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Finale Notepad Music Notation

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February 26, 2007 - 1:26pm
#1
vzett90
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Finale Notepad Music Notation

There's this program from makemusic called "Finale Notepad" which is the free version of the famous notation program FINALE and it's a very small simple program...

I wonder if it would be possible to get that as an portable app
(Just for the case that you have an musical idea you want to write down very quick)

Here's the program:
http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/

As a musician this would be a great thing to have notation software portable...

Thanks for giving this opportunity here.

With best regards.
vzett90

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February 26, 2007 - 1:38pm
arqbrulo
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Well,

lets see what others have to say about this, however, it's not open source, therefore it cannot be done through this site.
---------------
Marge: Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday.
Homer: Woo-hoo. Four-day weekend.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -- Robert Frost
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: baby ain't mine." -- Adam Holguin

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February 26, 2007 - 9:57pm
(Reply to #2)
rsdalton
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Finale Notepad Music Notation

Correct - the program is free but not open source. I own the full version but would love to have a portable version.

I would like to see any music notation program made portable. However, I believe that these programs all require installing specialized fonts. I would bet that this is why there seems to be no portable music notation programs available anywhere and is also why I have never requested one.

Question for those familiar with making apps portable - Is there a way to make fonts such as these portable?

--
Bob

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February 26, 2007 - 10:12pm
(Reply to #3)
arqbrulo
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LilyPond

I really don't know much about what you are asking for, but a quick google search pulled up LilyPond, which is an open source program. I believe this could be made portable (if it's not already). Give it a try, if you like it, i'm sure someone can make it portable (maybe even me, if it's not too complicated Blum )
---------------
Marge: Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday.
Homer: Woo-hoo. Four-day weekend.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -- Robert Frost
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: baby ain't mine." -- Adam Holguin

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October 7, 2008 - 12:40pm
(Reply to #4)
Col. Mustard
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NotePad

I know it isn't really portable, but I just downloaded the installer file to my flashdrive. Just use your serial number when you install. Alternately, just copy the Notepad Directory onto the flashdrive. Since it is freely distributable, I don't think that it is a legality issue. The only problem is that you have to install the Maestro font set on each system, or the notation will use weird characters instead of noteheads. The program seemed to run okay other than that, though.

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February 26, 2007 - 10:19pm
Patrick Patience
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RIGHT ON!

It would be fantastic to have a portable music writing program. However, i do not own Finale, I only own Sibelius, so that's what I'd prefer a launcher, portable version of, if it could be made, I would be thrilled.:D

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February 26, 2007 - 10:32pm
Patrick Patienc...
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LilyPond

In response to LilyPond. I have downloaded and installed the program. A notepad file opens instucting you to save the file to desktop, and then drag it on top of the LilyPond icon. If says it will produce a PDF, and it did, how ever, this happened using AdobeDistiller which I have installed, I don't know how it would work for those without the certain PDF converting software. Next, you open the PDF in reader, and all it is, is one scale in PDF format. And that's it...I'm not sure if there's more to it, but when i try to open LilyPond, nothing happens.

These are the instuctions that open in Notepad.

%{
Welcome to LilyPond
===================

Congratulations, LilyPond has been installed successfully.

Now to take it for the first test run.

1. Save this LilyPond file on your desktop.

2. Pick it up from the desktop with your mouse pointer, drag and drop
it onto the LilyPond icon.

3. LilyPond automatically produces a PDF file from the musical scale
below.

4. To print or view the result, click on the newly produced file called

Welcome_to_LilyPond.PDF

That's it. For more information, visit http://lilypond.org .
%}

\header{
title = "A scale in LilyPond"
}

\relative{
c d e f g a b c
}

\version "2.10.0" % necessary for upgrading to future LilyPond versions.

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February 26, 2007 - 10:41pm
(Reply to #7)
Patrick Patienc...
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...

Odd, everytime I open LilyPond, those same instructions, and a Windows system "black box" open up. Though, the site says the program can be used to create SheetMusic from what I've read, so I'm not sure what's happenening here. It looks like a good program, but I don't know how to get it working...:S

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February 26, 2007 - 11:47pm
(Reply to #8)
rsdalton
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Lilypad

Below is an excerpt from an example on their website. This is what the input is like (ascii input). This is much different than a graphic music notation editor such as Finale or Sibelius. For someone who needs to notate something while away from home - I would much rather get out a pencil and paper than remember the syntax and try to find some common interchange format to convert with when I get home.

i = \context Staff \relative c''\new Voice {
\voiceOne

c8.( es16 bes4 ~ | bes8) r c8.( bes16 | des4 c8. bes16 | c4 ~ c8) r |
c4( f,8. as16 | bes4 ~ bes8) r | f8.( es16 f4 | es f) |
g8.( es16 f4 ~ | f) f8 r

--
Bob

--
Bob

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February 27, 2007 - 4:11am
(Reply to #9)
rich.bradshaw
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It's a compiler for the text

It's a compiler for the text files - a lot like Latex.

The text file listed above should be saved as filename.ly, then when you open it lilypond turns it into sheet music. That's all there is to it.

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February 27, 2007 - 2:54pm
(Reply to #10)
rsdalton
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LilyPad vs. Finale Notepad

Sorry - My point is that these programs are much different and have much different uses.

We Finale users have spent hundreds on the full version. There is a free version available (not portable). I use Finale much differently than someone using Lilypad would. My latest project is a 17 line score that is about 20 pages long and will have 17 extracted parts. Looking at Lilypad's site - I would never attempt such a project in this manner.

I learned music composition and arranging with paper and pencil and need to see the music visually while editing.

I would love to be able to check my work over lunch using a portable app. I also think that it will not be possible any time soon.

--
Bob

--
Bob

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February 27, 2007 - 3:32pm
(Reply to #11)
arqbrulo
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Another option

There's another program, open source, called JFugue Music Notepad. The only thing is that (it seems) it's java based. I don't think it's imposible, it's just not something I can pull off.
---------------
Marge: Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday.
Homer: Woo-hoo. Four-day weekend.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -- Robert Frost
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: baby ain't mine." -- Adam Holguin

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March 30, 2007 - 12:49am
Patrick Patience
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Sorry...

To bring this up again.

But has anybody considered making (any) music writing application portable? I'd obviously prefer open source. I don't care if it's not GREAT, anything is fine with me. Because after all, it's on the go. All I would need it for, is to open up a music document, and edit it, and then of course save it. I wouldn't plan to get into any serious composing Blum , just to be able to write something up when I'm at a friends house, school, etc.

Say I'm at a freinds house, and I don't wanna write out the music part for their instrument by hand, but they don't have any software for the kind of thing technologicially, no problem, I've got it with me

Same idea with school. (Homework in music class at school)

Could someone please put some thought into this, I would love it, I would REALLY love an office PortableApps.com release, but I'm sure not A LOT of people wouldn't find very valuable use in that kind of app. So, as I said, any program is fine, hopefully open-source, maybe that LilyPad one. It seemed alright. I will also check around myself for one.

Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to try this out. Smile

EDIT:

LilyPad actually is a little weird, and I can't seem to find anything else except TuxGuitar, but it's has some drawbacks with lisensing, java, and it is meant for Tablature only.

_______________________________________
I felt so different without a signature.

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June 17, 2008 - 12:51am
(Reply to #13)
Afreez
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Tux guitar

I know this thread is kinda old but maybe some people still (like me) search for a portable Tab and or music writing apllication.
So ill bring it up again with some hopefullly good (and working) news:

With the latest version of Tux guitar (rc4) i was able to install it on my USB drive using the non Java installer found in the downloadsection of TG.
http://www.tuxguitar.com.ar/download.html
(Windows-x86 Excelsior JET Native Release
This is a native package compiled with Excelsior JET. It doesn't need a Java Runtime installed on your system.)

I simply installed it to a sub folder in the (X):\PortApps\PortableApps directoy.
started PortApps and launched it...
Worked so far on 2 other pc´s and under my Vista x64 OS.

Only a few new features of Tuxguitar are missing. (Think those are Java based)

Its under the GNU Lesser General Public License. Even if not... your not modding it, just installing the normal package.

Its not a professional notation program but to write something down by simply klicking on the staves or use the 0-9 and arrow keys works fine for me.

Hope its helpfull Smile

so long and thanks for all the fish Wink

P.S.: there´s another Programm that can be simply installed like tuxguitar.
I dont think its under the GNU L. But it has everything in it you ever wanted to know about the system you´r working with: SIW http://www.gtopala.com/ no need to mod it and its explicit programmed to be portable. Of course im talking about the free version Wink

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November 1, 2008 - 6:16pm
paulwilliamengholm
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CHORDS Music Notation Freeware

ChordsTest.exe --- http://www.qmidi.com/

This is the only Software I've found that works relatively efficiently as a portable music notation version. It's a self-executing program too...no need for install or any registry files. Size is approx. 1 Megabyte. Relatively simple but effective! File can be saved as .MID (MIDI Format).

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