Music Writing Software

[HelenG]

Yup, I just went through this and finale notepad is free and avoids you having to fiddle about with abc; you just click notes onto the lines, then get it to play back what you've put, you don't even need your instrument to check it as you go. It's very easy to get going and for an amateur dabbler like me seems spot on.

 

Everyone will now tell you how easy abc is and that you really should go through a learning exercise to interpose an intermediate stage to get what you want. Sorry folks, I don't believe you!

 

Thanks for all the info - wht I'd like to know aside from all this is how we went part way round Aus and NZ last year and the only concertinas we saw were in the museum at Arrowtown - and they were 20 button Anglos from the old gold mining era - mind you, we only went to South Island in NZ, and we aren't shopaholics, so that might account for it!

 

I've tried downloading finale notepad after seeing your offerings on the other part of the forum - and my computer won't do it - says the security on the site isn't working or something, so that was when I had a go at Noteworthy - seems OK except my computer went off just as I'd finished a couple of lines so I lost the work - am about to have another go (copying non-copywrite tunes seems a good way for a near beginner to learn timing I've found!) Did you have a problem with this security thing and if so what did you do? I had a similar thing happen with Melody and Harmony assistants, but it let me ignore all the warnings for them - this one won't do that, it just won't let me continue at all!

 

Just noticed that you play duet - a few months ago I bought an old Maccann that I'm going to do up - daughter's wedding is getting in the way at the moment, but after August it shoud be OK - can't wait to have a go at it, despite what others say!

[m3838]

I downloaded Finale Notepad last night and went through brief tutorial.

But it suggested I learn to use keyboard shortcuts right away (not my intention) and ended quickly, so I couldn't even learn to put bars in place, or how to transpose, or how to put repeat symbols etc.

So how do you transpose with Finale Notepad?

Say, I have Cello duets in bass cleff and want to transpose it to trebble cleff.

I couldn't find any tools to do it. The way I worked around is:

1. Open new file and set the key signatures and cleff.

2. Copy/paste measure by measure from Cello score to new page.

3. Manually move all the notes up 7 tones

---------------- Now I see that the low notes are too low, or that high notes go beyound the scope of my instrument.

So I opened new document and gave it different time signature.

After three trials I transposed Bass cleff score with three sharps into Trebble cleff with one flat. Only the very lowest F had to be replaced with the rest in few places.

 

But I'm sure it's not the best way to use the software, and the help button doesn't work.

[mike averill]

I've use FInale Printmusic 2001, guess its time I upgraded. Highly recomended - it didnt break the bank and produces much more readable scores than the abc programs I've tried. The results are really proffessional.

[Dirge]

Morning...

 

Helen; I haven't seen any other squeezeboxes here apart from what I own, except a couple of nondescript Lachenals on the local version of Ebay. Lots of accordions though. But a music shop down here will only have about 5 instruments that aren't guitars or drums (or ukeleles). Apparently Kiwis all want to be pop stars or sing around the beach barbecue.

 

I had no trouble getting finale. Is this your virus checker being hyper-sensitive, in which case can you tell it to mind it's own business and download anyway? I'm not really the bloke to ask that one I'm afraid, but I have the free AVG thing only (as recommended by our local computer shop/internet cafe) and that let it in.

 

The others know that duets have the potential to play such impressive music that you used to be able to earn a living as a music hall artist with one. They're jealous. What is it?(anorak question)

 

M3838; I didn't even do the tutorial so you're ahead of me, but I was almost immediately achieving what I wanted, (which didn't include transposing, I'd probably have worked out where I wanted it and transposed the melody as I entered it) the only thing that troubled me was the apparently fixed length of the piece, but someone else posted a solution last time. I haven't been back to it; I was so underwhelmed by my porridge like attempt at 'It's a Sin To Tell A Lie' that I'm reading a music theory book to try and get some tips! That's not because I'm not happy that it's what I wanted though. Don't forget that in my case you are talking muppet level user.

 

Mike; that's the 'bolt on' full version of the notepad I've got isn't it? Did you have the same free notepad trial and, if so, what did you particularly want for your upgrade? (if you can remember). Or, put another way, what am I going to find frustrating about notepad?

 

Must be a difficult balance knowing how much 'free' to give the punters; but the fuller no-strings Finale offering means that that's the one I'm predisposed to; I'm now probably at the stage where, if I did upgrade, it would be with them unless I found something I really didn't like. On the other hand I may never feel the need because they've been so generous, but I have told others about them...tricky.

[Woody]

The others know that duets have the potential to play such impressive music that you used to be able to earn a living as a music hall artist with one. They're jealous. What is it?(anorak question)

Well they are very impressive it's true, but anybody who has an instrument with that many buttons is surely not to be trusted

[HelenG]

The others know that duets have the potential to play such impressive music that you used to be able to earn a living as a music hall artist with one. They're jealous. What is it?(anorak question)

Well they are very impressive it's true, but anybody who has an instrument with that many buttons is surely not to be trusted

What do you play, Woody - did I see that it was an anglo? That's my husband's instrument - I've got rather more buttons than that (76) - but I'm afraid they're on 2 machines - both English - not counting my 36 buttons on the duet - few of which work at the moment, but I'm confident that they will eventually! Definitely not to be trusted!!!!!

[Woody]

The others know that duets have the potential to play such impressive music that you used to be able to earn a living as a music hall artist with one. They're jealous. What is it?(anorak question)

Well they are very impressive it's true, but anybody who has an instrument with that many buttons is surely not to be trusted

What do you play, Woody - did I see that it was an anglo? That's my husband's instrument - I've got rather more buttons than that (76) - but I'm afraid they're on 2 machines - both English - not counting my 36 buttons on the duet - few of which work at the moment, but I'm confident that they will eventually! Definitely not to be trusted!!!!!

[HelenG]

Yup, I just went through this and finale notepad is free and avoids you having to fiddle about with abc; you just click notes onto the lines, then get it to play back what you've put, you don't even need your instrument to check it as you go. It's very easy to get going and for an amateur dabbler like me seems spot on.

 

Everyone will now tell you how easy abc is and that you really should go through a learning exercise to interpose an intermediate stage to get what you want. Sorry folks, I don't believe you!

 

Hi again - good afternoon (or morning where we are) Just downloaded Notepad and was successful! Tried to write in a tune but it was too long and i ran out of bars - had to break it off at a strategic place and do the rest as a separate file!

 

Will now be ready to go to Swaledale at the weekend!

 

thanks for all the advice - still choosing between NoteWorthy and Notepad - I think Notepad's esier to use but the limitations on length could be a bit of a pain - any ideas from anyone?

 

By the way anybody out there, can I copy tunes from Tune-O-Tron onto either of these packages to try to put accompaniments onto them? I think that might be a good way of improving my 'feel' for what goes with what!

[Richard Morse]

I find it quite hard to get the tempo right

I suggest you give Noteworthy more of a try. It's easy to make it play in whatever tempo you want. Select the "tempo" button and it adds the tempo mark which you can make whatever speed you want. You can also make it appear "grayed out" (which means it won't print). You can change the tempo as many times as you want in a tune. You can add retards as well. One of the really nice things about NWC is that you can put the tempo indication on a second staff... which allows interesting things like making the whole tune *swing* even though you've written it with same-value notes. To make the tune swing, on the second staff I put a couple of rests which are the same value as the typical note in the tune, and tempo the second rest to be slightly faster than the first - and then put repeat bar (and tell it to repeat for 32 bars or however long your tune is. Makes it sound great with so little effort!

I want to write stuff (ie. baritone parts/accompaniments

You can write parts easily in NWC as you can make each tune with many staves. They needn't be in the same register or key. I find it handy to write parts for bass concertina in treble (that's the way concertina band arrangements are done) and tell NCW to sound the notes two octaves below where they're written. Also comes in handy for writing tunes that go far above the staff. You can write those notes an octave lower and put a line with "8va" and it will sound an octave above as written.

Did you have a problem with this security thing

I never have. Maybe there's something not adjusted correctly with your computer?

still choosing between NoteWorthy and Notepad - I think Notepad's esier to use but the limitations on length could be a bit of a pain

I've not used Notepad so I don't know how it compares to NWC for ease of use though NWC seems quite easy to me. It's also not length-limited (or maybe Notepad's limit is because it's a trial version?).

can I copy tunes from Tune-O-Tron onto either of these packages to try to put accompaniments onto them?

That's simple to do with NWC. Most of those files have a midi format version. Simply save the tune you want (ANY midi tune on the web) and open it it NWC - and there it is. No fooling with it at all. Of course you can change notes, add chords, add staves for backup or harmony, etc. Beware though that if you download really complex (orchestral, etc.) pieces they will be correspondingly complex in NWC. Another place that I go for tunes is The Session and the TuneDB for Irish and folk. Most often though when I want a particular tune I'll Google for it specifically such as "Moonlight Bay midi" and take my pick of the scores of versions out there. Download the one I really like and open it in NWC - and change the key to suit myself. Changing keys is also simple - you just click on the "transpose" button which will shift all the notes up or down as many semitones as you tell it to - and it will adjust the signature and accidental markings throughout it.

 

-- Rich --

[stuart estell]

Will now be ready to go to Swaledale at the weekend!

 

Excellent, see you there...

 

By the way, I always thought the received wisdom was that instruments that change shape when you play them aren't to be trusted... that covers a multitude of sins including the really insidious things like trombones

[geoffwright]

I recomend sticking with ABC - I can write ABC at work in notepad and no one notices.

[Fergus1970]

I recomend sticking with ABC - I can write ABC at work in notepad and no one notices.

 

I agree. So, here are my two cents:

 

http:\\AbcNavigator.free.fr

 

To me, the far best program to handle ABC's; and it's totally free!

[CaryK]

I don't want to get into the woes of the public schools, but don't they teach site reading in the second or third grade anymore?

 

Alan

 

I wasn't aware this was being done in any public school districts. My own background and my children's was in parochial schools and resources to teach music were just not there, other than for very basic sing alongs.

[asdormire]

I don't want to get into the woes of the public schools, but don't they teach site reading in the second or third grade anymore?

 

Alan

 

I wasn't aware this was being done in any public school districts. My own background and my children's was in parochial schools and resources to teach music were just not there, other than for very basic sing alongs.

 

 

I know not everyone actually learned it, and the basics were taught, notes, key signatures, the little numonics to remember what the notes where, values of the various notes and rest, etc. Basicly, all it did was give the grounding that I neede later in vocal classes and the private piano lessons my mother insisted on later, though I am sure it also gave the basics for the band and orchastra (fancy music ) students as well. Since we were never tested on that in the early grades, I know several kids just thought it was a break from regular class where they weren't learning anything either. I would swear my wife had it in Parochial grade school as well. It is nice to take a piece of music and just sit down and read it on the concertina now.

 

Alan

[Leo]

I wasn't aware this was being done in any public school districts. My own background and my children's was in parochial schools and resources to teach music were just not there, other than for very basic sing alongs.

Still taught in 3rd grade in some Western Pennsylvania public school districts under "Music Appreciation". Limited exposure, but there nonetheless. It is approved by each individual school district, and not statewide.

 

Thanks

Leo

[inventor]

A few months ago I bought SIBELIUS. This is a program that I have desired for a long time because I was so impressed by the results I had seen of music written by it. The usual selling price is around £440, but I spotted a copy for sale at a very good discount on the internet. Having determined that it was a legal copy (it came from a music shop that went bancrupt) I jumped at the chance, and it's legality was confirmed when I registered with Sibelius.

I play 68 & 46 button duets, and also play in a club that has Duets of all sizes from 39 to 84 buttons, and has a large group of English concertinas (treble, baritone, and counterbass) with a good number of Anglos too.

My musical likes are Baroque (mostly Handel and Vivaldi) and Trad music from the British Isles and America, together with some from Eastern Europe.

Sibelius has been able to handle absolutely anything that I have thrown at it. For the Baroque I write in 4 parts 2 violins (treble staff) viola (tenor staff) and Cello (bass staff). Having done this I can amalgamate this to a pair of parts for the duet, or with a few clicks turn the viola part to english treble III (treble I & II same as violins) and specify Tenor-treble if the music goes below g; and turn the cello into an octave below staff for the Baritones.

I think Sibelius is worth every penny of even the full price.

Inventor.

[Animaterra]

I don't want to get into the woes of the public schools, but don't they teach site reading in the second or third grade anymore?

 

Alan

 

I can only speak for the Keene, NH public schools, but all the children leave 5th grade (age 10-11) able to read treble clef, usually in at least 3 keys. I start playing "I spy" games with the lines and spaces with the first graders. Third graders begin recorders and strings, fourth and fifth graders have an option for band instruments. *Yes, indeed, we're reading up a storm!

 

As for computer software, Noteworthy has always worked for me!

 

Allison

 

* as soon as I can find a benefactor to give me 23 anglo concertinas, we'll play those as well!

[David Barnert]

If you want to go the ABC way, which I would recommend because;

• thousands of tunes already encoded
  
• does not clog up your machine with big files
  
• can be played directly from ABC (I can't sight read manuscript but can easily read ABC!)
  
• Its FREE
  

There is another reason why I prefer to use abc. Longevity.

 

If it is important to you that the files you create now will still be usable in 10 or 15 years, abc provides the best likelihood, due to its simplicity, ASCII format, and wide compatibility (many applications that can work with it).

 

I began creating music files on a Macintosh in 1986 using a program called "ConcertWare" from a company called Great Wave Software. Throughout the following decade, "ConcertWare" became "ConcertWare Pro" with added MIDI compatibility. Great Wave disappeared and the product was taken over by a company called Jump! Software. The upgrades kept coming, and I was very happy with the notation I could produce and the recordings I could make with the software driving a pair of inexpensive synthesizers.

 

By the mid 90s, however, Jump! had disappeared and the upgrades stopped coming. There is currently no software available that will access the files that I spent thousands of hours creating in the 80s and 90s on a modern Macintosh. The latest version of ConcertWare (v1.5.7, 1994) runs poorly in MAC OS 9 and not at all in OSX. The new Intel Macs cannot run OS 9. Amazing, you can run Windows on the new macs but not MAC OS 6.

 

Anyway, I don't know what will be available or what my needs will be in another ten years, but I expect that many the software products mentioned above will be as obsolete as ConcertWare is now. Even the software that I currently use with abc files will probably be long gone. But unlike the proprietary files from ConcertWare and many of the others that will be unopenable, I will still be able to open my abc files in any application that can open ascii text files (any word processor, for instance), and it should not be difficult to come up with software that can take them from there into more current formats.