Looking for a better Music Composing Program than RPG Maker 2

Sorry, I didn't intend to make fun of your spelling. It's just that to-wards was a peculiar spelling that stands out boldly when I read your material. And my correction is indeed spelt correctly for that matter, your quote to mine has been skewed.

Sequencers by definition, do not allow audio tracks. I suggested that most modern sequencer programs today are built into mixers, allowing audio tracks. Reason is one that doesn't.

I'm not sure I understand the point of your entire post. It almost sounds like you are agreeing with me. Are you suggesting that mega get a program like Finale or something different?

Well, the fact that you implied that Reason was made to Sound, where Finale was made to be played by real people. I think it's safe to say that Reason or his choice of "Sequencer" is his option because real musicians aren't really all that handy.

Musicians are too handy. Very useful little devils, they are.

In my opinion, if you can get one of the "light" versions of the music notation packages, or PrintMusic, NoteWorthy, or one of those, AS LONG AS YOU CAN RECORD TO MIDI, you should. You probably don't need a full notation package. The important thing is that you should be able to record to MIDI.

Those programs, especially "light" ones, will have limitations. Of course. But there are free programs that will help with that. You can download "soundfonts" online (hammersound.net has some, for example) and apply them with a program called Synthfont after you save to a MIDI. This will just change the instrument on your MIDI sounds to an instrument you downloaded. This has the downside of being rather antiquated -- you don't find soundfonts being made anymore, and hammersound.net hasn't been updated in at least two years, I think -- but it works. Synthfont will save your song as a .wav.

Your program may also be limited in number of staves/tracks, let's say, or especially in the number of staves that can be played together. So you can save different groups of tracks in different MIDI files, record them to .wav with Synthfont (you'll have to download each soundfont separately, though, remember), and put them together with some .wav editing program, like Audacity, which is also free. Then a program called Zlurp! can convert that .wav to an .mp3 if that's what you want, or iTunes can do it.

If you just want MIDI, though, you'd be fine without this whole thing, as long as your notation program gives you enough polyphony. (: A program called Anvil Studio can help you edit the MIDI as well. Note that all of these programs I mentioned, except for the initial notation program, are free -- as in, you don't have to pay for them. I'd recommend that before investing money in something you might lose interest in later. As for the notation program, I use Sibelius 3, but that costs money.

I hope you've read this far. (: I'm a musician -- well, I'm a science researcher now, but I've been playing several instruments for many years, singing, and composing; I've taken music theory classes in high school and at Harvard; I read harmony books for fun (if someone could recommend a good one on modern TONAL harmony, I'd be happy). I know how to read and write music. I had a treble staff with notes around my crib as a baby. The point of this isn't to brag but to tell you that this kind of thing is appropriate for what I do (which is also online at http://people.fas.harvard.edu/~braunst). HOWEVER, you can most likely find tutorials for learning to read music online, and if not, at a library or music store. Plenty of musicians learned late how to read music, and many guitar players still can't (they only read guitar tab, which tells them where to touch their instrument as opposed to what notes to play; with music notation, they have to figure out where to touch the instrument themselves), so there are plenty of resources for learning music notation. I selfishly believe that this is a good thing to do -- learn music notation -- and if you're trying to learn C++ anyway, something I could never persuade myself to finish doing, then adding another very useful skill to your repertoire would probably be agreeable to you.

Good luck!

HHCC
Mauro

Originally Posted by JuicyPork

Sorry, I didn't intend to make fun of your spelling. It's just that to-wards was a peculiar spelling that stands out boldly when I read your material. And my correction is indeed spelt correctly for that matter, your quote to mine has been skewed.

hmmm.. originally your correction was "to wards", probably per the fallible YC on-line spell-checker. Check my original quote, which was a "cut and paste" Did you edit it? Let me answer for you.. Uh... "Yes" And by the way, the word "spelt" in the above quote stands out boldly in an ironic sort of way. Make sure you go back and edit that. I'm done with this conversation, as I'm sure you can easily continue to deny your actions by editing your posts, and it would take quite a bit of humility for you to "own up" given the circumstances. Regardless, very little positive can come from continuing in this manner.

I already know which notes are which frets on which strings on the guitar, can come up with a melody and write it down in my pseudo music-writing way, and am also aware of (I don't know what they're called) and have used in a few songs the three-notes in two-beats thing. Here's what my pseudo-writing way looks like:

R = rest
# = play a note

ABCD (notes of played notes)
####RRRR

I just made this one up now in one second (I know it ****s ****) - I have much better and more melodic/rythmatic ones! Many of mine would go into eighth notes and some even used the three-notes in two-beats thing, and most were much harder to transcribe onto paper than the simple 4 straight notes 4 straight rests example with boring/bad notes above.

Basically, I had to do this to transcribe it into RPG Maker 2. So, with me already capable of doing this, how long do you think it would take for me to learn how to read/write music?

Thank you for all the help so far everyone!!!

Leightwing, you have a problem... seriously.
Honestly, I never wanted to mock you in anyway with your spelling nor to try to gain the superiority over you. I just felt that I needed to inform you, I don't go around correcting everyone's mistakes. For all I know, people can make mistakes by typing at 100 wpm. I correct other people's spelling only to acknowledge them, but I guess not everyone welcomes it and accepts their own mistakes. In that case, if I have upset you by correcting you, then I'm sorry... again. Don't put every word on the internet to a random context, (I could've felt insulted when you addressed me as Mr. Pork insteand of JuicyPork).

But if you really like to play word games... I've never changed my original post, and I don't use spell checkers unless I'm writing a research paper or legal document. And as for "spelt", http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spelt

You may have quoted my post, but just because there's a discrepancy doesn't mean I modified mine. You are just as suspicious modifying the content of the quote you posted. I'm not going to point fingers at anyone for I know that with your attitude, no truth can be settled. I understand that at times, I can't accept the truth. But a matter like this, why would I want to hide the fact that I can't spell or a mistake occured in my post? No one is perfect. If I did change my post, I would without doubt own up for I know the board has a way to check whether it has been modified or not. You may believe this one simple concept "I never modified mine, therefore he must've been the one that changed it." Just as I'm believing "I never modified mine, there he must've been the one that changed it." Did you ever wonder that a space character may have accidentally occured when you quoted mine? All I'm saying is that an accident like that is very likely to occur. Me changing my original post would obviously disobey my belief, and as I have stated previously, I would admit it. You believe that the spell checker changes "towards" to "to wards", yet you are the one that uses the spell checker. I never realized the spell checker function until you mentioned it. Can we come to a conclusion that you didn't "intend" on changing correction, but it was in fact the spell checker that modified it on it's own accord?

Don't talk to me about owning up to a falsified truth. For many times, I've been forced to admit to activities that I've never committed in which I have to suffer dire consequences whether or not I admit to it. The emotional damage is far greater than any insult you can ever imagine. And for that reason, I'm only willing to accept to fight for truth, not for myself anymore.

To megascrubsfan, I'm terribly sorry that an unintended battle of the spelling bee has been declared. It's not hard for you to learn how to read/write music. Obviously, I can't say for certain about "writing" part, but as far as reading goes... it should be of no problem to you.

No problem dudes (both of you)! I've had more than my share fair of internet feuds.

Alright, for now it's looking as though I'll first get Reason and then (perhaps) Finale or Sibelius, however I have but one more question (sorry, I know I've been relentless about this):

Now, before I ask this I want to warn people: I know that this was an opinionative statement and that there are bound to be differing opinions, but please keep your replies kind, considerate, and solely related to the subject matter at hand. These are just opinions.

leightwing said previously in this topic, in his first post:
"Finale is primarily a music notation software package. Its primary area of expertise lies in its ability to write sheet music for players of acoustic instruments, and even more specifically, orchestral instruments. Yes, it does more than that, but those areas are not its strong points. Its midi implementation is rudimentary compared to many other composition software packages out there."

So basically, I just want to get more opinions on this (it's not that I don't believe you leightwing!! It's just that someone said elsewhere on this forum that Finale costs around $200 or so). Do you agree with this statement, and why?

Good news though! Others than this question I think I'm done asking questions! I'll wait about two weeks before making any purchases and make certain to come back to this topic, so if anyone has anything more to say please do so! (that's why I'll wait two weeks before making any purchases)

And again, thank you to -everyone- who's posted so far to help me with this. You guys rock!

Mega, I mentioned "orchestral instruments", which was Finale's strong point originally. They have since built out the program to work very well for pop/jazz/rock, etc style "charts" as well, but certainly the focus is on providing a score and parts for live instrumentalists. This said, the automatic playback feature is quite good. By this, I mean that after you have notated your peice, Finale can playback and render (make a recording of) what you have written and it sounds pretty good. Certainly good enough to give you rough simulation of what it sounds like. Finale will render a midi file as well, but you can't (within Finale, at least) go in and directly modify the midi information like you can in a program like Reason.

Also, I doubt you can find it for $200. Double that is closer to the mark. Maybe with a student discount a little less.

I have both Reason and Finale, and unfortunately, I have to choose between one or the other - they don't "talk" to each other.

Okay, I'll go with Reason and see if I'm happy with that. Chances are I will be since RPG Maker 2 was never even meant to be used to compose music in the first place.

Thanks guys!!