Tools for writing in standard notation?

[joni24]

I'm looking for recommendations on a good tool that can be used to write a melody in standard notation. My primary uses would be to document transcribed solos that I've gleaned from other mando players plus to write down original tunes as the inspiration hits. Even though many experienced players insist that we should just transcribe directly to our instrument and play it until it is memorized, I'm having a really hard time with that. What I think I have under my fingers one minute is gone 30 minutes (or two weeks, etc) later; but if I had it written out, the relearning time would be much less. Given that I have a bucket list of 30-40 solos that I want to transcribe, I need a method that gives me the fastest results!

[StevieBGoode]

I use Guitar Pro 6 for both standard notation and tab. It works for a wide selection of instruments. Strangely, mandolin is listed under "Exotic Guitars"

www.guitar-pro.com/en/index.php

-- Steve

[billhay4]

I use Finale.
Bill

[Pete Summers]

I like Noteworthy Composer for writing standard notation, if you don't need tabs. It's inexpensive and reliable. But then so is music paper and a ballpoint pen.

[MikeyG]

I recommend MUP (MUsic Publisher) which can be found (for free) at www.arkkra.com It is available for most operating systems (windows, OS X, linux, etc), prints very high quality music but takes a bit of time to get used to the input system. It doesn't have a graphical user interface like other software mentioned above but the documentation and support are top-notch. The price is right & instead of shelling out $$$ you get to exercise your brain. :-)

MikeyG

[joni24]

Wow, thanks for all the great and varied responses that have come in already! Going to check each one out (at least the detailed descriptions, samples etc before spending any $)... that should keep me busy for a while!

[bayAreaDude]

Finale is the number one paid software package, but I find MuseScore to be just as good and it's free. However, I also like to just write with pen and staff paper - it's the fastest way for me, once you have a little practice, almost as fast as writing text and to me that's optimal as there's no tool slowing me down. For more complicated stuff, MuseScore.

[afo]

Check out Noteflight (www.noteflight.com) - it's very sophisticated but relatively easy to use as notation packages go. It handles tab, scores & parts, percussion notation. Free for most features (with modestly priced subscription if you want the rest). It's web-based, uses mouse or keyboard (computer or MIDI). They add features all the time. It's great!

Aaron

[SincereCorgi]

Couldn't you just buy some staff paper and write it out? I use Finale, but all my drafts are done on paper first.

[John Kelly]

Any of the above as mentioned. I have used Finale Notepad (free version of bigger Finale) and also the abc system - though you need to learn how to write abc notation to use this. There are several programs available for abc such as abcEdit or Easy abc. Recently I have used another free program called Tuxguitar which lets you input standard notation and gives you tab as well.
Writing by hand is quicker than any of them as far as input goes, but the programs let you save your notation and post it to others or put it in a DropBox folder or other storage medium for easy access.

[PseudoCelt]

I like LilyPond. It's not unlike ABC in some ways, as it uses text input rather than a GUI, but it's quite easy to use and you can write quickly and fluently once you're used to it. It's free software.

I make too many mistakes to use paper and a pencil.

Patrick

[Maczart]

I just want to second the recommendation for MuseScore (www.musescore.com). It's easy to use and best of all, it's free!

[tmsweeney]

I have to second muse score - it is free and is easy to use, can get a little tricky but there is pretty good online docu ( mostly in forums) it has a midi feature so you can hear what you notated, and slow it down to play along with or whatever. I used to use Noteworthy composer which was also very good, but has a price tag, not sure if its multi platform, but muse score does run on both windows and mac, not sure about linux.

[joni24]

Finale is the number one paid software package, but I find MuseScore to be just as good and it's free. However, I also like to just write with pen and staff paper - it's the fastest way for me, once you have a little practice, almost as fast as writing text and to me that's optimal as there's no tool slowing me down. For more complicated stuff, MuseScore.

Thanks to all who recommended MuseScore. I downloaded it this afternoon and had about 45 mins to play with it so far. Am guessing it'll do the trick for my needs once I get over the learning curve. I must agree that at present pencil (definitely not PEN!) +eraser +staff paper are still faster for me, but given the amount of corrections I need to do, the software program should be easier in the long run.

[ambihl]

I use TablEdit. Works well for me and I find it very intuitive.

[Maczart]

One added benefit to using a program like MuseScore is that, once the notation has been entered, it is easy to instantly transpose it to another key. I often do this when transcribing music originally written for other instruments to find the best key for playability on the mandolin.

[Jesse Harmon]

I use Finale because I like to be able to hear what I have notated as I go. Sometimes I work things out on manuscript first esp to get the time signature and possible lead in measures and such. I have learned a lot about music through transcribing not to mention hearing some nuance that sometimes gets overlooked thinking I have it by ear. Appreciate the info on some of these other music write programs.

[mrmando]

Pencils are good.

[Jim Bevan]

Ya can't beat Sibelius, especially for being able to edit the playback.

[bratsche]

I like Finale PrintMusic, for a cheaper alternative (around $30, IIRC) with more features than the free Notepad version. It was very intuitive to use from the start. I, too, like to hear the notes as I enter them... I don't know how much or little you have to shell out to get that, but it's important to me, as it speeds things along, and alerts me to mistakes.

bratsche

[zeeku777]

Attached is something for getting the notes from the fret board to the staff faster if it helps? More for arranging other stuff - but as for rhythm studies and getting faster and knowing exactly what note values to lay down.. school of hard knocks. But these tools will help you master it and get faster!

GNU Solfege is an awesome program and helped me TONS getting through my ear training courses.
http://www.solfege.org/

Here's another decent one:
http://www.therhythmtrainer.com/

Also the tried and true method of finger tapping - tap your 4 fingers (index-pinky) on your legs for the beats (in 4/4) - 1, 2, 3, 4. When a finger hits your leg it's the downbeat, when it's half in the air it's the upbeat, and inbetween it's a 16th. You can change the tempo and when you sing it back to yourself it gets SUPER easy to pick out the rhythm of the melodies you need. (Tell me if you understand what I mean.. if not, I'll try to go more indepth)

But if you're in a hurry - just download MuseScore (a FANTASTIC free version of Sibelius) and start havin' at it.. you'll get really fast, pretty quick. It's easy to get sucked in, by the halfway point of your 30-40 solos, it'll be a sinch!

[JeffD]

Well I have always just written it out. But my musical handwriting has been so bad that reading my notes was not fun. I have looked for software.

Problem has been that I rarely have a computer near by (or the urge to go to the computer room) when I have music I want to transcribe.

Years ago I got "Music Notation" by Mark McGrain. Its a Berklee Guide published by Berklee Press, and one hour or two with it and my musical handwriting GIGANTICALLY improved.

And so for me, writing is still the fastest and most convenient method, and with some proper "hand writing" instruction, my notation is very serviceable.

And if I need a "final" version, for an ensemble, or to disseminate to friends, well many of the above suggestions are good.

[RonEllison]

Another yes for Musescore. I used Sibelius for years but I've now moved to Linux and I've yet to hear about anyone who has Sib 7 working in Linux. And, of course, it is mega expensive. Musescore is open source and legally free and the transition from Sib was fairly easy.

[DavidKOS]

And there's the way I learned to write music.....pencil, paper, ruler and eraser!

MuseScore is pretty good, but I use Sibelius 7.

[Chris Rizos]

Although it is not a full featured music notation software, Vextab is a very interesting piece of software. I use it at my blog to show music scores and tabs and even chord diagrams. Check for example here for chord diagrams displayed with vextab.
Very interesting is also the vextab Chrome extension for quick jotting some melodies.

Anyway I am still using pencil and paper for my own music ideas...