Finale/Sibelius/Overture/Notation

[Andrea Muttoni]

Hey guys,

This is my first post :) I am a hobbyist musician--I produce and compose hiphop/techno pieces as well as classical.

However, I have trouble finding the software I need. I would like to be able to make scores. I started years ago with Guitar Pro because I found it easy to work with. I now recently switched to Finale but I find it very hard to insert music from scratch, especially with a mouse.

I do have a midi keyboard, so what suggestions do you have? What software is best for transcribing ideas in my head, unto electronic scores?

In answering consider this:

- I play by ear
- I stupidly stopped music theory years ago and now struggle to read music above and below the 5 line pentagram.
- I liked guitar pro's way of being able to add notes by clicking on the keyboard on the screen...it really makes it easy for me

I hope to get some replies :)

Thanks,

- Rekshaw

[Andrea Muttoni]

I never said it was limited, only saying that some die-hard pro tools/cubase fans consider FL Studio to be limited. I honestly disagree with that opinion. They judge "limitedness" on price and learning curve, just because FL isn't 1000 dollars and doesn't take a masters degree to learn does not make it inferior :)

Sorry if it sounds accusatory, it is not directed at you at all, just at "them" :D

[Kevin Day]

I just bought Finale 2010, and am VERY happy with it. Although, I'm not sure how well it would do with hiphop/techno. I have couple friends who use Reason for that, and love it.

[Jesse Boley]

I think they call FL limited for other reasons... Its poor handling of resource heavy VSTi's, its insufficient midi editing features, its poor-quality audio engine, its primitive multi-track recording capabilities, it's entire UI being based on the UI of obsolete hardware... i could go on.

It's not inferior because it's easy to learn or cheap. It's inferior, because in nearly every meaningful way, it is inferior. Don't just write off other people's opinions (many of whom have a lot more experience than you do) as snobbery. Money has nothing to do with it. Reaper costs less than FL, and you'll hear nothing but love from the pro-audio community.

As for a notation programs, i find that Sibelius is far and away the best, though not necessarily easy to learn.

[Eva Green]

Take MagicScore Maestro, really a cool music composing and notation tool. I've been using it for a while and am very pleased.

[Jesse Boley]

I've never heard of this program, but can't help but wonder if you are a spammer, as your only activity here seems to be plugging this software.

Eva Green said:

Take MagicScore Maestro, really a cool music composing and notation tool. I've been using it for a while and am very pleased.