It's true, but obvious

I agree with the fact that Finale is a perfect notator and can print sheets like no other program....even by image.

But what good is the image of a sheet of music when you basicly use the program to play and edit songs that are designed to be heard, at a certain point...

Composing music with a notation program is like straightning asphalt with the clothes iron.

It does the job, while it's was designed for a total different reason.

On the other hand, using two programs (first sequencer and then notator) is the best way to do it.

First you write your ideas in a much better and free way, then using the MIDI format 1 you can go and arrange it the way you like it....of course that requires knowledge of using both programs...

It does the job, while it's was designed for a total different reason.

Is it? I don't think so. Careful not to pidgeon hole Finale into a specific use. It was designed to be used for a lot of different things. It's not designed to be used just to hear music you've notated, and it's not designed to be a way to print clean music. It's both, and more.

Mircea,

Don't try to convert these guys. They're not going to budge, believe me. If anyone of those tell me to move away from sequencers to solely notation. Hell I wouldn't. It's just personal preferences. If they feel comfortable enough with the output they get from Finale or Sibelius, then let them have it. It's great you understand the complexity of the sequencers, but it's not worth your time. It'll be like talking the Scientologist out of what they believe in. People on this forum have different aspirations and goals. Not all of them will need notation and not all will need sequencers.

Just enjoy their music they way it is.

I never use notation or any other program to compose music. For me, thats hilarious.

Mircea,

Don't try to convert these guys. They're not going to budge, believe me. If anyone of those tell me to move away from sequencers to solely notation. Hell I wouldn't. It's just personal preferences. If they feel comfortable enough with the output they get from Finale or Sibelius, then let them have it. It's great you understand the complexity of the sequencers, but it's not worth your time. It'll be like talking the Scientologist out of what they believe in. People on this forum have different aspirations and goals. Not all of them will need notation and not all will need sequencers.

Just enjoy their music they way it is.

Whoa, whoa, nice generalizations there.

Styles of notation and the tools used to create music are purely personal preference. You talk of them like they're religious beliefs. It's not accurate to compare the preference of notation to religious beliefs, per your example. That's comparing two different mediums. A more accurate example would be comparing people's choice of expressing themselves. It's personal preference, not a religious devotion.

Personally, I believe anyone wants to compose well should be able to compose without needing to hear much of the piece. Hearing it isn't bad, but using it as a staple or crutch is. If you don't have good enough relative pitch or perfect pitch to be able to write your ideas down, then you've got problems that will only get worse when you focus on hearing music as you compose it.

oh sorry,

I'm not religious. I've often heard people say how Religion is a choice, so that's why I brought it up.

But, off topic here. I could care less about those f--ked up scientologists.

But, off topic here. I could care less about those f--ked up scientologists.

Yeah, that's come crazy stuff there.

Ever looked much into it? Lots of scary stuff there.

(psst, it's "I couldn't care less." )

oh right. *couldn't*

no kidding with the scary stuff. That story with that alien Xenu is just so sad that it's actually pretty hilarious.

oh right. *couldn't*

no kidding with the scary stuff. That story with that alien Xenu is just so sad that it's actually pretty hilarious.

Aye, it's amazing how far a simple bet and joke could take off into a fanatical religion. Hubbard made a bet with another Sci-fi writer that he could start a religion first. Unfortunately, he won. Read about what the Church of Scientology did when Hubbard died, and afterwards.

I forget who the other writer was... but it was either Clarke or Heinlein. The bet was $20.

I have a hard time understanding why one would want to hear something while composing it, it tends to mostly slow me down by causing me to forget about everything except the passage I'm hearing. Hence, I don't see notation software or sequencers being especially useful as composing tools. I only use notation software to generate a clean-looking score, and don't bother with sequencers at all. A piano is somewhat more useful, but that's mainly to check the playability of a piano part!

As it is, I agree with JohnGalt - anyone who wants to compose well should at least be able to compose with pencil, paper, and nothing else. If you choose to use other tools, it's your prerogative, as long as you don't become absolutely dependent on them.

I have a hard time understanding why one would want to hear something while composing it, it tends to mostly slow me down by causing me to forget about everything except the passage I'm hearing. Hence, I don't see notation software or sequencers being especially useful as composing tools. I only use notation software to generate a clean-looking score, and don't bother with sequencers at all. A piano is somewhat more useful, but that's mainly to check the playability of a piano part!

As it is, I agree with JohnGalt - anyone who wants to compose well should at least be able to compose with pencil, paper, and nothing else. If you choose to use other tools, it's your prerogative, as long as you don't become absolutely dependent on them.

Aye, I use Finale to cleanly notate things, but have been focusing on writing everything on paper for the time being. (Working up my piano skills too, composing using a piano is, to me, a fun way to practice and compose at the same time)

I used to use Finale only to write, but the process is terrible. You end up spending way too much time worrying about specific pitches, and you lose your ideas.

Exactly!

Meanwhile, I'd like to add one further note: one of my pet peeves on YC is people who write exclusively in MIDI, with no concern for whether the piece is playable. It may "sound good" when played back, but if a lot of the parts are outside the instruments' ranges, or otherwise physically impossible to play, it's no good.

Exactly!

Meanwhile, I'd like to add one further note: one of my pet peeves on YC is people who write exclusively in MIDI, with no concern for whether the piece is playable. It may "sound good" when played back, but if a lot of the parts are outside the instruments' ranges, or otherwise physically impossible to play, it's no good.

What I compose in Finale is solely for a good playback recording through GPO. I bought Rimsky-Korsakov's book on orchestration, and use it to check ranges a lot, and GPO wont let you compose out of range, too.