Finale or Sibelius??

[mozartgonebad]

I was just wondering for those of you that compose music, what kind of music notation software do you use? I am only aware of Finale and Sibelius, and currently use Sibelius 3.

-mozartgonebad

[Antnee]

There were a few threads about this...

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1085891013;start=0

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=misc;action=display;num=1081395715;start=7

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1090884267;start=4

[Tash]

wel i use sibelius cos that's what they had at school and then we could get a student discount on it. i don't mind it but i hate the way it makes all the instruments sound- nothing sounds good on it!i dunno if finale is better but i don't compose that much so it doesn't really affect me

[DarkWind]

It's MIDI, it all sounds the same. Unless you used Kontakt silver. In which case, shell out $200+ and buy yourself Garritan Personal Orchestra, best sounds ever. Same thing with Finale. Smart Sound SoftSynth isn't any amazing thing either. GPO gets you amazing, almost real, orchestral sounds.

[dveej]

Ok, all you computer geekly pianists out there: isn't there some opensource program that does what Finale or Sibelius does? Have you used it, and which is the best?
When I searched I found Lilypond and MusicXML, but both seem incredibly difficult to learn and hard to input (no GUI--except there's this Denemo GUI for Lilypond but it seems impossible to use...).
So, I don't want to spend the $250 for Finalbelius. What are my options: just download an illegal version, or is there an opensource version that is decent?

[BoliverAllmon]

I use Sibelius. I like the lay out better.

[Etude]

I've never used finale, so I don't know what it's like, I use sibelius, and it works perfectly.  There are some areas of notation where it falls short but there are ways to get around these limitations.

[greyrune]

Ok, all you computer geekly pianists out there: isn't there some opensource program that does what Finale or Sibelius does? Have you used it, and which is the best?
When I searched I found Lilypond and MusicXML, but both seem incredibly difficult to learn and hard to input (no GUI--except there's this Denemo GUI for Lilypond but it seems impossible to use...).
So, I don't want to spend the $250 for Finalbelius. What are my options: just download an illegal version, or is there an opensource version that is decent?

you can get finale notepad free, i've been using this, it does all the basics though there are definately restrictions.  If you want something good you have to pay but i think this is pretty good for free.

[Waldszenen]

I prefer Finale


Don't use Notepad - it's pretty sucky compared to the full version of Finale. It costs a shitload, mark you.

[popndekl]

finale is so damn complicated - help file comes in pdf, around 3500 pages...
i don't know why did they have to introduce one special tool for editing notes, one for measures, one for staves, one for cleffs...

i got mad when i just couldn't get quarter and eighth note in a tuplet at the end of a measure. sick. thank god i didn't buy it 

i think i would write such a program a bit simpler. anyone interested in programming a simple notation program?

[Dazzer]

No but i give my money to Sibelius.

though i heard there's a new one coming out... Notation or something... can't remember.

[dveej]

I actually own a copy (which I bought for $US 70) of PrintMusic 2001, which is a lower version of Finale, better than Notepad but not as good as the full Finale.

I have been using PrintMusic for about 4 years now, and I will admit it was not always easy to use. But I have come to depend on it.

But you guys aren't answering my question: don't any of you use opensource programs? I just thought that all you physics types would be geekly enough to dive into arcane stuff like that, and was hoping you would teach lesser mortals like myself 

[sara81]

Well,I think that Sibelius is better.It has much more options.

I compose a little bit,and I use Sibelius.

[oh my god,this just sounded like a comercial for beer--->drink Heineken,it' much better ]

[jazz_man]

I use Finale, never tried Sibelius before.

[quantum]

I'd love to see some open source notation program.

I use Finale, and love it.  I find that if you are looking to quickly get through the process of notation and have decent results, use Sibelius.  If you want to have the power of infinately tweaking your score and produce high quality results that rival the best publishers, use Finale.  I have heard from musicians that more advanced and complex scores are more difficult to input in Sibelius, while Finale definately has the steeper learning curve. 

[tanman]

I use Finale and I had no idea how to operate it. Really complicated. I figured it out and now I love it!
WARNING: DO NOT GET THE NOTEPAD. IT REALLY SUCKS.

[richard black]

I believe Score is still the system of choice for those seeking the highest quality output.