[LAU] GPL Scoring/Engraving Programs

There was a thread on this a while back, the need for opensource or free/minimal cost alternatives to Sibelius and such on Linux. One can run Finale Notepad or various lower cost upgrades using Wine and this may be the best alternative if one can get the MIDI and printing working this way. For lack of a handy staffbook--and it is easier to simply grab a staffbook, a extra fine pen and a typex stick--I tried what I have on my Debian Sid box: Scoring: Notedit--KDE's scoring program will get the job done. Most functionality is there. Chord entry is very awkward and the ui needs more toolbar items. But it works and will export to most everything needed including abc which opens the door to many Windows and Linux programs that can print score, Lilypond, MusicTex and MusicML. Canorus--successor to Notedit. Too early for this one. Denemo--GUI for Lilypond. Too early for this one as well. Nice start but had to go back to Notedit to continue. Musescore/mscore--new boy on the block. Coming along nicely and will soon be the best around. Still work to be done, text field editing is nigh-impossible but this is the alternative to Finale and Sibelius to watch. Imported MusicML from Noteedit. MIDI keyboard to any of these is precarious at best. For printing (engraving when doing music): Lilypond--works well with its peculiarities. Not enough control of formatting when exporting from noteedit, et al. Denemo not ready so need to know its markup language to really use it well. It is supposed to be the standard. MusixTex--works nearly as well as Lilypond but does not handle UTF8, foreign characters out of the box. Musescore--one when sets the formatting parameters (not defaulted properly) produces very nice results. Its scoring is WYSIWYG once the formatting params are set up. Again, the one to watch.