Sibelius MIDI Entry

Connecting a MIDI keyboard to Sibelius

• Go to menu item File→Preferences→Input Devices to select the MIDI input.
• Check the MIDI Thru option box if you want the MIDI keyboard to make sounds on the Computers MIDI synthesizer rather than any that might be built into the keyboard.
• There is a "Test" meter on the input device window. Play notes on the MIDI keyboard, and the monitor should show some activity with a green level indicator.

Step-Time input

• Analog to Speedy Note Entry in Finale (and also Simple Note Entry with a MIDI keyboard).
• Click in a measure or rest where you want to start entering notes.
• Choose a rhythm on the keypad.
• Play a note or chord on the MIDI keyboard to enter notes in that rhythm.
• Use backspace to erase errors.
• To change the enharmonic spelling of a note (such as change C♯ into D♭, press ↵ Enter after adding the note(s) or by clicking on the note(s) later and pressing ↵ Enter. There are also accidental spelling plugins under the menu item Plugins→Accidentals.
• Add cautionary accidentas from the numeric keypad above the note rhythms (7 for ♮, 8 for ♯, and 9 for ♭).
• Beaming can be adjusted later by pressing F10 to set the beaming options on the keypad.

Flex-Time input

• Analog to Hyperscribe in Finale.
• Click a measure or rest at the point where you want to start recording.
• If you are recording on two staves at once, shift-click on the other staff.
• To start recording, press red record button, or choose menu option Notes→Flexi-time, or press Ctrl+Shft+F (or Command+Shft+F on Macs).
• You will hear one measure of clicks before you should start playing.
• Adjust the click-track tempo by dragging the slider on the playback controls.
• Menu option Notes->Flexi-time Options... or Ctrl+Shft+O will open the options for Flexi-time. Try different quantization settings. Probably turn off automatic staccato notation. Turn off tuplets if your music does not have them.