You can compose scores on your computer with Pizzicato.
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Composing music on a computer today is easier than it's ever been, thanks to the music notation programs available to musicians. One such program, Pizzicato, is a full-featured music notation program that allows users to create complex scores by simply clicking your mouse. Pizzicato features a full complement of notes, rests and other music symbols to help you compose everything from simple melodies to band arrangements, with playback functionality to let you hear your compositions.
Step 1
Open Pizzicato and go to the "Tools" menu. Select the "Main" palette and click the icon with the 3/4 on it. This is your time signature tool. Click at the beginning of your score and a dialogue box opens. Set you time signature here. Start with 4/4 if you are new to composing. This is called common time. Select the "Key Signature" icon, click at the beginning of your score, and type in the key signature you want for your song. The key of C, which is the default, is good for a beginner.
Step 2
Go to the "Tools" menu and choose the the "Notes and Rests" palette. Begin adding the notes and rests to your music bars by clicking the appropriate note or rest on you palette and clicking again to place it on your music score where you want it to appear. Click the "Play" button on the playback toolbar at any time to play what you've composed. To delete a note from your score, click on the note and use the "Delete" key on your computer keyboard. Right-click on a note to change it to another note using the pop-up menu. You can also click on a note and drag it to a new position on the staff to change the pitch of the note.
Step 3
Select the "Instruments" option on the "Tools" menu and choose an instrument marking to add above each of your score parts to indicate the instrument the part belongs to. To add lyrics to your composition, click the "Text Box" on your "Main" palette, type in your words and drag them to the proper position on the score. Add guitar-specific notation from the "Guitar" palette on the "Tools" menu.
Step 4
Save your composition as you go. When you are satisfied with the way it sounds, save a final copy of the score on your hard drive by choosing "Save" from the "File" menu. To export your file to an audio version, choose the "Export Audio File" and select the "WAV" option. You can also print your score from this menu by selecting the "Print" command.
Photo Credits
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