Musescore?

[David Broad]

Is anyone else using Musescore? Its a freeware with paid upgrade option which does much the same as Sibelius. I have used it for 5 years or so. The Brass Band tempate was included in version 1, dropped for 2 and 3 but still functions, (You can clone it from my postings at present, I have put a few of my simple arrangements which we used in the 2019 season on Musescore and will do a few more as I check them through but have only used the free one months subscription to let me put them on YouTube Via Musecore. DavidCBRoad is my user name and Old Comrades, Themes fromthe Skaters Waltz and In an English Country Garden are the latest. Country Gardens was made famous but not composed by Percy Grainger. I did it as the published arrangements were not compatible with singing it, then realised Rolf Harris sang it so that idea went out of the window and its now hacked Anyway I like it. Musescore is well worth a look for arranging etc

 

[Euphonium Lite]

I use musescore and prefer it in many ways to Sibelius. My copy of Musescore has a BB template on it, and I know MS3 also has it (as my son has it on his laptop)

 

[Iain]

I used musescore and have no problem with it.

 

[Brassbandhog]

I used musescore for many years and find it, on the whole, a very reliable and useful piece of software.

 

[cjwood555]

I'm finding musescore 3 apalling for stability, so have reverted to v2. In many ways I think v1 was better but IIRC there were quite a few things it didnt do.

 

[Queeg2000]

I’ve used it off and on for several years. I find it doesn’t display well in windows 10 without some fiddling about

 

[David Broad]

I'm finding musescore 3 apalling for stability, so have reverted to v2. In many ways I think v1 was better but IIRC there were quite a few things it didnt do.

I also reverted from 3 to 2 on my main computer. The mute and mixer function f11? on Musescore 3 is very clumsy compared to Musescore 2. Trouble is Musescore 2 can't play music created on Musescore 3 so I have to have Musescore 3 on an old computer.

 

[DaveBBb]

My main issue with MuseScore is the soundfonts. I haven't found a decent one for Brass Band playback. Guess that I have been spoiled using Note Performer with Sibelius 7.5. However, I like the ease of note input on musescore compared with Sib so if I could find a decent soundfont I would switch to musescore permanently. There is also the horrendous cost of upgrading Sib to consider. Any ideas on a decent soundfont for musescore would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[John Morton]

I'm a veteran composer/arranger who was working for the Beeb as long ago as 1970. I have been using notation programs since 1994 and have experience with various programs. For ease of use inputting, selecting, copying and pasting, transposing etc. MuseScore has absolutely no equal in my experience. I suffer none of the problems of stability and display reported on here but you need to make sure you are using an actual program not one of the beta's and that the version you use is compatible with the system software. The computer should alert you. MuseScore gives you active contact with its German developers which is brilliant!

MuseScore is a notation program not a DAW. Good quality playback requires a DAW. Apple's Logic Pro X is arguably as comprehensive as ProTools at a fraction of the price. It has a bewildering number of soundfonts etc. Save the notation file as a MIDI file, right click and select 'open with your DAW' and assign instruments in each track.
The instruments do not always identify correctly. You will need to go into the text editor (in Logic) and delete the imported pan and velocity attributes or the faders will have a mind of their own. These attributes can be cancelled in MuseScore but it's quicker to do it in the DAW.
An advantage of using DAW programs is the availability of EQ and other enhancement facilities including reverb.

Here is a link to my composition Ikon which uses only native MuseScore and Logic Pro sounds which have been sculpted with care and an attentive ear. I don't expect a medal for this. You need to pay many hundreds of pounds for film score level instruments:

 

[DaveBBb]

Hi John Morton, thank you for your prompt and comprehensive response to my query. You have certainly given me plenty of leads to follow up. As a rank amateur I am very grateful for the advice. BTW I love Ikon, a great composition.

 

[John Morton]

Hi John Morton, thank you for your prompt and comprehensive response to my query. You have certainly given me plenty of leads to follow up. As a rank amateur I am very grateful for the advice. BTW I love Ikon, a great composition.

No probs. I forgot to mention the obvious: Logic Pro only works on Apple machines. If you need any help don't hesitate to contact me.

 

[hjpgeeswood]

Message to John Morton I've seen advertised both a kindle copy of your 2012 book (with audio extracts). Does the paperback version also have these audio files perhaps within a CD attached the book? Thank you.

 

[John Morton]

Thanks for your interest in my book.

There are three versions: the basic Kindle version (which outsells the others) the audio version and the paperback which has no playable audio file facility included. The Audio version has 266 audio file examples playable right off the page and active hyperlinks and contents. It needs a high-end Kindle, iPad, tablet or desktop machine to work.

Essentially, all books have the same content except that the KIndle version doesn't include the free big band score. If you went the Kindle route, I could email a free PDF of that, anyway,

regards and thanks again, John Morton.

P.S. this isn't primarily a brass band study book.

 

[hjpgeeswood]

Thanks for your prompt,detailed and helpfulresponse John. I've purchased the Kindle version and so would be grateful please for the free big band score. Should I send a direct email with my address/email details please? Harold Purvis

 

[John Morton]

Yes please, my email address appears above, regards and thanks, JM