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Composing in a Notation Program or DAW? Here's how to decide!
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- čas přidán 24. 02. 2022
- Are you getting started writing music, but not sure whether you should get a notation program or a digital audio workstation? It's a big decision to buy one, since they can be so expensive. In this video I break down the advantages of each and why you might choose one over the other.
![The Pros And Cons Of Using Notation Software [Part 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wgm4vD-1BcU/mqdefault.jpg)
It’s beneficial to use both: using the Notation Software then produce it to your DAW.
You just answered my question! How do you create midi from notation software to DAW so that you can layer your choral voices on top? Speaking from a choral music composer point of view.
@@zakiahart3919 Im not sure if it’s like this for other notation software, but on musescore you can export the sheet music as a midi file then import it into a DAW. So in your notation software you should check if it can export the sheet music as a MIDI file.
Personally I think it depends on the type of project, sometimes it's better to use notation software, which is primarily what I use, but a daw can be easier to get things down because it's a lot easier to modify rhythm
Definitely depends! End use case matters a lot - if you're passing the music off to musicians, it's often easier to just use notation software. I personally find a DAW a lot easier to change things around in, giving me more creative freedom.
That’s what she just said, man!
Dorico seems the best of both world since it's primarily notiation software but had an excellent midi editor. Most people go from DAW to Notation, but tend to go the other way around if I need more than your typical orchestral Instruments.
The answer is simple. You want to compose music for others to play? Write using a notation software. You want to compose music for others to listen, use a daw.
1:20 - Simple-but-clever chart! The information in the chart is obvious in hindsight, but it makes a comparison that people don’t often think about.
Thanks for the video. you articulated exactly my current dilemma. I found it much easier to put new ideas into Notation software, but my current NS (Crescendo) is extremely limited, no mixer and when exporting midi into guitar-based notation software with mixing capability (Guitar Pro8) the ties and articulations were lost. I hesitate to use a DAW because I don't necessarily want to produce a fully-fledged piece, rather a simple demo of the idea with a hint of what it could be once other musicians join and create their own parts. From the video, I think I'll check out Dorico to see what it can do. BTW, Guitar Pro 8 is good, but writing keyboard parts is clunky compared to Crescendo. GP8 can also handle jazz feel, which is beyond Crescendo, but as the name suggests, it's really for guitarists. (though I am one!!) Great video, thank you!
Another thing to note is finance. To get a piece of music to sound professional, or of ‘broadcast quality’ in a DAW requires loads of money on the DAW itself plus assembling high quality sample libraries. That can easily rack you into the thousands + decent audio output equipment in order to mix to a decent standard. You could get sophisticated works down in notation software for much cheaper in comparison. Budget is a huge factor when deciding which to use.
Hi Joe - definitely budget is a big factor. It really comes down to what the final product is - do you need to deliver sheet music so that live musicians can play the music? If so, notation is great! If you need to deliver an instrumental track of highest quality, you'll need to spend money on good sample libraries. The good news is that with the new subscription model for Pro Tools, it's easy to get in the door on a Professional DAW without having to pay a big sum of money up front.
Me being a Logic Pro X user. I find it very easy to use for composition, arrangement, mixing and mastering. But I don’t really handle my own mastering. Having virtual instruments to choose to compose my composition. It’s like writing with the instruments in mind. I don’t know how to read or write music on sheet music paper, digitally or on actual paper. But I don’t let that stop me. When I work with collaborators. I find that they work in Logic also. But they use it for pianos to get there ideas out. Sometimes they let me do they orchestrations in my computer with logic. They’ll send me a midi file that’s in a format of a video game or something that’s not a song. So, I find it fun to use my imagination and choose the instruments that I think should play certain notes. I then come to a complete track. And I mix it. Send back an audio file. And usually they like it. Sometimes they say, naw! Choose a totally different instrumentation. 🤦🏾♂️ but hey it’s fun and I get to explore different areas of what a DAW like Logic Pro can do. I did see a score function in Logic. But I felt so lost that I closed it and didn’t open again. I think it’s cool to have different pieces of software that cater to how you work. Whether digital sheet music paper or a DAW.
Reaper has had notion software built into it for years. I can write an entire soundscore, record it, and export the entire chart as a PDF. You can add lyrics and chord symbols, mark your A-B sections, etc. I took a Pro Tools class in college while studying recording engineering and bought a copy of Reaper for something to work on so I wouldn't have to go to the lab. I never opened Pro Tools again after the class. You can also edit video with Reaper. Just $60 U.S. for 5 years and all updates included.
Thanks for the vid. As a side issue, if you use both a notation program and a Daw simultaneously, what would you use for an interface to toggle between the two? Do you have a favourite one you use?
You mention that you use Garage Band and another program in the lower budget side. What program is it?
Excellent overview. My workflow almost always begins with pencil and paper , than developing it in Sibellius . My improvs I go straight to Cubase and than transcibe into Sibelius.
some notation software do allow most of what a daw can (in your compare sheet), like Dorico, staffpad etc. So i would adjust the sheet to reflect this
going use my daw with dorico. i compsoe daw but notation i do with dorico. i know notion is pair for studio one (my daw) but does some times terrible. like note grouping for example in 5/4. and lacks many symbols etc.
Holy Cow! Is there a program that plays notes you write!?!??!?!? The ones I have tried NEVER play what I write accurately.
I play by ear with only a book one piano training. I want to write for orchestra What is the best DAW or notation software that easily scores whatever I play and that score can be ready for an orchestra?.
Actually there are notation software products that incorporate some DAW features like MIDI cc automation or piano rolls (e.g. Dorico or Overture). And even more basic notation programs nowadays support VST sample libs and effect plugins on tracks. Also a lot of DAWs have a notation view, but it is rather limited.
The problem with notation software is that it requires you to set up expression maps to map certain articulations and the dynamics to your notation. This is time consuming (except if they are provided by the sample library producer). Also it might cause unrealistic results regarding the dynamics if you are not careful (especially if working with multiple different sample libs).
Also if I am correct, there is currently no notation software that supports the automation of effect plugin parameters. I hope this feature will be available in Dorico in the near future.
All in all, I personally prefer to compose in my notation software. With DAWs and the piano roll view, it quickly gets confusing (regarding articulations, dynamics and so on). In my notation software I see the entire score at a glance (and quickly get an idea about the harmony, melodic figures and orchestration techniques used). I only use my DAW if I want to get something done "quick and dirty", if I already have composed a score in my notation software and want to do some mixing/mastering or if I want to add some live instrument recordings.
Is there a way to write something in Muscore and then put it into Cubase 5 so I can choose better sounding instruments, mix it better, and use better effects. I want the final product to come from Cubase . Now this final product will function as a demo tape did back in the day. Why don't I just write in Cubase? The notes I write in Cubase score are never accurately represented. It's sooooo frustrating! Great channel and great content. Thank you for this helpful video. I just downloaded the only notation program that I could get - Muscore. All thanks to this helpful video.
Is there a system where you write in an iPad screen with pen and it pops up on sheet in Mac?
thank you for good information!
Currently using notation software, but I'm trying to figure out how to turn it into midi to use as an accompaniment, then layer the choral voices on top of that piano accompaniment. So that before people order the music, they can hear a sample of the choral piece with vocal as they're reading the music score. So I'm assuming that I'd need both notation and DAW right?
This is a great video. You make a fine distinction between DAW and Notation Software that I'm struggling with upon a decision which to go. I'm a music reader but getting into a stage to write some music. I find DAW easier to get idea down but struggle to convert to sheet music to share. Have you found a well streamlined software for end-to-end workflow from keyboard or MIDI to sheet music of all tracks (unlike Garageband for single track score)? Thank you!
Thanks for watching, and glad you liked the video! I currently use Cubase to make demos and then export MIDI into Dorico to make sheet music. I actually just posted a video showing this workflow, if you want to check it out. (czcams.com/video/4X0XqPbWjcE/video.html). That being said, I just learned that Dorico 4 has some great new features that may make me switch to an entirely Dorico workflow. I will be playing around the software and will probably make a new video about it soon!
I use all four types: Ardour musescore various iPad tools around AUM and my trusty music moleskine
Very informative, thanks
Annoys the hell out of me when I watch a composers video and they are using a DAW and all I am viewing is midi tracks. Dorico Pro is the best solution being the best notation software with the features of a DAW included.
Thank You!
Some of the information here is a little misleading. Many of the most popular DAWs (Cubase, Logic, Studio One, Digital Performer) have notation editing features, not just piano roll editing. They may not have all the features of dedicated notation software, but with their articulation mapping to musical symbols, allow for quite nuanced MIDI playback of sample libraries, particularly orchestral libraries.
One other important compositional feature that some of them have (Digital Performer, Studio One), that tends to be lacking in notation software is a scratchpad with alternative versioning, allowing a flexible workflow for trying out different ideas.
DAWs nowadays tend to be focusing more on audio recording features rather than MIDI, which may be a disadvantage if you are solely interested in composing and getting idea down using sample libraries and notation.
I mean let's say I really like some rock song and I want to play it on piano. The only way to actually be able to replay it well is to write it down on a sheet. If I decided to compose something on the other hand I would use DAW.
I strongly recommend a piece of paper.
In short, use a notation program to write *_sheet_* music, or a DAW to produce *_recorded_* music.
Duh!
@@andrewcgs, one case where it can get a little fuzzy is if a conductor asks you to send a reference recording of the music: Is it sufficient just to let Sibelius crank that out, or is it worthwhile to clean it up in a DAW?
This summary is not quite right. You CAN use notation software with audio, or, in effect midi linked to audio via VST samples, or AI sampling as used in Muses Score and Note performer. It is true that you need midi data in effect to virtually enter notes either by live recording or step input, or via the notation app but it is a lot more flexible than you are implying. Many composers use a COMBINATION of Audio, Samples and Midi to produce work. For example in Studio One you can export midi AND audio samples as note data and transfer seemlessly to Notion 6, or the other way around. The distinction between the processes you describe is now becoming blurred.
really informational video, thank you! i have one question though, i compose on a notation software but the songs have orchestral and traditional instruments so they don't sound great in the software, and because of this i can't use them on the current project im working on. but since i didn't get mixing education i have no idea how to find or use the correct and affordable daws or vsts, are they usually seperate? also i can't record the instruments, i just want to write them digitally without them sounding bad, is that possible or do i have to record if i want good results? sorry if i asked too many questions-
Hi @mintmotif! I highly recommend checking out Reaper as an affordable DAW. I used it for years before switching to Cubase. There are a lot of pretty good free VST's out there that you can download to use with Reaper as well. If you want a good sounding audio demo, I highly recommend using a DAW rather than your notation software. I hope this answers your questions!
Great video! I would like to hear your thoughts on what notation software you use. I also use Cubase, so naturally, I'm thinking of going with Dorico. Curious to know what you use. I hope you make more videos. Good stuff!
Thank you! I do use Dorico - I really like the way Dorico does note entry, and I really like the ease of formatting everything. Back when I was using Finale, I spent hours and hours formatting instrumental parts to make sure they looked okay, with Dorico, you can set up rules that apply across all layouts. It saves so much time! I definitely plan on making a video about how I use Dorico. Thanks!
@@FinishingTheScore I was surprised to read this, as the video gave me the impression that you maybe weren't so familiar with the DAW-like features in recent versions of Dorico. If you do find time to do a video on how you use it, I hope you will explain which parts of the process (if any!) you prefer to do in a DAW, and why.
Interested also
Hi @@zorkmarble ! I have just started digging into the latest changes to the key editor and Play mode in Dorico 4, and I'm really excited by what I see! I am going to try out ditching Cubase entirely to see what it's like composing in Dorico 4. I plan to post a video about it at some point. :)
thankyou
Most notation apps (Sibelius and Finale) are archaic mess. Dorico seems usable.
Hi, i like your videos and i wanted to ask you If i would pass you one Demo mine would you Like orchestrate my music?
Hi Gabriel - so glad you're enjoying the videos! Unfortunately I'm not able to take on new projects right now, but thanks for reaching out!
Then came along NP4 that bridge the gap between DAW and notation.
dorico gives you hability to add plugins, libraries, edit midi on a piano roll....
I think the notation programs are NOT as fast as pen and paper. The day they develop a very efficient program no composer will write to a DAW
What is clear, for a serious composer, let's say in the manner of a Stravinsky, a 4-voice fugue, as a procedure, is only possible in a score editor, ... DAWs only serve to pile up epic mattresses of poor ideas ,but,...GOLDSMTIH...composed everything on sheet music,.....and it shows
I don't know where you come from, but your spoken grammar is better the most people in California. (past present tense) A+
Any real composer should be able to go straight from their head to music manuscript.
If you can't, you're wasting your time and your money.
please tell us more about this, it sounds interesting and I don't think many people know about this
Thus sayeth the fart wrangler.
@fartwrangler Not so. Composers like Shotakovich was able to go from imagination straight to paper, but other composers (Stravinsky) needed to hear his own ideas on piano before transferring them to a score. Neither was "cleverer" than the other. However I concede that any decent orchestral composer ought to know enough music theory to be able to jot down at least a simple four part piece to paper.