you in front of a computer to help you get started.

 

I can’t print my score. Really? I don’t believe you—this is the most trouble-free feature of RCE! Make sure your printer is on, has paper, and (if you’re in a lab) that you’re printing to the right printer. Bear in mind that this printout must be handed in for the assignment, so get in touch with the instructor quickly if this is an issue!