Notation/sequencing software of my dreams?

[doctordale]

I would like to find the notation/midi sequencing software of my dreams. I've been a Cakewalk user for quite some time, but their "staff view" doesn't do what I would want my dream software to do. Does anyone know of a notation/sequencing package that will notate/play midi in much the same fashion as sheet music is written (and performed)? What I mean is the ability to:

have multiple verses, with 1st, 2nd, etc. endings

support D.C. al CODA on 3rd time thru (for example)

midi playback velocities automatically adjusted by dynamics markings, crescendos, etc., preferably with user programmable velocity profiles per instrument (IE:FF has velocity of 100 nominal, FFF is 120 nominal, etc.)

adjust tempos with ritards and a tempo notation, with user definable tempo values

support for multiple midi in and out ports (unlike the "merge all midi in ports as 1" philosophy that Cake uses)

score support with key transposition support per instrument (track)

...to name a few. I don't expect it to be shareware, either. Any suggestions?

 

[Greg Malcangi]

Hi doc,

Simply the best notation software I've ever used is Sibelius (CPU). If I remember correctly it can output to MIDI and files can be saved in MIDI format. It is mainly designed as a professional notation package and is used by many of the top classical composers. So all the notation features you mentioned you needed plus just about all the ones you didn't, are fully supported. Be aware though that the program is notation oriented with a bit of MIDI thrown in. So it's not by any means a top class sequencer.

If you need a lot of high spec MIDI sequencing that has also has decent notation (nowhere near as good as Sibelius though) then Logic is as good as anything I've seen.

Hope this helps,

Greg