Future of notation software

Recommendations concerning notation and publishing software in a non-partisan environment.
bobmusic
Posts: 2
Joined: 24 Jan 2020, 13:43

Re: Future of notation software

Post by bobmusic »

benwiggy wrote: 25 Jan 2020, 14:05MuseScore is not browser-based: it's a standalone Windows/Mac/Linux app.
Yes of course you're right, thank you for clarifying, benwiggy.
In fact I had something else in mind, both note performer and noteflight include a dedicated online account to share or download/buy scores and Dorico SE does not (yet) offer that feature.
Thanks for pointing out the XML-export function, that is great.
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Den
Posts: 134
Joined: 06 Feb 2020, 13:14

Re: Future of notation software

Post by Den »

OCTO wrote: 31 Oct 2019, 13:26 When Dorico seems to achieve what I need in notating my music than I will for sure buy it.
And...tell us what is important and what you need for your notation (which software etc.)?
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OCTO
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Location: Sweden

Re: Future of notation software

Post by OCTO »

Den wrote: 14 Feb 2020, 19:03
OCTO wrote: 31 Oct 2019, 13:26 When Dorico seems to achieve what I need in notating my music than I will for sure buy it.
And...tell us what is important and what you need for your notation (which software etc.)?
My comment is now 4 months old, perhaps something is new in Dorico, yet here are the things I need in a notation software, incl. Dorico:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=452
Freelance Composer. Self-Publisher.
Finale 27.3 • Sibelius 2023.5• MuseScore 4+ • Logic Pro X+ • Ableton Live 11+ • Digital Performer 10+ /// MacOS Monterey (secondary in use systems: Fedora 35, Windows 10)
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Den
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Joined: 06 Feb 2020, 13:14

Re: Future of notation software

Post by Den »

OCTO wrote: 28 Feb 2020, 20:56 My comment is now 4 months old, perhaps something is new in Dorico, yet here are the things I need in a notation software, incl. Dorico:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=452
Yes, now is 3.1.10 new update.
Does the Finale already have any of these "new" features?
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OCTO
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Location: Sweden

Re: Future of notation software

Post by OCTO »

Den wrote: 29 Feb 2020, 00:13
OCTO wrote: 28 Feb 2020, 20:56 My comment is now 4 months old, perhaps something is new in Dorico, yet here are the things I need in a notation software, incl. Dorico:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=452
Yes, now is 3.1.10 new update.
Does the Finale already have any of these "new" features?
Yes, all these examples are done in Finale. These features are not "new", and have been available in Finale since 10-15 years back. Or perhaps more.

Finale is very customisable, but there are to many obstacles, therefore I am looking into Dorico. When all that is available in Dorico my switch will be immanent.
Freelance Composer. Self-Publisher.
Finale 27.3 • Sibelius 2023.5• MuseScore 4+ • Logic Pro X+ • Ableton Live 11+ • Digital Performer 10+ /// MacOS Monterey (secondary in use systems: Fedora 35, Windows 10)
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John Ruggero
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Joined: 05 Oct 2015, 14:25
Location: Raleigh, NC USA

Re: Future of notation software

Post by John Ruggero »

Even though I do only traditional notation, my needs are not yet met by Dorico. So I too stay with Finale for now.
M1 Mac mini (OS 12.4), Dorico, Finale 25.5, GPO 4, Affinity Publisher 2, SmartScore 64 Pro, JW Plug-ins, TG Tools, Keyboard maestro

http://www.cantilenapress.com
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Den
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Re: Future of notation software

Post by Den »

OCTO wrote: 29 Feb 2020, 11:06 Finale is very customisable, but there are to many obstacles...
So ... there are no boundaries in the Finale in the sense that everything you want can be done but there are some obstacles that make it difficult to finalize some kind of notation? Can you show some simple problems in the Finale and how they are solved?
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Den
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Joined: 06 Feb 2020, 13:14

Re: Future of notation software

Post by Den »

John Ruggero wrote: 29 Feb 2020, 12:27 Even though I do only traditional notation, my needs are not yet met by Dorico. So I too stay with Finale for now.
I like your thinking. 👍
benwiggy
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Joined: 11 Apr 2016, 19:42

Re: Future of notation software

Post by benwiggy »

Den wrote: 29 Feb 2020, 17:00
OCTO wrote: 29 Feb 2020, 11:06 Finale is very customisable, but there are to many obstacles...
So ... there are no boundaries in the Finale in the sense that everything you want can be done but there are some obstacles that make it difficult to finalize some kind of notation? Can you show some simple problems in the Finale and how they are solved?
The problems with Finale are not what it can't do, but what it doesn't do. Finale lets you do anything, because it makes you do everything. Conversely, there are things that are not possible to achieve in Dorico, but for most uses, it produces better notation, faster, easier than Finale.
Screenshot 2.png
Screenshot 2.png (14.92 KiB) Viewed 7156 times
Here's a basic example. Finale does not offset the spacing of notes in different voices. The "problem is solved" by spending time moving each one by hand. There are many long-standing bugs in Finale's spacing engine and limitations in Finale's positioning of grace notes, ties, staves and systems, lyric baselines, accidentals in chords, etc, etc, etc.... All of which have to be done by hand.

Dorico, on the other hand, will space all the notes instantly and automatically, to preset values of your choice. I've imported many of my existing Finale scores into Dorico projects, and there's not one where the spacing and layout isn't instantly better than I managed to achieve with hours of fiddling around. Yes, you can perform any number of manual adjustments in Dorico: you just don't have to.
Last edited by benwiggy on 29 Feb 2020, 19:56, edited 1 time in total.
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OCTO
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Location: Sweden

Re: Future of notation software

Post by OCTO »

benwiggy wrote: 29 Feb 2020, 19:40

The problems with Finale are not what it can't do, but what it doesn't do.
This is the most accurate explanation ever said so far!
Freelance Composer. Self-Publisher.
Finale 27.3 • Sibelius 2023.5• MuseScore 4+ • Logic Pro X+ • Ableton Live 11+ • Digital Performer 10+ /// MacOS Monterey (secondary in use systems: Fedora 35, Windows 10)
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