Resources in English for beginners of Byzantine chant

frephraim

Παλαιό Μέλος

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
After about 10 years of efforts I have developed the free BZQ software for Windows which produces any intervals, simulates quality characters (petasti etc) and finally generates a sound file with the parallagi with a human voice!
I would like to share with you a the attached beta test run for the Cherubic Tone 1, by Fokaefs.
Free distribution will follow soon. Please contact me or stay tuned.
 

Attachments

  • BZQ generated Parallagi, Cheroubic 1st tone,Fokaefs beta 16.1.2012.mp3
    3.4 MB · Views: 258

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
The first release of the BZQ software is now being distibuted,
as promised free of charge.

1) Download program from the link:
http://bzquality.wordpress.com/
or the attached file.
2) Copy the folder to the desktop or USB stick, donot run setup.
BZQ is truly portable, it can be run from the USB-stick anywhere you go.
3)Click on VLC 2-0-1 download from VideoLAN org
to download & install VLC in its default path C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC
4)In the folder SUPPORT, run BZQ.exe
5)The SUPPORT folder also contains help files
6)The EXAMPLES folder contains examples of BZQ-coded files
In case of difficulty do not hesitate to contact me.

BZQ software Version 1.2.4
Εὐχαριστίαι –Acknowledgements

Εὐχαριστίαι πρός πάντας ὃσους ἐβοήθησαν κατά διαφόρους τρόπους
εἰς τήν μέχρι τοῦδε ὁλοκλήρωσιν τοῦ παρόντος λογισμικοῦ.

Ἰδιαιτέρα μνεία γίνεται διά τούς κάτωθι πατέρας / καθηγητάς τῆς Βυζαντινῆς Μουσικῆς διά τήν ἐπoικοδομητικήν κριτικήν καί τάς ὑποδείξεις των:

π. Ἐφραίμ , Ἀριζόνα, Ἀμερικήν
π. Νικόλαον Τσᾶκον, Σπάρτη
π. Σεραφείμ Δέδε, Ἀμερικήν
κ. Ἰωάννην Γεννατᾶν, Πειραιᾶ
κ. Φώτιον Κετσετζῆν, Πειραιᾶ
κ. Γεώργιον Καρπούζην, Πειραιᾶ
κ. Δημήτριον Βερύκιον, Πειραιᾶ
κ. Γεώργιον Μιχαλάκην, Καναδᾶ, Γαλλίαν,
κ. Nicholas Jones, Ἀμερικήν

Special thanks to all those who have helped in various ways to complete BZQ up to now.

In particular, many thanks to the following fathers / teachers of Byzantine Music for their constructive critique and their suggestions:

Fr. Ephraim, Arizona, USA
Fr. Nikolaos Tsakos, Sparta,Greece
Fr. Seraphim Dedes, USA
Mr. Ioannis Gennatas, Piraeus, Greece
Mr. Fotios Ketsetzis, Piraeus, Greece
Mr. Georgios Karpouzis, Piraeus, Greece
Mr. Dimitrios Verykios, Piraeus, Greece
Mr. Georgios Michalakis, Canada, France
Mr. Nicholas Jones, USA
 

Attachments

  • BZQ generated Parallagi, Agni Parthene 2 July 2012.mp3
    423 KB · Views: 78
  • BZQ generated Parallagi, En_tais_Lamprotisi 2 July 2012.mp3
    2.3 MB · Views: 40
  • BZQ generated Parallagi, Cheroubic 1st tone,Fokaefs 2 July 2012.mp3
    4.8 MB · Views: 39
  • BZQ.rar
    15.1 MB · Views: 48
Last edited by a moderator:

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
This is an update of the free BZQ software.
Right-click the file BZQ.zip, then
simply copy & paste the unzipped BZQ.exe file to the "Support" folder.

Also four more examples are attached herebelow,
both in BZQ-coded text form as well as .mp3.
You can copy-paste each coding below and generated your sound file
with your preferences in Quality force, Voice, Tonality (e.g. -6%)
and tempo.


[ ΔΕΥΤΕ ΠΟΜΑ ΠΙΩΜΕΝ -ΠΕΤΡΟΥ ΜΠΕΡΕΚΕΤΟΥ ]
[ DEFTE POMA PIOMEN -PETROS BEREKETIS ]

1s 65x =p!!
[1] -g g" \g/g lg /b.p \K/wD D /K
[2] K/" K/D \D/wg g/D D/"D/g \g/wb b /g g/" g
[3] /bp/*" b/tg -p -p/tbpn-z /"p b/" \b/.p -g /D
[4] D/g>b g" D/*" \K/D -D \g/g Lg /bp n -p /" \g/b
[5] \ D //LD " -D n \w..D g vK D g >b -g -D /K .tD /g
[6] \g /b D /LD -g /b p /" g/" g/" g/b p /tb p \ g//Lgb.p
[7] D" UK D/g \ g/wb g/" vD g /bp np " g D /tK D g/"
[8] g/" g/bp /tb p -p ..p n/z \z/k n/Ln zkd
[9] p w-D D " \g/g Lg /bp n b/" b g/" g ..D g -D p/" p
[10] \D/wg D/K D//gb g g/*" \ D /g g/" g/bp /tb p ..p



[ ΔΙΑ ΠΑΝΤΟΣ ΕΥΛΟΓΟΥΝΤΕΣ - ΑΡΓΟΝ ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΜΑΤΑΡΙΟΝ Ι. ΔΑΜΑΣΚΗΝΟΥ +750]
[ DIA PANTOS EVLOGOUNTES - SLOW ANASTASIMATARION I. DAMASCENOS +750]

=p 6s 90x
[1] -b L-p/"-gVDg-b-p\n/z n ...p \Ut.b/p b" -D K tZ
[2] -K-DU-K\DgDv"Dg-b-g/".tK/D-DvKD-gb"-pb"DK
[3] \D/g D/LD -D -p \Ut.b/pb " uD g /"=K-K -K2s(-D)/"vZK
[4] -D g" U-b\pn -b g/" g ..D K -Z K" ..KDg6s(D)=pg-DK/"
[5] K-D gv"gb-p wK K K D U-D/gbD-D K TZ
[6] W-KK/"K/D\w..Dg-D-Ku-D/gbtg-b-p-p -D K" UD
[7] g/"KV"KDg" K/" K-Dgv"gb-p wK K K D ..g tD
[8] g " K ZL-Z -K VK Dgb/"D K -g -D -K -D /K
[9] \ K D \ D g \ g b -g -D b " D K V-Z/KDg..Dg.b
[10] p"t.p/n p" \ ut.n/z n " -b /tg b p b "D K \D
[11] wgvg/"gbp g U-D/gbtg-b-p..p



[ ΕΞΟΜΟΛΟΓΕΙΣΘΕ -ΛΕΓΕΤΟΣ , ΦΩΚΑΕΩΣ ]
[ EXOMOLOGEISTHE - LEGETOS, FOKAEFS ]

75x 1s
=b!! ppbgU-Dg/bpbgDK/LKDg-b
b"bp\n>zn"b/gb/p-b bgg"D"
\-D/gb/*" \g/b-b U-KD>gDKZv"ZK\K
.D DU-KDg\g/.bp/bpV-b/pn"-b/TDg/bp-b
DKZ/"Z/KDK/LK \-D/gb/*"\g/b-b



[ ΛΟΓΟΝ ΑΓΑΘΟΝ, ΗΧΟΣ ΠΛ.Α΄, ΝΑΥΠΛΙΩΤΟΥ ]
[ LOGON AGATHON, MODE 5, NAFPLIOTIS ]

5s 80x =p
..p =p K D U g b /p -p D =K" -K
U-K D >g -wD /" Z N \ N Z UZ K ..K !
K Z V-N -Z -K /TZ K D -K Z/" Z
NV" N/" N /Z -K VK =pD g/" g/b -p
D =K" -K U-K \ D >g -D /" Z N
\ N Z UZ K ..K
 

Attachments

  • BZQ parallagi Defte poma, Bereketis 19-7-12.mp3
    2.6 MB · Views: 31
  • BZQ Parallagi Dia pantos evlogoumen, I Damascenos +750, 19-7-12.mp3
    3.3 MB · Views: 16
  • BZQ Parallagi Exomologeisthe, Legetos, Fokaefs, 19-7-12.mp3
    1.3 MB · Views: 22
  • BZQ Parallagi Logon agathon, Nafpliotis, 19-7-12.mp3
    1.1 MB · Views: 13
  • BZQ.zip
    55.2 KB · Views: 37

GeorgeStevens

Νέο μέλος
After I downloaded and installed VLC, I get the following error message when I click BZQ.exe in the support folder:

Component 'comdlg32.OCX' or one of its dependancies not correctly registered: a file is missing or invalid.

Any clue as to what i may be doing incorrectly?

The program sounds facinating and I would really like to try it out.

Thanks
 

GeorgeStevens

Νέο μέλος
I was getting an error message until I realized I was clicking on the zipped version of BZQ.exe. After I properly extracted the contents of this zip file the program started up correctly.

Sorry for my confusion, but no guarantee that I will not have equally incorrect posts on this issue in the future. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
 

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
After I downloaded and installed VLC, I get the following error message when I click BZQ.exe in the support folder:

Component 'comdlg32.OCX' or one of its dependancies not correctly registered: a file is missing or invalid.

Any clue as to what i may be doing incorrectly?

The program sounds facinating and I would really like to try it out.

Thanks

You are running the executable file BZQ.exe from a different path (folder than where the 'comdlg32.OCX' is (normally the SUPPORT folder).
Action:
open the folder SUPPORT
sort the list by name
make sure the file 'comdlg32.OCX' exists there
in the same folder , double-click on BZQ.exe
This should work.
Please advise.

P.S.
After the above works,for easy running, right-click BZQ.exe and select "Send a shortcut to the Desktop".
you then run it directly from the Desktop.
BZQ should not be "formally installed". Just copy the whole folder BZQ to C: or better to the Desktop.
You may even copy it to your USB Stick and use it on other computers. It is trulu portable.
 

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
I was getting an error message until I realized I was clicking on the zipped version of BZQ.exe. After I properly extracted the contents of this zip file the program started up correctly.

Sorry for my confusion, but no guarantee that I will not have equally incorrect posts on this issue in the future. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
Our messages somehow crossed each other.
Donot worry about the confusion, we are about the same age,
we understand each other, we ... have all the time in th world...
 

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
Dear GeorgeStevens

I have now prepared a Step-By-Step guide for BZQ and I am attaching a copy herewith.
Kind regards,
P.Katsoulis
 

Attachments

  • BZQ - Step by Step.doc
    119 KB · Views: 72

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
Please find below a new build of the BZQ.exe file.
After unzipping, please simply Copy-Paste the file
to the folder "SUPPORT".
The old file BZQ.exe will be substituted.

Also attached here is a detailed instruction guide in Greek.
 

Attachments

  • BZQ.zip
    57.4 KB · Views: 21
  • BZQ - ΒΗΜΑ ΠΡΟΣ ΒΗΜΑ.doc
    189.5 KB · Views: 43

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
There is a recent development in the free BZQ Parallagi program:

The forum member kmironakis has succeded in running BZQ in Linux Suse and has been kind to send me the correct procedure as follows:

1. Right-click on the file BZQ.exe
2. Select: "Open with" Wine
This is possible because BZQ is in portable form (no install)
If BZQ had to be installed then Virtual Box with Windows XP would be needed.
VLC does not have to be installed to play the created .wav files.
They can also be played by other installed programs such Audacity, Banshee, etc.


This information may be useful to other Linux users and I thank kmironakis.

Please download a recent version of BZQ (build: 17th Jan. 2013 or later) from
http://bzquality.wordpress.com/
P.Katsoulis
 

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
The dear members of the forum are advised that the new version 3.6
of the free BZQ parallagi software
has been uploaded.

The new version includes the automatic creation
of simple Reverb
for an adjustable average wall distance 0 to 9 metres.

Download site:
http://bzquality.wordpress.com/
 

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
Free BZQ new Version 3.9 can read .pan files from Pandouris (of Mr. Petros K. Moustakas)
".pan" files are imported and native .BZQ files are rapidly generated.
The user may select the human voice, the strength of quality (flutter), etc.
BZQ then normally generates the parallagi.
The process is virtually seamless, only taking some quick consecutive clicks.

For consecutive/interactive study,
Pandouris and BZQ can be simultaneously opened (side-by-side) and
the student/researcher can change the score with Pandouris, save it, and
with just two key strokes F6 and F5 refresh the BZQ and code create the parallagi of the corrected Pandouris score.

The new .pan capability is in beta and new builds may have to be uploaded
depending on your comments.

As always, the newest free BZQ version will be found in:

http://bzquality.wordpress.com/
 

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
A new utility has emerged from B.M. scores read by the computer.
As already known, BZQ reads a B.M. score either from direct keystrokes e.g. D g ..b
or via import files from the B.M. writing programs "Pandouris" and "MK".
Of course, BZQ's main purpose is to generate a Parallagi (solfege). However, in the process, useful digital information about

the score is entered and saved in the computer, and the question then arises as to whether further ignore such data or try to

utilise them in some useful statistical way.

The new utility is the statistical processing of the entered score and may be of interest to the various B.M. researchers and

composers and so on, who wish to compare scores or check a new melody.

The new edition 4.2 of BZQ has an i button (for info) which initiates a statistical report of the given score.

We begin with a very short example of the phrase "Agios o Theos" (Holy God) and a few explanations may be needed:

The section "DISTRIBUTION OF INTERVALS" shows the percentage (%) of use for various intervals, e.g. the interval of 14 moria

(soft chromatic) is used in 12.5 percent of the intervals.

The section "LIST OF NOTES & ISOKRATIMA" shows each note used followed by:
-The interval relative to the previous note
-The exact final frequency (pitch) including corrections e.g. flat, transpose, tonality
-The duration of each note (beats)
-The ison in force
-The frequency (pitch) of the ison
-The interval between the ison and the score note
-A comment whether the ison is theoretically harmonic
-New line number

Finally, section "TONALITY" shows the lowest and highest notes used
and suggests a reasonable increase or decreasee in tonality to make singing easier for a typical Psaltis.

An extensive example (Halinous of Iakovos Protopsaltis) is attached for a better illustration of the statistics. View attachment bzq-HALINOUS-IAKOVOU.EN.Info.txt

Please be so kind to post your comments and suggestions for a more useful stastistical report.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • Agios O Theos info.jpg
    Agios O Theos info.jpg
    122.4 KB · Views: 254

Pappous43

Παλαιό Μέλος
Christ is risen, He is truly risen!

The new BZQ version 4.5 (Build 2014-05-09) has been uploaded to the home web page shown below.

BZQ will find and list the errors according to the
"106 Rules of Byzantine Music Orthography"

The new capability is still in "Alfa" version, under development.
The limitations currently are:
No scale transpose is supported (eg. if Di becomes Pa)
Rules 1-31 are supported.

The analysis and programming of more rules is in process
and new updates will be uploaded, until completion.
It is seems that prospective users might want to have access to the current un-finished version now,
without having to wait, also for testing and preparation purposes and feedback.

The easiest way of using the new capability is:
- enter a B.M. score in the Pandouris or MK programs
- Import the B.M. score into BZQ (as done up to now)
- Click on "ΛΑΘΗ-Errors"
See also http://analogion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=82455&d=1399381404

BZQ lists the errors (in the selected language)
by line and position of note (remember that + and \. count too),
Rule number (& sub-case),
the column "Wrong" showing the error
and the column "Correct" the specified correction etc.

Please do not hesitate to send a message if you encounter any problems
with the new feature.
 
Last edited:
Top