Avid has released version 6 of Sibelius music notation software.

The update includes new layout features to speed scoring, version control, keyboard/fretboard windows, classroom control and ReWire support.

Details below.

New Features:

• Magnetic Layout – designed to cut the writing time between the moment of inspiration and the final printed score — all individual objects are positioned conventionally on the score where musicians expect to find them. The software automatically spaces and lays out scores to look professional and clear from the very first note. Previously, aligning individual score objects required time-consuming manual adjustments which now occur transparently to the user.
• Versions – enables educators to track student progress, spot plagiarism and promote collaboration. Students can record progress and submit creative commentary with their final coursework. Professionals now have a effective way to track changes or collaborations with copyists, orchestrators and publishers by saving, manipulating and comparing revisions of a work piece within a single file.
• Keyboard and Fretboard Windows – provide a visual approach to the music education process, allowing aspiring musicians and composers to follow lighted key and finger positions as a score plays back, reinforcing the relationship between staff and tab notation with real instruments. These windows also create a new way for customers to input music directly from an on-screen piano keyboard or guitar fretboard, as opposed to using conventional methods such as clicking on the staff of the note or typing the note names on the computer keyboards via a separate MIDI keyboard.
• Classroom Control - offers a simple and single window for common classroom management tasks. This enables educators to keep students on subject by creating a streamlined approach for sharing files across the network during review cycles and facilitating daily classroom instruction. Messages sent by the educator appear on the student’s workstation screen. Now, educators can easily attract attention despite any challenges in the teaching environment, such as students wearing headphones.
• ReWire Support – simplifies the once challenging process of incorporating audio tracks into notation-focused projects, making it an ideal tool to facilitate a film’s orchestral session. By synchronizing Sibelius software with Pro Tools software (or other DAWs running on the same computer,) customers can start real-time playback in Sibelius and the DAW will follow, or vice versa. Further, composers or orchestrators can easily add a vocal to a song created with Sibelius or augment an existing recording for enhanced creative options.

Sibelius 6 is now available for $599. Avid also offers educational pricing of $329 per copy with additional discounts when purchasing bundled multi-seat licenses. Current Sibelius customers may take advantage of upgrade options of $169 per copy or $129 per copy for current customers who are educators and students.

“Sibelius First is that great first step into the world of professional score writing for aspiring composers,” said Jeremy Silver, Sibelius Software’s managing director. “If you’re more comfortable composing while playing a guitar or a keyboard, then Sibelius First is for you.”

Sibelius First features:

• Friendly user interface;
• Composing and arranging tools for up to 12 staves of music;
• Easy input via MIDI keyboard, MIDI guitar, computer keyboard or mouse;
• Dynamic Scoring for instrumental parts that automatically update as you work on the full score;
• Ability to switch from guitar tab to notation and back again with ease;
• Built-in general MIDI sounds, with 128 high-quality instruments for realistic playback of your music;
• Exporting of your score ready to burn to CD;
• Support for scanning in printed music for editing or transposition; and
• Scorch technology to publish, post and share scores on the web so your fans can see and hear your music.

Sibelius First is available beginning June 25 for $129 (MSRP).

This tutorial, the first of two levels, is designed to take users from installation of the program and get them up and running quickly.

Instructor Kelly Demoline guides the user through the basics of Sibelius, one of the most complete software programs for writing, playing, printing, and publishing music notation. The DVD is ideal for users that are new to Sibelius or as a great refresher for more advanced users.

“Notation programs have to be incredibly deep in order to express the detail inherent in written music,” says Steve Kostrey, CEO of ASK Video. “This DVD let’s a user begin to learn the functions and features of Sibelius in a fun and easy way, taking full advantage of the power of this top product.”

The DVD is now available now for $55 USD.
Available on Mac/PC DVD-Rom, DVD (NTSC) and DVD (PAL) all in one convenient package, the tutorial contains a total of 25 Videos, encompassing more than 2 hours of instruction on Sibelius 4.

Sibelius Tutorial DVD Level 1 begins with Installation on a Mac or PC, recommended Equipment, audio & MIDI Setup and moves to a number of “Getting Started” chapters covering set-up, instruments, and menus. It then guides the user through creating their first score, including adding notes and editing. From there, concepts such as guitar tab, key and time signatures, flexi-time recording and lyrics are covered in detail. Rounding out level 1 are concepts such as transposition, articulations, markers, chords, and codas.

Sibelius Tutorial DVD Level 1 is designed to bring users up to a working knowledge of Sibelius quickly and prepare them for Level 2, which will cover more advanced concepts.

System Compatibility:

This product includes QuickTime 7.x Mac/PC which is required for video playback. DVD-Rom drive required. Minimum screen resolution 1024 x 768.

• PC: Windows XP Home or Professional, Intel Pentium or AMD Athlon 800 MHz or faster, 256 MB RAM. Windows MME or DirectSound Sound Card.
• MAC: Requires Mac OS X v10.2 or higher, Power Mac G4 867 MHz, 256 MB RAM, Sound Card.

Sibelius

G7 Kontakt edition, a collaboration with leading software synthesis company Native Instruments, builds on the successful components of the original G7. The new Kontakt edition includes a huge number of enhancements and brand new features, including the facility to burn songs to CD and access to a sample library (courtesy of Native Instruments Kontakt).

Jeremy Silver, CEO of Sibelius Software, said: “This exciting collaboration with Native Instruments helps bring real sounds to G7 and will allow the end-to-end creation of a song, from a blank page all the way to a CD.”

To play music directly into G7 you use the on screen fingerboard. Build up a chord by clicking more notes on the fretboard. You can even select between different neck styles (including three different bass guitars).

Performances can also easily be inputted using a MIDI instrument and G7 will automatically translate the music into tab in real- time. Once a basic melody is in place it can be perfected using a range of advanced editing facilities, which, amongst many other refinements allow the addition of markings such as bends, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs and harmonics.

Adding chords and lyrics is also easily done. Chord symbols are automatically generated and even accompaniments parts can be simply added, lyrics can be typed directly onto the score or alternatively, imported from a text file.

At the touch of a button G7 ‘Kontakt’ edition will convert tab to conventional music notation and vice versa. This is a hugely useful facility and the programme will even analyse any music (even if it wasn’t originally written for guitar) and then work out a suitable fingering. Just press play and G7 Kontakt edition will display the fingering in real time on the fretboard.

Sheet music can also easily be scanned and thanks to the huge sample library of studio quality sounds virtually any type of guitar sound can be selected from the most subtle nylon string through to ear shattering distortion samples.

The installation CD also contains an invaluable guide to guitars; this digital encyclopedia provides comprehensive information on guitars, playing techniques and musical styles. All supported with audio examples and detailed illustrations.

Features

• Create music using mouse, on-screen fretboard, scanner or MIDI keyboard/guitar. Unlimited song length
• Load ASCII tab & btab files, MIDI files, TIFF graphics (many useful graphics included). Save ASCII tab files, web pages, MIDI files, graphics files
• Instruments: huge range of acoustic, semi-acoustic and electric guitars and basses, banjo, dobro, mandolin, etc. plus vocals, keyboards, drums, lead instruments. Numerous standard guitar tunings plus any custom tuning, any number of strings. Up to 16 simultaneous instruments
• Guitar tab: bend, pre-bend, slide, hammer-on, pull-off, vibrato bar scoop/dip/dive and return, palm rake, braketed notes, etc.
• Automatically rewrite tab fingering to suit your playing style and ability – simplify complex riffs so you can play them and find new ways to play your favorite solos
• Notation: notes, chords, rests, clefs, accidentals, key signatures, time signatures, articulations, slurs, ties, hairpins, trills, other lines, lyrics, dynamics, other text, chord symbols, guitar chord diagrams (with built-in and custom libraries), tremolos & rolls, triplets, quintuplets and other tuplets, drum noteheads, colored music
• Plays notation, tab (with bends, slides etc.), tempo marks, dynamics, rhythmic feels (e.g. swing, rock). Play/rewind/fast-forward/pause/stop buttons, tempo slider, mixer
• Converts between tab, notation and chord symbols
• Transposes notation, tab, chord diagrams and chord symbols
• Automatically creates drum parts in many styles
• Complete guide to guitars, styles and techniques
• Print any page size/shape, traditional or handwritten music look, automatic page numbers & bar numbers

System Requirements

PC: Windows 98/Me/NT4/2000/XP, Pentium or faster (Pentium III or faster recommended), 64Mb+ RAM (128Mb+ for Windows 2000/XP), 80Mb hard disk space. Scanning may need more RAM.

Mac: Mac OS 9.1/9.2/10.1.5 or later, iMac/G3/G4/G5, 128Mb+ RAM (OS 9) or 192Mb+ RAM (OS X), 80Mb hard disk space. Scanning requires TWAIN- compatible scanner and may need more RAM.