Graphics based notation software?

[drg]

Does anyone know of notation software as in depth as finale 2002 (or more so) that is NOT linked to performance or midi? Like a graphics program for music....

Thanks in advance,
DRG

[Jamieh]

I\'m not sure what you are getting at with your question. Finale is only as linked to performance or MIDI as much as you want it to be. I use Finale strictly as a musical word-processor. I don\'t do anything with performance or MIDI except that I do let Finale play me back what I have entered (through the computer keyboard and mouse) just to make sure the notes are right.

[drg]

None of the computer-notation programs I have come across have been adequate because notation is tied by design to performance. This means that the software prohibits certian things simply because it would not understand how to play it back. A graphics based program would presumedly be much more practical because it takes the load off the computer to \"understand\" the score. If I could just work with the musical materials + a standard graphics toolbox (lines boxes ect.) in a software enviroment that makes it easy to space copy and paste groups of these things, I could make any type of score I wanted on the computer. (for instance - different time signatures in different parts, a note in one stave beamed to a note 30 staves below, different \"tempi\" in different parts ect...) I have heard that such software exists and that Boulez\'s publisher uses it but the person that told me this could not remember the name. So does anyone know if this is true?

[Spenik]

you mean like a piano roll?

[Bill]

I don\'t know about Boulez, but here\'s a link To Stockhuasen\'s copyist.

http://home.t-online.de/home/j.ingram/index.htm (\"http://home.t-online.de/home/j.ingram/index.htm\")

[Vertigo50]

Finale can do all the things you are talking about, you just have to search around the pdf manual.

Go to Help-User Manual-Index

There\'s a reason it\'s the industry standard.

Even the avant garde crazy acid-trip composers use it. images/icons/smile.gif

[astrt4]

Yes, Finale can do all the things you\'ve mentioned so far. The program you\'re thinking of is probably Score.

[drg]

I know finale. The only way to put say 4/4 in one part and 7/8 in another is through \"ossia\" measures. I will not get into details because it doesn\'t really matter but finale has its limitations, unsuitable for the scores I need to make. (I have spoken to finale representatives- there are some things it just cant do.) Thanks for the name of the other program. I will look into it.

[astrt4]

No, Finale CAN have a 4/4 in one part and 7/8 in another. This would not ever be done via the Ossia tool. Who on earth did you hear that from? I\'ll have to send him/her a note! :-) You would do it by selecting the Staff Tool, double clicking the staff, and choosing Time Signatures under Independant Elements. Then you can change the time signatures of each staff individually.

Most of Finale\'s limitations are not in what it can\'t do at all but rather in what it can\'t do easily. There are some things that you have to spend some time with to get exactly what you want, but there are very few things requested by users that it can\'t do at all.