After the last tutorial on how to download sheet music files there were some requests on how to upload files to the site for other readers to see.

If you've transcribed some music from Halo or any other Bungie or Wideload game and would like to share it with the community here through Rampancy's sheet music section, first you need to have an account, confirm that account, and be logged in. All of those steps are covered in the tutorial on How To Download Sheet Music Files. After you've followed those steps, come back here.

Prepare Your Files

Rampancy readers have prepared sheet music using a number of different programs: PrintMusic Pro is one. If you have the capability to do so you are strongly encouraged to create a version in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) so that it can be read in the free Adobe Reader by people who do not have access to a dedicated sheet music program like PrintMusic.

Apple's Mac OS X has the capability built-in to produce a PDF file from any document that can be printed. For Windows users, the program CutePDF has been suggested to me as a good program to use that is free.

Once you've got your files collected, in whatever format, it is probably preferable to assemble them into a folder and create a .zip archive of that folder. This step is not completely necessary; it is possible to attach more than one individual file to a sheet music entry. A single archive file, however, is more convenient for readers.

Create A Blog Entry

Before you can upload your file(s) to the site you must create a page that you can attach the files to. In order to create a page or upload a file, you must be a registered and confirmed user, and you must be logged in to your account. If you haven't done this already read the How To Download Sheet Music Files tutorial for the steps, then return here.

Sheet music files are attached to a blog entry. A blog entry created by you will show up on the list of blog entries on the site, and will appear in your blog. You can create a blog entry for any reason you like, not just to upload sheet music, and you will have a place to easily locate the entries you have created.

To begin creating a blog entry, use this link:

http://rampancy.net/node/add/blog

While you are logged in, Blog is the first option available if you expand the "create content" menu item, which is the first item in the menu block in the left hand column, directly underneath the Google Ads.

Write Your Entry

First your Blog entry will need a Title. The title should include the name of the piece of music you are submitting, as well as any additional information about the arrangement that would be helpful to the reader. The title should be written in word case: the first letter of each word in upper case.

Here are examples of properly formatted titles:

Halo 2 Main Theme For Piano

Unforgotten For String Orchestra

Categorize Your Entry

So that your sheet music entry will be displayed in the correct areas so that readers can find it, you need to choose the proper entries under the category groups topic, platform, game and category.

Under topic, the relevant items would probably be:

• bungie
• certain affinity
• ensemble
• wideload
• wingnut

Choose whichever one is appropriate. Most everything here is tagged "Bungie" because it is part of the soundtrack to a Bungie game, an entry in the Marathon, Myth, or Halo series. However if you are submitted sheet music for a piece from the soundtrack to Stubbs the Zombie, for instance, use wideload. If it's for the Ensemble's Halo Wars, choose ensemble.

Ignore the other possibilities under topic.

You can leave the platform entry blank unless you wish to be more descriptive. Obviously the Halo games may be tagged xbox, pc and mac, while the Myth games can be tagged pc and mac and Marathon games tagged mac and xbox (although there is a PC port of Marathon 2-- however Marathon 2 has no music except for the main title.

Under the game heading, choose the game you're submitting a sheet music entry for. Choose the specific game-- not just Halo, but Halo 2 or Halo 3 as appropriate.

Under category, choose the sheet music subitem of the soundtrack tag. This is the most important tag. If you don't choose this, your entry will NOT show up on the sheet music page!

Most uploaders will be contributing transcriptions they have done themselves and not commercially available sheet music. If your post is an uploaded community transcription and NOT a link to a commercially available sheet music purchase, also add the community tag. You can select more than one tag in a group by using the control key in Windows or the command key in Mac OS X.

Write A Description

In the large text window write a description of your sheet music file: any notes you want the reader to know about how and why you transcribed it, the instruments you wrote your transcription for, anything else.

Attach The File(s)

Now you're ready to attach your file(s).

Scroll down a bit from the large text window to the item marked "file attachments" and click the triangle next to it to expand the file attachment interface. (File uploading requires you have a reasonably new browser with javascript activated.)

Click the "attach new file" button and navigate to the desired file on your hard drive.

Once you've chosen the file, click the "attach" button. You should see an animated progress bar that shows your file upload progress.

File sizes are limited to 12Mb and less, but for sheet music attachments you should keep files to a couple of megabytes or less. Please upload only sheet music transcriptions you have done yourself. MIDI files, if you have them, may also be included. If you wish to include MP3 performances please contact me first. Under no circumstances include MP3 files recorded from the game or from the soundtrack!

Submit Your Sheet Music

Click the submit at the bottom of the form to create your page. Until you hit submit your attached file is not saved! Do NOT use the preview feature on sheet music after you have attached a file. Clicking preview will NOT save your file. If you wish to preview your other selections, do it after you've written a title and description, but before you attach your file.

Notify The Webmaster

Then send me a message through the site or email me at narcogen@rampancy.net to let me know about your submission.