Why not try Acid instead? You work with samples and not midi instructions, but the structural thing - laying things out on a timeline is the same. Same as midi, same as Vegas.

I work with midi - on an app that came with my soundcard almost ten years ago. I also work in Finale - which plays midi too, but is a complex notation program really. I can import from the one to the other, and that's why I've not started on the Acid wave myself. I want to be able to create notation eventually. If you don't need that - look into Acid for your "composition" exercise.
Tor

For a traditional composer, ACID is not a familiar "composing space".

Most notation packages can do this - Finale, Sibelius, Noteworthy, and a host of others. A sequencer program (like Cakewalkis likely to give you more MIDI control, with perhaps less in the traditional score user interface department.

And I would just say.. keep in mind these programs range in price and features. You may not have to get soemthing as robust as CUBASE....there are some $39 programs I see off the shelf at MicroCenter, CompUSA, ect, that sound like they may do what you need. Not trying to diswade you..just look out for over kill

And I would just say.. keep in mind these programs range in price and features. You may not have to get soemthing as robust as CUBASE....there are some $39 programs I see off the shelf at MicroCenter, CompUSA, ect, that sound like they may do what you need. Not trying to diswade you..just look out for over kill

I've used Finale for many years. Aside from being able to enter notes on the staff, you can also use a midi instrument to enter the notes (far faster and intuitive for me).

I've used a demo of the Sebellius program. Works in a manner similar to Finale, and I found its page layout to be more flexible and easy to master than Finale.

In either program, you can playback what you've written. Version 2000 and later of Finale will automatically assign voices to your score so that playback will represent the instrument designated for that particular staff.

I can't remember what Sebellius sells for, but, Finale can be expensive if you don't have an education discount.

If you write a lot of music, and especially if you need to have it published, or if you want to use it with a group, one of these programs will be invaluable to you. Finale can extract instrument parts, etc.

I just ordered the latest upgrade (can't rember what it's called, either - Finale 2003 I think). It's supposed to have enhanced playback capability - for more realistic sounding playback - more faithfulness to stylistic and touch type stuff.

There is a "lite" version of Finale (can't remember what it's called) that will meet the needs of most non-power users. Do a search on Finale or Coda Music to find their website.

I didn't know that Cubase would notate music. Am I reading that correctly in a previous post?

Caruso

I use Logic Audio - it has unlimited midi tracks, plus audio tracks and audio instruments e.g. soft samples. It's Notation is superb - as was it's early predecessor, Notator, on the good ole Atari ST.

It's not cheap though, and my current version, 5.5 is the last PC version - Apple bought it!!