Can Spitfire Audio libraries be used with notation software, and if so, to what extent?
Hey! I am a pretty young composer who recently joined the forum in hope of educating myself on whether I should purchase my first Spitfire Audio library. Because I am young, I don;t have access to credit cards and money, so I use the free, open-source notation software MuseScore. MuseScore has recently announced that in a future update in September, VST support will finally be available (for more info visit https://musescore.org/en/node/319957)! While I was looking around for affordable VSTs, I came across Spitfire Audio through LABS and BBCSO Discover, and I was very happy to see this. However, a bit more searching went by and I realized that VSTs aren't made for notation software, although some have succeeded with them. I don't plan to use a DAW anytime soon due to affordability and I was wondering to what extent Spitfire's libraries would work with notation softwares? Another variable in this is that MuseScore has said it is changing from a notation software to a "composition software", but they were unclear on what new features this would add, like if DAW capabilities would be added, but I don't think I could find anything about that on here. Anyways, I was just wondering if the libraries could be used with notation software because if so, I would love to compose with them :)
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Hi. Over on the website Everything Sibelius I found a tutorial tha uses spitfire inside Sibelius (There is a free version of Sibelius).There is also a tutorial on fine tuning using a midi graphic tool plug in as if you were using a DAW to draw expression curves.
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Have you the link please? Thanks
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Spitfire libraries can be used with StaffPad. I haven't tried it, because I don't use a tablet or touch-screen computer. But if you scroll down to the "Amazing Playback" video, it's a great sound. And they mention Spitfire. https://www.staffpad.net/
MuseScore is great; I love it. Some of their instruments are okay, but the orchestra playback kind of sucks.
I've had lousy results with alternate sound sets in Sibelius 7. Haven't seen anybody else make it work either.
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Thanks for the info! I'll have to try StaffPad and see how Spitfire Audio's Libraries work with it. I might be able to get a MIDI file from MuseScore into StaffPad and try out, say, LABS Soft Piano just to test out some features :)
But right now, I don't know what MuseScore's capabilities will be in September. Guess I'll have to wait and see.
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https://www.everythingsibelius.com/courses/spitfire-audio-and-sibelius-ultimate/ is the course. However, it's 19.99 euros to actually see the videos in the course :/
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I know you have said about affordability of a DAW but you could try Cakewalk by Bandlab. It is fully featured, has unlimited tracks and is FREE!
Regards
Steve
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I actually have tried it, but it crashes way too much, and when we tried to uninstall it, it took more than 3 hours to do it :/
Are there any other programs you would recommend?
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Hi Adam
Sorry, I don't know of any other free DAW. I think that Reaper is about the cheapest but I have no experience of it.
Cheers
Steve
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Reaper is the greatest. Terrific DAW, on a par with anything out there. (Tons of user manual and how-to videos out there.) Unlimited demo, which means it is fully functional, and when the demo time is up, it keeps working! You get the reminder screen saying you owe 60 USD, and then - it still works.
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I would really recommend Dorico (notation software by Steinberg) to integrate VST sounds. They have a free version, Dorico SE, that you can try out without paying.
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Just to clarify, the libraries staffpad uses are special in app purchases. Even if you own the full version of a similar library, it doesn't unlock anything extra on staffpad.
I have used Finale, and it has midi playback options that allow me to swap out vsts. Not sure if there is a similar option in Sibelius or will be in musescore. This allows me to load the bbcso plug in. Altho it would be tedious to set up for proper playback, you can get by with just the extended legato articulation. Little room for fine tuning, but often times a lot better than the default libraries.
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Reaper offer an extensive full functionality free trial period ...it actually does stop working after the trial period ends...I think the decent thing to do after experimenting with this DAW is to either purchase a license ( roughly $60 ) or stop using it.
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Ah, I didn't know that. Very useful information.
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Thanks for the info :)
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Wow! I'll have to try that then :/
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Thanks, but I am very experienced in MuseScore and would prefer to use only that, but maybe in the future I'll consider using Dorico.
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I'll definitely have to try Reaper out and see if the trial actually expires or not.
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Ahh, the info about StaffPad makes a little more sense.
And the question about whether Sibelius or MuseScore has VST support is a good one, and I can say that Sibelius does have it and MuseScore will have it starting sometime in September 2021.
And do you know how you would set it up with proper playback and using all of the articulations? Do you have a demo piece using Sibelius and Spitfire libraries you would be willing to post? And also, how would using just the extended legato articulation work? That is interesting.
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I can show you how they do it in Finale, but I don't own Sibelius.
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I use Reaper and export midi to Musescore. It needs editing but it works. My understanding of Musescore’s path is to have it be independent of a DAW. This means vst support, so I expect BBCSO Discover to work with it. On the other hand Reaper is a full professional DAW. The trial as far as I know is unlimited, BUT the price for a personal license is only $60 and is good for a full version. My first license for version 5 expired when version 6 was released, fully 5 years after I had bought it. $12 a year is the bargain of the century, I wouldn’t consider just running the demo in perpetuity once I’m committed to it. Their pricing is more than fair, and they release incremental upgrades literally every month.
BTW there is an excellent BBCSO Core Reaper template on the Spitfire site, free to download, and simple templates for Discover available if you ”google” them.
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Yes, I was happy to send $60 to Reaper when I'd been using it for a while.
There are two vastly different approaches to composing. People like me started out with notation, and fumbled our way into midi, DAWs and so forth. For orchestral instruments, I still love to start out writing notes, and adding stuff until the playback begins to sound like something. It's slow, but satisfying. I always add instruments and effects in Logic, but my keyboard skills are not great.
The other way is to start out in a DAW, playing in the parts. It's really cool, and I'm envious of people who can crank out an orchestral piece in a fraction of the time it takes me. On the other hand, they may need time to clean up their sheet music before handing out parts to the orchestra. (If it comes to that.)
I learned from this thread (thanks to @Adam Menicucci) that MuseScore will be adding VST compatibility. That will be interesting to try. Sibelius claims to have it, with their "sound sets," but it doesn't work very well.
I like the Wallander NotePerformer plugin for Sibelius. That makes score playback sound good enough for a demo, in my opinion. The plugin also works with Dorico and Finale, apparently. For us note writers.
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Thanks for the explanation about the approaches. After doing some more research after I saw your post, it does look like that is the case for most people. I wish I had a Mac to get Logic Pro on...the notation software is pretty good for a DAW.
And yeah, you can find the whole list of things being added to the MuseScore 4 update in these two links (I think): https://musescore.org/en/MuseScore4 and https://musescore.org/en/node/319957
I would want to buy NotePerformer, but I don't have demos because as of now, composing is just a hobby, and I don't like some aspects of NotePerformer like the sounds themselves even though it is more realistic when it comes to playback.
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Yeah, now that everyone is recommending Reaper, once school is out in a couple days I'll try installing it and try some things out with it and Spitfire's libraries.
And MuseScore's goal in the future is to become a notation software (or a "composition software" as they now call it) that doesn't need any excess programs (excluding VST plugins and such) to create great sounding and looking music/scores.
About VST support in MuseScore, I'm hoping it isn't like Sibelius where it technically works, but it is really hard to use perfectly as if it was made for notation software as well as DAWs.
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Was there something you meant to post here?
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For some reason, the YouTube video doesn't work. It's fine if you can't/don't want to, but could you provide a .mp4, .mov, .wmv or some other video file?
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Sort of irrelevant to the conversation now haha, try opening it in another window if that doesn't work.
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Well, it still helps :)
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Got it! Right now I'm in school, so I can't view it now, but I will try too very soon (I'm in the US).
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