Very confused about which composing software to get...

Hi I'm a new member here and was hoping to get some advice from you guys. I've been browsing through the forums for the past half hour or so trying to get an answer to my question, but I just can't seem to find a definite answer.

I'm looking for a program that can help me compose classical and film score/video game score music. At the moment I have a Logic Express 8, and M-Audio KeyRig, a demo of Sibelius 5 (which I've been using to compose all my stuff so far), and Finale Notepad 2007.

My dillemma comes in between notation programs and sequencing programs. I'm not sure if I should buy Garritan Personal Orchetra and use the samples and the score editor in Logic to compose, or if I should use a notation program like Sibelius or Finale.

If I did decide to go with a notation program I hit another problem because I'm not sure which software to buy. From the two demos I have I really prefer Sibelius, but Finale seems to be the most popular and there must be a reason for that. I have also heard Finale is more in depth than Sibelius.

The main thing holding me back from just ordering Sibelius right away is the midi input. When I used the flexi-time feature in the demo, the notes and rests over-lapped and didn't make any sense. The reason I bought Logic Express was so that I wouldn't have to input notes by hand and I could just play them in. I have no problem buying Sibelius also because I still will use Logic for jazz composition after I get through basic theory and then jazz theory.

What do you guys recommend?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance!

Garritan Personal Orchestra is a sound sample library. When you are speaking of notation editors, the two competitors on the market are Sibelius and Finale. I would choose from either of those products regarding notation editing.

If you are speaking about "enhancing" your midi, this is where Garritan Personal Orchestra comes into play. As far as I know, Garritan can work with Sibelius (perhaps Finale too?), but you can use any sound library to work with your notation editor of choice. Personally, for my piano compositions, I load the "Black Grand" sound library using Gigastudio. Gigastudio is a software sampler, and NOT a notation editor. But I need a notation editor for my composition, so I use something called Personal Composer. However, the most widely known notation editors again are Finale and Sibelius. As to which to choose, we have plenty of threads and debates about the pros/cons of each software product.

Not familiar with Logic Express... had a feeling it was a mac-only sequencer. As far as your choice between a sequencer or a notation program goes... I believe you can get more professional results from using a sequencer, but Finale/Sibelius are better if you want to print out professional scores. With a sequencer, most come with a piano-roll editor which is a grid view which makes it easy to arrange midi data. Some also have a staff-view which allows you to see the midi data on a staff. If you are using a PC, I would recommend trying out Reaper (REAPER | About), which is a practically free sequencer, although it doesn't currently have a staff view. Maybe also consider the demo versions of Cakewalk Sonar and FL studio (google em). Cubase is also a decent program but I don't think there's a demo. I'm pretty sure a sample library such as GPO (and most others) will work with all the sequencers I've mentioned.

If you have the space on your comp (40gigs+) Eastwest Quantum Leap does a great Orchestra and Choir. Endorsed by Jesper Kyd! Jks but he does actually use it.

best way to work (for me) is to compose a score with notation software, export the midi file and import it in your sequencer. finetune the midi with your fav. samplelibrary, it's easier to 'humanize' in sequencer than it is in notation software without messing up the score.

it's a matter of taste though.

As has been said before, if you want a really good sounding piece, use a sequencer. If you want a really good score, use notation software.

HOWEVER, (ignore this point if you like, it doesn't make my first sentence any less valid), I find that my most interesting music comes from using notation software rather than a sequencer as I can see how the parts relate to one another much better. I'd suggest you keep going with the demos and see what you like best and what suits your style of composing more.

Bear in mind the newst notation software allows you to use sample libraries like GPO (although not in the detail you can with a sequencer).

I hope that helps!

Sequencers and Notators do a quite different Job. Notation programs are mainly conceived to transcribe or compose music in a traditional way (eg. write notes directly on staffs); They have a rough "prelisten" function: with it you can listen to the results of your writing, but this "performance" generally sounds inevitably mechanical, lets say "computerish".

Sequencers are mainly to record performance or to compose music in a "pop" or in an improvisatory way (and if you are going to study Jazz this can be your solution). Someone noted that scores composed only with a sequencer have some problems. That's true because it's very difficult to see voices relations: melodic lines are represented by sequences of rectangles.

By the way if your final product will be a score played by a virtual orchestra (such Vienna Symphonic Orchestra, East west Quantum Leaps, Garritan Personal Orchestra, etc etc etc) you will need a sequencer to play your score in a convincing way (after hours and hours of MIDI editing). The most famous sampler-player for virtual orchestras are Tascam Gigasampler and Native Instruments Kontakt. I personally have been an Emagic Logic user for several years, now I'm turning into Cockos Reaper (but WARNING! Midi implementation is really poor compared to logic one).

Orchestral libraries and sample-player could be really

pricy. The most economic is the Garritan Orchestra, but its sounds are not exactly marvellous for my taste.

For the score I use Finale, but I never liked it. Thanks to your post I discovered Personal Composer; I downloaded the demo and it seems quite pretty.

So to summarize:

you need both types of software

1) Notation -> to see what happens in your music, to write convincing and "correct" music, etc etc etc.

2) Sequencer -> to perform (and mix) the music.

It really depends on your workflow.

If you write orchestral music directly on the score a possible solution is:

1) Write the music (!) with the notator and listen with the preview function if you like what you are writing.

2) Export it as midi file

3) Import it in your sequencer and transform the poor MIDI performance in something that seems to be human (with tempo changes, Crescendos, Diminuendos and - why not? - performace imprecisions -> human breath)

4) Mix it (adding eq, reverb and so on)

If you write the music with a piano and then you orchestrate it with little changes you can:

1) Record via MIDI the piano performance directly with the sequencer

2) Assign voices and doublings etc etc to the orch. instruments following exactly the "breath" of your piano performance.

The plus of this solution is that the performance can be really more convincing than the first solution

these are obviously only common workflow examples...you have only to begin to work and find your way.

Good work!

By the way if your final product will be a score played by a virtual orchestra (such Vienna Symphonic Orchestra, East west Quantum Leaps, Garritan Personal Orchestra, etc etc etc) you will need a sequencer to play your score in a convincing way (after hours and hours of MIDI editing).

Actually, you can play back samples in real time using any piece of software capable of playing midi, even a notation editor such as Finale or Sibelius. And you do not need the integrated Garritan Personal Orchestra (GPO) either, you can use Gigastudio in conjunction with Finale or Sibelius (or any midi player). My advice is to use a notation editor and not a sequencer if you are going to be composing complex music, scores, etc.

Actually, you can play back samples in real time using any piece of software capable of playing midi, even a notation editor such as Finale or Sibelius.

That's clear, the problem is not to play a MIDi file (also Media Player does that), but how the MIDI information (=the performance) is created. Sequencers let you manipulate in depth the midi information, manipulate the sound, add reverb etc. And then it's a matter of sound. To pre-listen a piece of music you don't need an incredible orchestral library, but to have a semi-professional sound (=to give the "sensation" of an orchestral sound) you really need it. A virtual "sound" (like every sound) has to played....and to play it fine you definetly need a sequencer.

Of course if you can record with a real orchestra you just need a notator.

My advice is to use a notation editor and not a sequencer if you are going to be composing complex music, scores, etc.

I agree. But - again - to play it (and mix!) decently with a virtual orchestra you need a sequencer. Another solution is to write the music by hand :D and then record every single voice with the seq...

I'm surprised why nobody mentioned Geniesoft Overture. Granted it's not as well known as two of the main competitors, Finale and Sibelius, Overture is cheaper AND it has a piano roll function with vst support. If you can't decide which to buy (sequencer or notation program), get Overture first and see which function do you like better.

Very confused about which composing software to get...

Please take a look at my program Musical Palette - Melody Composing Tool. The program is based on the composition theory and harmony theory. The site of the program is located here:

http://www.palette-mct.com.