Computer-based music writing tools?

[jimclark68]

Hello everyone, it's been a long time since I've posted. I have been asked to do a short class on basic music theory at a dulcimer workshop. I'm working on my class content and am curious if there is any software/shareware/etc out there that will allow me to write and edit on staff lines without it being part of a score. I'm having a hard time describing what I'm needing to do, so let me try it this way - I would like to be able to do things like write out scales, key signatures, traids, etc., as if I were using a blank sheet of staff paper, so that I can put together some handouts. I've got Finale NotePad and have used ScoreWriter, but both assume you are building a score and work around fixed measures, time signatures, etc. Do any educators/composers out there have any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any ideas, thoughts, or suggestions.

[PaulCannon]

I think I understand what you want, but it doesn't exist. The closest you can get would be to use the full Finale program and manually edit the score to remove all barlines and time signatures.

[jimclark68]

That's kind fo what I was afraid of... thanks for the reply, Paul.

[D McCartney]

Can you set up the score for, say, 1000 beats per measure, and one measure long?
Sibelius will probably do what you want, but it is pricey. An old program called Music Time would do that, I think. Don't know if the new version will do that or not.
Maybe contact them and ask.

http://www.gvox.com/

[jazzbassnerd]

Sibelius does, in fact, do just that. Their new version (Sibelius 4) has a worksheet creator designed for exactly what you want to do. It is pricey, but I think worth it if you are going to making a lot of worksheets or composing a lot.

Also, I don't blame you for not wanting to, but you could do it the "analog" way and just cut out the staves you want handwritten and type up the rest of the sheet then paste the staves on and photocopy. I'm sure you've thought of this though.

Hope this helped.

[jimclark68]

Yes, I was hoping to avoid having to notate by hand on blank staff paper, mostly so others wouldn't have to put up with my sloppy writing, but also so I could cut, paste, zoom , edit, etc. But I thought it was a long shot. Thanks pop and nerd.

[Silversorcerer]

Quite a long time ago I wanted to be able to score on the computer so I drew all the note forms, barlines, rests, clefs and all the stuff in Microsoft Paint, a windows accessory program. It was the hard way to do it then but it doesn't do anything automatically. It is just as if you were working with a drawing of the notes (which it is). Cutting and pasting is the major advantage. The notes look kind of jaggy, but it worked for what I wanted at the time.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by jazzbassnerd

Sibelius does, in fact, do just that. Their new version (Sibelius 4) has a worksheet creator designed for exactly what you want to do. It is pricey, but I think worth it if you are going to making a lot of worksheets or composing a lot.

+ MANY. I use Sibelius every day at the U and at home to create worksheets, exams, and even the beginnings of a piano voicing text. It's my favorite piece of software ever, period. It may seem pricey, but once you actually get down to using it, it seems like an incredible value.

[JazzBassvb]

Originally Posted by poptime

Can you set up the score for, say, 1000 beats per measure, and one measure long?
Sibelius will probably do what you want, but it is pricey. An old program called Music Time would do that, I think. Don't know if the new version will do that or not.
Maybe contact them and ask.

http://www.gvox.com/

This is the first other reference to MusicTime I have seen! I still have the old version with the 'Cats' people on the cover. I don't remember what version it is, but it's old.

I still use it. Had a problem installing on XP, but it's working and I really like it.

JB

[jtlownds]

+ 1 for Music Time. I have the new version, and it will probably handle what you want to do. Sibelius is the Rolls Royce of music notation software, but is unfortunately priced that way. Music Time provides a lot of function, for a much lower price.

[Basschair]

+lots on Sibelius.