is there a freeware program where I can enter in musical notations (sheet music of songs) and have the computer play them back to me, to assist me in musical learning...?

September 14, 2010 6:41 AM

Music software n00b filter - is there a freeware program where I can enter in musical notations (sheet music of songs) and have the computer play them back to me, to assist me in musical learning...?

Hi all,

Unfortunately I'm not sure how to describe what I'm asking for, so bare with me...

I'm trying to learn to read music, and to play a musical instrument, via self-study. When I'm looking at an unfamiliar song, however, I'm unsure what it's supposed to finally sound like, so I can't judge if I'm playing it correctly - if I'm holding out the notes too long, or too short, etc.

I am wondering if there is a program (ideally freeware) where I can enter in the musical notations of the song, and the PC will then play it back. I then can hear what the song ought to sound like.

I imagine such a thing exists, I'm just not sure what it might be called or where to look.

Thanks for helping a n00b.

-TJT

posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

sure there is: MuseScore
posted by Brent Parker at 6:44 AM on September 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

MuseScore can do this.
posted by mkb at 6:44 AM on September 14, 2010

TablEdit is good for this.
posted by partner at 6:57 AM on September 14, 2010

Finale Notepad can do this but it's no longer free. You should be able to find an earlier version (I think 2009) if you look hard enough.
posted by tommasz at 7:02 AM on September 14, 2010

I think you're probably on windows, but if someone is looking for this on Linux, Rose Garden works.
posted by jrishel at 7:03 AM on September 14, 2010

Anvil Studio also might be able to do something like that.
posted by various at 7:04 AM on September 14, 2010

Be aware however that in some musical styles notes are written as having the same value when they are meant to be played with unequal durations, and the computer rendering of any such piece is going to sound horrid and awful. For example, compare the written to the played.
posted by Rhomboid at 7:23 AM on September 14, 2010

Also, I would warn that this may lead to a much longer learning period because once you hear the piece you will be playing it more by ear and less by reading the actual sheet music. I'd recommend trying to get it down pretty thoroughly before putting it into the computer and listening to it...then compare where you were playing it differently, and determine why you thought it was one way, but was actually another. This way you will learn to read music relatively quickly, and can just correct your misconceptions after the fact.

Does that make any sense? :)
posted by AltReality at 10:16 AM on September 14, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks everyone,

many good suggestions so I won't pick a best answer, for now I've downloaded MuseScore & I'll see how that works out.

AltReality, thanks for the suggestion, yes what you're saying makes sense. But right now I'm still trying to match musical notation with reality. I can read music pretty well for the most part, but it's like, when there's 2 quarter notes, a dotted quarter note and then an eighth note, it's hard in my own mind to home in on how that's exactly supposed to sound, so hearing it will help...
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey at 7:11 PM on September 17, 2010