My big beef with Sibelius is that it is impossible to edit the positions of staff and group names with any sort of precision. There is no way, as in Finale, to insert (for example) A "Group Name" of "Bb Clarinets" exactly 144 EVPUs from the staff, and then a "Staff Name" of "1/2" (with the numerals one above the other, no slash) exactly 72 EVPUs from the staff. It seems that name placement is done entirely by eye and is therefore unreliable in output. I'm sure almost nobody would take a ruler to a score that is sold to them, but absolutely precise line-ups make a difference in the perceived professionalism of the engraving.
Finale wins again. ------------- Brad Beyenhof [EMAIL PROTECTED] > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Darcy James Argue > Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2003 2:00 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Finale] Sibelius (was: New Finale release) > > > > On Sunday, June 8, 2003, at 03:46 PM, Jonathan Smith wrote: > > > 21. In part extracts of Multi Wind parts you will loose the > > transpositions for each instrument change. > > Oooh. Yes, I forgot about that. That's a deal-breaker right there, > especially for jazz arranging students. > > > 24. So you want to move an Articulation? This is what the Sibelius > > manual says on page 69: > > "In the unlikely event that you want to move an > articulation, delete > > it and create a new one as a symbol. Be aware that articulations > > created as symbols have no playback effect." > > This is what I'm talking about when I say the manual is dripping with > condescension. > > > 31. Tenutos collide with ties on notes and you can't move 'em. > > Yes, goddammit. You have to move the ties, instead (or put the > articulation in a symbol), and ties are hard to move. Ties > over system > breaks are impossible to adjust satisfactorily. > > > 34. Speed users will find that you are constantly grabbing > the wrong > > items as the application is so slow to react. > > Especially on the Mac, as you noted earlier. The gap between PC > performance and Mac performance is appalling. I mean, kudos to them > for getting the OS X version out on time, but their Mac > version needs a > serious overhaul. > > > 38. 1st Repeat bars come out too close to key signatures > and need to > > be dragged to avoid collision. > > You forgot the whole business about getting ending repeat brackets to > display on multiple systems. (This is a nightmare -- for > starters, the > height of the ending bracket is not adjustable when it spans multiple > systems. You have to position it exactly right when you click it in, > because once it's there, it ain't moving.) > > > 40. When editing a text block you don�t get WYSIWYG, the > last letters > > are usually missing. > > Incredibly, incredibly annoying. > > > 43. Page breaks won't stay in place if you adjust the systems > > afterwards, for instance if you alter the number of > measures in each > > system. > > See above. > > > 47. Treble and Bass Clef changes in LH or RH Piano/Keyboard > parts get > > mysteriously changed upon part extract requiring a reproof. > > This I hadn't encountered. See, you find new things to hate all the > time. > > > 48. You can't move a 8va--------- extension over system > breaks to the > > left or right. > > Gah. Yes. Terrible. > > > 50. Sibelius began life as a University project undertaken > by the Finn > > brothers and thus it comes over as such; a rather amateurish > > application, even the manual has a snooty 'we know better > than you do' > > air to it. They don�t. > > Indeed. "In the unlikely event that you want to move an > articulation... " > > > 58. Menus are confusing, too long (submenus), and sometimes > > inappropriate. For example: �Create Text�. > > Oh, yes. Sibelius seems easy to use until you need to create a text > indication that isn't in the default set, like, say "Solo > over vamp" or > "Build towards shout at [R]". > > > 61. Sibelius doesn�t believe in using handles for any > element which is > > a great idea until two or more elements overlap and then you can�t > > select anything. > > Urg. Absolutely. > > > 62. Restrictive copy protection especially if you need to use it on > > more than one computer. > > Of if you need to reinstall the OS. > > > 64. The Sibelius web site for user problems is monitored in > such a way > > that you only see the problems and solutions they want you to see. > > Didn't realize that. Not surprising. > > - Darcy > > ----- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Boston MA > > No one likes us > I don't know why > We may not be perfect > But heaven knows we try > But all around, even our old friends put us down > Let's drop the Big One and see what happens > > - Randy Newman, "Political Science" > > _______________________________________________ > Finale mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale > _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
