Hello, I have a PX-330 with MIDI in and out and would like to know if there is software out there that could write the music that I am playing on my DP, and show it in real time on my computer screen? And if so, how detailed and accurate would it be? Thanks.

If you have a Mac, you can use software that comes free with it. Something as simple as Garageband can capture the keys you are hitting. There is a problem with any software that does this though. It will not ever be able to tell if you are playing with your left or right hand. Because of this the software can only choose to split notes above say "mid C" as right hand. and set below as left hand. This is very rarely accurate.

More advanced programs like Sibelius or Finali could sort-of correct this by working with "layers" (I.E., 1st layer - all notes are entered as right hand. 2nd layer - all notes are left hand). You would, of course, have to play hands separately

MuseScore is a freeware notation program that takes MIDI-input from digital pianos and keyboards (although I haven't tried this myself). It is also quite capable in reproducing peculiar notations like repeats, ties etc.

Unfortunately it is a Beta and it shows - both on my PowerBook (10.5) as well as my PC (WinXP) it crashes regularly.

http://musescore.org/

The less sophisticated software is actually very accurate. It will fil the score with double doted 1/16 notes and 1/64 rests and every other small imperfection. Most if it will allow you to specify the time quantization to be 1/4. 1/8 or 1/16 notes to avoid this problem. The best ones will know about swing time and triplets and dynamics and notes played above middle C with the left hand. To get the best transcription you need to play with a metronome tack in the headphones.

The basic feature is common to most DAWs but the quality varies.

How good do you need the final product to look? Some can make profesional looking printed sheet music exacly matching the quality of music sold in stores or is this just for your own use.

Why "realy time" are you going to be reading this as you play? You can't as there will always be a very slight delay, and it's of course imposable to read ahead.

There is a lot to choose from. You will have to think about how you want to work and your budget.

I'd say record to MIDI, edit it some, then pull it into a good notation package, such as Lilypond.

The only reason I mentioned real time is that I was researching software on the net and one,I think it was Pizzicato, said that after each note or chord played on your DP, you had to press a number on the computer keyboard. That seems too labor intensive. Even though this is just for personal use, If I come up with something good I'd like to be able to have it written on paper. I was just wondering if there was anything advanced enough to do this without stopping to enter info on the computer.I'm not concerned with the price.

I have a Kawai CA61 and Finale 2010 notation software. Using a 'full' DP, several feet from the PC is very awkward. Although Finale allows you to play 2-hands and tap rhythm with the sustain pedal, you have to specify beforehand what key, below which, the notes goes on the F: clef (left hand) and anything above goes on the G: clef (right hand). I suspect all notation programs are like that.
I found best to get a 'cheap' MIDI controller (I just got an M-Audio Oxygen 61) and sustain pedal and place the controller right in front of the PC and keyboard.
Regards,

Yes. There are many and that's the problem, selecting one. As others have said, if you own an Apple Mac then you have this software already, it's pre-installed on every Mac.

If you are using a PC you will have to hunt a bit. The two high end music notation applications are "Sibelius" and "Finale" People will argue which is best but Finale has the advantage that they offer "Lite" versions priced as low as $9.95. (The full version is $600)

http://www.finalemusic.com/Finale/

This is the other one, but they have not $10 version
http://www.sibelius.com/products/sibelius/6/index.html

Here is what I use (scroll down to where it reads "Music notation the way it should be.")
http://www.apple.com/logicexpress/what-is.html


In all cases the software can detect what you are playing but for formatting may need help. Some is good at things like keeping a slur line from crossing note heads and getting the vertical alignments of the staffs perfect. Some are better are gusiing which hand a not was played with. Products differ in these details and in how easy they are to learn and use. The big full size apps take some time to learn while others are designed for ease of use.

Please don't ignore some of the low end programs available. In all the videos that I have done for youtube
http://www.youtube.com/user/jazz2511
and my website -
http://www.bushgrafts.com ,
I have used PG Music's programs to derive a very playable piano transcription from a solo piano performance. The programs I have used are Power Tracks and Band in a Box. I have tried the top end programs (Sibelius and Finale)and aside from being much more expensive, they are no better at quickly transcribing a solo piano passage than the slightly 'clunky', less sophisticated but much easier to use PG music programs.

These programs will very sensibly split the music to right and left hands and make quite sensible guesses as to the correct quantizing of each individual beat of the performance. This is not to say that quite a deal of editing needs to be finally done to achieve reasonable accuracy - over time have learned to do this final editing quickly.

For music played freely, I do first use the 'Fit improvisation' feature in 'Sonar' to create a tempo map (accurate to 1/100th of a BPM (BeatPerMinute). The PG music programs will read the very accurate tempo map produced in Sonar and create a transcription that lines up the music correctly. There are many examples of this on my website.
Doug

For Windows I like NoteWorthy Composer (here's a link). It's a capable little notation editor with an active user community. It does have MIDI input, but I haven't tried it -- sorry (my Windows machine is in another room and not portable, and NWC won't run on my Mac). They have a trial download if you want to give it a whirl.

-Tom

Edit: Correction, it will run on a Mac, according to their FAQ, atop an emulator called Virtual PC.

That's hardly news, any Windows program will run on a Mac by using one of a half dozen methods.

I think for the OP's use one of the low-end programs might be best. He is likely only interested in piano music, not orchestral scores nor is he going to publish his work. Ease of use should be the main consideration.

It was news to me until I read it on their Web site.



It's easy to use. I don't know if it's low-end or high-end or what. I must have missed the post where he said he's only interested in piano music and not orchestral scores or publishing his work, but in any case, people use it for all kinds of stuff, from simple to more involved.

-Tom

The OP wrote: "..this is just for personal use, If I come up with something good I'd like to be able to have it written on paper..."

If he were using a Mac I doubt he'd be asking for music software. He might be asking for better software but not asking if this was even possible.

Thanks everyone for your responses. you've been very helpful.Yea I'm just interested in the notation software at this time but that may change in the future to include orchestral scores. I need a new computer first and haven't decided on a mac or pc. If i go with a pc I think I'll look into those low-end programs first.

I know that with Sibelius, you can set the smallest increments you want the program to catch as you play in real time.

I use Sibelius at work every day. We use the simple entry tool, where we hit a note value on the numeric pad and play the notes/chords on a midi keyboard (or computer keyboard if it's just a simple melody). You can get really good at doing that in a short amount of time, and that may beat trying to play/enter the notes in real time (with fixing everything after initial entry). It's whatever works best for you. I would suggest trying a few different ways and using what works best for you.