Tech: Which music software?

Subject: Tech: Which music software?
From: GUEST,Ian cookieless
Date: 25 Jun 07 - 05:39 PM

I want some simple music software that will do the following and I'd like some recommendations. I am in England and don't want to spend a fortune on something that does far more than I want. All I want it to do is:

1. be able to take a 4 line set of staves for SATB harmonies
2. play it back to me eletronically so that I can hear if I have made a mistake before I give it to a human being to play or sing
3. have the facility for words underneath the notes
4. print it out looking presentable

Any suggestions, anyone?

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 25 Jun 07 - 05:44 PM

"Please & Thank you"

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 25 Jun 07 - 05:47 PM

I use a program called MusicTime Deluxe. It's around $100, does what you'v described, and only has a couple bells and whistles. If you'd like to know more feel free to contact me.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 25 Jun 07 - 05:47 PM

Your Welcome

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: Tootler
Date: 25 Jun 07 - 06:12 PM

I use noteworthy composer. It will do all you ask and more besides and costs a very reasonable $39US. What is more, I have never come across a program which I was able to use effectively so quickly.

Take a look at their website http://www.noteworthysoftware.com/

You can download a trial copy which is fully functional. The only restriction is on the number of saves you can make with any one file.

I have no connection with noteworthy software, just a satisfied user.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From:
Date: 25 Jun 07 - 06:46 PM

Finale Notepad from Finale is free and can do that.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 07:29 AM

The ultimate in the score writing software field is Sibelius.
The latest version Sibelius 5 has just been released, and is very expensive at nearly £600.
But you can find earlier versions on Ebay for far less.
It is very good, absolutely professional in all respects, and if you are happy to work with a programme that knows far more about music than you do, would be the perfect choice.
Cheers
Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: MMario
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 08:31 AM

I'm another that is satisfied with Noteworthy composer. VERY easy learning curve; inexpensive, and quite powerful. There is also an add-in program that will let you export as ABC for posting as text

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: GUEST,Ian cookieless
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 08:58 AM

Thanks, Marc, Tootler and George. I have never used technology like this, but have been put off Sibelius by the price when I only want it to do one job. I'll look into Noteworthy and Finale.

Cheers
Ian

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: MMario
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 09:03 AM

I'm not sure - but at one time the free finale notepad would not *PRINT*; though there were workarounds.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: GUEST,Ian cookieless
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 09:07 AM

MMario, the site says it will print (though this doesn't mean it really will, of course). My question, as with any free software, is 'what is their motive for *giving* it away? And is there spyware attached?'

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: MMario
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 09:15 AM

I don't recall any spyware either when I used it or heard about since - but their motive for giving it away is that they have lots of other products; each with "more features! More powerful!"

I am, as I said, very partial to Noteworthy Composer, and partially because the product is stable, versatile without being complex, and in many ways more suited to *my* needs - which started as being a way to hear musical scores since I neither read music nor play an instrument. The lyric feature is a bit kludgy - but I have found adding lyrics to be somewhat of a problem with EVERYT package I've tried - and I have tried many.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 10:44 AM

My program HARMONY will do all of that and more.
And also read and write abc.
And do Guitar tab
Drag and drop editing of tunes

Download from my site

Free for a month, and a modest fee for registration

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: MMario
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 10:51 AM

BTW - HARMONY *is* an excellent program; written by a mudcat member and well worth the registration fee!

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: Grab
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 10:57 AM

I use Melody Assistant. It's shareware, which means you get nag screens if you've not paid but otherwise get all features working normally. It's generally pretty good.

Graham.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: ThreeSheds
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 11:31 AM

And theres MusEdit which is worth a look at

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 11:56 AM

MusicTime has a very easy to use lyrics feature.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: Bert
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 01:39 PM

Jim Lad, but Ian is cookieless, and you only say please and thank you if you're getting a cookie!!

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 01:42 PM

I would suggest that one additional "want" should be added to the list.

You'll find it very convenient to be able to "import" a midi file and to be able to "save as midi" from your scores. This is a feature commonly omitted (or disabled) in the free versions from the major program publishers, but will allow you to exchange "usable" scores between your own program and the one someone else may have. It must be noted that a score saved as midi, and reimported into the same program will not necessarily print the same score you originally entered; but at least you'll have "a score" to work with when you find an interesting midi.

Some of the free programs disable or limit printing, and some disable or limit saving, and it's sometimes not easy to tell from the descriptions what features are fully present and what ones are limited or missing.

"Nuances" in how the program works may or may not be significant to you.

Lin uses a program called "Print Music" (from Coda) that satisfies her completely. I don't like it much because (e.g.) you must set the note duration after you place the note, which seems awkward to me.

I use "Music Time Deluxe," (from GVox) which among other things lets you choose the note duration before placing it on the staff, and continue placing notes of the same duration without additional note-by-note editing. The note duration for the next note(s) can be changed with a single keystroke before you pick where to put it.

My recollection is that Print Music was about $90 (US) and Music Time Deluxe was about $130 (US). Having tried several "free" and "cheaper" programs, I considered both of them good investments even though neither of us uses them except occasionally.

Either of these will print a fairly decent score with multiple staves, although MTD gives you a lot more vesatility and control in the layout. MTD is also much more capable with respect to playing repeats, DS and DC sequences, Codas, etc. Both allow inserting lyrics. Both can save-as and import midi files. Neither of them is fully Windows-compliant (IMO), as they each have minor "glitches" that one has to learn to accomodate, but once you figure them out they're easily used.

There are far too many free/cheap/reasonable programs around for anyone to pick a "best," and all include "peculiarities" that may be insignificant to one user and insurmountable to another. Your own trial and error is the only reliable way to choose, although we can give you clues to narrow the field. I can't say that you'd really like either of these two programs, but can tell you that we find them suitable for our use. (The only thing we find missing is that neither of these does much good for tab notation.)

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: GUEST,pavane
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:29 AM

Thanks for the recommendation, MMario.
Still in Amsterdam, and I can't log in from work, I think. I forgot to put my name to the post!

And yes, HARMONY CAN import from,and export to, MIDI.
It even has styles which let you add bends and other ornamentation to the playback.

I will say that importing a MIDI file only really works when the file has been created on a sequencer. Files created by capturing a live performance have so many timing variations that the score is usually unusable.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: treewind
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 06:05 AM

I do it all for free with ABC notation, and text editor with ABC sytax highlighting (vim) and amcm2ps to convert it to a printable format.

I don't usually need to hear it (mainly because I don't usually write four parts), but if I wanted to I suppose I could pipe it though ABCMIDI and play the MIDI.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: treewind
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 06:06 AM

bugger! s/amcm2ps/abcm2ps of course

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: GUEST,pavane
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 01:06 PM

Naturally, HARMONY can do abc as well (with multiple parts), but of course, it is Windows-only.

HARMONY also allows drag and drop editing (as well as text editing). I think this is easier for the aligned text, which was originally requested, because you can just add the text to the appropriate notes. With abc, you have to get the whole line right in one go.

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: Lady Nancy
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 03:48 AM

I've used Personal Composer since the days of Windows 3.1 and it's great. There is a freebie version on their website - http://www.personalcomposer.co.uk/notation/personal_composer_software/ (sorry, can't do blue clicky things!). It does all of what you want and more, is almost idiot-proof (I don't actually read music and I can cope with it), printed page is excellent. I also use Sharp-Eye which scans the printed dots and then plays them, and you can import into PersComp or just save the MIDI file. In fact, I use Sibelius at work and I prefer PersComp which is a fraction of the cost - around £100 or £160-ish with SharpEye. And their help and support is brilliant too.

If you want to have a look at what I've used it for, download their freebie and PM me and I'll e-mail you some stuff to look at/listen to.

Lady Nancy x

Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 05:30 AM

Have a look at "Capella 2004"

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Subject: RE: Tech: Which music software?
From: dermod in salisbury
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 11:24 AM

I started with Music Time Deluxe, and it will meet your requirements. But as in all cut down versions, the limitions have a habit of soon becoming more apparent than the advantages. MTD's big brother is Encore, which in recent years has had a miserable development record. The nearest package to it is those in the Geniesoft stable, Score Writer, and Overture. That is where I have ended up, and very happily. OV4 combines advanced notation with both VST hosting and on score full midi-editing facilities It will automatically play back expressions and allow detailed fine tuning. The price is way below Sibelius and Finale which do not have comparable facilities. To add realism, I recommend you use the German Papelmedia soundfont sample set which, for about 40 euros, gives you a full range of real instrument sounds, plus choir and solo voices. If you want to check out either package, here are the links. http://www.papelmedia.de/english/
http://www.geniesoft.com/