Music Composition Studio Home

Looking for freeware music composition software?

It might be helpful for you to ask yourself a few questions.

• What kind of music are you wanting to compose?
• Do you want the software to generate music for you?
• What kind of "end result" are you looking for?
• Do you want to end up with a professionally notated score?
• Do you want a score and a recording?
• Do you want assistance harmonizing a melody?

What kind of music are you wanting to compose?

It's important for you to consider your genre when you choose your tools. If you are writing a song and want to make a lead sheet, you might do that by hand, use Finale's free Notepad, or purchase professional music notation software. If you are creating dance music, you'll need to look for appropriate software.

I'll review Finale's free Notepad software here sometime soon. Check back for that!

Do you want the software to generate music for you?

If you want the software to generate music or notes for you, it is important to keep track of whether you are, as a composer, guiding the software, or whether the software is guiding you. Band in the box type software can give you new ideas, yet there is simply no replacement for solid understanding of music.

Honestly, are you better off looking for software, or will a pencil, some staff paper, and a few books give you much more more than the software ever could?

What kind of "end result" are you looking for?

Imagine the end results of the projects you are pursuing. What's involved? Professional recordings? Professional scores? Professional musicians? Awards? Go ahead, go for it, I mean you're just imagining...right?

Do you want to end up with a professionally notated score?

If you want a professionally notated score, you either need to work with a professional music copyist, or you need to develop the skills to create professional scores yourself. That's what I'm driving at...no one can take skill away from you, and you have skills, regardless of whether you have software or not.

Learn how to write your songs down now!

I'll be making some recommendations for books, tools, and information available to help you create professional scores. I might even put up links to fellow professional music copyists.

For now, it's important, if you're looking for music composition software, for you to have your end result in clear view...even if it's just in your imagination.

Do you want a professional recording?

If you're looking to make a professional recording, then I wish you a fantastic journey! Enjoy the process, the people, and the amazing realizations that you'll make. It will really be fun!

Your music composition freeware will most likely not make a professional recording for you.

Do you want assistance harmonizing a melody?

There's no substitute for knowledge. I'll post more on my reading/study recommendations at a later time. If you're looking for a software program, you might try the demo at: http://www.pgmusic.com/. I don't use the software, but I did see it in action once. Looked kind of fun!

Unreviewed links that might help you:

Not all of these links take you to "true" freeware. It's getting more and more prevalent for companies to list "non-freeware" or "software trials" as "freeware." An annoying trend, and I will eventually categorize "true freeware," trials and non-freeware!

http://www.pgmusic.com/
http://www.notionmusic.com/
http://www.sibelius.com/
http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/default.aspx
http://www.musica.at/shareware/Midi/
http://www.vocalist.org.uk/downloads.html
http://www.synthzone.com/compgen.htm
http://www.essl.at/software.html
http://www.noteworthysoftware.com/composer/

Let me know how you're doing, what your needs are, what software you like, and whether my site provides you with the assistance you need. Give me a hand, if you like, just drop me a line!

Wishing you magnificent inspiration for your compositions...wishing you the best of success with your musical creations...wishing you abundant health, wealth, and harmony,

Dainis