Notation Software Survey

• the comment states a clear, personal software preference
• the comment indicates a clear reason or reasons for a departmental choice of software
• the comment describes a particular trend in departmental software adoption.

PRO-FINALE comments:


***********************************

We have used both Sibelius and Finale. We now use Finale exclusively.

***********************************

The lab has both Sibelius and Finale. Most classes seem to be taught on Sibelius now. All music education tech classes use it, as do the composition and orchestration classes. Jazz arranging is still taught using Finale, as the faculty member who teaches that course prefers it.

Most faculty who regularly use notation software use Finale although many are migrating to Sibelius because of its ease of use. In the past year there has been a shift among graduate students who have begun to abandon Finale in favor of Sibelius for their own work.


***********************************

We have used Finale and will probably stick with it for years to come.


***********************************

In regards to which notation program we use, the answer is both. We have and teach both, however, most of my advanced students use Finale.


***********************************

I use and teach Finale. I have a part-time colleague who uses Sibelius. While Sibelius seems to offer some advantages to users who are just beginning, I firmly believe (based on discussions with professionals who use both) that Finale is a better platform in the long run, given its immense flexibility.


***********************************

I'd say that Finale is "officially" in use here at _______ -- I know that ___ has taken some steps to include Sibelius in the repertory of things he covers with our students, but I think Finale is still our "official" notation software. I know it's mine!


***********************************

I use Finale because I have always used it since it first came out. I understand that Sibelius is more user friendly, but I already know Finale. Most all of us use Finale.


***********************************

Currently, our music department computer lab has Finale and Sibelius installed; however, the vast majority (all?) of actual usage is on Finale. This is primarily because our music faculty members who use notation software are most comfortable with Finale, and no one has really taken upon them the task of becoming the Sibelius "resource person and promoter," so, we are, for all practical purposes, a Finale-based department.


***********************************

Strictly speaking, I'm not sure we "officially" use or endorse a particular notation software program. But we do hold a site license with Finale for ten workstations or copies of Finale 2004 in our department. I've been the happy beneficiary of one, which is installed on my office computer.

Messy variables: the Music Department owns a copy of Sibelius and one music professor, who prefers it, also owns and uses his own copy. Normally I recommend Finale to my composition students, only because I know it much more thoroughly than Sibelius and use it myself. Each of my composition majors (and some non-majors) owns his or her own copy. Most of these use it on their own personal Windows (not Mac) laptop or desktop.


***********************************

It is a pleasure to hear from you, as I am a composer and long-time user of Finale—no I have not gone over to the dark side. But to your questions:

SIBELIUS IS MOST COMMON, USED IN ALL 18 WORKSTATIONS AND AMONG MOST COMPOSING FACULTY (I.E. 3 OR 4). We have not gone to the step of OFFICIALLY declaring Sibelius our standard, though it looks that way.


***********************************

There is no officially designated notation software in our department. The majority of the computers in the department are stocked with only Sibelius, but a few have Sibelius and Finale. The majority of undergrads use Sibelius, the majority of grad students use Finale. I believe all three of the composition faculty use Finale.


***********************************

Finale is the favorite, but we do own Sibelius. When we teach electronic publishing, it's with Finale as the touchstone.


***********************************

I am a Finale person and require my composition students to learn it: primarily because it is my publishers' program (both Hinshaw and Santa Barbara). I know it is a little harder on the bottom end, but I really don't like Sibelius.


***********************************

We have used Finale here as long as it's been out, but not always the latest version. We have 2005 on about a dozen faculty offices and half a dozen computers in our student lab, and probably a dozen who still use 2001 or possibly earlier. We came close to making a deal with Sibelius this year, but it fell through because of some bizarre University security restrictions. We don't have an "official" notation program, but all the theory teachers and comp teachers use it, teach it, and trade documents (tests, etc) in Finale.


***********************************

________ has installed both Finale and Sibelius on its computers; but Finale is by far the majority preference. In fact, I don't think any faculty or students have used Sibelius.


***********************************

Finale is the "official" notation software here at _______. That is, Finale is the one used in Music Tech courses and it's the one that appropriate faculty are supplied with through a site license. Our students are free to purchase whatever: most of them choose Finale, although recently more have been choosing Sibelius than in the past.


***********************************

We use both Finale and Sibelius; however, we only update Finale on a regular basis. The one other instructor who uses computer notation refuses to use Sibelius so students never really develop proficiency with this program.


***********************************

None "officially," but we make Finale available on the electronic music studio and music library computers. I use Finale in my own work, and my composition students generally do also.

Our theorist uses both Finale and Sibelius. We are considering adding Sibelius to the student-accessible computers.


***********************************

We use both Finale and Sibelius. There is no "official" program we promote, but most of our students lean toward Finale, I think, because that is the program most of the faculty is familiar with.


***********************************

We have Finale and Sibelius installed in our labs; faculty are welcome to use the program of their choice, but almost all use Finale.


***********************************

Both: Finale and Sibelius. I prefer Finale.


***********************************

At ________ University, we currently use Sibelius 1.4 (antiquated) on a Windows platform. However, we are currently in the process, pending funding, of switching to Finale 2005 for Windows. I would be interested to learn the results of your survey to help us better determine whether Finale is the way to go and whether we should stick with Windows or switch to MAC.


***********************************

Sibelius (although we may switch to Finale or both in the next couple of years)


***********************************

We use FINALE exclusively at this time. I have had talks with the Sibelius Rep in our area about a trial run of Sibelius in our Music Technology Lab. I thought the kids might want to compare.

However, I do not see us changing. (I'm not sure I want to learn something new for myself after so many years of Finale! My serial number is three digits!)


***********************************

FINALE IS THE ONE USED MOST OFTEN, THOUGH WE EXPOSE STUDENTS TO SIBELIUS IN OUR BASIC NOTATION CLASS.


***********************************

I teach Finale in the computer room. We have a few copies of Sibelius on the back row of computers for those who prefer to use it. Just about all the composition faculty uses Finale.


***********************************

The computer/midi lab is using Finale, and most faculty also prefer that software.


***********************************

I have to answer this question in two parts, because we do use both, and my own preferences dictate part of this dichotomy.

Officially in the department, we use Sibelius. This is because it is what we had when I got here. I've gotten to like it for earlier/lower-level music instruction, because the learning curve is much easier than it is with Finale. I am at the point with Sibelius after three years that it took me eight to get to with Finale. For more upper-level classes, I would rather use Finale due to the sheer power it has. I still think it can just do more than Sibelius, although it is much tougher to learn.

I do also recommend Finale Notepad to my students due to the fact that it can be downloaded free of charge, and my students can then use notation software in their dorm rooms and turn nice manuscripts in to me.


***********************************

We actually have both for use by our students. We have differing views among the faculty. Most who use them prefer Finale, however, the one who teaches our technology, prefers Sibelius. The students migrate to Finale.


***********************************

We use both Finale and Sibelius and have site licenses for both. I'd say student preference is about 60% Finale, but that's an estimate only.


***********************************

I don't have an official software per se. However, I have been using Finale for the technology classes that I teach, mainly because I know it better. I will be introducing Sibelius as soon as I feel more comfortable with it because I feel it's a better tool for outputting engraved music faster. Finale, in my opinion, is a better tool for engraving anything, especially non-traditional notation.

***********************************


PRO-SIBELIUS comments:


***********************************

The lab has both Sibelius and Finale. Most classes seem to be taught on Sibelius now. All music education tech classes use it, as do the composition and orchestration classes. Jazz arranging is still taught using Finale, as the faculty member who teaches that course prefers it.

Most faculty who regularly use notation software use Finale although many are migrating to Sibelius because of its ease of use. In the past year there has been a shift among graduate students who have begun to abandon Finale in favor of Sibelius for their own work.

***********************************

Finale (although I'm changing to Sibelius for my personal use)

***********************************

We have a site license for both products. However, if students come in with no knowledge of notation software, then Sibelius is the one we start them on.

***********************************

We don't teach notation software as an essential part of any course, but naturally almost all of us use it. I guess I'd say that Sibelius is much more "officially" in use here, because most people use that program and it's installed on the greatest number of computers (in labs, offices, etc.), but we do keep a copy or two of Finale in our general-access music media lab for anyone who wants to use it.

***********************************

We are in the process of transitioning from Finale to Sibelius.

***********************************

At the University of _________, we use Sibelius notation software. We converted from Finale several years ago (4?) to reduce the learning curve required to utilize the software.

***********************************

Finale is in use at my department; however, Sibelius is being ordered for next year. I am new at the department, and I prefer Sibelius.

***********************************

As you well know, just as much as the United States is generally divided between the Democrats and the Republicans, so is the music world divided between Finale and Sibelius - and Mac and Windows. Our department represents these divisions but I believe that Mac hardware and software seems to have the edge; our labs have Mac platforms. In regard to notation programs, it is more evenly divided between Finale and Sibelius. Old time Finale users still stay with Finale, partly because so much time was invested in learning Finale (and who wants to learn a new program?); however, Sibelius seems to win over new users or those who lost patience with Finale.

***********************************

We use Finale and Sibelius - we do not have an "official" program right now - but, I think we are all moving to Sibelius

***********************************

We currently have both Sibelius and Finale available for student use in our music lab. I would say that Sibelius is used primarily by the students.

***********************************

We currently use Finale, though we are in the middle of conversations about possibly switching to Sibelius rather than upgrade Finale.

***********************************

We have and are currently using Finale. But we may change -
Sibelius has a number of more user friendly features that are drawing our attention.

***********************************

We have, of course, both Finale and Sibelius in use, but our site license and the preferred software is Sibelius.

***********************************

There is nothing "official," but we have several copies of both Sibelius and Finale installed in our computer lab. The lab is PC based, and is available to the music students. A few more of the faculty now use Sibelius than Finale, but the composition students seem split, meaning the faculty needs to keep updates and chops on both, as much as possible. Personally, after over 20 years of using Finale, I switched to Sibelius last fall. Loving it.

***********************************

Finale is the only software program we use for our classrooms, but several of the faculty have crossed over to Sibelius.

***********************************

Both, but Sibelius is by far preferred.

***********************************

We have both Finale and Sibelius available for student use. But my personal research is done using Sibelius, which I believe is a far superior program.

***********************************

Finale seemed to be in vogue until recently but, for some reason, I see Sibelius more and more in use.

***********************************

I use Finale because I have always used it since it first came out. I understand that Sibelius is more user friendly, but I already know Finale. Most all of us use Finale.

***********************************

We really do have use of both Finale and Sibelius. It's about even. We have group licenses for both programs. I think that Sibelius would have totally carried the day about 5 years ago when they came out for Mac, but they were having major registration glitches (people were getting booted off after being legitimately registered) and people gravitated back to Finale.
So it's an even split. In my personal opinion, Sibelius is the better program to begin on because it doesn't require so much specialized tool learning that characterizes Finale. Also, Finale is a huge pain for me regarding Midi setup.

***********************************

None in official use--although most composition students and faculty use Sibelius.


***********************************

We don't have an "official" notation software yet - because our department is small, we have had difficulty convincing our administration of the need for a music computer lab, so we have nothing to run such software other than our office computers. I am the main user of music software, and I use both Finale (2004) and Sibelius (3), but I strongly prefer Sibelius.

***********************************

We have at least two professors who prefer FINALE, but most of our professors are using SIBELIUS.

***********************************

Both Finale and Sibelius, with the latter catching up quickly.

***********************************

We have traditionally used Finale in our computer music lab, and just upgraded to Finale 2005 from Finale 2001, so we will continue to use that package for the immediate future in teaching notation. However, I have noticed a definite trend towards the use of Sibelius by some of the younger, incoming faculty.


***********************************

Our computer labs have the latest versions of Sibelius, Finale, and Logic. (Logic has notation capabilities). But it would be fair to say that Sibelius is the preferred application. I was a "high-end" Finale user for 12 years or so, but switched to Sibelius 5 years ago because of its ease of use ... and it is MUCH easier to teach than Finale. When I need to re-edit an older score of mine which was done in Finale, I am struck with the awkwardness of Finale at almost every turn.

***********************************

I have opted to use Sibelius 3 for notation and use the Windows Platform for computing. Sibelius is very easy to learn and I grew up in the windows environment. I do have a G3 or G4 which will be put in use in the recording side of our program.

***********************************

We have no "official" music-writing software. One theory and composition member of our deparment preferred Finale for her students, but I and three other members are much more satisfied with Sibelius.

***********************************

It is a pleasure to hear from you, as I am a composer and long-time user of Finale—no I have not gone over to the dark side. But to your questions:

SIBELIUS IS MOST COMMON, USED IN ALL 18 WORKSTATIONS AND AMONG MOST COMPOSING FACULTY (I.E. 3 OR 4). We have not gone to the step of OFFICIALLY declaring Sibelius our standard, though it looks that way.

***********************************

We don't have an official notation software. Both Sibelius and Finale are in use, and site licenses for each have been purchased at one time or another. I think there are slightly more Sibelius than Finale users.

***********************************

There is no officially designated notation software in our department. The majority of the computers in the department are stocked with only Sibelius, but a few have Sibelius and Finale. The majority of undergrads use Sibelius, the majority of grad students use Finale. I believe all three of the composition faculty use Finale.

***********************************

We're lucky enough to have both, but Sibelius is favored.

***********************************

For years we have used Finale on a Mac) platform (although one of our composers uses Windows).

However, last summer I switched to Sibelius (still Mac) and go back and forth between the two. As the head of the theory/composition department, I will propose that the entire department switch. Until then, I guess we are still a Finale department.

***********************************

officially-we have both Finale and Sibelius in our notation curriculum. Finale still more common with students, but S. catching up.

***********************************

Sibelius is the software we suggest to students, and our bookstore is an authorized vendor. However, both Sibelius and Finale are installed on all our computers, in case anyone wants to use Finale, as well.

***********************************

Finale (one musicologist here use Sibelius) All the comp/theory teachers use Finale, and we require the big program for comp class and Notepad for the other advanced theory classes. (Students must supply their own computers and purchase the programs.)

Students about half and half, faculty composers all have Macs. (Everything is privately owned here--there's no 'official computer lab with installed programs for students). though we are bit by bit getting to install Finale on a few computers in the library, and the computer lab. But primitive set ups, no keyboards, speakers etc.

It's been irritating that last year the Mac version of the Finale update came out way later than the dark side version, and since a lot of the kids have windows we teachers couldn't open their files for several months.

Tangentially...

I was just at the ASCAP/NYU Film scoring workshop for two weeks in NYCity (fanTAStic experience!). ALL the East coast work in film scoring (these guys were the best: Ira Newborn, Mark Snow, Sonny Kompanek etc. = our teachers,) seemed to LOVE Sibelius and hate finale, and some of the younger guys were working actively with Sibelius to get incredible, all-inclusive programs for MIDI/scoring/sequencing/syncing for folks in film work. Finale's liable to get left in the dust if they aren't careful.

***********************************

We are officially using FINALE, but Sibelius is more and more used by students, and we already have Sibelius installed on 3 ( or more?) computers.

***********************************

FINALE (for the Department)
A lot of students are starting to use Sibelius, mainly for ease of learning.

***********************************

Finale is the "official" notation software here at ______. That is, Finale is the one used in Music Tech courses and it's the one that appropriate faculty are supplied with through a site license. Our students are free to purchase whatever: most of them choose Finale, although recently more have been choosing Sibelius than in the past.

***********************************

Our dept. uses Finale, though a number of student and faculty use Sibelius.

***********************************

There is no official software for notation in use at _____. We did just get a site license for Sibelius as that seems to be the most popular with students, but everybody just uses what they want. I use Finale.

***********************************

We have both Finale and Sibelius on the computers in our electronic studio, though it is Sibelius that we encourage the students to use, that they mostly use, and that we are about to make available to the student body on the web.

***********************************

We have primarily used Finale, but Sibelius use in increasing. This coming year, I'd say it will be 50/50.

***********************************

We have both Finale and Sibelius in our lab. Most of the students use Sibelius on their personal computers.

***********************************

The tricky word in this question is "officially." The department does not advocate a particular notation program. We offer no courses where a specific one is taught, nor any courses where it is mandatory for students to employ a specific program (although having access to notation software is sometimes recommended.) On a more general level, there seems to be a shift among faculty that start some years ago, away from Finale toward Sibelius, and I believe this vicariously sways students toward that program. We do a have a few copies of Sibelius installed on some student-available department computers. I personally was a long-time user of Finale, going back to its very earliest years. I shifted to Sibelius because Finale seemed to produce yearly updates of nearly $100 each that milked the long-time users and really didn't necessarily make significant upgrades. Also, Sibelius seems to handle the large majority of notation issues with a lower learning curve and fewer dialogue boxes, but Finale seemingly has caught up in this category - perhaps because Sibelius gave it a run for the money! Finally, Sibelius was faster; again, I think Finale has met this challenge in recent versions. I have found Sibelius phone support superior. However, I believe back in the days when Coda published a hardcopy version of a manual for Finale, they literally defined the standard by which written manuals should be measured; they were the best manuals I have ever seen for any software, bar none.

***********************************

We teach Finale and have it in the main department lab (25 seats). A few composers are beginning to migrate towards Sibelius.

***********************************

We have both Finale and Sibelius installed on all of our music computer lab machines. When I came to _______ in 2002 they were using Finale exlusively. I encouraged them to support Sibelius as well, because it is generally easier to learn for new users. So since that time, most new students have been using Sibelius, while many of the older students stuck with Finale. I would estimate that 70% or more of our music students use Sibelius at this point.

***********************************

We use both Sibelius and Finale. I personally like Sibelius better. We teach both Finale and Sibelius in our Technology of Music class to allow student to become familiar with both software programs.

***********************************

In the process of switching from Finale to Sibelius.

***********************************

We have Finale installed on the student-use computers, although most of the faculty use Sibelius. We would have chosen Sibelius for the student computers, except that Finale was significantly cheaper ($75 per computer for 16 computers for Finale, as opposed to $150 per computer for Sibelius).

***********************************

"Officially", we do not have a single program. Rather, both Finale and
Sibelius are available for student use in our computer lab.
As for composition students, we generally encourage students to use
Sibelius, since we find the learning curve quite appealing. Some do so, but there are a few who've used Finale before coming here, so choose to continue w/that option.

***********************************

The composition department at _____ uses Finale. (Though I use Sibelius at home)

***********************************

Finale and Sibelius on Windows (most use Sibelius)

***********************************

Finale currently, but will be switching to Sibelius soon. This software is an integral part of our guitar, composition, orchestration and recording programs.

***********************************

We were an official Sibelius school, but with our new chair, we are now an official Finale school. This is bad news for me as I've only used Sibelius. The kids hate it, too! We will continue to have a few terminals with Sibelius.

***********************************

We have Sibelius on at least one lab computer at _______ College that I know of. The instrumental music director uses Sibelius. I am a part-time faculty member at _______, and I work full-time at a nearby high school. I use Sibelius there and at home. The _______ computers are Windows; I use Windows at school and on the desktop at home and have it on my laptop, which is a Mac.

I used to use Finale. After hearing Sibelius recommended highly by fellow graduate students at _________ U., I bought a copy and tried it. After half an hour, I was hooked; uninstalled Finale off the computers after that.

***********************************

Using Mac- Finale in 3 schools here. Kids seem to prefer Sibelius on their own computers.

***********************************

We use both Sibelius and Finale, although I'm trying to ween my students off of Finale and use only Sibelius. When students ask me which program to purchase for their own use, I tell them Sibelius. Consequently, that's what they'll use when printing out scores at school

***********************************

Although we currently teach music preparation with Finale, the instructor will accept assignments in Finale or Sibelius. FYI - In my opinion, Sibelius is much easier to work with. Finale may cover more bases, but the amount of time and effort to get there is considerable.

***********************************

The _______ Conservatory was using Finale until four years ago. When I came on board as an adjunct professor, I switched the department to Sibelius.

***********************************

We use Finale. We have purchased a few copies of Sibelius in the past two years and we are debating whether to switch or use both. For now, however, Finale is our principal notation package.

***********************************

I have to answer this question in two parts, because we do use both, and my own preferences dictate part of this dichotomy.

Officially in the department, we use Sibelius. This is because it is what we had when I got here. I've gotten to like it for earlier/lower-level music instruction, because the learning curve is much easier than it is with Finale. I am at the point with Sibelius after three years that it took me eight to get to with Finale. For more upper-level classes, I would rather use Finale due to the sheer power it has. I still think it can just do more than Sibelius, although it is much tougher to learn.

I do also recommend Finale Notepad to my students due to the fact that it can be downloaded free of charge, and my students can then use notation software in their dorm rooms and turn nice manuscripts in to me.

***********************************

We have recently switched from Finale to Sibelius.

***********************************

I don't think we have an "official" program, but most students and faculty use Sibelius.

***********************************

Here at _______ University we use both Sibelius and Finale. The majority of our students learn and use Sibelius, but we do keep a couple of copies of Finale around for some of the faculty and a few students who prefer that program.

***********************************

I don't have an official software per se. However, I have been using Finale for the technology classes that I teach, mainly because I know it better. I will be introducing Sibelius as soon as I feel more comfortable with it because I feel it's a better tool for outputting engraved music faster. Finale, in my opinion, is a better tool for engraving anything, especially non-traditional notation.

***********************************

Finale is officially "taught." Sibelius is used by several faculty members (myself included), and there has been discussion about switching to Sibelius as the departmental software of choice.

***********************************

Switching this year (beginning in September) to Sibelius for our music technology lab, which formerly supported Finale. Faculty use one or both programs based on personal preference.

***********************************