The ABC notation concept requires nothing more than a word processor to notate music. I have recently submiited a user guide ti this forum to attempt to de-mystify it. IMHO it is a snap to learn.

You will need a printing package to print it out, but I am not aware of a totally free one. At the ABC Homepage (there is a link in the thread I referred to) you will find a refernce to a package that does just this. Maybe it's ABCWin? I haven't used it but other Mudcatters certainly have.

Hope that this helps.

Regards
John