Choosing Music Notation Software

2000-03-22 05:00 am

Excuse the lengthly note, but wish to provide background:

Using Midisoft Session to get melody to midi, then wish annotate/print it for a choir. Frequently sing six+ parts, and wish to combine multiple voices per staff (where legible). Used to use NoteWorthy, but (the older version) did not allow for changing of font (to CP1251/Cyrillic) so switched to Passport's MusicTime. Am sufficiently frustrated with software to consider a switch/upgrade.

Features that concern me:

a) an ability to CUT n' PASTE lyrics
b) margin control (able to increase left/right margin - for holepunching -
but leave the others smaller)
c) during step entry: selection of note duration through "fast keys",
rather than point n' click (this is the only shortcoming of my choice
to use MidiSoft)
d) support for "legato" "staccato" and normal "note fill" (notice that
some programs generate notes that are "held longer")
e) vastly prefer support for long file names (currently my MusicTime
Ver 3 doesn't)
f) usually combine Soprano and Alto in one staff, and when typing the
lyrics under the resultant chord, MT3 wants me to double up lyrics
(ask for explaination if you need it) - current I work around this
by typing the lyrics under one voice, then cut n' paste the other
voices in after the lyrics are finished
g) must be able to select CP1251/Cyrillic fonts for lyrics, titles, etc
h) allow to lack of time signature; some chants require me to change the
time signature for every stanza - this could be a product of "folk
melodies", but wish to cover it too. If I didn't need to specific the
number of beats per bar, it would assist greatly
i) not extremely necessary; but would be handy to allow lyrics above the
specified staff (for short solo's, etc)

I realize that with my current set-up, there are work-arounds for most
of my problems, but am quickly determining that with all my work-
arounds, I might as well just use a draw program!

Thanks for your assistance, and feel free to email your constructive
advice/notes.

I will monitor the replies to all my postings, and subject to sufficient input,
will put a summary on the alt.music.midi newsgroup in a while.

Posted to:

Newsgroups: alt.music.midi,cakewalk.general

Cakewalk's site: http://www.cakewalk.com
Could not find a user forum other than the USENET groups

NoteWorthy's site: http://www.noteworthysoftware.com
http://www.noteworthysoftware.com/nwcforum/active.htm

Passport's new owners' site: http://www.gvox.com
http://www.gvox.com/cgi-bin/Forum4/HTML/000013.html

Re: Choosing Music Notation Software

Reply #1 – 2000-03-22 05:00 am

Noteworthy supports all these things, if I understand them.

d) It supports Legato, Stacatto and default, but you have no control over them.

f) Multiple voices is supported with staff layering. You can give each layer is own set of lyrics, or assign two "verses" to a single layer.

h) Time signature may be omitted (defaults to 4/4), or hidden in the new 1.70 Beta. You can put any number of beats in a measure regardless of the time signature (unless you do the Audit Barlines command). As long as the number of beats matches, the bar lines will line up properly.

Unconditional YES to the rest.

Re: Choosing Music Notation Software

Reply #2 – 2000-03-23 05:00 am

Hi Steve,

Since you've already used an older version of NoteWorthy, why don't you give the 1.70 beta version a test-drive yourself? As you probably know, V1.xx upgrades are free to registered users, and you can find out first-hand whether it will suit your purposes. Most if not all music software packages will have their own core of enthusiastic adherents, and in my experience NoteWorthy users tend to be more exuberant than most; take that into account also, if you get stuck with a "how the heck do I ... " there are lots of helpful folk happy to lend a hand.