How can you make convincing performances using gigastudio, etc

Hey guys,

I'm new to music technology and I have heard a lot of very impressive demos via Gigastudio, the Vienna Symphonic Library and others. My question is: Do you have to play all your lines into the software in real time, or can you still get such professional sounding results from simply using a notation program, like Finale with the score already written out? I would love to find out more how one can turn a finished score into a high-quality mp3 file. I'd also be curious to see how the rest of you go about composing with this software. Do you do everything realtime and then edit, or do you work with the score and then doctor everything up later? Since I am still learning about this stuff, I haven't yet bought a program. If there is anyone around Boston who is using one, I'd love to check out what you're doing. Otherwise, any other insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

To use GigaStudio you need either a GSIF compatible sound card, or a compatible ReWiring program such as Cubase or SONAR. I recently purchased GigaStudio and found this out the hard way, if you catch my drift. If you have a GSIF compatible sound card with a MIDI port, you can plug in a MIDI keyboard and play straight to your notation program, which would be SONAR or Cubase or some other ReWire supported program. However, if you don't have a GSIF compatible sound card, you have to "ReWire" GigaStudio to your notation program which is one of the ones I've mentioned or another rewire supported program. Please also note that GigaStudio 3 in it's current form is fairly buggy, do a lot of research before making the decision to spend the kind of money it takes to buy GS and notation program (If you don't already have).

Hope this helps, feel free to ask more questions.