by Scott Yoho
16. February 2012 09:53
The big news this week isn’t the launch of the new NotePad website, no matter how much I like it. The big news is that Finale NotePad is now available as a free download.
Why should you care if you’re already a Finale user? Here’s one way I use it: I’ll create charts for my rock band and send them to my band mates, who don’t all own Finale. With NotePad they can open the files, print them, and play them back before rehearsal, just like they could with Finale Reader. Frankly, some guys in the band are better sight readers, and some are better at learning stuff by ear, and this method gives everyone something they can use as they prepare for rehearsal.
Better yet, since some band members often improve the parts I’ve written (Doug, I’m thinking specifically of you), NotePad enables them to make edits and send them back for my approval. It’s slick, easy, and free.
In addition to being a tremendous aid to musical collaboration, NotePad is also a great resource for music educators. By making NotePad free, we’ve removed the last barrier from having NotePad on every computer in every music lab. This makes the creation of music notation (and the completion of notation-themed tests and worksheets) available to all students, both at school and at home.
I’d love to hear of cool uses you’ve come up with for NotePad as well as what you think of the new website. Please share your thoughts by clicking on “Comments” below.
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