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What should I pick when making sheet music?

Started by fabbemannen, November 22, 2010, 02:41:49 AM

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fabbemannen

I think we need a page for what kind of program we should use when making our arrangements. I've been using Finale Notepad since it's free, but now I need a new program (school had to format the computers...)

So I'm wondering what your favorite program is, and if it's free or not

The Deku Trombonist

Well, if you want stuff to end up on the site, then you pretty much have to use some kind of Finale product.

Personally, I quite like using Sibelius, probably because that's what the school's got and that's what I first learned to use. I especially like how the note entry system is essentially based around the Numpad. I think it's a little harder to learn how to use but it ends up being faster in the long run. It's got loads of features and they're not hidden in special menus that only pop up when you select a tool. Having said that, it's not cheap (the same price as full Finale) and it doesn't come on different versions ranging from limited to full features which, depending on how you take it, can be a good or a bad thing.

There was a period where I used to do all my arrangements in Sibelius, export them as Midi files and then tidy them up in Finale because I found the note entry system so slow.

But like I said, if you want your stuff to end up on the site, you'll need something from the Finale family of products.

fabbemannen

I got Finale Notepad 2011 now, but I think it is good for beginners to have a topic for what they should choose

Shadoninja

#3
Songwriter is probably the best affordable Finale option for our purposes based on a quick readthrough of "compare features." I don't know what it's like to use it or if it can do things like mid measure key change.

Outside of finale, noteworthy composer is a decent choice. There's a 30 day trial limit and a save limit.
"And so my saga of quoting myself in everyone's signature continues" - dudeman

Sekter77

The program I started out with before Finale is called Noteflight.
You can get a 25 song limit for the free signup with only a few features disabled. It's also completely operated in your web browser with all the pros and cons that come from that. It's pretty quick to write stuff in it and really easy to go back and edit notes and such. Plus you can upload your music online and let people comment on it.
Guitar and video games.

Winter

#5
Concerning Noteflight, how would you go about adding measures, Sekter?

EDIT: Figured it out.

Sekter77

Nice.
Does Noteflight work alright? I've never known anyone else who's used it so I wonder if it's functional for people besides just me. :V
Guitar and video games.

Winter

I enjoy it, but there's only 1 thing I don't like, TERRIBLE sound quality.

but the copy/paste thing is sweet

you can check out the song I arranged on Noteflight by going to my composition page :)

MoboMoga

I use Noteflight too, and I tried to use Finale, but it always crashes.  :-\

But I can't do some of the formatting for the sheets (title not bold, etc.) and furthermore, I don't know how to make it into a .mus file (I know it's a Finale file)...can someone help??  :(

K-NiGhT

Quote from: NocturneOfShadow on April 28, 2015, 06:48:06 PM
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Winter