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Re: Basic questions about LilyPond.
From: |
Kieren Richard MacMillan |
Subject: |
Re: Basic questions about LilyPond. |
Date: |
Wed, 7 Apr 2004 13:15:54 -0400 |
Hello, Michael!
because I have hard disk space problems and this is a very active list
Don't forget the archives (searchable!) and digest mode... =)
Finale:
User interface seems awkward and difficult, not sufficiently
keyboard-based.
Oh, I got pretty good with the keyboard (even did a fair bit of
productive work on a laptop!), but Finale still had (has) way too many
problems for me to use any more.
Sibelius:
Sibelius 3 is a big improvement -- you might want to take a look at it!
Score:
I've had no experience with Score, but I understand it's fairly
well-regarded and -supported by the "professional houses".
Graphire Music Press:
I believe that, like Score, it is not suitable for composing in,
Agreed, and it was still awfully pricey the last time I looked...
Igor Engraver:
You probably know my Igor issues! ;-)
Still my choice as best commercial package, but there are way too many
code and corporate issues for me to recommend it to anyone as a serious
tool.
[Lilypond] at least seems worth considering for my own use.
I couldn't agree more!
1. Does LilyPond compare well in features with professional-level
programs
such as those I named above?
Absolutely -- in fact, in almost every way, I have found Lilypond to be
superior to any other engraving software I've owned, used, or tried.
I definitely need to be able to notate the sort of complexity one
might find
in late-19th or early-20th century piano music.
Shouldn't be a problem. In fact, cross-staff stuff is usually handled
much more deftly by Lilypond than the others.
polytonal key signatures in different staves
Not a problem.
non-standard key signatures
Not a problem.
different metres in different staves
Not a problem (and this is an issue that most of the others have
SERIOUS problems with). In fact, in Lilypond you can have both [my
terms here!] bar-constant (e.g., 10/8 against 4/4 in the same
horizontal/temporal distance) and duration-constant (e.g., one bar of
10/8 in the same time as 1 bar plus a beat of 4/4) -- the only thing to
worry about is that in the latter case, the spacing engine doesn't
treat things exactly as you'd hope it would (but give J&HW some time,
and I'm sure Lilypond will "do the right thing" eventually!).
2. I am a touch-typist and pianist, and thus efficient keyboard use of
software is an important consideration to me.
Everything can be done in a text editor: how much better can that be?
;-)
3. If I adopt any music notation program, it will be used on a laptop
computer, with its lack of a separate numeric keypad.
Again, "text editor" says it all.
In general, how configurable is LilyPond for different methods of
usage?
Pretty flexible, depending on your editor. You could have
auto-fill/type-ahead, you can cut and paste, you can automate
(AppleScript, batch/shell script, whatever), etc. -- it's up to your
imagination (and the limitations of your editing application).
4. Playback of a score on the computer is of secondary importance to
me, but I
might as well know about this: so does LilyPond play back music?
I haven't used (or even attempted to use) this aspect, but I do know
you can fairly easily output a MIDI file from a Lilypond score/source,
which could then be used for playback. Hopefully others on the list
have a more complete and accurate answer for you...
Welcome, and good luck!
Kieren.
- Basic questions about LilyPond., Michael Edwards, 2004/04/07
- Re: Basic questions about LilyPond., David Bobroff, 2004/04/07
- Re: Basic questions about LilyPond.,
Kieren Richard MacMillan <=
- Re: Basic questions about LilyPond., Ferenc Wagner, 2004/04/07
- Re: Basic questions about LilyPond., Paul Scott, 2004/04/07
- Re: lyqi (was: Basic questions about LilyPond.), Ferenc Wagner, 2004/04/07
- Re: lyqi, Paul Scott, 2004/04/07
- Re: lyqi, Nicolas Sceaux, 2004/04/08
- Re: lyqi, Paul Scott, 2004/04/09
- Re: Basic questions about LilyPond., Erik Sandberg, 2004/04/07
- Re: Basic questions about LilyPond., Nicolas Sceaux, 2004/04/08
Re: Basic questions about LilyPond., Michael Welsh Duggan, 2004/04/07
Re: Basic questions about LilyPond., Aaron, 2004/04/07