Software for creating notation to play along with?

kirkdickinson · #1 12-29-2012, 09:36 AM

I have just picked up a 5 string fretless bass and had an idea to help with my practice. I wanted to create scales and modes that I could play along with, then I could hear how close I was to proper intonation.

My idea was to set up a series of scales like D Major on the B string and play every note available in that position, then E Dorian, then F# Phrygian, etc...

I could play along, and learn where exactly to put my fingers by listening.

Other exercises could be playing 2 octave arpeggios in each mode and of course doing it in multiple keys.

I already do exercises like this on my fretted instrument.

I have a free program called MuseScore that lets me put notes in the bass clef, then play them. It is not an easy program to use.

Can someone recommend a program that could do this and be easy to use?

Thanks,

Kirk

Alembic7 · #2 12-29-2012, 10:53 AM

Good Luck!

kirkdickinson · #3 12-29-2012, 01:32 PM

One of the purposes of practicing along with the computer is to practice my time as well as my pitch. Only perfect practice makes perfect and if I record my fretted bass, that won't be perfect, so I will be practicing to an imperfect recording.

Maybe that is more reason to do it though?? Still hoping for a good notation program. There are other uses for it.

Kirk

Bainbridge · #4 12-29-2012, 02:40 PM

http://www.finalemusic.com/default.aspx
http://www.sibelius.com/home/index_flash.html
http://www.arpegemusic.com/

I don't really recommend tablature editors, but this one is open source:

http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/

Timmah · #5 12-29-2012, 02:45 PM

Try this: www.noteflight.com

Luke19Boarder · #6 12-29-2012, 02:51 PM

maybe try guitar pro?

It has tab and standard notation, but you can change it to only view one or the other.

phmike · #7 12-29-2012, 09:08 PM

Pencil, staff paper and metronome (online or other) would work fine. It does for me.
And a +1 for Tux Guitar.

kirkdickinson · #8 12-29-2012, 10:46 PM

Thanks for all the recomendations. PHmike, I am wanting to play along with exact tones to hone my intonation skills. That is why I wanted a computer program that was easy to program the notes into.

phmike · #9 12-29-2012, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkdickinson

Thanks for all the recomendations. PHmike, I am wanting to play along with exact tones to hone my intonation skills. That is why I wanted a computer program that was easy to program the notes into.

Sounds good in theory but when I tried it the effort of programming was way more trouble than it was worth.

kirkdickinson · #10 12-29-2012, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phmike

Sounds good in theory but when I tried it the effort of programming was way more trouble than it was worth.

That is why I was wanting an easier program.

Bainbridge · #11 12-29-2012, 11:58 PM

Another free one: http://musescore.org/

Edit: Oops, re-read the OP and realized that you're already using MuseScore.

Finale is what I use, and I'm satisfied with it. Once you know a few hotkeys and get familiar with the menus, you can really enter notes quite fast. I can turn out an average length song scored out for a full band in a few hours, so I know that it is possible to get fluent with the program without a ridiculous learning curve. This is Finale Notepad, the free entry level software: http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/default.aspx Haven't used that version myself, but it looks like it has the same basic features.

Double edit: If you're going to use Finale, the default MIDI settings are awful. In every document I create, I go into the AUI (Audio Unit Instruments) options and crank the dry gain all the way up so that I can actually hear what's going on without having to dime my speakers.

hgiles · #12 12-30-2012, 06:51 AM

Whats wrong with Band In a Box?

kirkdickinson · #13 12-30-2012, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hgiles

Whats wrong with Band In a Box?

I have band in the box, I bought it a while back, but haven't become proficient in it. I didn't realize you could add individual notes. I have just been using the chords and included progressions as a playalong.

I know there is a lot more that can be done with it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bainbridge

Another free one: http://musescore.org/

Seems like a decent program, I just can't seem to get the hang of entering a lot of notes quickly like would be required for what I need.

I know that Garageband can edit a midi file, but I have never tried to create one using only the computer. Might be easiest to get a keyboard and hook it up to the computer and record the scales that way.

I will look into the free version of Finale

Thanks,

Kirk