Notation Software
There are many different types of
notation software to choose from. There
are simple notation programs such as PrintMusic and MusicTime, and then
more advanced programs such as Encore, Finale,
Overture and Sibelius. All of the notation software programs
mentioned here have a lot to offer. No
matter which software you select, it will take some time to learn how to use
it. It is suggested by many music
technology experts that once you select the notation software that will work
best for you, that you continue to use that software. Newer versions will be produced, which will
have new options or refined options, but it is easier to continue with the same
program rather than to start from the very beginning.
Finale and Sibelius are the two
top-selling programs for notation software.
Finale 2004 and Sibelius
3 will be the focus of this website.
I will also discuss other software that Finale and Sibelius has designed
that includes notation as well as other concepts in music.
Sibelius has many programs that are
suitable for all grade levels and all areas of music. Below you may read a brief description of the
many educational programs (Sibelius Starclass, Sibelius
Instruments, Sibelius Compass, Auralia, Musition, Sibelius Notes,
and Sibelius 3) that Sibelius has to offer. I think
that you will find if you choose to “try out” some of these programs that the sound
quality is very good, and the pictures are colorful and engaging for
children. You can even add your own
graphics in from those provided by the programs, or use your own. These programs prepare younger students for Sibelius 3, a more advanced program. All programs are offered with discounted
educational pricing, as well as site licenses for districts to purchase lab
packs.
Sibelius Starclass
provides teachers with lesson plans that cover a variety of concepts in music
such as rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo, texture, form, and tone color. This software also includes a teacher
development component for those teachers who may not be certified in music, but
want to use the program. The program is
not only for non-specialist teachers, but also for the music teacher. An assistant within the program is provided
to give music teachers more advanced information, as well as providing extra
materials. Another benefit to this
software is that it includes interdisciplinary lessons to help children
understand the relationship between dance, art, literacy, math, social studies,
plus many more!
The lessons are both for the whole
class as well as for small groups. They
introduce composition, movement, body percussion, playing instruments, and
basic notation skills. The lessons give
objectives, step-by-step instructions, examples of songs and sounds, and
printable pictures.
Computer requirements:
Windows:
95/98/Me/2000/XP/NT4 or later, 32MB+RAM, 300Mb free hard disk space, CD-ROM
drive
Mac: Mac OS 8.6 or later, 32Mb+RAM, 300Mb free
hard disk space, CD-ROM drive
Sibelius Instruments, just as Starclass, offers lesson plans for the teacher. Also included are student assignments,
quizzes, and recommended listening activities.
The information on each instrument gives full details on the
characteristics, how to write music for them, and many recordings for students
to listen to. The program is suitable
for all ages and grade levels. Overall,
the program is an “encyclopedia of instruments, bands, orchestras, and
ensembles.”
Computer requirements:
Windows: 95/98/Me/2000/XP/NT4 or later,
32MB+RAM, 170Mb free hard disk space, CD-ROM drive
Mac: Mac OS 8.6 or later, 32Mb+RAM, 170Mb free
hard disk space, CD-ROM drive
Sibelius Compass is a software program
that teaches students how to compose music.
Students progress through each lesson, completing activities and
projects on concepts such as melody, harmony, scales, rhythm, dynamics, timbre,
texture, and form. The “Tracker” is a
sequencing device that allows students to record and develop musical ideas for
their compositions.
Computer requirements:
Windows: 95/98/Me/2000/XP/NT4 or later,
64MB+RAM (128Mb for 2000/XP), 300Mb free hard disk space, CD-ROM drive
Mac: Mac OS 8.6 or later, 64Mb+RAM (128Mb for OS
X), 300Mb free hard disk space, CD-ROM drive
Auralia is an
ear-training program. Through aural
activities and tests, students learn to:
·
Identify and sing intervals
·
Identify and sing notes from chords
·
Identify cadences in music
·
Recognize and correct poor intonation (tuning)
·
Sing upper or lower part when given a two-part phrase to sing
·
Write down chord progressions
As students complete the exercises
they are given immediate feedback so they are getting results right away and
can reflect on their own learning. Since
the program offers graded levels, students can continue to more advanced levels
as they improve. The “professor” will
automatically move the student up a level when they complete each level. For the teachers, the program tracks each
student’s progress over time. Also, the
teacher can create their own tests for their students.
Computer requirements:
Windows: 95/98/Me/2000/XP/NT4 or later,
32MB+RAM (128Mb for 2000/XP), 50Mb free hard disk space, CD-ROM drive,
soundcard, optional
Mac: PowerMac/G4/G3/iMac, OS 7.6 or later,
16Mb+RAM (128Mb for OS X), 30Mb free hard disk space, CD-ROM drive, optional
Musition explores yet
another concept in music that is important to notation and composition, music
theory. Just as Auralia
offered, Musition offers graded levels, teacher
ability to make their own tests, and ability to track each student’s
progress. There are 25 topics covered in
the theory lessons in this program from beginner to advanced levels. Some topics include: rhythm, notation (pitch
identification in all 3 clefs, that’s right violas, even the alto clef!), key
signatures, scales, intervals, and instrument range.
Computer requirements:
Windows: 95/98/Me/2000/XP/NT4 or later,
32MB+RAM, 50Mb free hard disk space, CD-ROM drive, soundcard, and optional
Although Sibelius is not suitable for
young children to write music with, there are ways that teachers can use
Sibelius in their classroom. Sibelius
Notes is a packet of resources to help music teachers teach music in the
classroom with Sibelius. It includes a
“Teacher’s Guide” with ready-to-use exercises and worksheets, teachers notes
and completed worksheets, flashcards, games, and other resources. All exercises and worksheets may be
photocopied! Also included in this
packet are a “Student Skills Guide” and a CD-ROM that also have
a lot to offer both the teacher and the student.
Sibelius 3 has many wonderful features
to offer anyone who is planning to compose music. As soon as you begin the program you begin
creating music by specifying the instruments you are writing, the size of the
page, title, tempo, time signature, key signature, and more! Sibelius will
properly layout your pages, ensuring that the music is not too cramped on the
page, so that when you print it, it is perfect.
The composer does not have to use this feature; they may change the
layout themselves.
Once you have begun creating your
score, you may begin to input your notes.
There are four ways that this can be done:
Mouse and keystrokes: The notes can be inputted without a
Scanning: One of the biggest benefits to
Sibelius is already created music can be scanned in to edit or transpose it and
then print out parts and the new score and you are ready to go to
rehearsal!
File conversion: A new feature with Sibelius 3 is file conversion. This allows Sibelius to open scores/parts
that you may have created in another software program such as Finale, Allegro,
and PrintMusic.
By using any of these methods, once
the score is complete with notes and articulations, and expressive markings,
the parts are easily extracted with a click of the button! Scores and parts will be formatted with
convenient pages turns and any transpositions that need to happen.
Once the notes are in, there are still
many other features that Sibelius has to offer the composer. For those students who are composing vocal
music, lyrics need to be added. There
are many fonts to choose from to write a title and lyrics with.
The arrange feature is another
time-saving feature for students and teachers.
You select the music you want to be arranged, specify how it is to be
arranged (for what instruments) and the program does the rest! The program also allows you to take a solo
piece of music and will then create an accompaniment or arrangement to be
played with the solo piece.
Sibelius allows the composer to copy
and paste music when you have repetitious patterns within a piece of
music. Transpositions are also made easy
with just about one click of the mouse!
Just as Microsoft Word has grammar and
spelling check, Sibelius also checks for musical mistakes such as notes that
would be out of range for a particular instrument, correct number of beats in each
measure, as well as many other possible mistakes.
When students create their own music
it is very important for them to hear what they are creating. Music can be played back at any time, as many
times as they would like. All markings,
such as dynamics, repeats, articulation markings, etc. will all be played
back. Sibelius has been designed so that
when you playback your music it is as close as possible to sounding like a
human performer.
The music that is composed on Sibelius
can be created into CDs and MP3 files to share with friends and family, and for
more advanced composers to share with publishers, composers, and
musicians.
Even music uses power tools! These power tools, like those you may use in
your home save you time. Sibelius 3
offers features such as “plug-ins” that check for mistakes, add fingering
patterns for brass and strings, create scales and
arpeggios for each score to use for warm-ups in rehearsals, add appropriate
chord symbols, generate drum patterns and highlights all occurrences of a
motive (theme).
Another power tool Sibelius offers is
similar to the find/replace feature in Word.
You can find all of a particular note, text, or marking and change it
all at the same time. Other tools are “timecode”, where a digital clock runs during play back
giving the time for each measure, rulers that show the measurements fro each
marking and staff, and properties windows that allow you to view and edit
information about markings in your score.
When the composition is complete and
printed it will look just as professional had you have bought it from a
publishing company. So, once it is
complete, why not share it with others?
Sibelius allows you to put your music on your own website, or onto
SibeliusMusic.com. A program called
Scorch will allow anyone to view, play, transpose and print your music without
having Sibelius. Scorch is a free
program available on the Internet.
Computer requirements:
Windows: 95/98/Me/2000/XP/NT4 or later, 64MB+RAM
(128Mb for 2000/XP), 70Mb free hard disk space, scanning may need more RAM
Mac: OS 9/1, 9.2, 10.1.5 or later, iMac/G3/G4/G5,
128Mb+RAM (OS 9), or 192Mb+RAM (OS X), 70Mb free hard disk space, scanning
requires TWAIN-compatible scanner and may need more RAM
For more information on Sibelius
products, or to purchase, please visit, www.sibelius.com
MakeMusic! Inc. (Coda
Music Technologies) is the creator of Finale and SmartMusic
Studio. Finale products are software for
notating/composing music. SmartMusic is a practice system for instrumental and vocal
students. MakeMusic!
Inc. produces these software programs for music educators and music
makers. The Finale family of software
offers a variety of choices including: Finale NotePad, Finale NotePad Plus, Allegro, PrintMusic, Finale Guitar,
and Finale 2004.
Below, you will find more information on each of these software
programs. For more information on SmartMusic, please visit:
www.smartmusic.com or www.finalemusic.com/smartmusic/
Finale NotePad 2003
Finale NotePad
is a FREE download that is available for both Windows and Macintosh
computers. This is the simplest and most
basic form of Finale. You can input your
music, save it, and print it. The 2003 version has a new look with improved
background graphics and rhythm and articulation palettes.
To download this version of Finale,
visit: www.finalemusic.com/notepad/ There is also an
option to purchase a CD-ROM if you do not wish to download the program to your
computer.
Finale NotePad Plus
Finale NotePad
Plus is one step up from Finale NotePad. The main difference is that NotePad Plus allows you to turn any standard
Finale Allegro offers more options
than the two programs mentioned above.
Set up is very fast with this program when you use the “setup
wizard.” The wizard asks you to select
instruments, key signature, time signature, tempo, and whether you will have a
pick-up measure. Once you have gone through
these steps, the score is automatically set up for you.
The next step is to input your
music. This can be done by playing
directly into the program on a
PrintMusic! is
a lot like Allegro. One difference
between the two programs is that PrintMusic! offers
quick start video tips to help you learn the basics of the program. The other difference between the two is
PrintMusic! has a simple entry palette to input the
notes. As you click the notes into place
you will hear the note. Your music can
still be inputted onto the staff through the ways I discussed above. Once your music is complete, you can print it
or publish it for free. Any files that
are created with PrintMusic! are compatible with other
Finale products. The other benefit for
those who may have used MakeMusic! notation
products are they can take those files and import them into PrintMusic!
Finale guitar is a program specially
designed for guitar players. This
notation program has the capability to notate and tab for fretted
instruments. You can create and print
professional quality guitar music. For
more information please visit: www.finalemusic.com/finaleguitar/
Finale 2004 is the most advanced
programs of the Finale family. This
software offers the most options compared to the other Finale products. For a tour of the features on Finale 2004,
visit: www.finalemusic.com/finale/
. Here is a brief description of some of
the features.
Overview
Set up is easy with the wizard. You select your instruments or voices, the
key and time signatures, music font, tempo and the score is ready for you to
begin notating your music. This can be
done in six different ways:
·
Select a note and click it onto the staff
·
Play them in on your solo acoustic instrument and Finale will
notate as you play. This allows those
that do not have
·
Type the notes on your computer with or without
·
Notate as you play using a keyboard
·
Scan printed sheet music using SmartScore
Lite
·
Import
Once your music is in, you can hear it
and then make any edits that you need to.
Finale offers a human playback feature so that you can hear your music
as if it were being performed live.
After you make your necessary edits and any new additions all that is
left is to print it, publish it, and/or create your own CD!
For those that have used other Finale
products or Finale 2003, they will notice many improvements that make the 2004
version even easier to use! This new
version offers a wider range of onscreen videos to help you learn the most
common functions of the software. Those
that have used both Sibelius and Finale will notice that the newest version of
each shares many of the same features.
Features for Music Teachers
Finale 2004 has a couple features that
are very beneficial to music teachers.
Many instrumental and vocal teachers have begun to use the practice
system, SmartMusic.
Teachers can now create their own accompaniments to put onto SmartMusic for their students.
Another feature for music teachers is
the Exercise Wizard. Finale is set up
with prewritten exercises that can be used as warm-ups in your rehearsal or to
give the students to practice with at home.
The exercises can be in any key and any articulation you would like,
depending upon your objective. You
choose the ensemble the exercise is for and it will print out parts for all
your instruments.
For
more information on Finale products or to purchase, visit: www.finalemusic.com
As you have read, both Sibelius and
Finale offer so many features that in turn offer an endless amount of
opportunities for you to notate/compose music with. It is truly a matter of personal preference
and what you want to do with the program that will help you choose the software
best for you. As with anything else we
do in life, it will take some time to learn how to use the software, no matter
which one you choose, but once you do learn how to use it the time you save
will be well worth the time spent learning how the software works!