Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Suggestions on Software (repost)

I posted this on composers lounge but then thinking I probably should have posted it here, sorry, hope that's not poor form was a mistake on my end.

Hi All - Apologies if this question should be in another thread but I thought many composers may have gone through this process. If I should post somewhere else please let me know.

Can you please provide suggestions on program/app to use that align with my goals? Please keep in mind I want to find somehitng Mac freindly and future proof and not have to relearn a new program if I outgrow one. I love learning programs so please don't hold back a suggestion thinking I'll be overwhelmed with leanring it. laugh

1. I want to produce my own music which will be my piano and vocals. I would like to be able to add other instruments (bass, acoustic guitar, etc.) with my controller and something that can generate drum track or a way to add drum track. I have used garage band lightly to test it out but havent tried any others.

2. I also want to be able to produce sheet music with lyrics and clean up and modify scores. I have used Musescore a ton not sure how others compare to it.

I did so much reading on this and there is an overwhelming number of options and articles about this. I was lost in it and still not sure what route to go.

Thanks for the support!

You can do most of the things what you want to do with Garage Band, I upgraded to Logic Pro and never looked back. Any of the major DAWs will get the job done. Pick one and learn it well.

Not sure on the producing sheet music so have no comment on that.

I'd imagine any major daw can produce the file/export needed to get into a notation program. Thanks for the comment I'll take a look at logic pro. Sounds like you started with Garage band did you find the upgrade useful and enjoyable?

Also look into Presonus Studio One 5 DAW. In the new version 5 they integrated Notion into the program for decent notation. If you need more you can purchase Notion 6. I don't know how it performs on a MAC as I'm on Windows 10. Also I only have Studio One 4. Haven't upgraded to version 5 yet.

Score view and printing is not available in Prime (the free version), nor in Artist (the next version).

One thing which stops me with Studio One is that even VST support is a paid option with Artist. Other DAW seems more cost effective.

With some DAW (Cubase, Live, Studio One), saying « it includes this or that function » is not precise without saying which level of the speakers software (Prime/AI/Lite, Essentials, Artist, Pro...)

I am also a Logic Pro user. One feature I particularly like is that you can use the associated iPad app to control logic. That means you can run Logic on a computer at your studio desk and control it from the iPad at your acoustic piano or anywhere else in the room. That makes it simple to record audio takes of your piano without leaving the bench. The iPad sits on the music stand with the sheet music and you can keep an eye on recording levels with just a glance while you play.

Studio One can do that to and with more devices. Just sayin

https://www.presonus.com/products/Studio-One-Remote

But Logic Pro for the price since you are on a MAC might be the way to go.

Thanks for the feedback, All. Im going with Logic Pro and Dorico Pro for notation. I think like many have said you can't go wrong with any of major brands. I'm excited to get started with learning these!

If you have a mac, Logic Pro is the way to go. You don't need Dorico Pro. Dorico Pro is a Yamaha product (owned by Steinberg) and it integrates well with Cubase.

Logic Pro provides almost everything you want at the 1/3 price of Cubase and you get even more

Ok good to know! Good thing it's a trial. I just started with Logic Pro so I'm far from learning what it can do. I didn't know Logic Pro lets you produce clean final sheet music to PDF and modify sheet.

Logic Pro is subsidized from Apple, so yes it is a fantastic bargain. For basic notation needs you might not need Dorico. See what you can do in Logic Pro first and add on if you need.

Great will do! And yes my needs are simple, piano and voice for the sheet music I want to make. I'm still going to dabble with the free trial of Dorico Pro but it'll probably be a bad idea cause I'll love it haha. I'm already very impressed with the UI and flow so far, granted I'v only dabble in it a short time.