# Overture 5 has finally been released



## d.healey

The Overture 5 public beta went on sale a couple of days ago. Obviously being a beta version it's not finished yet, but if you want to help its development (spot bugs, request features etc.) it's really worth checking it out.

www.sonicscores.com/


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## Maximvs

Thanks a lot David for this post on Overture 5.

It looks like a very powerful notation software.

Best regards,

Max


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## d.healey

Massimo said:


> Thanks a lot David for this post on Overture 5.
> 
> It looks like a very powerful notation software.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Max


It's great, has lots of potential


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## Penthagram

Looks really fantastic. Im really interested but i need to test it before spend the hard earned money , so i wait until there is a demo. Thank you for point me to this David healey


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## d.healey

Penthagram said:


> Looks really fantastic. Im really interested but i need to test it before spend the hard earned money , so i wait until there is a demo. Thank you for point me to this David healey


No worries. If there's anything in particular you want to know just ask, I'm all for promoting this software


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## Maximvs

Hi David,

I am particularly interested in how easy is to implement third party sample libraries with Overture 5. Is it possible to create custom sound sets without having to learn deep programming?

I have been using Sibelius for a long time and even though it is possible to create manual sound sets, I found that this is at times limited and not flexible enough in controlling third party libraries, particularly orchestra libraries.

Thanks a lot in advance for any feedback.

Mx


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## d.healey

Massimo said:


> I am particularly interested in how easy is to implement third party sample libraries with Overture 5. Is it possible to create custom sound sets without having to learn deep programming?


The Overture equivalent of sample sets are its plugin/MIDI definition files. There are tons of presets - from Oveture 4 - for some popular libraries (garritan, eastwest, Miroslav, Vienna etc.). And it's easy to create your own or editing existing ones because they are just XML files. There is no dedicated editor yet, which would make it a little easier for those unfamiliar with XML, but any XML editor will work fine. - Do keep in mind though that the current version is very much a beta release so some elements may not work yet as expected.

You can also manually set the key switch/controller actions for each score marking individually just by double clicking on it! - There is a setting in Overture's preferences, to display all key switches and controllers, that needs to be enabled to get the most out of this feature.


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## Maximvs

Hi David,

Thanks a lot for your kind reply!!

How is it like to engrave scores with Overture 5? Do you find that it delivers in that department or it is stronger in the MIDI/notation editing?

I am looking forward to try this software out, do you know when a demo for PC may be available?

Thanks again for your kind feedback.

Max


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## d.healey

Massimo said:


> Hi David,
> 
> Thanks a lot for your kind reply!!
> 
> How is it like to engrave scores with Overture 5? Do you find that it delivers in that department or it is stronger in the MIDI/notation editing?
> 
> I am looking forward to try this software out, do you know when a demo for PC may be available?
> 
> Thanks again for your kind feedback.
> 
> Max


Definitely stronger in the midi department as it doesn't have some of the helpful features of Sibelius like magnetic layout but it can absolutely produce great looking scores and it's currently the only notation software I'm aware of that uses the new Steinberg smufl font standard. As the beta progresses the notation layout features will only get better.

Edit: Musescore uses smufl


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## ed buller

Hi David

It does look ace. Will it be able to work with Vienna Ensemble Pro ?

best e

oops ignore just saw that it will.....


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## Maximvs

Thanks a lot David for your kind feedback... 

I have noticed that an initial trial version has appeared on the website: http://sonicscores.com/downloads/


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## d.healey

There's no trial version yet as far as I'm aware. The current downloads are patches to add updates to the beta version. A very comprehensive patch was released this morning which I'm looking forward to testing later. As well as numerous other updates it says the step input and midi output have been fixed


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## Tatu

Wow that linear view thing - traditional piano roll + CC editor - makes that look like just what I was hoping to get from a "next gen" notation app. Need to find some videos about the workflow to see if it's worth cross grading from Notion.


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## d.healey

Tatu said:


> Wow that linear view thing - traditional piano roll + CC editor - makes that look like just what I was hoping to get from a "next gen" notation app. Need to find some videos about the workflow to see if it's worth cross grading from Notion.


I'll be doing some videos once the program's a bit more finalised


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## Tatu

d.healey said:


> I'll be doing some videos once the program's a bit more finalised


Good to know David. Keep us posted!


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## wcreed51

yes, it supports VE Pro as a VST3 plugin.


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## Maximvs

So the Patch 1 release that appeared on the SonicScores website is just an update... I thought it was an initial trial version patch, no wonder is not working:-(

Thanks David for pointing this out.


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## d.healey

Massimo said:


> So the Patch 1 release that appeared on the SonicScores website is just an update... I thought it was an initial trial version patch, no wonder is not working:-(
> 
> Thanks David for pointing this out.



I think you were too eager  at that link you posted it says

"*Demo Versions! (Coming soon)*
Product demos offer the same functionality of their full version counterparts except after 30 days you can not save or print:"


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## Maximvs

Absolutely right David


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## d.healey

Latest patch has fixed the MIDI out problem


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## Tatu

There's a demo version available now (you need to register, which was simple):
https://sonicscores.com/downloads/

I'm trying this out as I write this.. how do I open the familiar midi-editor (like we have in Logic, Cubase etc.)?


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## wcreed51

You need to switch over to the linear view, then the MIDI editor show up bellow the notation.


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## pinki

It just crashes on a Mac. Endless problems. Apparently the Windows version fares better.


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## dcoscina

pinki said:


> It just crashes on a Mac. Endless problems. Apparently the Windows version fares better.


Yup. Can't do much on it when it crashes continually


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## Tatu

Still a beta. Seems like this will be around 100 bucks for owners of Sibelius, Finale or Notion, so I might pick this one up once it's a bit further in development. I see potential, but they have work to do.


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## d.healey

Tatu said:


> Still a beta. Seems like this will be around 100 bucks for owners of Sibelius, Finale or Notion, so I might pick this one up once it's a bit further in development. I see potential, but they have work to do.


I doubt it will be finished for a few years, the development is incredibly slow


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## pinki

Glacially slow. And don't challenge the developer on that fact because he will ban you from the forums. 

It's sad because the idea of a 'notation DAW' is great, and Overture 5 is that. But it has proven too difficult for him to bring to market I think.


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## wcreed51

The main reason for the current slow pace is that the developer is incorporating so much user feedback and requests. I had a chance to see the next release at summer NAMM, and believe me, it's worth waiting for.


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## dcoscina

wcreed51 said:


> The main reason for the current slow pace is that the developer is incorporating so much user feedback and requests. I had a chance to see the next release at summer NAMM, and believe me, it's worth waiting for.


I hope so. Everytime I try to boot it up on my Mac, the slightest thing causes it to crash. Bummer. Kind of interested in the library they are going to release in the fall. Apparently Kirk Hunter is working with them. I think it's going to be a tall order to match the depth of sampled articulations that Notion has (which is deeper than any other Notation library by far at this point). However, Notion's sound quality is questionable. It's really only meant as a compositional tool with the idea of getting real players to perform the music or exporting to a DAW and replacing the sounds with better libs. But Overture is very close to Passport Encore which I used through the '90s. So I like the GUI and the look of it. I communicated with Don years ago and he was a very nice guy. Clearly he cares a lot about his baby and I am looking forward to its next iteration.


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## pinki

Well that's good news and I really hope he manages to succeed. He's clearly a very clever guy and I am happy to hear of his care for the program. I don't know what the problems are with Overture 5 on Mac, but they seem to be quite deep as he is not able to make a working version for Mac. 

I came on board with Overture 4 and yes it had that elegance that Encore had. Some aspects were clunky and it needed an over haul. But Overture 5 seems like an entirely new program....though I've only had it running for a few minutes before crashing to make that assessment! 

I so want a program that is Digital Performer with proper notation! Kind of Overture 4 fused into DP9. Ah well.


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## dcoscina

pinki said:


> Well that's good news and I really hope he manages to succeed. He's clearly a very clever guy and I am happy to hear of his care for the program. I don't know what the problems are with Overture 5 on Mac, but they seem to be quite deep as he is not able to make a working version for Mac.
> 
> I came on board with Overture 4 and yes it had that elegance that Encore had. Some aspects were clunky and it needed an over haul. But Overture 5 seems like an entirely new program....though I've only had it running for a few minutes before crashing to make that assessment!
> 
> I so want a program that is Digital Performer with proper notation! Kind of Overture 4 fused into DP9. Ah well.


Yeah that would be great. Didn't Motu have a notation program years back?


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## pinki

I think they did back in nineties? I think that became what is now Quickscribe in DP but I could be wrong about that.


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## dcoscina

pinki said:


> I think they did back in nineties? I think that became what is now Quickscribe in DP but I could be wrong about that.


No it was much more developed than Quickscribe. There are some screenshots of it on the Motu site.


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## wcreed51

Don just posted a work in progress Overture 5 update.

http://www.sonicscores.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=17616


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## Paul T McGraw

Overture 5 looks like the product I have been hoping would come along, notation based, but with many DAW features. Does Overture 5 support VSL products, or do you have to put together your own keyswitch instructions?


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## wcreed51

Support for the SE bundle is included, and there will also be a Sound Map editor to modify or create support for whatever you want.


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## nanotk

i just bought Overture 5 and i need to say a dream come true!!
It is exactly what i searched from a long time, a score editor with sequencer capability.

It is wonderful.
i love it.
Only one thing, i don't find the way for opening more than one score at time... i don't know if it is possible. May be it is because i don't understand the way to do that correctly...


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## wcreed51

You can, but you can't see them side by side. Use the Windows menu to switch between open scores.


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## nanotk

wcreed51 said:


> You can, but you can't see them side by side. Use the Windows menu to switch between open scores.



Thank you for the tip.


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## Rob

it has become my program of choice for composing... excellent


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## Rob

just did a little piano piece today:

http://www.robertosoggetti.com/Brainless1.mp4


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## wcreed51

Nice Roberto! What piano did you use?


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## Rob

wcreed51 said:


> Nice Roberto! What piano did you use?



Thank you wcreed, it's the sonivox 88


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## InLight-Tone

I never understood the appeal of wanting a notation based sequencer, when you have to go through so much trouble finessing the mid later. Seems like CC info and editing would be second rate at best than a true mid DAW. Why not just master the piano roll inside a DAW like Cubase?


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## Daryl

InLight-Tone said:


> Why not just master the piano roll inside a DAW like Cubase?


The problem is that with a Piano roll it is very difficult to see all the instruments, complete with their dynamics and articulations, at the same time. With a notation program it's easy.


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## InLight-Tone

Daryl said:


> The problem is that with a Piano roll it is very difficult to see all the instruments, complete with their dynamics and articulations, at the same time. With a notation program it's easy.



OK thanks for that, that makes sense, I wasn't criticizing just trying to understand...


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## Daryl

InLight-Tone said:


> OK thanks for that, that makes sense, I wasn't criticizing just trying to understand...


No problem. I do both, and for more simple stuff, or if the track is improvisatory, a sequencer wins hands down, but when there is complicated orchestration, particularly when it is designed to be performed by players, rather than samples, it is much quicker for me in a notation program.


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## d.healey

Even when I record in the sequencer I still spend ages editing the MIDI afterwards by hand. Some of the sample libraries I use require a lot of different CCs to really get a good performance and I don't have enough hands, feet, breath, and coordination to be able to play them all live so post recording editing is a must. For this reason I find it easier to enter the notes in step-time into a score view (easier to manage my orchestration and see the whole project in one go) and edit the data afterwards in the piano roll. One main advantage with this method for me is I at least know I have the right notes at the right time and I don't have to delete wrong notes and shift timings about, I can just get on with entering my CC data. I've been thinking about recording my CC data in on top of my step-entered notes, I'll be trying it out to see if it improves the realism.


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## Rob

InLight-Tone said:


> I never understood the appeal of wanting a notation based sequencer, when you have to go through so much trouble finessing the mid later. Seems like CC info and editing would be second rate at best than a true mid DAW. Why not just master the piano roll inside a DAW like Cubase?



in addition to what others have said, you are disregarding the beauty and pleasure of the written page... if one has a good music reading the page tells you a lot about the piece, and is beautiful to look at. And one can always record in realtime, in which case all cc info can be recorded live together with the notes, just like in a sequencer... or, like David says above, enter the notes on the staff and do a second pass recording cc.


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## Musicam

Is better than Dorico?


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## Harcourt

Much prefer using notation as my primary method of composing. Piano roll only for post input adjustments etc.

I trialled Overture 5 in the early stages of release, and found it too buggy, but I loved the fact it combined sequencing with notation, something I too have been looking for. I use Cubase but am not happy with some of the scoring limitations currently.
One thing I hope eventually gets implemented in OV5 is the equivalent of Cubase's project window - with the ability to graphically break up segements of a track and move or copy them around, mute them etc. - this is a great time saver. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think OV5's current "track list" window only has a fairly basic implementation of this concept. An arrange track would also be a real plus. I like the flexibility of trying multiple combinations and variations that an EDL type of arrange track allows, prior to committing to a final mix.


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## rgarber

I meant to take a look at Overture 5 but didn't have the time. The issue I would like to hear feedback on is how it is for printing parts? Notion 6 let me down where I didn't see any improvement to things like adding composer names, keeping text in line and so forth. I'm still using Notion 5 though I hardly see any difference with 6 and 5 when it comes to actually putting the notes on paper. Is Overture, say a step up from Notion in that regards? I have Sibelius and an older version of Finale but I prefer Notion over those just cause inputing notes and such is fairly straightforward in comparison. I do my music books making pdfs of each part and inputting them into a desktop publisher. - Rich


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## nanotk

Musicam said:


> Is better than Dorico?


Dorico, actually have only a very beautiful score representation and display.
I will probably use it for rendering on paper the last version of the score.
But concerning other features, Dorico, for now, has nothing.... no articulation playing, no midi editing, nothing...
It will have probably this (i hope) one day but it will take time i think.
Overture has many of the possibility i dreamed from a long time for a score editor. Not all but much more than every other score editor i know.


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## Tatu

Rob said:


> pleasure of the written page


So true. A well written and nicely laid out page of a partitura; Composergasm.


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## d.healey

Btw I've dropped overture, I found it too buggy and the development is incredibly slow. I'm using reaper exclusively now, it's notation editor is only a year old but already very powerful - with a few customisations - and it gets new features every few days. I'm just waiting for them to implement something like expression maps


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## Maximvs

d.healey said:


> Btw I've dropped overture, I found it too buggy and the development is incredibly slow. I'm using reaper exclusively now, it's notation editor is only a year old but already very powerful - with a few customisations - and it gets new features every few days. I'm just waiting for them to implement something like expression maps


Hi David,

Thanks for your feedback on Reaper Notation Editor... may I ask if there is any PDF documentation or guide on how to learn the Reaper Notation Editor? I have been looking at Reaper with great interest and the addition of the notation ed. is something I like very much.

BTW, are you aware of this for Reaper? http://www.syntheticorchestra.com/articulatereaper/

Best, Max


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## Maximvs

Rob said:


> just did a little piano piece today:
> 
> http://www.robertosoggetti.com/Brainless1.mp4



Thanks Rob for posting this...
- Did you recorded this piece live into Overture 5 or stepped entry the score?
- Does Overture read and interpret written dynamics or they have to be programmed using MIDI CC?

Thanks for any feedback.... Max


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## Rob

Massimo said:


> Thanks Rob for posting this...
> - Did you recorded this piece live into Overture 5 or stepped entry the score?
> - Does Overture read and interpret written dynamics or they have to be programmed using MIDI CC?
> 
> Thanks for any feedback.... Max



hi Massimo, I step-entered the notes, so to have a clean score. OV5 records velocities, so you can already give some expression to the piece. Moreover, all dynamics/expressions, including hairpins and the like, can have an effect (programmable) on the performance.


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## wcreed51

d.healey said:


> I've dropped overture, I found it too buggy and the development is incredibly slow



Overture is the work of a single developer, and yes, there have been long slow periods. Updates have been frequent over the past couple of months, so you might want to try again.

Just look at the Dorico forum, and all the problems people are having with the initial release. And that with all of Steinberg's resources behind it.


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## Paul T McGraw

nanotk said:


> Dorico, actually have only a very beautiful score representation and display.
> I will probably use it for rendering on paper the last version of the score.
> But concerning other features, Dorico, for now, has nothing.... no articulation playing, no midi editing, nothing...
> It will have probably this (i hope) one day but it will take time i think.
> Overture has many of the possibility i dreamed from a long time for a score editor. Not all but much more than every other score editor i know.



There have been reports of problems with importing files (MIDI, XML?) into Dorico. I do not have Dorico, so I have no personal experience. I sincerely hope they get Dorico fixed.


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## Daryl

Paul T McGraw said:


> There have been reports of problems with importing files (MIDI, XML?) into Dorico. I do not have Dorico, so I have no personal experience. I sincerely hope they get Dorico fixed.


I've seen a very few specific MIDI file imports causing problems (all fixable) and the XML import problems all seem to be Logic related. Cubase and Nuendo seem fine. Sorry. Didn't mean to derail the thread.


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## Maximvs

Rob said:


> hi Massimo, I step-entered the notes, so to have a clean score. OV5 records velocities, so you can already give some expression to the piece. Moreover, all dynamics/expressions, including hairpins and the like, can have an effect (programmable) on the performance.


Thanks Rob, much appreciated!


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## d.healey

Massimo said:


> Hi David,
> 
> Thanks for your feedback on Reaper Notation Editor... may I ask if there is any PDF documentation or guide on how to learn the Reaper Notation Editor? I have been looking at Reaper with great interest and the addition of the notation ed. is something I like very much.
> 
> BTW, are you aware of this for Reaper? http://www.syntheticorchestra.com/articulatereaper/
> 
> Best, Max


There is some documentation on it but I haven't looked at it much, you can find a link to it on the Reaper pre-release forum I think. There is also the Reaper video blog which has some tutorials - https://www.youtube.com/user/audiogeekzine

Yea I saw that articulate thing but it seems to only be useful if you work by entering notes with the mouse, but I'm a step-time kinda guy.


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## Ponopus

This is my first post here. Looks like a good place for people who take an interest in software that assists the thinking arranger/composer.

I started out as an orchestra and session musician in the late 1970s. I must have written hundreds of arrangements and later, compositions, for TV, theatre, advertising, albums etc. When I started out there was no alternative to writing by hand then either copying parts myself or handing them over to a skilled copyist. Then the early versions of Cubase appeared and detailed midi editing was possible in realtime, step time or via piano roll, but notation, even in Cubase Score, was cumbersome and primitive.

Then Sibelius appeared and straight away I was underwhelmed. It got great praise by composers who always assumed nothing they saw on paper would ever sound any good except through live performance. But then, by the mid 1980s there was a squeeze on live orchestra budgets and everyone expected me to produce full sounding, convincing arrangement with a couple of synthesisers and the very earliest of samplers, run on floppy disks!

All the while I was intrigued why no-one had come up with a decent DAW which also notated well, or conversely a notation program which provided more than the most primitive midi data control. Everyone I knew made multiple copies of their work and kept shifting it back and forth between notation and midi. What a palava! To a a great extent the latter is still the norm. Frankly I find Sibelius not an efficient way of actually producing music. I realise it can achieve high standards of engraving but I find it extraordinary that even the latest version has the most primitive midi control functions in practice (though it claims otherwise). It is possible but you have to run through hoops to achieve it.

I was resigned to the perpetual habit of composing with Cubase, exporting out to a notation program, importing back in to make adjustments, exporting back out again and so on. How feudal! How utterly inefficient.

One can accept that 90% of DAW software caters for those who aren't the least interested in notating anything beyond a few chord charts. But I do find it extraordinary how many notation programs arrogantly, and snobbishly, presume that their products are just fine while burying their heads in sand regarding a decent method of midi data control, which to my mind is a very fundamental requirement nowadays.

This arrogance, perhaps not intended, seems to have infected Notion 6, which has some commendable features but midi control is not one of them. Really, I mean HONESTLY, why would you produce a program where the divide between notation and PROPER manipulation of midi control is entrenched even more than Sibelius was several years ago? Notion 6's midi "sequencing" track function is like going back to the dark ages. It is pathetically restrictive and very poorly implemented. Like an after thought or just a half hearted nod. They just don't get it. It is laborious beyond belief, and half the data, if not more, is lost when you import in XML or Midi.

There is also evidence that DAW producers who also produce notation software deliberately remove perfectly workable functions in one in order to create an additional market for the other. Hence Notion 6's insistence that it dovetails nicely with its own Studio One software. This is an entirely artificial construct, and ends up with neither product being particularly wonderful.

Then along comes Overture. I have not tried it yet, but am looking forward to doing so, as now it looks like it might actually work without crashing and has bugs ironed out, I have to take my hat off to its maker. For the first time in three decades, it looks like the penny has dropped and someone has realised that practical, working musicians actually DO want a package that can control midi data (absolutely essential) in the same window as the score. Halleluja!!!

Why has it taken this long for a blindingly obvious function to be implemented? The key could be back in the arrogant, pseudo cultural snobbery and difference between those aesthetic folks (apparently) who just want a pretty looking score and those who actually want a WORKING copy of their creations that can be produced without running through endless hoops to get there.

So I will be downloading the trial version of Overture 5 and hope and pray that it does actually help me to produce work without having to edit a score that has absolutely no attachment whatsoever to the midi data I edited in another package, or vice versa, and that I can produce a few tracks with detailed midi without having to be a computer programmer and without circuitous, convoluted processes and then end up with a score ruined by my own edits. I shall report back!


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## Maximvs

Hi Ponopus,

Agree about your experience, frustrations and hopes.. been in a similar situation myself. Please post any future report about Overture, I'll be very interested to read your experience... Best Max


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## sonicscores

We want to thank you for your comments. The Sonic Scores team set out to provide the best composition tool available for working with notation, MIDI, and sample libraries. Overture 5 was a complete rewrite of the existing code over the past four years and therefore had a few little hiccups in the initial release. _(Not nearly as many as a recent release we have heard about)_. The latest release 5.2.0 has most of the issues resolved. Over the past few months we have also added over 30 small features based on requests from users, so feel free to make suggestions that benefit all users. Please let us know what what you think about the program.

*NOTE*: If you have download the demo in the past 24 hours please do so again. Apparently the installers were not replacing the existing application with the correct file. The problem has been fixed and the installers have been replaced.

Also, we will be adding more Sound maps and Templates for individual sample libraries in the next few weeks. East West Play Gold/Platinum is next on the list.

Again thank you,
Sonic Scores


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## Ponopus

sonicscores said:


> We want to thank you for your comments. The Sonic Scores team is working hard on providing the best composition tool available for working with notation, MIDI, and sample libraries. Overture 5 was a complete rewrite of the existing code over the past four years and therefore had a few little hiccups in the initial release. _(Not nearly as many as a recent release we have heard about)_. The latest release 5.2.0 has most of the issues resolved. Over the past few months we have also added over 30 small features based on requests from users, so feel free to make suggestions that benefit all users. And please let us know what what you think about the program.
> 
> *NOTE*: If you have download the demo in the past 24 hours please do so again. Apparently the installers were not replacing the existing application with the correct file. The problem has been fixed and the installers have been replaced.
> 
> Also we will be adding more Sound maps and Templates for individual sample libraries in the next few weeks. East West Play Gold/Platinum is next on the list.
> 
> Again thank you,
> Sonic Scores



Thank you! I will certainly try the current version and give feedback.


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## Elephant

Thanks for posting, sonicscores. There was a post a while ago from someone who had seen and heard the new Overture at an exhibition and had said that playback was great with your new library, and earlier visits to your website noted that the library would be released later. Is that the sound library that is now included in Overture 5 ? Is there a list of the instruments available ? Thanks !
E


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## dcoscina

I really have to give Overture some proper time to re acquaint myself with. I used Passport Encore all through the 90s and loved its ease of use and thoughtful layout. Overture definitely encompasses those features as well as marry them with DAW features that more and more notation based composers are looking for (and not really finding in Sibelius, Finale and Notion).


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## sonicscores

Elephant said:


> Thanks for posting, sonicscores. There was a post a while ago from someone who had seen and heard the new Overture at an exhibition and had said that playback was great with your new library, and earlier visits to your website noted that the library would be released later. Is that the sound library that is now included in Overture 5 ? Is there a list of the instruments available ? Thanks !
> E



Yes we are working on a sample library and to be truthful, two libraries. The first, an orchestral library, will include the common orchestral instruments and a few others like guitars an drums. Our goal is to provide libraries with very good sound quality at a modest price, probably under $100. It will be a typical Kontakt library and will work with the free player.

We chose to delay its development in order to give us time to make Overture 5 rock solid and to include the necessary features that sample library users have requested in a notation program. For example we are making a change very soon that would allow any note, expression, symbols, etc. in a track to have it's MIDI data be sent out any MIDI channel, a request by many users. Currently Overture can only handle eight different channels on a track.

So you are probably wondering when. We expect the first quarter of next year. Current Overture users will get a sizable discount!

BTW, did you know the the author of Overture also wrote Master Tracks Pro and Encore.


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## Elephant

sonicscores said:


> Yes we are working on a sample library and to be truthful, two libraries. The first, an orchestral library, will include the common orchestral instruments and a few others like guitars an drums. Our goal is to provide libraries with very good sound quality at a modest price, probably under $100. It will be a typical Kontakt library and will work with the free player.
> 
> We chose to delay its development in order to give us time to make Overture 5 rock solid and to include the necessary features that sample library users have requested in a notation program. For example we are making a change very soon that would allow any note, expression, symbols, etc. in a track to have it's MIDI data be sent out any MIDI channel, a request by many users. Currently Overture can only handle eight different channels on a track.
> 
> So you are probably wondering when. We expect the first quarter of next year. Current Overture users will get a sizable discount!
> 
> BTW, did you know the the author of Overture also wrote Master Tracks Pro and Encore.



Thank you for that. Very useful info. One can hope that for a playback oriented notation package, all the standard classical articulations will be recorded natively in the sample library rather than being kludged by the software which is what normally seems to happen. Some experiments in that direction could be very helpful. Very encouraging to have you posting here. One thought for you is that the entry barrier for notation software producers is increased because the musicXML "standard" actually is n't standard, and it does not have enough features. Whatever version of musicXML we are now on, we need a new one that actually works. I think you might find Steinberg and the opensource folks at Musescore receptive to that idea. Other folks here who have tried importing MusicXML files might like to chip in with some feedback. Might be worth a new thread. 
E


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## dcoscina

sonicscores said:


> Yes we are
> 
> BTW, did you know the the author of Overture also wrote Master Tracks Pro and Encore.



I knew it! I used both on PC for many many years in the 90s. I scored 4 indie short films with those programs and it was one of the rare times I had real strings playing with electronics so using Encore with Mastertracks was so essential to my composing workflow. Ahh, I'm getting hit with a wave of sentimentality.


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## Paul T McGraw

I work with VSL (extended full) instruments exclusively. I have been using Cubase because of the Expression Maps feature that makes selecting articulations relatively simple and uniform for all VSL instruments. Does Overture 5 offer a similar feature?


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## sonicscores

Paul T McGraw said:


> I work with VSL (extended full) instruments exclusively. I have been using Cubase because of the Expression Maps feature that makes selecting articulations relatively simple and uniform for all VSL instruments. Does Overture 5 offer a similar feature?



Yes,

Overture 5 has more capabilities than Cubase or any other program. Almost any symbol on the score can send a key switch, controller value, program change, etc. Overture 5 has a Sound Map for Vienna Special Editions 1-4. Once you choose a Vienna Instrument for a track, expressions, articulations, etc that are entered already have the correct setting for the Vienna Instrument. For libraries we do not have a sound map, you can manually setup any track to send any of the data mentioned above. You can get more info on our forum at www.sonicscores.com/forum.


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## pinki

Is Overture 5 stable now on a Mac? It's been non-operable for some time.


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## sonicscores

pinki said:


> Is Overture 5 stable now on a Mac? It's been non-operable for some time.



Yes it's been stable for over 6 months, except for one release around the end of November, and that was fixed shortly afterwards. We'll have a new release coming soon with more sample library templates.


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## clisma

Hm, not for me. Played with the demo over Thanksgiving break with an eye toward purchasing, but it crashed repeatedly over the course of 15 minutes and I had to stop. Very much look forward to trying it again soon and eventually getting on the wagon.


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## sonicscores

clisma said:


> Hm, not for me. Played with the demo over Thanksgiving break with an eye toward purchasing, but it crashed repeatedly over the course of 15 minutes and I had to stop. Very much look forward to trying it again soon and eventually getting on the wagon.



Did you not read what I stated above? I said there was a version that was released end of November that had problems. As far as I know Thanksgiving is the end of November. This has been corrected.


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## clisma

Yep, missed that, apologies.


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## pinki

sonicscores said:


> Did you not read what I stated above? I said there was a version that was released end of November that had problems. As far as I know Thanksgiving is the end of November. This has been corrected.


What a charming response!

Anyhow ....it does actually now NOT crash on Mac, which is a first. 

Because of this, it's the first time since release I've spent any time with Overture 5..I'm an Overture 4 user. Initial impression...it's great! I really like the hybrid 'Staff View' whereby the piano roll and clef are combined. Everything seem very intuitive (of course it builds on a legacy going all the way back to Encore) and the flow is good. No inbuilt sounds but that's coming...I don't really need that except for sketching. I'm going to spend 30 days of demo with it and report back here. It seems the Notation DAW has finally been born!


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## Paul T McGraw

pinki said:


> What a charming response!
> 
> Anyhow ....it does actually now NOT crash on Mac, which is a first.
> 
> Because of this, it's the first time since release I've spent any time with Overture 5..I'm an Overture 4 user. Initial impression...it's great! I really like the hybrid 'Staff View' whereby the piano roll and clef are combined. Everything seem very intuitive (of course it builds on a legacy going all the way back to Encore) and the flow is good. No inbuilt sounds but that's coming...I don't really need that except for sketching. I'm going to spend 30 days of demo with it and report back here. It seems the Notation DAW has finally been born!



Looking forward to your more detailed impressions of Overture 5.


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## pinki

I think that it's fine. But sadly it has taken so long to come to market and be stable that Notion really full fills all my requirements in this area, so I won't make any more comments on it.


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## mventura

I see Overture 5 is now available. Anyone using it? Does it allow easy creation of custom rules for triggering keyswitches like Notion? I like Notion but I really want to be able to draw CC curves for vibrato. Its been the number one request on the Notion forum for quite some time and they don't seem to be listening...


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## Mark Bailey

mventura said:


> I see Overture 5 is now available. Anyone using it? Does it allow easy creation of custom rules for triggering keyswitches like Notion? I like Notion but I really want to be able to draw CC curves for vibrato. Its been the number one request on the Notion forum for quite some time and they don't seem to be listening...



This video should give you a good idea of how it all works, along with several other videos on his channel which go into more detail.


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## mventura

Thanks! This interface for setting up custom rules is vastly better than Notion. And it allows drawing of CC curves! I'm buying this. Crossover price is very fair.


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## Craig Duke

Two questions to whomever can answer them:

1. Can Overture's functionality that is equivalent to Notion's rules be saved en-masse to a file and later imported to a staff (like Notion)? In other words, can a set of articulations/techniques and their associated actions be saved to a file and re-used?

2. I believe this is true but will ask it. Can playing articulations/techniques be associated with CC-32 (per Spitfire UACC spec)?

Thanks!


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## wcreed51

Yes and Yes


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## Craig Duke

wcreed51 said:


> Yes and Yes


Thank you wcreed51. I have a demo copy running now and was able to quickly assign CC32 data to expressions and articulations (no manual needed). I do not see anything in the manual or menus about saving these "rules" beyond just saving them to a score staff.


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## wcreed51

It's not yet documented in the manual, but:

-Open the Library panel on the left of the screen
-Ctrl-Click below the list of instruments and choose Save Track as User Preset

When you want to use this instrument in a future score, expand the User Preset section in the Library panel, and drag the one you want onto your score.


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## Craig Duke

wcreed51 said:


> It's not yet documented in the manual, but: ...


It worked exactly as you said. I purchased the product.

The interface and level of control Overture supplies over articulation and expression actions are beautifully designed. Thank you much.


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