Usage — Software, Hardware, Setup¶

Notation software¶

For writing music down on a staff:

Default: MuseScore 4. Free, capable, has a good marketplace of pieces (musescore.com) for finding scores at any level. If you go pro, Dorico is the upgrade path.

DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations)¶

For recording, sequencing MIDI, mixing, producing:

For an intermediate pianist learning to write songs: - On Mac: GarageBand → Logic Pro. - On Windows: Reaper (cheap, no excuses) or Studio One Free. - For electronic / beat work: Ableton Live.

You don't need a DAW to start writing. A piano + a phone voice memo + a notebook is sufficient.

Hardware¶

Keyboard / piano¶

You already play, so you have one. If you're upgrading:

• Acoustic piano — incomparable feel, no latency, no extra cost to play. Tuning ~$200/year.
• Digital stage / home piano (Yamaha P-series, Roland FP-series, Kawai ES-series) — weighted hammer action, can go silent (headphones), no tuning needed.
• MIDI controller (no built-in sound) — Roland A-88, Komplete Kontrol, Studiologic SL — for use with a DAW.

For composition, anything 88-key with weighted action is sufficient. You don't need synthesizer features; you need a piano feel.

Audio interface¶

If you record: - Focusrite Scarlett Solo / 2i2 — the standard entry point. ~\(120–\)200. - Universal Audio Volt series — slightly more, premium feel. - MOTU M2 / M4 — well-regarded.

Headphones (for practice and mixing)¶

• Closed-back for tracking (no bleed): Sony MDR-7506, Beyerdynamic DT 770.
• Open-back for mixing/critical listening: Sennheiser HD 600/650/660, AKG K712.

A condenser mic if you record voice¶

• Shure SM7B (dynamic; podcast/vocal classic).
• Audio-Technica AT2020 / AT2035 (entry condenser).
• Rode NT1 (clean, quiet condenser).

Software for theory and ear training¶

• Tenuto (iOS, ~$4) and musictheory.net (free web) — drills for intervals, chords, scales, key signatures. Excellent.
• EarMaster — comprehensive ear training, paid; structured curriculum.
• Functional Ear Trainer (free apps) — solfege/scale-degree based ear training. Highly effective.
• iReal Pro — chord chart playback for jazz/standards practice; great for hearing progressions in any key.
• Toneable / Soundslice — slow-down and loop YouTube/score; learn pieces by ear from videos.

Sheet music and lead sheets¶

• MuseScore.com — community uploads; mixed quality but huge library.
• IMSLP / Petrucci Music Library — public-domain classical scores, free.
• Hal Leonard / Alfred / Schirmer publishers — paid, vetted, edited.
• iReal Pro for jazz/standards (chord charts).
• Real Book / Real Pop Book / Real Vocal Book — fake books with thousands of standards.
• Ultimate Guitar / Songsterr — chord charts and tabs (popular music; quality varies).

Practice setup at home¶

• Quiet space with the piano + a chair at the right height (forearms parallel to floor, wrists neutral).
• Music stand at eye level.
• Pencil + manuscript paper within reach for sketching ideas.
• Voice recorder within reach (phone is fine) — capture every promising fragment immediately.
• Metronome (physical, app, or DAW).
• Headphones for late-night work on a digital piano.
• A timer for focused practice blocks (10/20/30 minutes).

File formats¶

Always export a PDF of any finished score and keep alongside the working .mscz. Always export a .wav master and .mp3 reference of any finished mix.

Common gotchas¶

• Latency when playing through a DAW — use ASIO drivers (Windows) or a low-buffer-size setting; below ~10 ms total round-trip is good.
• MIDI channel mismatches — keyboard sending on channel 1 but DAW listening on channel 2; nothing happens.
• Score playback ≠ score quality — MuseScore plays back well enough to verify; it doesn't sound like a real performance.
• Saving as MIDI loses dynamics, articulations, pedaling. Use MusicXML for round-tripping notation.
• Piano tuning drift with seasonal humidity is normal. Tune in spring and fall.