Hi im new to the forum and i was wondering is there any software available to compose works for full orchestra.
im currently using Finale but it doesnt allow you to put up more than 8 staves. any suggesstions ???

Ok.

Quite a few questions here. You mention Finale, so I'm assuming you mean notation. In which case Finale can have as many staves as you wish. Then there's Sibelius and Notion and Overtoure...

Can you explain a bit further? Which Finale version do you have?

Hi Nikolas i have finale notepad 2008 and it doesnt allow me to put up more then 8 staves.

ok. That's because notepad is a free (or next to free anyhow) version of Finale with tons of limitations. Other Finale versions do not have such limitations. Check on the makemusic website to see which version suites you best. I own the full Finale 2010 version, for which I'm very happy and it can do pretty much 'anything'. Exactly like the full version of sibelius and probably Notion as well!

Musescore is free, much better than Finale Notepad, does not have the kind of limitations you're talking about, and should be just fine. Definitely try it before laying down big money for something else.

musescore.org

david: I wasn't aware of Musescore! WOW this looks cool! YAY for open source and freeware software! (I'm actually a big supporter of such movements. I did my whole Ph D thesis on open office, instead of microsoft office! ;))

thanks for the fast replies guys. ive downloaded musescore and im very satisfied

I like to compose for more than one instrument more and more...
I use Sibelius, but MuseScore will do too...