Notation software

[ATW10C]

My normal way of writing my compositions is in a "non standard" format. I use the letters and a comma if there is a long pause, spaces to delineate phrases.

So I need a notation software where I "play into" it and it renders the midi input into a nice sheet for archiving purpose.

The catch is, it appears that the famous and some of them rather high priced notation software do have a lot of features, capacities to score for an orchestra, etc, they don't render/quantized midi poorly.

Finale, Notepad and Print Music - failed. Hell, the playback from the render music sheet was bad, bad, bad. Capella, bad... Sibelius I haven't tried but think after seeing what happen so far, rendering midi into sheet isn't their bread and butter.

I am down to Overture/Score Writer and Harmony Assistant/Melody Assistant. Overture's rendering is ok, just and it is expensive, US$300 and US$59 while Harmony Assistant at US$85 (Melody is US$25) render quite well.

But you know, being somewhat new, there may be things to look for that I don't know. And it could be a good sequencer software makes having a Notation software useless. Does it?

I am starting to try non real time input via keyboard and off course the keys are in but no rhythm makes it look and sound weird. Damn troublesome to work this way.

Advice anyone?

 

[Cheez]

So sorry I missed this thread. I'm surprised Finale didn't work out for you. As you already noted, Sibelius (the other industry standard) is more focused on input (like a "word processor"). The other to try out is Notion, but it's still focused on input using the mouse.

If these software quantization isn't your cup of tea, you may have to go the DAW way. All of them do notation - sufficient for archiving but may not cut for a copyist and engraving purposes. How many tracks do you score?

As I said, this thread is almost 2 months old. You may have already found a solution. If so, do share with us what worked for you.

Also, I'm interested to have a look at your "unconventional" method of scoring (ie your "commas" and "spaces"). Can scan a simple piece and show us?

 

[JonEthan]

Sibelius comes with a tool that can do notation of Mp3 files. SO you basically just recording yourself playing, then use that tool to write the score for you. I can't remember the name of the tool though.. The one that comes with Sibelius is the lite version.

 

[ATW10C]

Didn't. Was thinking on Harmony Assistant but sigh,
Will just use Melody Assistant to produce notation and then get the songs copyrighted with the notation.
Harmony Assistant renders the midi I play correctly but editing is still very cumbersome. Piano roll easier.

Finale produce output that on playback, don't sound like the original. And I tweaked the quantitization parameters.
A cheapo $25 software can get it right but not a $500 one.
Even Synthesia can recognise the midi file and play it back as it was originally played.
http://www.synthesiagame.com/

One thing I have learnt is with music software, price and quality don't go together.

That's why I experimenting with Synth1. hehe.

Also, I cannot understand why a piano roll editor don't seem to have this as a basic function. With notation software, you can add a rest/silence between 2 notes, or a note between 2 notes by pointing your mouse to the space and right click after selected the symbol (eight note, etc).
But you can't do that in a piano roll. Instead, must select one whole block of notes and then move it. After creating a space this way can you paint a note.

But even with notation software (Finale, Overture, etc), its hard to do editing. Let say I think the space/rest is too long. I played and then for that portion, I pause too long. On playback, I can hear I paused too long. But they make it so cumbersome to adjust the pause. Can't I like set a minimum space to be say 1/16 and then spacebar to add more space or backspace to delete a 1/16 amount of silence.

Note, I have not tried Sibelius, so maybe Sibelius does it this way. Can it? And if can, what is the lowest version that allows it. 1 bass and 1 treble clef is perfect ok for my needs.

If I type a sentence and I want 2 spaces between 2 letter or words instead of 1, I just hit the spacebar another time. I don't want the space, I hit backspace. But its not like that with notation editors (including Melody Assistant). Or maybe Finale can do that. But Finale mangle the midi playback and thus the notation is not right in the first place.

Why is it so hard to tweak notes!!! Not impossible, but surely it can be as straightforward as in a Tracker. I have seen a Renoise video showing how it edits notes but the tracker representation is not very intuitive and Renoise has a lot of limitations.

I mean most piano roll editors can extend, delete notes, quantitize, do things like swing but I must copy a block of notes to add a space between notes and do it in a haphazard, not very precise fashion.

If there is a software that has a piano roll editor that can edit notes like in a tracker or word processor (and not Pro Tools cause someone at KVR said Pro Tools could), please please let me know and hopefully it's cheap.

Also, are there are cheaper physical modelling type of synths alternatives to AAS Ultra Analog and String Studio? Sounds that sound like acoustic but with a pleasant synthesized sound. I have seen Rhino2 having some low priced sound banks that have acoustic instrument sounds and some of the Synth1 soundbanks have some these type of sounds.

Not really big on making my own ones, not at the moment at least. Dependent on presets...

My scoring records. No need scan. Quite simple. Its a bit like jianbu but no numbers. I use alphabets.

G, A B C, D E F

If its A sharp, it will be written normally with # and flats with the small b. Notes above middle C octave, I put a line on top, notes below are underlined. Originally, I did it the opposite way, but I saw Jianpu style and switched but I will not use numbers.

So sorry I missed this thread. I'm surprised Finale didn't work out for you. As you already noted, Sibelius (the other industry standard) is more focused on input (like a "word processor"). The other to try out is Notion, but it's still focused on input using the mouse.

If these software quantization isn't your cup of tea, you may have to go the DAW way. All of them do notation - sufficient for archiving but may not cut for a copyist and engraving purposes. How many tracks do you score?

As I said, this thread is almost 2 months old. You may have already found a solution. If so, do share with us what worked for you.

Also, I'm interested to have a look at your "unconventional" method of scoring (ie your "commas" and "spaces"). Can scan a simple piece and show us?

 

[ATW10C]

Sibelius comes with a tool that can do notation of Mp3 files. SO you basically just recording yourself playing, then use that tool to write the score for you. I can't remember the name of the tool though.. The one that comes with Sibelius is the lite version.

Not only Sibelius, there's also WIDI
http://www.widisoft.com/english/mp3-midi-products.html

 

[Cheez]

There are quite a number of people in other forum who prefers Sibelius over Finale simply because Sibelius is more user friendly in terms of notation. But in your situation, I think you may want to stick to just piano roll. I've heard of people who wrote and sequenced really complex orchestral scores just by using piano roll alone!

I don't think Sibelius has cheaper versions like how Finale does it.

 

[Compozozer]

Hello,

I am happy with Obtiv Octava Composer.

http://www.professional-composer.com

Free demo limited up to 4 staves (but you can save!) is available for download.

I am Sibelius user but I wanted to have more, for example composing assistance.