Download Notation Player 2.6

Softworld editor's review - 2011-07-29

Watch the notes while listening to your favorite MIDI music

Notation Player is a program with which you can download and play music in the MIDI format. The unique aspect is that the music files are displayed as sheet music.

After installing the software and then start it, you are welcomed by a nice looking interface.

What i like about Notation Player is that it can be used extremely easy mainly because on the main window are displayed the main functions of the program.

It is even offered a tutorial in order to become familiar with the basic features of the software.

If you don't have stored on your hard drive MIDI files, the first thing that needs to be done is to click into the main window on "Search the Internet for MIDI Files".

You can decide to utilize the program's built in browser or the one that you usually use.

I went with the built-in browser and i was redirected to the software's site. From there you are able to download for free all kind of MIDI files.

The moment you click to download one, a window will appear in which you will be able to save the file into the program's Songs directory.

After you have saved the file, it will be opened and displayed into the main window as sheet music. On the sheet can be seen all the musical notes and the name of the instruments used.

At the top of the interface you are provided basic play controls: play, stop, rewind (which can be used to advance one page or fast forward during playback) etc.

You are also provided volume, zoom in and zoom out buttons.

If you want to change the way how the music sheet is displayed into the main window, near the volume section you have two options: Window View and Page View.

What i like a lot is that you can select to be played various parts from the song. The field in which you can do something like that is located between the Setup and Window categories.

Another excellent aspect about the software is that if you want to return to the browser or explore the Options, just click on the fields placed on the left side of the main window.

Also what i want to mention is that all the songs that you open are also displayed in the left side of the window.

I believe is great that you can open various MIDI files and then enter in each one just by clicking on it.

Now lets have a look at the menu located at the top of the interface.

By clicking on File, here you are provided various functions: Open (which can be used to open MIDI files located on your hard drive), Browse Internet for MIDI files, Choose Internet browser etc.

Switching to View, you can add various toolbars, apply various zoom functions to the music page, select from various views etc.

In the Score category you have Page Setup (here you can set the size of the music page displayed into the main window, select the page to be shown as a portrait or landscape etc), Font Size and Spacing, Show or hide instrument names, Set default page layout and others.

Going to Perform, you are provided a list with the basic play controls and the option to Reassign MIDI devices.

In the next category, Setup, you can establish the MIDI device, associate the program with .MID files etc.

To conclude this review, Notation Player is an excellent music software.

It has a good looking and very intuitive interface, built in browser and you can watch the notes and lyrics when listening MIDI files.

Good:

-good looking and easy to use interface
-the application converts MIDI files to sheet music
-built-in browser
-possibility to watch the notes and lyrics when listening MIDI files
-you can choose to play a specific section of the song

Bad:

-none

Version 2.6 reviewed on: 29 Jul 2011

Publisher's description

Find and convert MIDI files to sheet music. Watch the notes as you listen.

Watch the notes and lyrics as you listen to your favorite music.Notation Player helps you find MIDI files on the Internet and converts them to printable music notation with amazing accuracy, exceeding that of even very expensive music software. For example, Notation Player automatically detects and displays grace notes, trills and tremolos that are used in a wide variety of music styles. It correctly notates paired eighth note swing rhythms used in jazz.Sing along or practice your instrument while following the notes on the screen. Notation Player automatically turns the pages for you.Enhance your enjoyment and understanding of music by studying the score as it plays. See the notes that each instrument is playing, just as the conductor does. Learn more about how music is composed and arranged by studying the melodies and harmonies.Also, use Notation Player to view, print, and play Notation (.not) files created by Notation Composer and Musician. All of the original author's notations are preserved, such as accent marks, dynamic marks, and slurs. If the author prepared individual parts for instruments or voices, then view and print just the part you need. You can change the printed page size, and Notation Player will automatically reformat the pages.If you read music, be sure to check out Notation Player. Since you will probably become addicted to it, you'll be pleased that it has no time limits.

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