Software with piano keyboard/theory-related icons ?

[m1469]

I don't know how to explain that exactly, but what I am wondering about is if there is a software that has, for example, a piano keyboard icon that I would be able to create a page with.  My concept is that I would like to be able to create my own "theory book" for my students, which would necessarily include (at times) a picture of a piano keyboard (for naming notes and so on).  Right now I am reduced to cutting the picture out from other sources (I figure there can't be too much of a copyright on a picture of a piano keyboard) and taping it onto the page I make, and then photocopying that page to have it be "one".  But, this is quickly not serving my purposes enough.  Plus, I am needing more icons now anyway (like a picture of a staff, etc. etc.).

Okay, any leads would be appreciated !  Thanks !


m1469

[m1469]

I am a bit surprised that Urbanspice has not been along to answer my question already ... I am just BURNING to find this software 

[anodibu]

I'm not sure I understand what you want. Do you want to make music scores with added pictures? Or do you just want to write texts with added pictures? If the latter why not use Word or a similar program? I'm sure you can find lots of pictures of keyboards and staves on the internet which you then can import in Word.

[m1469]

Ooohhhhhh... hee hee.  Well, all of the above, however, especially the latter at the moment.  I didn't know you could import stuff into microsoft word  .   I don't have the first idea how to do that, but I bet I could figure it out.

Thanks !

[anodibu]

In my version of Word it's: Insert > Picture > From file...

For making music scores with pictures you can use Sibelius. Here is an example:

[m1469]

wow, okay.  Well, I don't have sibelius ... but that is GREAT !  Thanks for helping me know how to do the insert situation, too, I will give it a go.

[Bob]

I've drawn a keyboard using Paint.  Do you know the MS Paint program m1469?

It's fairly easy to draw and then you've got your own "legal" artwork to use however you want.

Use "Insert image" or pic, in Word.


Or to take one off anything on your screen....
Hit print screen to capture an image of the screen.  Open up Paint and paste it in.  Crop it down and resave it.

The biggest problem I had trying to use other pics was the "white" space wasn't really white and you could tell in the copy.  When I made my own the white was pure.  Not that it really mattered much, but it was an aethetic thing.  You also use the spray paint in Paint to brush that grey into a fading white to the white space on the edge.


Once you've made your own though, you're done.  It's yours forever.

[m1469]

No, I am not familiar with MS Paint  ...

Anyway, thanks for weighing in, Bob.  So far I have not figured out how to paste something into my text from Paint, however, I have figured out how to do some other things in the process of trying  .  I will need to further investigate, I guess.

I am not sure about creating a keyboard in MS Paint, though.  You don't make it from scratch, right ?  Because, I would think that might look like a child's drawing if I tried to do that ... LOL.  The only thing I have done with that, so far, is import a scanned image of a keyboard from another book into paint, and then I can tweak it there (what's to tweak, though ?).

*off to work on music ... concentrate on the task at hand, m1469.  Don't be overwhelmed; one thing at a time*

Okay, but this is my break time, the timer told me so 

[Bob]

(weighs in.    Decides to lose some weight.)

It's just black lines.  You make one or two keys and copy them so it's all uniform. 

Make a rectangle.  Curve the edges.  Add the black keys in.  It's a lot easier than it sounds.

Just try it.

Or maybe someone will post there's here.  Or we can start a keyboard 'drawering' competition.