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music composing software
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:42 pm
by MittenKitty
my 11 year old would like to be able to write her songs down and I think I've seen on here that there is free software available to help with this. Can anyone recommend an easy place to start? - she wants it for songs she sings and also for her clarinet - she's only grade 3 so not especially advanced musically but she's enjoying it and I'd like to encourage her.
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:56 pm
by Snowdrops
I don't know about any software, but what about trying blank sheet music which she can just fill in on her own and then play back.
Try here, it's free:
http://www.blanksheetmusic.net/
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:59 pm
by Ed's mum
If you type 'Sibelius' into a search engine, you will come up with some interesting free software. We use this in my school - although I have no direct experience of it.
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:15 pm
by KenR
I'm afraid Sibelius
http://www.sibelius.com isn't free - the student edition is about £115
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:27 pm
by Ed's mum
There are free trials. My mistake. 
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:03 pm
by solimum
There's a freeware music writing programme called Forte Free which I recently downloaded and found quite useful. My son has been using Finale (the main rival to Sibelius, with ever-increasing features) for several years for more advanced work but has uninstalled it from this computer to take to university!
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:13 pm
by MittenKitty
thanks everyone for your help so far - the blank sheet music will be useful
but what I'm envisaging - and I don't even know if this exists - is something where she can write a piece of music and then hear back what the tune sounds like and edit it until she's happy
I'll have a look at the ones mentioned when I'm home tonight but is this kind of thing available? Not necessarily for her to record her own voice - although I suppose that's another option - but first for her to write a few phrases of music and be able to hear how they sound
sorry if I'm being dozy about this - it's not my area!
Mittenkitty
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:20 pm
by Samba
my OH uses PersonalComposer for arranging and composing. You can compose music and the system plays it back to you - there is a basic version for about £49 with eight staves. Suggest you check to see that it has the features you want, but you can upgrade to next level if you find you need more features. Hope that helps.
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:10 pm
by solimum
You can certainly play back what you've written on Forte free ( initially it sounds like a piano) - what you often pay more for on the paid-for software is increasingly authentic-sounding instrumentation
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:04 pm
by KB
I think sibelius is used in alot of schools so that might be a plus point. Some schools have a facility for students to have limited use at home.
Might be worth her asking at school?