StaffPad

Pros: I am a long time Finale user (20years) and am quite adept at the keyboard and number pad input methods. StaffPad is refreshing in its ability to input similar detail via handwriting recognition.

If you have ever hand written a composition using a chisel point pen (calligraphy) the input method for StaffPad makes perfect sense. Angled strokes for note heads, stems and flags instead of circles and such (pencil style) are easily converted into engraved font musical notation without much of a learning curve. Articulation and dynamics follow suit. Score directions have a sub menu that is direction sensitive, but certainly not onerous.

It truly shines as educational software when coupled with a large touch screen tv (standard in many schools as the 'main learning display') where the legacy pen input allows a larger view for students to input their scores, and adjust pitches by holding a note head with the pen. This allows the student to audiate (sing in their head) and have the pitches confirmed by the software. This cannot be underestimated in eartraining for student musicians. They then transfer this to their paper drafts and then more competently reapply it to the software, due to the tactile pen input.

Cons: There are a large number of sound suites available for free in the software but, sadly, the presence of in app purchasing of even better sounds, in part, prevents many state education department's from allowing the software to be purchased for schools. This means the excellent companion software for transmitting individual player parts to tablets enabling the software to be used in realtime for ensemble rehearsals is also not available for implementation in schools. Scores can be edited in realtime and the edits appear in the individual player's parts, on their tablet, in real time.

Not a problem with the software, but an issue with the delivery of the product that stops it from meeting its potential.

Overall: I am continually impressed with the application, particularly in my role as a composer and teacher. I am also impressed with the updates including audio and film sync as well as acoustic and midi transcription being added for even quicker melodic input. Harmonic recognition and smart chords for the score is a bonus for charting on popular instruments that struggle with traditional notation. Printing is equal to most other scoring suits for most purposes. The realtime updates for electronic music stands is a useful bonus.

Pros: It's silky smooth for hand-writing music with the Surface pen on the screen. That's why I bought it and that's why I wanted to love it, but couldn't. It's affordable and has some incredible features like auditory recognition of a played tune that then appears as a score. It could be and should be terrific software, but for the interface, which I found utterly baffling.

Cons: The aesthetically pleasing interface has nearly everything hidden. Even where to save your score is an unnecessary mystery. That's not "intuitive" or "simple," that's bad design. The documentation is little help as it is impossible to navigate. there's time-wasting tutorials but the learning curve is severe. After many hours of work disappeared one day as I tried to change instrumentation, I said "Nevermore."

Overall: I used Staffpad to write over a dozen piano exercises. The feeling of pen on tablet is better than soft art-pencil on paper. Rendering my chicken-scratches into beautiful engraving is 85% accurate (but NOT if the screen is enlarged for visibility --that's one of the many infuriating quirks of this software).

I switched to Presonus Notion 6 -- It's not as easy to do hand-writing. You can tap notes on an onscreen keyboard and get a perfect score. You can use the pen, but it's difficult to edit with it. But the software is well-documented,the interface far more accessible, and the file management transparent and completely reliable. It is almost twice the price -- but what is your time worth?

For creative output from mind-to page or file, Staffpad should be the one, but I spent most of my time fighting with it, not composing. Notion is slightly more clunky but it gets my ideas on paper a whole lot easier and faster.

Both programs will handle full orchestral scores (allegedly--that's not something I do), but a program has got to be pretty bad when an enthusiastic customer abandons it for a competitor at twice the price.