Notation software for instruction?

BigOldHarry · #1 12-01-2009, 12:40 PM

(Didn't know of a better place on TB to start this thread....)

I'm looking for software I can use to create music instruction guides for students - You know, a staff w/notes & comments, then some text... then some spaces for Q&A - you know, like the instruction books we all used as kids...

I tried to do this in Word, but it is a PITA for this sort of thign.

I downlowad and noodled with Finale Notepad and found it's great for jotting down music - but the rest?

So what are YOU using? I don't need anything crazy complex here - Heck, I don't even need MIDI playback, just notes & text and I just *know* one of you cats knows all about this (This forum is how I discovered Reaper, which is tre cool!)

thanks!

Curley Shadow · #2 12-01-2009, 12:48 PM

Sibelius will work fine for this but may be a bit pricey for your needs, however if you have a public ed or college ID card, Sibelius will cut price in approximately half.

BigOldHarry · #3 12-01-2009, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curley Shadow

Sibelius will work fine for this but may be a bit pricey for your needs, however if you have a public ed or college ID card, Sibelius will cut price in approximately half.

Yikes - you're not kidding expensive! And this software is *way* more than I need... But thanks - and keep the ideas coming!

robwren · #4 12-01-2009, 01:07 PM

Your best bet would be to use a notation program to do the music, and a word processor or layout program to do the rest. Save the notation out as a graphics file (like an .eps file) and import it into the word processor.

WayneS · #5 12-01-2009, 01:08 PM

Have you tried Guitar Pro?

onlyclave · #6 12-01-2009, 01:08 PM

Finale. It costs some $$ too, but it has its exercise generator wizard and all of the "State Scales" (?) in it.

Couldn't you write off the price of the software under your business?

BigOldHarry · #7 12-01-2009, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robwren

Your best bet would be to use a notation program to do the music, and a word processor or layout program to do the rest. Save the notation out as a graphics file (like an .eps file) and import it into the word processor.

If that is indeed the case, I see a product development opportunity here - I can *not* be the only guy who wants to stuff like this...

AlexD · #8 12-01-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

If that is indeed the case, I see a product development opportunity here - I can *not* be the only guy who wants to stuff like this...

You're not, and I remember it being incredibly frustrating to find something more minimalistic than Sibelius when I was looking to do something similar to you. That being said, if you do any sort of composition / charting / arranging, Sibelius is an incredible investment. I've had my copy of Sibelius 3 for almost six years now and have never looked back on the three hundred or so I spent on it - once I started getting deeper into composition, it became such a helpful tool.

Demon_Hunter · #9 12-01-2009, 01:14 PM

PowerTab editor is awesome and FREE!!

http://www.power-tab.net/guitar.php

and you can get tons of LEGAL and FREE tabs
http://tablibrary.com/index.php

Stumbo · #10 12-03-2009, 03:54 PM

TuxGuitar http://download.cnet.com/TuxGuitar/3...-10819921.html

Free. Staff/Tab based notation. Can be set up for bass/bass clef. You choose the number of strings/tuning. Mouse based. Multi-Track with optional percussion. Tab can be switched off during printing. Will play back notes as you enter them. Easy to play back each/all measures as you go. Read through the easy to follow help file before starting. Did I mention free.

Note: I'm running XP with the latest updates and it works fine for me except my older Brother MFC 8500 laser printer is shifting the text to the right about 10 characters. Gotta check it out. Some problems reported with Vista.

If you want lines for comments, I suggest attaching a print out with lines (maybe from Excel or Word) to the notation printout and photocopy the entire page.

You also may want to check out:
Noteflight.com-Transcribe/read transcriptions free online Printed fine on my printer. Change settings for clef, time sig, key in "Score".

TB Free music software thread

Finale has a Notepad version for $10. Maybe it's enough. http://www.finalemusic.com/NotePad/

TB thread with more suggestions on the same topic: Transcribing

dmrogers · #11 12-03-2009, 05:09 PM

Stumbo,
I just tried tuxguitar, great program. Our backbone runs on Linux so I am very familiar and supportive of opensource software.

A couple of things for people trying the software:

*. Make sure your midi sound setting is not muted.
*. When editing individual notes, it sometimes helps to switch from "Score Edition Mode" to "Selection mode".
*. Go ahead and set the fretboard to bass guitar and select the proper amount of strings. Select the clef and the key signature. Then save the file. That way when you are learning the program, if you screw up, you can easily get back to ground zero by loading your saved settings!

Thanks for sharing!

Now to tryout the online program.

Stumbo · #12 12-06-2009, 08:50 PM

Did you try the online program?

dmrogers · #13 12-07-2009, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Did you try the online program?

Not yet. It's been tooooooo busy lately. Maybe I can get to it this week. All the holiday stuff going on, barely had time to practice.

I have had time to work with Tux Music though. I really like that program. I am going to add it to my web page of opensource software and share it with my schools!

Thanks again for sharing.....

Chupacabra · #14 12-08-2009, 06:01 AM

Just found this website, it might be closer to what you were looking for
http://www.noteflight.com/
Haven't tried it out so not sure, there's an about video for the educational use...
http://www.noteflight.com/info/teach_music

Stumbo · #15 12-08-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmrogers

Not yet. It's been tooooooo busy lately. Maybe I can get to it this week. All the holiday stuff going on, barely had time to practice.

I have had time to work with Tux Music though. I really like that program. I am going to add it to my web page of opensource software and share it with my schools!

Thanks again for sharing.....

Let us know how it goes. Happy that it worked out for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chupacabra

Just found this website, it might be closer to what you were looking for
http://www.noteflight.com/
Haven't tried it out so not sure, there's an about video for the educational use...
http://www.noteflight.com/info/teach_music

That is the same website I referred to in post#10. I updated my post to include the website name. Interesting concept.

dmrogers · #16 12-08-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Let us know how it goes. Happy that it worked out for you.

That is the same website I referred to in post#10. I updated my post to include the website name. Interesting concept.

I got a chance to try the online program (Noteflight). Pretty neat. I think I like tuxmusic best of the two, however having the option of an online program is nice.

To think, if I would have had these resource when I was a kid.....

Richard Lindsey · #17 12-08-2009, 03:04 PM

Would MuseScore work for you?

www.musescore.org

dmrogers · #18 12-09-2009, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Lindsey

Would MuseScore work for you?

www.musescore.org

Wow! It is amazing at the amount of free/opensource software that is available today. Just when I think I have found it all, something else pops up.