tcanomusic wrote:
has anyone heard or tried this program? 'm trying to figure where it fits....notation or sample playback maybe both
Terry
[I'm posting this to both lists since Finale users need to know what else is out there]
I've got a copy I'm beta testing, but there was no non-disclosure statement I had to sign, so I don't mind telling you:
It's both. It's trying to place itself as a competitor with Finale and Sibelius, only it comes with samples from the London Symphony Orchestra. Nice sounding samples.
The program is written by the same man who produced MusicPrinterPlus, and it carries much of the MPP legacy, including keystrokes and other operating aspects. At one time I would have given anything for this program because was essentially a windows version of MusicPrinterPlus.
However, I have changed my working methods to Finale and find that I think and work in a Finale workflow these days, which makes using MPP less than intuitive, the way it once was.
Notion has terrific potential with one very major drawback -- its copy protection.
We've just gotten through discussing Finale's copy-protection long-term shortcomings on the SHSU list. Here are Notion's copy-protection short-term shortcomings:
Copy protection is by way of a USB key which must be installed AFTER installing the software in order to work. The key comes from iLok and is what it calls a SmartKey.
Here is the text from the manual regarding this Smartkey:
[start quote] iLok Registration
We strongly recommend that you register your iLok at www.ilok.com. This enables you
to receive support if your iLok is damaged. In addition, you can opt to purchase iLok’s
Zero Downtime (ZDT) Protection coverage for $30 per year. In the event that your
iLok is lost, damaged, or stolen, this coverage allows you to continue to use NOTION
until the device can be repaired or a new iLok issued.
For more information regarding iLok’s registration and Zero Downtime Protection
coverage, please visit www.ilok.com.
iLok Damage
If your iLok is damaged, please visit www.ilok.com. You will be required to register your
iLok in order to have it repaired.
Replacement Policy
If your iLok is lost or stolen, immediately contact the NOTION Support Center at 1-866-
398-2994. We will provide a one time replacement license for $150. In order to receive
this offer, a police report must be provided documenting the loss or theft. Further losses
will require the user to repurchase the complete NOTION product.
[endquote]
Can you imagine paying $30/year just to ensure that you can keep your music software's copy-protection working? This fee is additional to any upgrade pricing! Or having to pay $150 if your music software's copy-protection is lost or broken? Along with having to file a police report? Do the police even allow filing police reports for lost items of such relatively low-priced items? To say nothing about if you haven't paid the exorbitant $30/year Zero-Downtime protection-racket money you will have a period of time in which you can't use your software!
Or if you lose/break it a second time, having to completely repurchase the entire software package?
Not me, no matter how fine the program is! The key is about 4" in length, 1.25" wide at its widest point and about 1/4" thick. In other words, if you use your software on your notebook computer while traveling, it might be very easy to lose. Do it twice and you have to pay full retail to continue using your software!
One feature that may make a lot of Finale users envious, however, is that, same as with MusicPrinterPlus, barlines are simply graphic images on the screen/page, and you can place a barline anyplace you want, so if you want a cadenza, no futzing around with 73/4 time signatures that you hide. Or you can actually have 3/8 and 5/4 time signatures on different staves if you wish and you place the barlines where you want, different from Finale's every measure is the same length on-screen.
The program does have some fine features in addition to that, but it is also in other regards a "do it this way or not at all" program such as Sibelius and Finale are, but of the three, I find that Finale's way ultimately gives me the greatest freedom to get the final score the way I want it to be.
Notion is essentially a midi-playback program which also includes a notation aspect (quite powerful one!) -- just as MusicPrinterPlus had as it's subtitle "A notation-based sequencer" Notion seems very much similar.
Notion is very much still in it's infancy -- the help file shows no way to change the time signature other than for the entire staff (i.e. no apparent way to start in 4/4 and after a few measures change to 3/8). I must e-mail them about this apparent oversight! It's not addressed in the manual OR the help-file.
But to answer the original question, it is far far far more than simply a sample-playback program.
-- David H. Bailey [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
