Finale SongWriter

Finale SongWriter (Mac/Win) is my favorite tool to capture music I write. It is a piece of music notation software that makes composing music easier. (To use this software, it's important that you know at least a little music theory.)

In short: it helps you write down / record music and lyrics you write and then print it all.

Longer description: When I write lyrics, Masterwriter is my "go to" software. When I write music, Finale SongWriter is my "go to" software. Why? These are just some of the things you can use it for:

• You can connect your computer to a MIDI keyboard/digital piano then launch the software. Once you come up with some music you like, play it and Finale will automatically create beautiful sheet music for it.

• You can also add lyrics, even multiple lines of lyrics to the sheet music. In the end, it looks as if it was a sheet music book released by Hal Leonard Corporation (the famous sheet music publishing company) :)

• When you're happy with what your music sounds like, you can export it as MP3, MIDI or a MusicXML file. It means that you can even go on to use it in GarageBand, Logic or some other multi track recording software.

• While you're working on a piece of music, you just have to click on the notes to hear them. It's also possible to drag them to different places in the staff and hear what the change sounds like. There are 128 synthesizer sounds built-in so you can even change the instrument if you want.

• There is also a "Human Playback™" option, which means that you can listen to your music and it will sound like it's being performed live.

• You can change the tempo any time.

• You can transpose your music any time.

• You can add chords with the corresponding guitar fretboard.

• You can add custom drum grooves to the music.

• This software can automatically harmonize your music (similarly to Band in a Box).

System requirements:

Windows

✓ XP/Vista/Windows 7 (64-bit compatible)
✓ a CD-ROM drive
✓ minimum 256 MB RAM
✓ about 240 MB hard drive space

Macintosh

✓ OS X 10.4-10.7 (Mac-Intel or Power PC)
✓ a CD-ROM drive
✓ minimum 256 MB RAM recommended
✓ about 230 MB hard drive space

Other components you might want to have

✓ a MIDI interface
✓ a MIDI input and/or playback device (e.g. a MIDI keyboard or a digital piano)
✓ a Printer

These are the parts of Finale SongWriter that I often use. You can do much more with it. And this software is quite inexpensive, usually between $45-$50 on Amazon. So if you are a little familiar with music theory (and if you're a serious songwriter, you should be), Finale Songwriter will make it really easy for you to capture music you compose!

More Recommendations to Songwriters
More Songwriting Software