# Music composition programs. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 10, 2000, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-composition-programs/25149 "2000-07-10T21:58:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2000, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-composition-programs/25149/1 "2000-07-10T21:58:55Z")
I’m looking for a Windows or Java program that lets me enter the notes for a song, transpose it to another key, then print it out. Playback might be nice, but it’s not really necessary. I’d like something that’s easy to use, fast to enter notes, and inexpensive. I’ve looked at some of the shareware programs, but I haven’t found one that I really liked. Does anyone have a favorite? ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2000, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-composition-programs/25149/2 "2000-07-11T05:48:44Z")
I don’t know squat about composing, but a good friend of mine used to swear by [Band-in-a-Box](http://www.pgmusic.com/bandbox.htm). Also, [Cakewalk](http://www.cakewalk.com/) has been used extensively throughout much of the music biz. I believe both have trial versions. I’ve seen one (can’t remember which one he was using at the time) be used with a Roland MPU-401 midi card and a Roland VG8 guitar synth. It was pretty killer, you could play notes through a midi cable and it would transcribe them into sheet music. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![JS\_Princeton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@JS\_Princeton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JS_Princeton)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2001, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-composition-programs/25149/3 "2001-08-11T13:10:54Z")
Try Lime software (do a search for “lime” and “music” and it will pop right up). It’s a shareware product that I find extremely wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-composition-programs/25149/4 "2001-08-11T13:34:55Z")
I use NoteWorthy Composer. I don’t recall the price, but I’m as parsimonious as the next fellow and it seemed to have the most bang for the buck. Data entry is simple and easy with only a few non-obvious rules. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-composition-programs/25149/5 "2001-08-12T23:29:54Z")
Thirteen months is a bit of a lag time, but thanks for the suggestions just the same! ---
**Author:** ![south333](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@south333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/south333)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-composition-programs/25149/6 "2001-08-12T23:46:41Z")
My band director and percussion instructor use finale. Its an easy program to learn how to use and has more sounds than some of the other ones out there. [http://www.finaleforum.com/index2.html](http://www.finaleforum.com/index2.html) Also, I know w/ this program to can play on a keyboard and have the computer write it out for you, and also you can record the music onto a disk.