Music Manuscript Programs on the Web

Most manufacturers produce a range of programs based on price. The cheaper versions are adequate for some circumstances but are generally severely restricive in what control you have over the result. For example you may not be able to set up a page of music the way you would like to, or it may only allow 2 staves of music when you need the option of more. So the more expensive the program, usually the more control you get with it. You get more features as well of course, but you may need to evaluate just what you need, how much you can spend and what it takes to learn the program.
Most manufacturers do offer demonstration versions of their product so that you can compare them. It is generally difficult to know simply by their sales blurbs because according to these every one of their programs can do 'everything' and is 'just what the serious musician 'needs'. Well that may be an exaggeration but you get the point.

Most music scoring, manuscripting and writing programs offered in todays market not only produce a printed page of music, but also can be used for serious recording. The program will play back to you the music as you have written it with the 'instrument' you want to play it. The program may have its own instrument samples or it may use your computers sound card to reproduce the instrument sound. In this case you only get as good a sound as the soure of the instrument sample. A cheaper computer sound card will sound nothing like what you might hope, so if you are wanting to record what you write on the program, you will need to check out the options of, one, the programs ability to reproduce the sounds, and / or two, your computers sound card ability to reproduce the sounds.

So don't automatically presume that you are going to be happy with the fact that you can hear what you write just because the program can do it. And don't go out and buy a sound card without hearing what it can do.

Some soundcards are advertised as being "specially for the musician" but are not what you may expect when you hear the resulting 'music'.

Here is a list of some of the more popular music programs. As the site gets built more updates and evaluations will be added to these pages.

FINALE - Most probably the most popular among musos. Finale also offers a good variety of product 'levels'.

MORE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ON FINALE PRODUCTS

Links:-
www.makemusic.com for product and sales information
www.finaletips.nu forum on using Finale

CAKEWALK - One of the first serious writing programs, it still has a band of loyal users. From the Music Creator series that starts at US$39 for new customers to the Professional SONAR 5 Pro at US$799, there are a range of products to suit the beginners and those firmly entrenched in the business.

MORE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ON CAKEWALK PRODUCTS

Links:-
www.cakewalk.com for product and sales information

OVERTURE - a range that starts at US$49 for its ScoreWriter 2 up to US$499 for Overture Orchestra, this program specialises in orchestration scoring.

MORE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ON GENIE SOFT PRODUCTS

Links:-
www.geniesoft.com for product and sales information

SIBELIUS - This is a bit of an outsider that is very popular among music students and professionals alike.

MORE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ON SIBELIUS PRODUCTS

Links:-
www.sibelius.com for product and sales information

MUSIC WORKS - A relatively new and surprisingly simple music scoring program from Middle Earth Software Solutions.

MORE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ON MUSIC WORKS

Links:-
www.tierramedia.com/buy.asp for product and sales information

CUBASE - Produced by the famous music company of Steinberg in Germany. This program was initially, and still is, more of a recording program but the latest versions have excellent scoring options.

MORE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ON CUBASE

Links:-
www.steinberg.net for product and sales information
www.cubase.com forum on using Cubase
www.cubase.net forum on using Cubase

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