Which DAW for entering music via staff mode?

  • Thread starter Thread starter BigBlueToe
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BigBlueToe

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I have a master's degree in musical composition which I got during the earliest stages of electronic music (I think it was pre-MIDI.) I've joined the modern age by constructing a home studio with computer recording. I use Cubase 6. It's a very powerful program, but I have some issues. I prefer to construct tracks in staff mode - entering notes on musical staves. I used to use Cakewalk Pro Audio (9?) and it worked well. As tedious as it is to enter notes by selecting a value (whole not to sixteenth, etc.) and using the mouse on a staff to enter the pitch, I prefer it. I can look at the notes on the staff and know the harmonies, voice leading, etc. It's my musical language.

My experience with staff mode in Cubase has been underwhelming. The note time values are up in a dropdown menu up in the top bar; there are no markers visible in staff mode, and the size of the notes are too small - it's hard to put the note on the correct line or space.

My question is for people with experience with different DAW's. Which one has the most usable staff mode? Since Sonar seems to be evolved from Pro Audio, I'm wondering if its staff mode is still as good as it used to be. How about ProTools? I've thought about getting Sibelius because it seems to be designed for composers who create sheet music, but does it have the DAW tools like something like Cubase?

Maybe I just don't know how to use Cubase properly.

All thoughts would be welcomed. Thanks.
 
Usually a DAW is for recording. Most of us do compose, but it but with real instruments. Most notational programs I know if allow you to compose, then converts it to MIDI for export. You could compose on notational software, export the MIDI into Cubase or print out the sheets (PDF maybe and put them on a tablet), then record.

For a true composer, I do think dedicated notational software would be what you want and just use Cubase for recording.
 
I've thought about getting Sibelius because it seems to be designed for composers who create sheet music, but does it have the DAW tools like something like Cubase?
Click to expand...

What DAW tools are you looking for?

I agree with DM60, if you're going to stay in the MIDI realm, get notational software and import the MIDI tracks into Cubase and go from there. There doesn't seem to be a large selection of notational software out there. There is an open-source program called MuseScore that pulled up in a google search. I might download that and give it a try just to see what it's about.
 
As far as notational software, NCH Crescendo is free (not a trial version) and is available for Windows, Mac, and Android. It's pretty easy to use-- when you add a note to the score there's a circle of options that pops up so you can change the length of the note, add a sharp/flat/natural, etc. You can also add lyrics or comments. Your work can be exported to a standard MIDI file, or you can import a MIDI file for editing.

Edit: Sorry, I meant Android, not Unix!
 
Finale and Sibelius are two applications specifically designed for scoring.

If that's your preferred way of doing things, then, as others have suggested, you can compose in, say, Sibelius, then export the midi and load it into another DAW for recording audio stuff.

Logic has a scoring system, so it is in all-in-one kind of thing.
 
gecko zzed said:
Finale and Sibelius are two applications specifically designed for scoring.

If that's your preferred way of doing things, then, as others have suggested, you can compose in, say, Sibelius, then export the midi and load it into another DAW for recording audio stuff.

Logic has a scoring system, so it is in all-in-one kind of thing.
Click to expand...

I believe AVID bought Sibelius and, while it exists as a standalone program, it's also built into ProTools.

That said I wouldn't recommend buying ProTools. Hopefully someone has a better, cheaper option.
 
My old tutor is a professional transcriber and string arranger on my last university course, and he seemed to insist on finale even over Sibelius.
 
I've got the same problem as BigBlueToe. Older Cakewalk versions had the best Staff View but I'm having increasing trouble keeping the revered version (8.5.3) going. I don't agree that it's one or the other, you need to compose MIDI parts for the song in the same software as the song - so you can hear the whole thing. You also avoid all the BS that goes with trying to integrate the two programs. Even if you had all the necessary sound banks or VI's in the scoring software, you still can't tell what it all sounds like together.

BlueToe: I recommend Cakewalk 8.5.3 but it's much happier on Windows 7. If you start by installing 8.0, then keep going all the way to 8.5.3, you'll also have support for older 32 bit plugs because v8.0 stays on your system providing that support even though you're actually using 8.5.3.
 
I haven't used notation software for some time now.. since '92. I am using Reaper for my DAW and it's got what looks to me like a fairly decent notation app. It will notate a MIDI track and, conversely, allow you to place notes on staff which will immediately appear within the appropriate MIDI track for instant playback.

I only piddled with adding and removing a few notes and modifying them a little, so I have no idea how extensive or useable this might be.
 
My son transcribes Bach pieces to classical guitar and says he finds MuseScore very useful.

Dave.
 
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