The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    I can write faster with an ink pen than I can do sibelius.

    A good music fountain pen allows you to do a good note head with a single stroke. You can write almost as fast as you can think. (Or at least as fast as I can :-))

    However Sibelius has the obvious advantage of being convenient. In practice I write mostly on staff paper and then do the data entry after.

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  3. #52

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    Faster, and it looks like you...

    Again, if you want a playback or have lots of parts to copy Sibelius is wonderful...

  4. #53

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    I hate writing anything by hand. I didn't become a decent writer until I started using a computer for everything. I find the process of hand writing to be much to slow and somewhat painful. When I write by hand, by the time I finish putting down a sentence, I've forgotten where I was going with it. I make a lot of mistakes when I type, but I'm way faster with it, and I can always correct the mistakes later. And I'm old enough to have been taught handwriting in school.

    As far as charts go, I don't mind handwritten if they're clear, but I doubt anybody would want to play from my handwritten stuff. The nice thing about software-generated charts is that they're consistent, and that they automatically do that proportional thing where the notes take up space in the bar in proportion to their time value. (i.e., eighth notes will be closer together than quarter notes). The other thing is, if I set up my software so that it's four bars to the line, I get four bars to the line. Sometimes handwritten charts can be inconsistent with stuff like that.

    The other nice thing about software is that you can hear the lines as you write them. I'm usually pretty good at notating, but not perfect. It's nice to have the musical equivalent of spell check.

    I'm using MuseScore these days. It's pretty easy to use and I don't need all the features of a Sibelius or a Finale. I'm not writing full scores. Just lead sheets or single line transcriptions.

  5. #54

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boston Joe
    I hate writing anything by hand. I didn't become a decent writer until I started using a computer for everything. I find the process of hand writing to be much to slow and somewhat painful. When I write by hand, by the time I finish putting down a sentence, I've forgotten where I was going with it. I make a lot of mistakes when I type, but I'm way faster with it, and I can always correct the mistakes later. And I'm old enough to have been taught handwriting in school.

    As far as charts go, I don't mind handwritten if they're clear, but I doubt anybody would want to play from my handwritten stuff. The nice thing about software-generated charts is that they're consistent, and that they automatically do that proportional thing where the notes take up space in the bar in proportion to their time value. (i.e., eighth notes will be closer together than quarter notes). The other thing is, if I set up my software so that it's four bars to the line, I get four bars to the line. Sometimes handwritten charts can be inconsistent with stuff like that.

    The other nice thing about software is that you can hear the lines as you write them. I'm usually pretty good at notating, but not perfect. It's nice to have the musical equivalent of spell check.

    I'm using MuseScore these days. It's pretty easy to use and I don't need all the features of a Sibelius or a Finale. I'm not writing full scores. Just lead sheets or single line transcriptions.
    Agreed about MuseScore. Downloaded it myself. I mostly do leadsheets, have done and will do again orchestrally-realized writing.

    I agree, and have also mentioned, about the playback. Very helpful, and can save precious rehearsal time to correct stuff before handing out parts.

    Re the handwritten thing:

    It's partly ego, or anyway pride in myself to keep getting better at it. The other reasons I already mentioned, no need to repeat myself and bore folks.


    PS: I seriously contemplated taking up calligraphy to improve all my handwriting. I was a not-bad visual artist as a kid, and sort of want to piggyback on that in my dotage. I find it therapeutic and calming.

    OTOH, much the same can be said for using the software: it takes patience and a willingness to slow down, neither great attributes of mine, so...

  6. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by fasstrack
    OTOH, much the same can be said for using the software: it takes patience and a willingness to slow down, neither great attributes of mine, so...
    I love fiddling around with software. That's no small factor in having influenced what I do for a living (technical writing). So there's that.

    Oh, the other nice thing about software is, if I want to make Bb or Eb charts for horn players, it's just a couple of clicks.
    Last edited by Boston Joe; 09-24-2016 at 01:06 PM.

  7. #56

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boston Joe
    Oh, the other nice thing about software is, if I want to make Bb or Eb charts for horn players, it's just a couple of clicks.
    Check.

    (An expression I picked up in a former life as car service driver)...