From: jmwise@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Ms. Johanna Wise)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: music software
Date: 29 Jul 92 16:19:08 GMT
Organization: Indiana University

In article <1992Jul22.222505.22129@Cadence.COM> stevep@Cadence.COM (Steve Peterson) writes:
>>Eric Eisenhandler, Dept. of Physics, Queen Mary & Westfield College,
>>University of London. EFE @ V1.PH.QMW.AC.UK
>
>[asks for comments on various software packages including Finale]
>
>Hi Eric!
>
>You are asking the same questions that I just started investigating last week.
>Let me share with you what I have found so far, and I hope you will also
>keep me informed of what you find.
>
OK I just bought Finale last week and let me tell you what I was told.
I was told that I could not be getting a better program. I was told by
the music consultant that she has received more valuable compliments on
Finale from composers and arrangers and MIDI  experts in town than she
has for any other music software available. And this is in Bloomington,
Indiana....  She also told me with Finale, I will never need another 
piece of this kind of software again, and if so, she will give me a 
full refund for Finale.
	
>Last week I talked with a knowledgable salesman at the local music store
>and he recommended 2 packages: Finale and Encore.  He explained that Finale
>had the largest number of features but it was very difficult to use.  What
>he recommended was Encore.  I tried this out in the store and found that
>I was able to make it work without any manual.  I was very impressed in that
>what ever I played showed up perfectly on the staff on the screen.  I had the
>salesman play some very complicated piece on the synth, and found that it
>handled it with ease.

how much do you know about music and how exquisitely critical are you of
your music software's performance???? You   to me frankly sound too
fascinated by the fact that music could even be handled by software
rather than selective of its musical trademark qualities.

>
>I called up the makers of Final (Coda 800-843-2066) and Encore (Passport
>415-726-0280) and requested their literature.  Coda tells me that they
>have a new version of Finale out called 2.6.3 that is reviewed in either
>the September or October issue of Keyboard magazine.
>
the new 2.6.3 is the one I just purchased last week and am up to  
my neck in soup with detailed questions for a guru with, but I am 
guarateed that this does far more exceptional work  in everything 
than Encore could possibly do or else I get my money back. 
why do you think there is a price difference????

>As for prices, I have found Finale for $549 and Encore for $379 (MacWherehouse
>800-622-6222)

I bought Finale for $249. If you dont have student ID, give your $249
to a friend who IS a student somewhere and have them get it for you!!!
(or just register for one class at your local uni then drop it during
the full refund period *devilish chuckle*)
>
>Let me know what you find....

I hope this helps.

Johanna Wise.
Bloomington, Indiana.
>
>-- 
>Best Regards......
>
>Steve Peterson
>


-- 
Johanna M. Wise                         VMS: jmwise@gold.ucs.indiana.edu
Music is a life-long love affair.      NeXT: jmwise@cherokee.ucs.indiana.edu
                                       Unix: jmwise@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu