Music Origination Program

[Peter Clark]

I am seriously considering getting this software, as from what I can see it is ideally suitable for one working as a church musician. Unlike Sibelius it doesn't offer a full orchestration facility, but does offer SATB, organ (three stave) as well as other features including playback. Has anybody here had experience of it? One organist I know (not on this forum) rates it very highly. (I hope this doesn't count as advertising? If so please let me know.)

 

Peter

[innate]

I am seriously considering getting this software, as from what I can see it is ideally suitable for one working as a church musician. Unlike Sibelius it doesn't offer a full orchestration facility, but does offer SATB, organ (three stave) as well as other features including playback. Has anybody here had experience of it? One organist I know (not on this forum) rates it very highly. (I hope this doesn't count as advertising? If so please let me know.)

I have no experience of Music Publisher but, for a church musician, something that allows you to "break the rules" (from its website) sounds rather useful. Things such as Responsorial Psalms and other liturgical music don't always suit more conventional programs such as Sibelius or Finale. And it transposes.

 

On the other hand you might want to think about long term implications. I've moved from Composer's Mosaic (Mark of the Unicorn), through Igor Engraver (Noteheads) to, about six months ago, Sibelius. The first two programs are now orphaned with no possibility of them running on modern computers so much of the work I have done in them is now unusable. Sibelius, however, is a major player and, as far as it is possible to predict these things, should be going strong for decades. Certainly the existing customer base is so large it will be profitable for someone to provide a file converter to whatever happens to be the industry standard in years to come. The fact that I can now, when really busy, put work out to professional copyists and get back files that I can keep and edit is a real life-saver for me.

 

If you are wondering what made me go with two such unusual programs in the first (and second) place, the killer feature for me was integrated (dynamic) score and parts [change a note in a part, it is automatically changed in the score and vice versa]. This has always seemed to me to be a sine qua non of computer music engraving, and now Sibelius has the feature too. I'm not sure whether Finale has got to that stage yet. On this side of the Atlantic Sibelius seems to have become the de facto standard whereas in the US it seems to be the other way around.

 

Another thing to bear in mind is that Braeburn Software, that makes Music Publisher, is one man and his wife. As long as they are around you will get first-rate support (particularly for church music as he is an organist and choirmaster), but they won't be around for ever.

 

Hope this helps.

[Phil T]

I am seriously considering getting this software, as from what I can see it is ideally suitable for one working as a church musician. Unlike Sibelius it doesn't offer a full orchestration facility, but does offer SATB, organ (three stave) as well as other features including playback. Has anybody here had experience of it? One organist I know (not on this forum) rates it very highly. (I hope this doesn't count as advertising? If so please let me know.)

 

Peter

 

Like Innate, I’ve got no experience of the programme, so this reply may be of little use to you. Sibelius offers SATB or choir (or pretty much any combination) and organ (either manuals or manuals and pedals) and allows full playback. It will print off two pages of A5 onto one page of A4 and, if you print on both sides (A4), you can fit a small(ish) anthem onto one page of A4.

 

[Vox Humana]

Me neither, but, going on Peter's description, I would just add the fairly obvious observation that if there is no orchestration facility you might find yourself hampered should your circumstances ever change to one where you need to write for a music group.

[nfortin]

I'd love to use Sibelius but its just too expensive. Unless you're a serious composer doing a lot of type-setting, or just seriously rich, I don't see how the cost can be justified. It strikes me that its a rip-off.

 

I use a little known program - Capella - that's more than adequate for my needs. The latest version has xml import/export which allows data to be shared with Sibelius which is useful for my daughter who has to use Sibelius for her A-level work at school. The student version of Sibelius, still seriously expensive, is useless for A-level as its too cut down, whereas she can do everything she needs in Capella.

[Guest drd]

Sibelius run a discount programme for educational or ecclesiastical use.

 

I now use it, but for several years used Capella (www.software-partners.co.uk) which produces results almost as good, is quite easy to use, and is much cheaper than Sibelius.

 

Both are a pleasure to use.

[innate]

I'd love to use Sibelius but its just too expensive. Unless you're a serious composer doing a lot of type-setting, or just seriously rich, I don't see how the cost can be justified. It strikes me that its a rip-off.

 

I use a little known program - Capella - that's more than adequate for my needs. The latest version has xml import/export which allows data to be shared with Sibelius which is useful for my daughter who has to use Sibelius for her A-level work at school. The student version of Sibelius, still seriously expensive, is useless for A-level as its too cut down, whereas she can do everything she needs in Capella.

Having resisted jumping on the Sib juggernaut for many years I finally gave in when they had a £200 price reduction before Christmas so I got it for £399. I don't think the RRP is any more of a rip-off than any other major piece of software; I heard that Coda who make Finale didn't make a profit for about the first 15 years the program was on sale. The development of niche programs must be almost as precarious as organ-building. I certainly think that Micro$oft software is much more of a rip-off.

[headcase]

I, too, use Capella. Easy to use and very flexible when it comes to choosing the number of staves required. I would recommend it to anyone and I've also found the support from Software Partners prompt and efficient.

 

H

[Vox Humana]

Ebay has some copies of Sibelius 5 going for £272 + £20 (yes, £20!!) p+p.