Software to notate guitar music

BillW1950 · #1 11-16-2006, 06:51 PM

I am looking for software which I figure must exist... to help me notate music for guitar, including - notes on the G-clef scale (not tab) - words - guitar chord "cages".

I'm sure this is an old question but searching for "software" didn't do it... Ideas? Thanks.

Bern · #2 11-16-2006, 06:59 PM

You will get a whole bunch of suggestions for varies programs here. I suggest, download demos. See what you will feel most comfortable with first.
BTW, I use Overture (Genie Soft), which let's you notate in any clef and all other things you can think of. It's very intuitive.

Jim Tozier · #3 11-16-2006, 07:03 PM

Finale or Finale Guitar (which I use) will work. You can do everything you're looking for, plus add tab as an additional staff if desired. Heck, you can create antire orchestral arrangements if you want.

They are not cheap programs, and the learning curve is a bit steep for some, but it's very powerful software and produces sheet music that is good enough quality to publish. I did my Celtic Guitar Solos songbook using it.

May be a bit more than you need/want, but I thought I'd mention it.

For freeware, I like the PowerTab software.

BillW1950 · #4 11-16-2006, 07:32 PM

Just Googled "music notation" and ended up on MusEdit site. Anybody use it? Is it good, bad, typical? Seems to list for $80 which doesn't strike me as outrageous. Have not looked up the two just mentioned yet (for which, thanks).

Jim Tozier · #5 11-16-2006, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillW1950

Just Googled "music notation" and ended up on MusEdit site. Anybody use it? Is it good, bad, typical? Seems to list for $80 which doesn't strike me as outrageous. Have not looked up the two just mentioned yet (for which, thanks).

Finale Guitar runs about $80, too. May not be as user-friendly, though (I'm not familiar with MusEdit at all). I just know that Finale isn't as intuitive as it could be. I don't think there's anything out there in the same price range that is as powerful/versatile.

StimpyCat · #6 11-17-2006, 12:15 AM

Finale Notepad is quite good. Its the free cut down version and for just creating music and hearing it played back is quite good.

TBman · #7 11-17-2006, 06:12 AM

I use Guitar Pro 5.

IainDearg · #8 11-17-2006, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Tozier

Finale or Finale Guitar (which I use) will work. You can do everything you're looking for, plus add tab as an additional staff if desired. Heck, you can create antire orchestral arrangements if you want.

Me, too. Although I don't orchestrate any of my stuff. I'm just an 'umble picker.

Another cool thing about Finale is it will print to Acrobat very well (if you have a pdf writer) which means I can post guitar scores and tabs on my site for folks to download. It's drag-and-drop from the standard notation staff into the tab staff is excellent, although you have to be carefull to edit it for strings played - it assumes "root" position where it can be played.

Cheers!

ljguitar · #9 11-17-2006, 11:21 AM

Hi Bill...
Another Finale user here (Print Music). One thing is Finale notation software requires one to know music and then program it into the score like using a word processor (don't know about Finale Guitar).

It can be midi played in as well, but I find it quicker to just enter notation by hand. I don't produce many guitar charts with mine, just lead line/guitar chord charts, so you may need to do some research if you are looking for a ''play and notate at the same time'' type program.

And I second the ''chart to pdf'' concept. I use Macintosh computers and it is built into our system to print anything as a pdf file, which makes them much more useful to others who don't share our programs.

Hope this helps...

DavidHoffman · #10 11-17-2006, 11:46 AM

Ok, this may be sci fi... but is there software that can detect what notes are played on the guitar and fill in the sheets with the proper notes?

12strings2hands · #11 11-17-2006, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidHoffman

Ok, this may be sci fi... but is there software that can detect what notes are played on the guitar and fill in the sheets with the proper notes?

Actually there is - as I found out several years ago when I poo-pooed the idea of sottware that would convert wav files to midi. You'll have to look around on The Google.
I'm waiting for the version that interpets thought waves.
Art

cosine · #12 11-17-2006, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidHoffman

Ok, this may be sci fi... but is there software that can detect what notes are played on the guitar and fill in the sheets with the proper notes?

The version of Finale I have can do that, but you've limited to single note lines. All you need a mic plugged into your computer; you set Finale to record and you play into the mic. When you're done the music is transcribed onto the staff for you.

Quote:

It's drag-and-drop from the standard notation staff into the tab staff is excellent, although you have to be carefull to edit it for strings played - it assumes "root" position where it can be played.

You should be able to specify which position you want Finale to begin in when you drag notes from the staff to TAB, and if you do so Finale won't position any notes lower than the fret you specified. At least I can do so in my version of Finale.

TBman · #13 11-17-2006, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidHoffman

Ok, this may be sci fi... but is there software that can detect what notes are played on the guitar and fill in the sheets with the proper notes?

I have one, but its quirky - you have to tell it first whether you are playing single notes or chords and you have to put in the sharps and flats played - this part is the kiss of death for it. In other words, if it isn't in the key of C it messes up big time if there's a natural thrown in at some point.