Finale Guitar
September 7th, 2005
Finale Guitar
Manufacturer: eMedia
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There’s plenty of software around to help aspiring Eric Claptons master their first E major, or wiggle their first wah wah pedal–the Finale Guitar platform is virtually unique in guiding would-be axe-heroes through the confusing world of guitar notation.
The key to the Finale method is an interface that allows you to play directly from a MIDI instrument onto your computer, whereupon the software will automatically convert your notes into proper notation (or TAB). You can also scan sheet music, or click notes in with a mouse. Once you’ve accomplished that, you can master the more refined techniques. Move notes to neighbouring strings by using the cursor keys; edit TAB notes with a simple keypush; specify frets for those jazzier melodies; notate your own staccati, crescendi and glissandi; even watch with horror as the notator diligently takes down your bum notes. And should you get bored of that old axe, Guitar Finale is also configured for a multitude of other stringed instruments–banjo, dulcimer, lute, mandolin and so on–as well as a plethora of non-fretted instruments, from handbells to percussion, from woodwind to flugelhorn (well, maybe not the last). And when you’ve assembled your one-man-band, and notated your musical noodlings, you can then print out your achievements and publish them on the Net: maybe even, indeed, on Finale Showcase “the world’s gathering place for sharing great sheet music”.
But is Finale Guitar the best in the market? That’s tricky to say because the only direct competitor is Finale Allegro, the more expensive and slightly more sophisticated predecessor to this very software. –Sean Thomas
Good…but limitedAfter using Finale’s “Printmusic! 2002″ for a long while I was beginning to find it highly restrictive due to there being no tablature features at all, especially being a guitar teacher. Many of my students have little or no ability to read music (it ain’t cool!) so I would have to write out many of my lessons for them by hand so they could happily play their Metallica riffs without busting too many brain cells!
I thought my prayers were answered when I saw Finale Guitar up on Amazon, and they were…sort of.
To be fair the software is excellent, it has a vast array of features that are mostly user friendly and if its not, the manual is great to get you out of a rut.
I have used it to copy out transcriptions, picking and legato exercises, etc. in both notation and TAB and they came out great, looking very professional.
However, much to my surprise I found the most restricting parts of the program were the guitar features!
The problems came when I decided to really test the program and see if it would be able to accurately TAB and notate Van Halen’s “Mean Street”, a tune that uses many guitar techniques such as tapping, muting, harmonics (tapped, artificial, etc.), tremelo effects, etc.
Being Finale *GUITAR* I thought the program would be able to do this but it was not to be! Markings for tapping are not included (unless you tediously type the letter T above notes using the text tool and position them yourself), the harmonics markings are very basic, there is no way of indicating mutes or ghost notes (x’s with rhythm) and tremelo markings are also non-existent.
I know that these sorts of markings are lesser used but as the program is called Finale Guitar you would have thought they’d have everything covered, very disappointing.
Steve Vai says “Finale’s Guitar notation is superior to any other”…perhaps so Steve but have you tried to write out any of your solos yet!
All in all the program is good enough if you want to do fairly basic notation, there are many good features but unfortunatly some aspects let the program down, hence the lower rating.
For the price you can’t really argue though and it is probably the best of its kind at the moment.
Worth a buy!
At last a programe that is easy to use for guitarists like myself. It is one of the easiest and most complete notation and tablature software for fretted instruments. It gives all the tools to write your own music with good quality, so it looks profesional. This is worth a buy!
Unique, and so useful
Turns MIDI files into 6 string tab for guitar, or any other kind of tab (Ravi Shankar or Vilayat Khan tuning on your sitar, sir?). Really easy to use, all of the orchestra type notation seems to be there (I’m not really a musician - just a guitarist!) and it was dead cheap. My printouts look just like the guitar tab bits in the magazines. Ace. And it’s cheap. I’m a happy man!
Musicalis Interactive Guitar Course
September 7th, 2005
Musicalis Interactive Guitar Course
Manufacturer: GSP
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Not what you think it is…This is a good piece of software but please, dont buy it expecting to find lessons. Its is merely 8 or 9 songs with a few excersises that you can play along with. It has a small information section including musical theory and chords but the amount of problems ive had with this program…
At the very least you are free to email GSP to get technical support; the pdf manual is useless.
Interactive Guitar Course
This software is not actually a course. More a source of information with some demonstration of fingering. The interactive part is really only appropriate to an acoustic(electric) guitar. Information about using the software for classical guitar was requested from GPS but none was forthcoming.
Intermediate Guitar Method
September 7th, 2005
Intermediate Guitar Method
Manufacturer: eMedia
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TwangyIf you’re looking for emedia’s “guitar method volume 2″ then this is it
Why they decided to call it “intermediate guitar method” instead is beyond me
If youre looking for the windows version instead of the above advertised mac only version, then fear not, this version actually works with both “platforms”.
If you’re willing to put in the daily practice, this series of multi-media guitar lessons gives you enough different types of exercises to learn without getting bored
Volume 1 covers the basics: open chords, fingerpicking, strumming, and so on - while volume 2 here (aka “Intermediate Guitar Method” )goes into : soloing, scales, barre chords and all that gubbins
The exercise songs lean towards the late 60’s american-hippy-dippy-folk-genre a bit too much ( more grateful dead tunes anyone ? ) but as educational software goes, this series does exactly what it says on the tin (or box)
Easier than learning from a book, where you can’t hear if you’re playing “michael row the boat ashore” properly
Recommended
Rock Guitar Method
September 7th, 2005
Musicalis Interactive Bass Guitar Course
September 7th, 2005
Musicalis Interactive Bass Guitar Course
Manufacturer: GSP
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Good concept but….Very good idea - but doesn’t seem to work well. Program seems to require a midi input device in order to function properly. Why it needs midi in I have no idea since a bass guitar does not generate midi (to my knowledge). This was not advertised on the box! Also I haven’t been able to get the recording function working. It records in .wav format, seems to pick up lots of noise - despite having a direct connection - and sometimes even generates errors after recording.
In other words a very good idea - but lacks proper execution.
Teaching-you Electric Guitar
September 7th, 2005
Teaching-you Guitar Skills Double Pack
September 7th, 2005
Teaching-you Guitar Skills Double Pack
Manufacturer: Focus Multimedia
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Teaching-you Guitar Skills
September 7th, 2005
Guitar Songs Mac
September 7th, 2005
Guitar Songs Mac
Manufacturer: eMedia
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Guitarists on the lookout for new songs with which to broaden their repertoire may look to Guitar Songs Volume 1 for some new playing challenges. It is a collection of 21 tunes from the rock, blues, country, folk and classical genres. Some of the songs are suitable for beginners, while others require intermediate or even advanced guitar-playing skills. The mix of levels makes this CD a good accompaniment to a guitar tutor, providing a break from more formal lessons.
When you have chosen a song to work on you first get a preview of all the chords you will need to play it. (The classical music does not offer this feature as it is not chord-based.) You can spend some time working on the chords before getting into the song proper. When you move on to the song itself, various options are available. You can listen to the song being played, and in many cases can have a rhythm track playing separately to accompany your strumming. To help you smooth out the rough edges you can record yourself too.
A metronome is on hand to help you stay on the beat, while an animated fretboard shows what your fingers should be doing, and you can get the on-screen music to highlight each note as it is due to be played. Many of the songs on this CD are recognisable as classics and associated with particular artists, and, for light relief, you can read potted biographies as you go along. –Sandra Vogel