Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw

Subject: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: Stringsinger
Date: 20 Mar 12 - 01:53 PM

Notion3 is being touted as being better than Finale or Sibelius.
Does anyone have information and comparison experience.

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Mar 12 - 02:07 PM

MuseScore (free) is as good as I've encountered.

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 20 Mar 12 - 06:03 PM

from the notion3 website:

"NOTION3 is the only notation product with full ReWire integration that supports both host and slave options. Built to be compatible with digital audio workstations, NOTION3 works effortlessly with third-party VSTi libraries and VST effects, has full MIDI functionality, and can save as or import audio files."

Since I have no idea what they are talking about (host? slave? VST?), I don't believe the program is for me. I'll stick with NoteworthyComposer.

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: Stringsinger
Date: 20 Mar 12 - 06:32 PM

A lot depends on what you need the program to do. Sibelius works for me and prints out a nice sheet whether lead or orchestral.

I just needed to know if anyone had used Notion3 and had an informed opinion on it.

Finale, for me, is too dependent on many steps and Sibelius does what I need it to do
with less moves.

The next question this engenders is why do you like NoteworthyComposer or MuseScore?
What are the principal features that it has that you like?

Dick, have you used Finale or Sibelius?

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Mar 12 - 06:50 PM

TRied both. Both are good, flexible, expensive programs. As far as I can tell, Musescore does what they do. I've used Noteworthy, but its dependence on a mouse drove me nuts.

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: Jon Corelis
Date: 21 Mar 12 - 09:42 AM

I haven't used Notation, but I've used some of the other software mentioned, so I'll share my experience.

Musescore is completely free, relatively easy to learn, and makes really good looking printed scores. Downside: it is more buggy than you'd tolerate from a paid program, documentation is inadequate, and the sound file function is limited. The free sound font that comes with it is adequate but not really good enough for professional level work. You can install other sound fonts, but it's a little awkward to do, and unless you're willing to spend money, you probably aren't going to get much better ones. Also, Musescore can't generate mp3 files directly (though I believe there are plans to add this ability in the future); you have to save your Musescore music as a .wav file, and then use some other software to convert the .wav to .mp3. To be fair, Musescore really is intended as an application to generate printed scores, with the player something of an afterthought. Musescore is good for quickly generating fairly simple demo sound files, but isn't in my opinion good enough for producing professional level ones.

Finale has a cluster of related products, of which I've used the demo version of Finale and the demo and paid versions of Songwriter. Finale is very expensive, very hard and long to master, makes great looking scores, and can produce professional quality sound files which can include just about any sort of performance dynamics you want. If you are composing music to sell (whether for entertainment, commercials, movies, or video games,) Finale will do the job. If that's not what you are doing, though, I don't think Finale will be worth the time and expense.

Songwriter is one of several stripped down versions of Finale. It is much cheaper, easier to learn, makes equally good scores, and almost as good song files. Songwriter's sound font (if I remember correctly) is more limited, and you have less control over performance dynamics, but you can still get startlingly live-sounding files from it.

You can get free demo programs of Finale and Songwriter. If you buy Songwriter, you can get the price back in the form of a discount if you decide to upgrade to Finale.

Jon Corelis
Euripides' Hippolytos: A performance version with music

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: Jon Corelis
Date: 21 Mar 12 - 09:49 AM

Sorry, above for Notation read Notion3.

Jon Corelis

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: Jon Corelis
Date: 21 Mar 12 - 09:52 AM

oops and for "almost as good song files" read "almost as good sound files."

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: Stringsinger
Date: 21 Mar 12 - 10:29 AM

Yes, I've used Finale. It's a major learning curve for non-techs like me.

I'm still looking for user info on Notion3. If it's better than Sibelius, or Finale,
I need to know why. Otherwise, I'll just stick to Sibelius which makes clean scores
and I can transfer a MIDI to my Logic 8 program and generate a pretty good score
from that.

Problem: the computer generated score requires audio files over it to humanize it.

I have to overdub live instruments and the vocal is an audio file.

As for Musescore, does it expand to orchestral instruments for backup to a song?
Or is it just a lead sheet generator?

The glitch thing bothers me also. You get what you pay for.

One of the best easy to use programs was the one Passport produced, Encore which was fast and had a feature that I liked, instant rehearsal before writing another part. You could hear what you wanted before you wrote it. The scores generated were not as professional as Sibelius or Finale, however. With another step, you can get this feature on Sibelius but it's more tiime consuming. You select that which you want to harmonize and play it while you play your rehearsal. it's still less convenient than Encore. It might be a great scratch pad tool though if you could import into Sibelius or Finale.

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Mar 12 - 10:36 AM

Yes, you can write complete orchestral scores and make sound files with Musescore, though I've never tried to do anything complicated with it.

Besides the Musescore project site (link above), there is a Musescore user community site where you can see and hear many examples of Musescore creations.

Jon Corelis
Jon Corelis on Musescore

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Mar 12 - 10:41 AM

Why do I like Noteworthy Composer?

1. It can do what I want it to do - notate, play and print music for my friends and my church.

2. It costs $50.

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 22 Mar 12 - 07:01 AM

Stringsinger - Musescore has the advantage of being free. Only you can decide if it does what you want, but it won't cost you a penny to find out.
There is even a portable version of the programme which you can put on a USB stick and run it on someone else's PC. http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/musescore_portable
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: Tootler
Date: 22 Mar 12 - 09:57 AM

Try again - first attempt at reply went into the ether.

Why I like Noteworthy Composer

1. As leeneia says

2. Shallow learning curve. Can very quickly produce usable notation from initial tryout

3. Midi playback. Has full range of midi effects available so can act as an effective alternative to a midi sequencer.

4. Continuous improvement from the program's creator. He listens to concerns and suggestions on the user forum and has responded to those to improve the program over the years.

For a modest outlay (It cost me ~£25GB when I first bought it) it has proved remarkable value for money.

For a modest outlay of

Subject: RE: Tech: Has anyone used Notion3 notational softw
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Mar 12 - 10:04 AM

"There is even a portable version of the programme which you can put on a USB stick and run it on someone else's PC."


Me, I wouldn't do that. Sound programs can have unpredictable effects. Take it from one who has been doing MIDI on a computer for many years.

My fears may be obsolete, but there's only one way to find out - to stick in the USB and see if your friend's computer is messed up or not. It's not worth the risk.

I say, given how much computers cost and how much they mean to a person, spend the money for a recognized program by a reputable firm. One thing I mean by "reputable" is that they are in business and are registered as a corporation in the state or nation where their headquarters is.