Dorico/Lilypond/SCORE?

[OCTO]

Dear canonperpetuus,

Well....You can try NoteAbility Pro 3 for Mac.
Install on your PC MacOSX via VirtualMachine and try to work with your notations. Info at : http://debussy.music.ubc.ca/index.html
Latest version is 3.201 .
Examples for this program is: http://debussy.music.ubc.ca/NoteAbility ... mples.html
And that is free!

As first glance it doesn't look so impressive. I don't understand why some of notation software have examples that don't look good. Such is MuseScore, and now also NoteAbility Pro. Now, the question is if the software cannot do things or the copyist made it weak.

[Den]

Well... When you work in NAP you can change what you need...
Try something with NAP..

"
NoteAbility Pro is a professional music notation package for the Macintosh OS-X operating system. Developed by Dr. Keith Hamel at the University of British Columbia, it is probably the most flexible music notation software available on any platform. NoteAbility combines both musical intelligence and notational flexibility in a direct and intuitive graphical user interface. Notate anything from simple melodies to complex avant garde orchestral music, play the score on your MIDI synthesizer or using Quicktime Musical Instruments and print a publishable copy of your score on any compatible printer.

If you have been frustrated by the awkwardness and inflexibility of other notation programs, or by the time it takes to learn them, then you definitely should have a look at NoteAbility Pro.
"

And....it's now free !

[Schneider]

Hi Den,

As first glance it doesn't look so impressive. [...]

+1

Well... When you work in NAP you can change what you need...
Try something with NAP.. [...]

Why not showing us some "Pro" output Den?
E.g. here: viewtopic.php?p=6433#p6433
or here: viewtopic.php?p=6927#p6927

[OCTO]

Well... When you work in NAP you can change what you need...
Try something with NAP..

With a load of works, and with small kids, and other activities, I simply don't have time to test or to learn all available notation software. When deciding what software to use (and to USE means to keep using in my work) I want to see the previous results achieved by other engravers. If I am impressed and if there is enough data to cover my doubts I MIGHT try it. But, just for testing purposes simply I don't have time/energy.

There is no single one that meets MY needs so far. I am very fluent in Finale and use Sibelius occasionally.
I have learned MuseScore and made perhaps one of the most advanced scores done in it (so far as I can see), yet it took too much time.
Even LilyPond looks extremely good, yet my collaborative way of working held back me to use it.

"
NoteAbility Pro is a professional music notation package for the Macintosh OS-X operating system. Developed by Dr. Keith Hamel at the University of British Columbia, it is probably the most flexible music notation software available on any platform. NoteAbility combines both musical intelligence and notational flexibility in a direct and intuitive graphical user interface. Notate anything from simple melodies to complex avant garde orchestral music, play the score on your MIDI synthesizer or using Quicktime Musical Instruments and print a publishable copy of your score on any compatible printer.

If you have been frustrated by the awkwardness and inflexibility of other notation programs, or by the time it takes to learn them, then you definitely should have a look at NoteAbility Pro.
"

I mean, isn't it a quote from their website?

[benwiggy]

The hairpins, beams and slurs in the examples are quite poor, IMO.

This review suggests that the user interface leaves room for improvement (if I dare bring up that subject!)

https://simplyrobert.wordpress.com/2014 ... ility-pro/

NoteAbility Pro is now a free download, having been a commercial product since 1996. It's largely the work of one man, Dr. Keith Hamel. As such, it is an extraordinary and impressive achievement. But that doesn't bode well for its future.

Realistically, NoteAbility Pro could be the best music app in the world, but if I'm entirely dependent upon one man (approaching retirement) to keep that software alive -- to say nothing of new features -- then that's a risky proposition. The same applies to Encore/Overture.

A music notation app needs to have a team of developers pushing out features and support staff helping users with bugs and requests, with 'hand-over' continuity. Then there's marketing: I've never heard of this app before now, and it's been in business since the 90s. If it hasn't taken market share from Finale and Sibelius in the last quarter-century, then it's not going to take on Dorico and MuseScore now. That is a kick in the pants if it's your life's work, I'll admit.

The notation market is over-saturated with apps: Dorico, Sibelius, MuseScore, Finale. Even Lilypond. Plus Notion and StaffPad and all the others with particular focuses. What we need are new methods and new ideas, not more apps.

[Den]

The hairpins, beams and slurs in the examples are quite poor, IMO.
...
https://simplyrobert.wordpress.com/2014 ... ility-pro/
...

" ...Where NoteAbility really shines is in engraving output."

For your works you can change default music fonts.
I had no intention of convincing anyone of anything but just put a brief info about that program. If you don’t like something it’s your subjective opinion as well as mine. Either way, a powerful program in which music scores can be customized to the look as needed by the user. It's only done for MacOS, (now for Catalina) but not for Windows. And in Editor everything is real WYSIWYG.
As it is done on the screen, so it is in the press.

[Den]

Hi Den,

As first glance it doesn't look so impressive. [...]

+1

Why not showing us some "Pro" output Den?
E.g. here: viewtopic.php?p=6433#p6433
or here: viewtopic.php?p=6927#p6927

Dear Schneider which example do you suggest exactly? .. there are more examples .
P.s. Why you not try something in NAPro and tell us your opinion?

[benwiggy]

a powerful program in which music scores can be customized to the look as needed by the user. And in Editor everything is real WYSIWYG. As it is done on the screen, so it is in the press.

That describes every notation app. (Except Lilypond.)

I downloaded the Documentation. According to that, Parts have to be Extracted. That's a show stopper right there. It also doesn't look like it has Automatic Vertical Spacing or Collision Avoidance. Also a limit of 40 staves?

Also: the Help Files include a Confidential Staff Evaluation report from Dr. Hamel's university job, dated 2013.

Screenshot 4.png (75.85 KiB) Viewed 9271 times

That does not inspire confidence in the 'quality assurance' process.

This app (as it is now) may well have been a competitor against Finale between 1996 and 2006. But in 2020, if you're offering your app for free, you've got to be as good as MuseScore, at minimum. If you're selling it, you've got to offer unique, compelling, modern features.

I had no intention of convincing anyone of anything

Are you sure?

[Schneider]

Dear Schneider which example do you suggest exactly? .. there are more examples . [...]

Humm, are you avoiding the challenge?...
(Just pick one )

[...]
P.s. Why you not try something in NAPro and tell us your opinion?

Probably because, as an newbie with NaPro I won't have the knowledge to produce a pro-like score.

[Den]

Also a limit of 40 staves?

In version 3 , NAP have 80 staves per system and more if you wish.

On your constatation about spacing this is small part of specifications in NAP :

"On-screen adjustment of all beat positions in all systems
On-screen adjustment of all margins, vertical & horizontal positioning of systems, vertical position of staves, vertical position of lyrics (relative to staff) & horizontal position of the staff labels
Re-position page numbers (locations, font, etc.)
Re-position measure numbers (frequency of appearance, location, font, etc.)
Change number of systems on the page
Change the number of measures in the system
Change the number of staves in the system (insertion, deletion, hiding & showing of staves)
Change the size of any staff
Change key signature (all staves in the system or single staves)
Change the time signature (automatic realignment of notes)
Change the barline type and format
Change the brace type and format
Change clef (15 clefs available) at any beat location within the score)
Add partial measures (e.g. upbeat measures)"

Automatic or Manual, etc. etc. etc.

I had no intention of convincing anyone of anything

Are you sure?

benwiggy, Yes I am sure.