Although Maestro Composer may not be one of the most well known music notation programs on the market it has many positive features in its corner that make it worth taking a closer look. Some of the things like very simple entry of notes and quick access to almost any marking that a composer might want or need to use are just some of the basic things that get you started. Other bonuses like a very intuitive help system and multiple ways to import, export, and publish the music you write are icing on the cake when you notice the program's fairly low price tag. So what are the pros and cons of Maestro Composer and who is it best suited to be used by? Let's take a closer look.
Scorio is a free and web based notation software including a scores library of more than 3,000 music sheets. Every musician can write, print or share his own music online free of charge. The music editor supports musicXML format so that musicXML files can be imported, re-worked in scorio and exported again if wanted. A forum and two iPad applications complete the portfolio of scorio.com. The Music Notator App allows musicians to write their music on the go. The Music Case App transposes partitions or creates new page breaks at one touch.
Finale 2011 brings with it a smattering of new and improved features, mostly focused on the areas of fonts, lyrics, and staff management. After seeing the changes first hand we will try to answer the question, is it really worth it to upgrade to Finale 2011?
Read more: Finale 2011 Review - Music Notation Software Review
Building on the successful feature upgrades of Sibelius 6, Sibelius Student has greatly improved it's utility as an educational tool for both classroom and home use. Priced at just under $100 Sibelius Student is a bit pricey for those that are just looking for a cheap or free way to write and print music notation, but for amateur musicians and music students it packs a lot of desirable features that other comparably priced student music writing products leave out.
MakeMusic has a long and venerable history of making great music notation software for professionals. One thing that is often forgotten is that they also do a very good job of packaging their music writing software into very effective consumer level products as well. Finale Songwriter is no exception to this rule, and the latest version of the program adds features that help it maintain its value in the midst of many other competing products.