Does anyone have any recommendations for computer software to make music books? The only programs I seem to find are only designed to write music. I'm looking to create some books with music that would make life easier on my cantors.

Thanks,

Brian

Brian,

Can you be more specific? There are many music notation software programs. One then uses the output of these programs to assemble books containing music. If one is looking simply to assemble a book containing music one can simply scan music that is already notated and use any word processor or publishing program for the layout of the book. [Scanned music would be treated pretty much like a graphic image.] I’m not sure I understand exactly what you are looking for.

Admin

I have used "Finale" for years, and it gives a pretty good church/educational discount. But even with improvements in recent years, it is something you have to use frequently. Otherwise, you tend to forget the many, many commands it takes to operate. I am looking at "Sibelius" which is supposed to be a much simpler notation software to use. The instruction manual is much smaller than Finale, at any rate. I don't think Sibelius is discounted as much. Finale makes a free, scaled-down version called "NotePad" that can be downloaded from the Coda Music Corp. site. Finale Site There are other free softwares available from other sites. Perhaps some of the posters here could suggest some they like and have had good experiences with.

You can get by with just the noation software of the books you are printing are simple, and will be stapled or comb/spiral bound. But that will depend on the software for your printer (that in the end determines how many pages to a sheet &c.).

I dont do that, since the books i make have a lot of text. I do my original text entry into a word processing program, and the original music entry in the notation software, and turn that into a graphic file, and insert it into the word processor. Then i dump it into Adobe Acrobat, which turns it into a PDF format file, and take it to the printers. This process is not all that good either (since i do not have a laser printer, i cannot make EPS graphic files, and have to make TIFFs, which can be uneven and poor in quality).

If, however, you are making a real book, with signatures and the rest, (or even make simple booklets easier), you will need an actual real publishing program like Quark or InDesign. Those will allow you improt wahtever, and make professional quality printings (since these are professional printing softwares).

In Christ,
Adam

I've used GenieSoft's Score Writer for Windows 2.5.1 for the past year+ to assist with formalizing musical notation for our prostopinije and choral arrangements and have found it very easy to use.

In addition to being able to produce finished musical scores, the software will also allow you to produce MIDI files for playback on the PC - so you can use it as a tool to teach new music arrangements.

I'm not aware of a music program that also functions as a desktop publishing one. There is a Yahoo group that is focused on technical issues for music typesetting for cantors and choirs. If there is such a software, I'm sure someone there would know about it.

Search for the group name "ekdosis" at the Yahoo Groups website.

Steve Puluka
Cantor, Holy Ghost Church Mckees Rocks, PA

Thanks a lot for the help so far. You've given me a lot of ideas to try. If anyone has any other comments, I'll take 'em.

Thanks,

Brian

I have been using an inexpensive (originally under $100), simple, but tedious music software program, Mozart, for several years. Its chief drawback is its use of drop down menus for almost every function- no drag and drop capability, no unbarred, untimed vocal line capability, and so on. But, even Mozart allows some text inserts- for vocal lyrics as well as blocks of text. I have worked around its other limitations for instrumental as well as vocal music for years, but it is apparently more time consuming than more sophisticated programs like Finale, Sibelius, Noteworthy, Notion, etc. Trouble is, the more sophisticated systems usually sell for as much as $600.

I became curious about better software again while at the National Association of Pastoral Musicians' conference in Milwaukee this summer, where there was a Sibelius vendor demonstrating that system, and offering it to church musicians at $288. So, I began the quest for a good buy, and found Finale 2006 on Ebay for $227 plus shipping. That was cheaper than all the rest, and Finale is used by most musicians I know, instrumental as well as vocal, including Professor Thompson himself of the Cantor Institute. (I hope he doesn't mind my saying so.) It will even allow scanning of music into the program, which Mozart cannot do. Not all of the higher priced music software may necessarily do that, I believe. I haven't explored its text possibilities yet, however. I suspect they are at least as good as Mozart's. Finale has the reputation of being the industry leader.

If you have a network of musicians that you work with, I would strongly suggest selecting the prevailing music software of the group, because none of this software automatically reads other software files- assuming you want to share files from time to time without having to waste time persuading your system to look at it. For example, Finale users can attach Finale files to email to send to each other. The same holds true for Sibelius to Sibelius, etc. You can edit music software files where you can't edit Adobe PDF files, which may also prove useful.

There are SO many choices out there. The struggle is to make the best choice for your needs. Good luck.