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• Why Electronic Scores?
• Noteworthy Composer
• Finale
• MIDI and other Formats

Why Electronic Scores?

These files, like the other formats, were created by music notation editors; the difference is that these remain in a form that can be edited further. To create a score with particular hymn lyrics; or to change the key, instrumentation, or arrangement: it will be easier and quicker to start with one of these files. The biggest problem with these formats is that there are no standards: each commercial program has its own format. Several attempts to create standards have been made; none has yet been widely implemented.

Noteworthy Composer

I have included files in Noteworthy Composer (".NWC") format for all the tunes I sequenced. Noteworthy Composer is a music notation editor for MS-Windows systems. It combines a budget price with mid-range capabilities. Noteworthy also provides free a full-featured demo version, downloadable player program (Noteworthy Player), and plugins for web browsera and Winamp. The browser plugin can both print and play NWC files.

".NWC" files are assigned MIME type "application/octet-stream." Browsers that support plugins can be configured to open such files with Noteworthy Player, the browser plugin, or even Noteworthy Composer.

Most of these files require version 1.75 or later of Noteworthy Composer; a free, downloadable upgrade is available to purchasers of earlier versions. It runs on MS-Windows systems (and, with a little difficulty, under the Linux WINE MS-Windows emulator).

Finale

Greg Scheer has contributed some Finale scores for various "transposing" orchestral instruments. Finale is an full-featured music editor by Coda Music Technology.

I don't have Finale, and cannot verify these files' format or contents.

MIDIs and other Music Editors

Most music editing programs can read a MIDI file and convert it into a rough draft of a score. If you are using another program, this may be the way to create an editable score. (If you do this, we'd be happy to host your polished-up score for other users of the same program.)

Contributed files in other formats will be accepted. Please also include an exported MIDI file, if possible, so that other customary formats can be generated.