MuseScore vs. Sibelius: Keyboard shortcuts and playback
My comparison of Sibelius vs. MuseScore continues. I have played a bit with both, using a work-in-progress in Sib 5, which was also exported to MuseScore via MusicXML. That export worked very well. There are a few differences in output, and the MuseScore version needed the margins adjusted and some braces added. But basically, either output is fine.
Here are the two big questions I see if I switched to MuseScore:
* Keyboard Shortcuts: It's very important for me to use keyboard shortcuts as much as possible, rather than mousing and clicking on palettes. I've used a computer for my whole career, and excess mousing has caused me hand problems. So my philosophy is, use the keyboard for things that I do all the time, use the mouse for things that I do occasionally. I also use a pen and tablet at times.
Looking at the help files for both Sibelius 5 and MuseScore, Sib shows 6.5 printed pages of keyboard shortcuts, whereas MuseScore has only two (and in a bigger font). However, such a gross comparison might not tell the whole story. Could someone experienced with both programs tell me whether you have to use the mouse a lot more in MuseScore, a little more, or about the same once you got to know MuseScore?
* Playback: My other issue is playback, particularly legato vs. non-legato playback. Sibelius' playback is quite a bit better. Now, I understand the technical problems involved--limitations of MIDI and sound fonts, the need for each instrument to have either a matching patch with no attack, or a way to turn the attack on and off on the fly. But, decent legato vs. notes with no articulation vs. notes with staccato, marcato, etc., is still something I want very much. What are the chances of getting it anytime soon?
Thanks for any further help!
--Peter
Comments
Not sure what list you are looking at, but to see a more complete list of shortcuts assigned in MuseScore, see Edit / Preferences / Shortcuts. Note there are many commands listed that don't have a shortcut by default but for which you can define one yourself.
As for playback,. it's already the case that staccato, marcato, etc will playback as expect. If by "legato" you mean slurs, however, this is not implemented for playback. I think there is a slight lengthening of the note for legato in general, but not difference in attack. It's on the lsit of things we'd like to see implemented at some point, and some playback improvements are being worked on this summer as part of the Google Summer of Code, but no guarantees.