Notation software query

[zebra555]

Could anyone recommend a good notation software package that isn’t too expensive - what I would like to do from time to time is put in notation that it can play it back, and at varying tempos.
Thanks.

[klavieronin]

Dorico. There are three versions; SE (free), Elements ($149), and Pro ($838).
Musescore is also free.

[quantum]

Musescore is free and opensource.  It is positioned to be a viable alternative to the big two commercial software packages. 

LilyPond is free and opensource.  It is very different from most notation software in that it is  text based entry.  Think what LaTeX does for typesetting or math. 

[timothy42b]

I use Noteworthy Composer for that.  I found it more intuitive than Musescore, but YMMV> 

[zebra555]

Thanks to you all for your help and suggestions. Much appreciated.

[zebra555]

Thanks again for your suggestions - I’m trying Musescore and Noteworthy Composer, and I’m finding the latter more intuitive to use as Timothy42b said he finds. The package is just what I was looking for but I’m stuck on one particular thing that I can’t work out.

When I put my score in, when played back any notes that aren’t exactly aligned on the treble and bass clefs sound sloppy - the notes that should be played together are sounded slightly one before the other. I noticed on Musescore that the package corrected for this and scores sound better on playback.

Does anyone know whether there’s an easy way to achieve the same in Notewothy Composer? I feel it must be possible but I can’t find the function for it. Can anyone help?

[timothy42b]

I haven't had that issue with Noteworthy.  Can you share an example?  I'll type it into mine and play with it, see if I can duplicate it. 

A lot of people love Musescore, but I struggled with it.  I have a hypothesis on why.  I think there is more than one way to do some things, and they chose a way that avoided any copyright issues, and it ended up being too far from standard for me. 

[zebra555]

Thanks for the offer to help. I’m struggling with ornaments in an Anna Magdalena piece, so I thought I’d try to get a recording of the score in various tempos to help me learn the bits a find difficult. As you haven’t had this problem in Noteworthy before I’ll have another go from scratch in case I did something without realizing that created this issue. If it still doesn’t work, I’ll send the example as you suggest. Thanks again.

[zebra555]

I've tried again on a new file and the same thing happens. Unfortunately I can't work out how to upload the file to send you as an example, so I'm snookered!  I would really like to use Crescendo as it's very easy to use otherwise.

[timothy42b]

I have AMG somewhere, or it's probably on IMSLP.  Tell me which piece and what measures and I'll see what happens.

[zebra555]

That’s really kind of you. The piece is the Anh 120 minuet in A minor in the AM set.

I wonder if the problem I’m having stems from not starting properly with the stave set for treble and bass for piano - that doesn’t seem an easy step in the NC software.

Thank you for your offer to help.

[zebra555]

Sorry, I also should have said that it’s a problem everywhere in the piece where there is a note in the RH and a note in the LH to be played together. It’s more noticeable at slower playback speeds.

[timothy42b]

When you start typing a new piece, you have several options.  I have an older version, don't know exactly what you see.

I choose blank score, and I get a staff with no clef.  I add a clef.

Then I go to staff and add as many as I want, each time choosing the clef and the key.  I most commonly am writing SATB but I never use the default SATB, I just add the number of staffs I need. 

Here's a recent one I did, using midi format because it takes up like zero space.  I did this to have a play back while I worked out a descant.  See what you think - are these chords rolled slightly, or not?  Really hard to tell.  But the dotted quarter eighth rhymns sound right on.  You may have noticed something that I hadn't picked up on. 

[zebra555]

Hi Tim.  Being able to see your file has been a real help - I was surprised to see that the playback is via MuseScore and would have been confused if I'd try to save my file and use the playback from a midi file.  I was using the playback on the software program itself, not that I'd imagine that would make a difference but I learnt something there.

I've spent a while on a new piece with fresh eyes and I think I've solved the problem by using the Autoformat when I've copied the measures out. I don't think the sound is perfectly together when it should be (that might just be me!) but I can live with it. I would send the file but I still can't work out to upload onto PS; I'd have done this so that you may have been able to advise me on what I've got wrong with the bar lines at the end of each line of music.  I just can't work out how to get that right (but again it's not the biggest problem for what I'm trying to achieve).  On the same issue, I can't get a blank new file either as the default always has one treble clef to build on in my version. Anyway, I'm pleased to have got this far!

The Noteworthy Composer is very intuitive as you say - apart from the clefs and bar line issues, I'm finding it easy to use.  For difficult measures that I struggle with, this is going to help my learning enormously.

I really appreciate your help with this - thanks again.

Kath

[volcanoadam]

I don't think the sound is perfectly together when it should be (that might just be me!) but I can live with it.

You can't expect too much from the playback. It's music score software, so playback is only to help you work with the score, it's not meant to be a music player. So, you'd better get used to it.

I would send the file but I still can't work out to upload onto PS;

Below the post reply you have Attachments option. Just click on the + sign.

[timothy42b]

If it will help I will upload the actual Noteworthy file.

I use midi because I email stuff to the choir so the non readers can practice.  Midi is easy because it takes no space.  When you save in Noteworthy you have the option to save as .nwc or as .mid.  Midi files play on any media player, you must have set yours to default to Musescore accidently. 

I sometimes do an SATB piece, and set one part to F and the others to mp, and save as midi 4 different ways, then email to the choir so they can hear their voice louder but in the context of the piece. 

[zebra555]

Thanks for offering to send the file - I think, though, that I can manage for now after the help and pointers you’ve given me so far. I should be able to work from this and I’ve got what I need.

I take the point about expecting too much from the playback. In musescore it’s difficult to input the score but the playback is fine; the reverse is true for Noteworthy! What I’d not expected was the process of getting the score into the software is helping me notice more detail about the music, so there’s an additional benefit to using it.

Thanks for all comments and help.