which is best software for orchestra

Milo D. Cooper

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Jan 6, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/6/97

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CohenKyres wrote:
>
> I have looked at Freestyle, Cakewalk, Cubase, Encore and Finale. Which is
> best for composing for symphony orchestra? Must be for PC, not Mac. Need
> at least 32 voice polyphony.

I recommend Encore. I bought it recently and I'm extremely
pleased with it, because its interface is very intuitive and it has
loads of features and fine-tuning capability. I composed a very
short passage for horns and strings in no time, complete with ef-
fects and dynamics (trills, fortissimos, staccatos, legatos, slurs,
tuplets, etc.), and I was able to get the music to sound exactly as
I wished (within the limits of MIDI). The software is very profes-
sional, and yet quite customizable and very easy to use -- I man-
aged a lot of composition with minimal manual-consulting. (Speak-
ing of which, the manual is great, as well.) Lastly, I tried
printing out my score, and it came out beautifully. It ran me al-
most $400, and so far, it seems to be worth every cent.
--
/|_____Milo D. Cooper_____|\
\| mdco...@ix.netcom.com |/

Cooter

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Jan 8, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/8/97

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Although I have Cakewalk (and like it), there is substantial support on
rec.music.compose for Finale. I've never tried it, but suggest you ask
this question there as well.

Laura M

Dennis Bathory-Kitsz

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Jan 8, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/8/97

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> CohenKyres wrote:
> >
> > I have looked at Freestyle, Cakewalk, Cubase, Encore and Finale. Which is
> > best for composing for symphony orchestra? Must be for PC, not Mac. Need
> > at least 32 voice polyphony.

For PC, if you really, really need powerful orchestra abilities,
including playback, look at Finale. I've used it for 4+ years (from the
old, hard-to-use versions to today's) and though there is a *lot* to
learn, it will give you just about everything you need for professional
orchestra work. There are other programs that will produce comparable
(and sometimes better-looking) scores, but for all-around features,
including the 32-voice polyphony (such as you can get with an MQX-32M
Midi card), Finale does the job. For touching up your final work
properly for fine demos, you'll also need a very good sequencer, and
Cakewalk will do that. I use them hand-in-hand, composing on Finale and
producing demos in Cakewalk.

You can find some of my quick Midi compositions -- not solid demos, as
these are simplified for GM -- at
http://members.aol.com/kalvos/moremidi.htm

Best to you,
Dennis

--
Dennis Báthory-Kitsz
Malted/Media: http://www.maltedmedia.com/
The Middle-Aged Hiker: http://www.maltedmedia.com/books/mah/
Kalvos & Damian's New Music Bazaar: http://www.maltedmedia.com/kalvos/

Howard Goodall

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Jan 9, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/9/97

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There is one software for orchestra which is far, far superior to all the
other scoring packages, and that is Sibelius 7.
Basically, all the other software programs are toys compared to it. The only
problem may be that you need Acorn PC to run it and that may not be
available where you are.
I'm a successful TV/concert/theatre composer and I've tried them all:
believe me, it's the dog's bollocks. (as we say in Britain).
Sibelius Software email: in...@sibelius.demon.co.uk
www:http://www.acorn.co.uk/developers/sibelius/

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| || \\__/\__/| \||__ | /...Internet access for all Acorn RISC machines
___________________________/ how...@argonet.co.uk

D.G. Porter

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Jan 11, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/11/97

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Dennis Bathory-Kitsz wrote:
>
> > CohenKyres wrote:
> > >
> > > I have looked at Freestyle, Cakewalk, Cubase, Encore and Finale. Which is
> > > best for composing for symphony orchestra? Must be for PC, not Mac. Need
> > > at least 32 voice polyphony.
>
> For PC, if you really, really need powerful orchestra abilities,
> including playback, look at Finale. I've used it for 4+ years (from the
> old, hard-to-use versions to today's) and though there is a *lot* to
> learn, it will give you just about everything you need for professional
> orchestra work. There are other programs that will produce comparable
> (and sometimes better-looking) scores, but for all-around features,
> including the 32-voice polyphony (such as you can get with an MQX-32M
> Midi card), Finale does the job.

Yes, you may be able to knock one off in a hurry with Finale, but if you
send it to anyone they wil re-engrave it using Score.

DGP

Dennis Bathory-Kitsz

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Jan 12, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/12/97

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You did read that the poster wants 32-voice polyphony? And 'anyone' sure
is a lot of 'ones', ain't it? C'mon, there are lots of tastes on this.
Loosen up a bit here. Score people come on like storm troopers
sometimes. As I said, Finale does the job, with a nice graphical
interface and competent Midi output. You want engraving? Well, heck, you
can still use a pen. Sheesh.

John M. Miano

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Jan 12, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/12/97

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In article <32D7ED...@pacbell.net>, "D.G. Porter" <dgpo...@pacbell.net> wrote:
>Yes, you may be able to knock one off in a hurry with Finale, but if you
>send it to anyone they wil re-engrave it using Score.

Didn't I just read that Hal Leonard (The world's largest music publisher) is
requiring everything to be submitted to them in Finale?

John

------------------------------------------------
Save money...make Newt and Hillary share a cell!

9606...@music.gla.ac.uk

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Jan 15, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/15/97

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Well I'm just starting up on this sequencing lark, and I'm after something
good, and versatile (string quartets etc as well as orchestral stuff) for
PC. If anyone could give me a recommendation, preferably along with a
price (UK pounds), it would be much appreciated.
Please mail me.
Thanks

Maniacal Maestro

Dennis Bathory-Kitsz

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Jan 31, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/31/97

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Tommy and Judy Williams wrote:

>
> "Milo D. Cooper" <mdco...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
> >CohenKyres wrote:
> >>
> >> I have looked at Freestyle, Cakewalk, Cubase, Encore and Finale. Which is
> >> best for composing for symphony orchestra? Must be for PC, not Mac. Need
> >> at least 32 voice polyphony.
>

> > I recommend Encore.
[snip]
>
> Actually, many good composers use a combination of programs, for each
> has it's strengths and weaknesses. I use a combo of Master Tracks Pro
> 6, and Voyetra Digital Orchestrator. And between the two, can get
> anything I want.

Yes, I use a combination, too. Finale for scoring, with Midi output fed
to Cakewalk to produce demo versions. Since I do compose many kinds of
music, from standard orchestral through avant-garde graphical notation,
I needed the scoring program to be flexible. I also needed the Midi
output. (I also had a composer's budget!)

Best,
Dennis

Tommy and Judy Williams

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Feb 1, 1997, 3:00:00 AM2/1/97

to

"Milo D. Cooper" <mdco...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:

>CohenKyres wrote:
>>
>> I have looked at Freestyle, Cakewalk, Cubase, Encore and Finale. Which is
>> best for composing for symphony orchestra? Must be for PC, not Mac. Need
>> at least 32 voice polyphony.

> I recommend Encore. I bought it recently and I'm extremely

>pleased with it, because its interface is very intuitive and it has
>loads of features and fine-tuning capability. I composed a very
>short passage for horns and strings in no time, complete with ef-
>fects and dynamics (trills, fortissimos, staccatos, legatos, slurs,
>tuplets, etc.), and I was able to get the music to sound exactly as
>I wished (within the limits of MIDI). The software is very profes-
>sional, and yet quite customizable and very easy to use -- I man-
>aged a lot of composition with minimal manual-consulting. (Speak-
>ing of which, the manual is great, as well.) Lastly, I tried
>printing out my score, and it came out beautifully. It ran me al-
>most $400, and so far, it seems to be worth every cent.
>--
> /|_____Milo D. Cooper_____|\
> \| mdco...@ix.netcom.com |/

Actually, many good composers use a combination of programs, for each