Keyboard and software suggestions please!
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Posted on Feb 09, 2008 11:07 pm
M. Eunice Brown
Member Since: Feb 09, 2008
I was wondering if I could get some feedback from some of you experts out there! Here's what I would like to do:
I want to buy a decent, 88-key keyboard and software (compatible with a Mac) to record and manipulate the music I write and produce nice sheet music. I would like to have the capabilities to do full orchestrations and I would like to spend no more than $1500. Any ideas or suggestions on specific keyboards and software? Thanks!
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Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 10, 2008 10:33 pm There are a couple of choices out there. They may push the budget a little bit though as a decent 88 key controller is not cheap. Although they can be had for a decent price if you don't mid used gear.
On the software, are you more concerned about the scoring aspect of it? As in are you looking for more functionality geared towards the notation side of things, or the sounds and synths side of things?
Feb 10, 2008 10:47 pm I don't mind used gear in the least. I guess as far as software goes, I guess I'm looking at both aspects. I really want to be able to manipulate the score once it's notated (alterations, adding sections, adding other parts) and I want to be able to hear it back once it's completely orchestrated.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 10, 2008 11:05 pm Let me dig around a bit. Other may chime in as well before I get back. But you may want to look into something like Finale or the like. It is geared heavily toward the scoring aspect of things.
I use Sonar that way but it may fall short in the tools you may be looking for.
I am assuming you are talking about classical arrangements here? If not Sonar may be worth a look as well.
You can look into 88 key controllers by Studio Logic as well if you use google. Fatar is the parent company and they make the actual key control sections for just about all the top end controllers and stage piano keyboards out there now.
I use an older Studio Logic controller 88 key piano weighted with Velocity and after touch and love it.
Feb 11, 2008 05:40 am the only scoring programs i know of are finale and ...damn that other one. can't remember. but i've used one of them before, and they're super cool if you're gonna be working with sheet music.
check out craigslist for the controller. download an RSS program called snarfer and set it to do keyword searches in the musical instruments category across the whole US. you can see a lot of great deals out there.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 11, 2008 07:23 pm Sibelius is the other one that is strictly notation software, very heavy stuff.
www.sibelius.com/home/index_flash.html
And Finale can be found here as well.
www.finalemusic.com/
I know Finale comes with some pretty decent sounds to score with. And Sibelius does as well. Of the two Finale is probably a bit easier to learn. But both can be pretty deep. They both come with some decent tutorials as well. And their websites contain a good deal of info.
J-botByte-MixerMember
Since: Dec 04, 2007
Feb 11, 2008 10:07 pm Of the two, I've only used Finale myself. I had access to the 2001 version back when I was taking classes at UNF. (before they started using Garritan sounds) Finale's not too hard into getting into using.
Reason I use neither of them is pretty much the price tag. I myself use Rosegarden in Linux, which is both a midi-sequencer and a notation/scoring program. I find it similar to Finale with the point/click style interface.
The major limitation atm, is that it can't do a "Grand Staff" So you'd have to split a piano into a bass and treble staff (taking up 2 midi-tracks) And I'm not sure if it can condense a full score down into parts yet. Which are pretty big limitations frankly.
Well, that, and it runs under linux, and I don't think they have a mac port, which I guess makes its usefulness pretty much nil unless you want to learn your way around linux.
www.rosegardenmusic.com
Scoring interface:
Sequencer:
