Encore (software)
Encore is a music notation (scorewriter) program for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh.
MusicTime Deluxe is the 'essentials' version of Encore.
Encore can play back music – either imported as MIDI, recorded from a MIDI device, or entered with keyboards and mouse. Tempo and volume can be adjusted for each voice.
History
Encore was originally created for Atari ST series computer by Don Williams for the US company Passport Designs Inc. of Half Moon Bay, CA., and first released in 1984.[1]
Lyrrus Inc., d.b.a. GVOX purchased the intellectual property of Passport in 1998[2] and Encore 5 was released 10 years after Encore 4.
Encore is notable for being one of the first scorewriter programs to enable items in the musical score to be added and edited using the mouse .[3]
New features in Encore 5 include wizards to create scores (transposing as well as in concert pitch) for numerous types of ensembles from scratch, MusicXML file format support, the Gvox VST player, which enables use of virtual studio instruments with Encore, and J.S. Bach complete works for keyboard in Encore format.
On August the 1st 2013 Passport Music Software, LLC,[4] a New Jersey company, acquired the rights of Encore, Music Time Deluxe and MasterTracks Pro. [5]
Current status
During the last two years of GVOX, hundreds of bugs in the Windows version of Encore and MusicTime Deluxe have been fixed by a team of volunteers ('the Skunks').
The Skunks enabled Encore to read its own XML-files(!). Other 'Skunks' fixes made Encore meet the standards of actual Windows versions.
End of 2013, the Skunks readied multi-language (Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish in addition to English) versions of Encore and MusicTime Deluxe for Windows.
The Skunks also created a proper multi-language installer, which until now did not reach the market.
During the first year under the ownership of Passport Music Software, LLC, Encore for MacIntosh has had some minor updates to meet the new standards of the actual versions of the Mac operating system.
In that same period (August 2013 - December 2014) several Windows versions were released, which introduced new bugs and then fixed those. No improvements for end-users were introduced.
Future
Passport Music Software, LLC (a Pennsylvania company) is reworking Encore. The development of Encore 6 departs from the original code that was created over 20 years ago, but maintains the same GUI, keystrokes and functions while adding new features.
User community
Encore users profited from an active community, until August 2013, when GVOX sold all music related software to 'Passport Music Software, LLC' (a New Jersey company). Dedicated experienced users offered free support.
Before August 2013, the user community and GVOX interacted with Encore's developers to improve the product and tune it to the customers needs, as can be observed at the forum archive. The (Read-only) remains of the GVOX forum may still be available at the Gvox Forum Archive.
Very helpful (for those who can read Dutch) is Veelgestelde vragen, antwoorden, tips en oplossingen, over Encore en MusicTime Deluxe.
The current community and free support for Passport Music Software can be found at the customer support center.
External links
References
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