Recorder Home Page

Software

Compiled by Nicholas S. Lander

Recorder Lessons

Adam's Digital Auditive Method for recorder, from Adam Zimney (Sweden)
Recorder Course & Resources, from Gene Casti (USA)
Play-along-Recorder (Windows), is an interactive Recorder learning program from from Dan Dierikx (Australia), which actually recognizes the note you play.
Recorder Teacher (Windows) from John Child (UK). Teaches children how to play the recorder, read music and write tunes; shows which holes to cover for each note of any tune at any speed; includes examples (played by the internationally acclaimed artist Piers Adams), music, and graded tests.
Rick Order's Recorder Lessons on CD-ROM, Adventures in Music with Rick Order merges innovative music exercises, an animated storybook and song-sharing via the Internet
PC Piper (DOS), from Music Train (Finland). A game which teaches children to play the recorder. Archived demo version in ZIP format.
10 Easy Lessons: Learn to play . . . Recorder for Young Beginners, lessons on CD-ROM, from Koala Publications (Australia). Includes book, CD and poster.
Creating Ensemble is a multimedia package that investigates the problems of playing recorder ensemble music through a self-paced approach. The package consists of a CD, a video, a workbook, scores and parts, and features performance demonstration and performance insight into five modern Australian compositions. Demo version available. From In House Technologies (Australia)

Other Recorder Software

South Park – Worldwide Recorder Concert, Wallpaper for your Windows computer. Watch out for the Brown Note!
Recorder Digits, from Richard Hureau (USA), a Windows/Palm OS2+), program that displays standard and alternate fingerings for alto, soprano/tenor, and bass recorders. Version 2, has the ability to load external fingering files. This gives the user the ability to change the fingerings that the program displays.
Simulation of a baroque recorder written in the Common Lisp Music language by Bob Lantz (USA)
Recorder SBK file for use with AWE32 sound card, from Victor Ronnen (Netherlands)
Early Patches, samples of a number of early instruments (including renaissance recorders) for use with various soundcards
Recorder tablature font, True Type font (MAC and PC versions available) from Matthew Hindson (Australia) by which recorder fingerings in 'dot' notation can be entered and printed. Now with new fingerings including bell closure and window shading.
20 Questions, on-line recorder quiz from Jean-Luc Manguin in French and English
Recorder Home Page Quiz, from Nicholas Lander (Australia)
Recorder Screensavers (Windows 9x, ME, NT, XP), freeware from Nicholas Lander (Australia)
- Angels, 12 paintings featuring angel recorder-players (1.2 mb)
- Children, 12 paintings featuring young recorder-players (1.4 mb)
- Ensembles, 12 paintings of ensembles including recorders (2.2 mb)
- Men, 12 paintings of men playing recorders (1.5 mb)
- Vanitas, 12 still-life paintings featuring recorders (1.4 mb)
- Women, 12 paintings of women playing recorders (1.7 mb)
- Shepherds, 12 paintings of shepherds playing recorders (1.3 mb)
Music Screen Savers (Windows), freware from Richard Hureau (USA), includes a number of screensavers of interest to recorder players

Note Processors

abc (UK), "...a language designed to notate tunes in an ASCII format". This page is the main resource for abc-related packages.
BitMapMusic (Mac), freeware music notation program from Kurt Kaufman (USA), suitable for writing a few lines of music. It's good for those situations where you don't want to be bothered with anything much more complicated than "click and drag". That said, I don't think that this is the tool for your next symphony.... :-) Printed output, while limited to the screen resolution, is reasonable enough to read comfortably. BMM can also export to PICT and JPEG format, making it a useful tool for Music-As-Graphics and display on the web.
Bladmuziek 22 (Windows), score notation program (in Dutch)
Brahms (Linux), a freeware sequencer and music notation program
Cakewalk Score Writer (Windows), easy-to-use note-processor for creating piano, band, orchestral, choral, and lead sheet notation; print arrangements for up to 16 instruments
Cakewalk Overture 2 (Windows/Mac), fully-featured but easy-to-use notation software suitable for complete orchestral arrangements, lead sheets, individual cues or even simple notation examples; enter notes on-screen with your mouse or computer keyboard, or record a MIDI performance for instant viewing. Can save a score as a PICT or EPS file and place it into the word-processor or desktop-publishing program of your choice.
Capella (Windows), from Capella Software (Germany)
XCircuit a drawing package for X which includes some very nice music typography and outputs Postscript files
Common Music Notation, a Lisp program that creates and displays traditional Western music scores, from Standford University (USA)
Encore (Windows/Mac), comprehensive music scoring package featuring, part extraction, MIDI import/export/playback, tablature (up to 8 courses, any tuning); from G-Vox Entertainment (USA)
Fermata (Mac), note-processor from Opcode (USA) which features, MIDI sequencing, OMS Name Manager support , accessible editing functions, EPS file capture (add notation to documents), MIDI playback, flexible lyric handling, smart guitar tablature, graphic edit window, strip chart, part extraction, transposition, jazz articulation palette
Finale (Windows/Mac), fully featured note-processor and MIDI sequencing program with support for music scanning, Internet publishing, etc., from Coda Music Technology (USA). Great if you can afford it!
Finale Allegro (Windows/Mac), lite version of Finale; note processor and MIDI sequencer, from Coda Music Technology (USA). Great value with upgrade path to its big brother.
Finale Printmusic (Windows, Mac), note processor and MIDI sequencer with many of the same features as Finale Allegro; supports music scanning, Internet publishing, and even acoustic input; from Coda Music Technology (USA). Even better value with upgrade path to its big brother.
Finale NotePad (Windows/Mac), freeware noteprocessor which lets musicians, regardless of skill level, engrave simple music and do interactive editing of their own sheet music in digital format, from Coda Music Technology (USA). A "Plus" version is available for purchase which includes MIDI import and export.
FlexiMusic Kids Composer, a fun, easy way for kids to learn the basics of music-making and recording, from FlexiMusic (India)
GUIDO, plain-text (i.e. readable and platform independent) language capable of representing all information contained in conventional musical scores, from Darmstadt University of Technology (Germany). Supports GUIDO NoteServer, a free online service that converts GUIDO Music Notation into conventional music notation (CMN). It can be used for graphically notating musical pieces and examples as well as for embedding music notation in web pages.
Harmony Assistant, fully featured note-processor with harmonising capabilities which enable the composer to build quickly and efficiently tunes that include accompaniment, multiple instruments and drum patterns; allows files to be saved in MP3 or WAV format; uses its own embedded software synthesizer (SoftSynth) which provides high quality output on basic sound cards, even without any external MIDI device, and includes hundreds of different instruments; from Myriad Software
Igor, (Windows/Mac), from Noteheads AB (USA), featuring sophisticated graphic capability and playback quality. The program is an advanced tool for composers, musicians, students and others actively involved in music notation. It also has full built-in support for e-commerce, allowing you to produce cross-platform scores which can be published on the Internet. A companion program, Igor Reader, allows anyone to read, play back, print, transpose and purchase your music securely over the Internet with professional-level encryption and verification.
LilyPond (Unix), freeware music typesetter from The GNU Project, outputs TeX and MIDI
Melody Assistant, easy to use note-processor which allows files to be saved in MP3 or WAV format; uses its own embedded software synthesizer (SoftSynth) which provides high quality output on basic sound cards, even without any external MIDI device, and includes hundreds of different instruments; from Myriad Software
MidiNotate Composer (Windows), converts MIDI files to printable scores. Includes built-in Internet browser to search for, download and unzip MIDI files. Determines chord names. Extract parts. Displays lyrics. Highlights active notes on the screen and automatically turns pages during playback. Create a new composition with comprehensive editing tools.
Mosaic (Mac), produces publication-quality music notation, from lead sheets to full orchestra scores; suports MIDI; from MOTU (Japan)
M-Tx, a music-from-text language that operates as a front end to PMX, which in turn is a front end to MusiXTeX
Mozart (Windows), a music processor with which you can create and edit sheet music, including chords and keyboard parts, from David Webber (UK). Features include: instant transposition; automatic quaver tail groupings; automatic bar-line entry; export to MIDI files either "straight" or with "swing"; extensive on-line help. This is my personal choice. It's hard to beat for ease of use, price and functionality.
Mup (DOS, Linux, Unix), ASCII text-based, music publication shareware from Akkra Enterprises (UK)
Muscript (DOS, Unix, Linux), a language for typesetting music, and a Perl script which translates this language into Postscript for printing or viewing, written by Peter Billam (Australia), freeware.
Muse Music Editor (Windows), a shareware music notation editor for composers, arrangers or performers, from Laurie Griffiths (UK). Create, edit, play (straight or with swing), print music notation. Features include: automatic bar lines; automatic transposition; automatic quaver tail grouping; export to MIDI files; support for abc folk music notation (which gives access to thousands of folk tunes on the web).
MusicEase(USA), combination music notation editor / automatic accompaniment creator. As a full-featured, intelligent music notation editor, it produces highly polished, publication quality, printed music. It also automatically generates accompaniments consisting of any number of general MIDI instruments including drums which you can play, print or save as a MIDI file
Music Publisher (Windows), from Braeburn Software (UK). Music notation system. Braeburn Software has licenced the SharpEye music OCR engine and has incorporated it into MP Scan, an add-on to Music Publisher with direct scanning into the package ready for editing or transposing. It is particularly effective at transposing existing music or making arrangements and additions to printed scores.
Music Time (Windows), music notation editor from Musica (Austria). Includes chord and guitar symbols, input from MIDI device
musixlyr, a MusiXTeX extension for convenient lyrics handling
MusicWrite Maestro (Windows), from Voyetra (USA). Notation software for scoring for up to 48 parts using all clefs and transpositions - from choir to concert band, orchestra to jazz ensemble - even rock groups and singer/songwriters can use Music Write's guitar tablature, chord generation and lyric features to notate and print out their music. Includes MIDI capabilities for sequencing and playback. Use MIDI keyboard or mouse-click for note entry Record digital audio tracks right into Music Write 2000 and sync them to notated parts. Music Write 2000 scores can be slaved to MIDI time code or SMPTE for video and film scoring.
Music Write Plus (Windows), from Voyetra (USA). Notates and prints sheet music using a mouse or MIDI compatible keyboard; cut, copy and paste; insert notes, chords and ties; add lyrics and copyright info.
MusiXTeX (Unix), full-featured music typesetting via TeX, from GMD (Germany). This page is also the main resource for other TeX-related notation packages. Windows NT users may download an easy installable TeX system from MikTeX
Nightingale (Mac), note-processor, from Adept Music Notation Solutions (USA). Features include Import/export of Finale Enigma files, MIDI files; includes Noteview which allows presentation (but not copying or printing) of scores on the Internet
NightLight (Mac), freeware note-processor from Adept Music Notation Solutions (USA)
NoteAbility Pro (Mac OS-X), from Opus 1 Music (Canada), professional music notation package which includes support for early music (including lute tablature and early music fonts) and the most flexible and lowest priced notation software on the market
NoteAbility Lite (Mac, Windows), from Opus 1 Music (Canada), scaled down and simplified freeware version of the NoteAbility Pro music notation program
NoteWriter (Mac), from Opus 1 Music (Canada), graphics-oriented music notation package which treats music images as graphics, so that any image can be placed anywhere on the page, giving a very high degree of flexibility in notation
Noteworthy Composer (Windows), shareware package that lets you enter and edit written music at a PC keyboard, import and export MIDI files, record live from a MIDI instrument and gives a lot of control over printed scores. It also lets you configure the playback, so you can mute staves to listen to just one part, or all but one part, etc. From Noteworthy Artware (USA)
Noteworthy 2 (DOS), a no-nonsense, GUI music publishing system, without MIDI support, but very flexible to use, the nearest thing to using a pen; from Braeburn Software (UK).
Personal Composer (Windows), music notation, MIDI, sequencing, and publishing program; from Denis James & Susan Miller(USA). A Dutch Version is also available. Interestingly, this is said to be the world's first music/MIDI software for a desktop computer. It was originally written by Jim Miller, who set up for business in his garage in 1983.
SALIERI, powerful and versatile computer music system and language, from sic!systems - SALIERI Interactive Computing (Germany)
Sibelius (MAC, PC), industrial strength note processor, MIDI sequencing and music scanning program with support for Internet publishing, special notation, etc. Big on features; big on price (UK)!
Scorch Plug-in, from Sibelius (UK), free software which lets you view, play, customise and print Sibelius scores on the Internet. (You don't need Sibelius yourself)
SCORE Music Publishing System, from San Andreas Press (USA), industrial strength software that facilitate the creation of virtually any page of standard music notation with a final quality equal to that of true engraving (PC)
SmartScore (Windows/Mac), from Musitek (USA). Fully integrated music scoring, MIDI sequencing and music scanning.
Toccata is a Braille music notation and transcription program produced by Optek Systems (Australia). Optek Systems are now distributing SharpEye (see below) with Toccata, but other programs can also be used, eg SmartScore from Musitek
Turandot (Windows), from Spe-Not Kkt (Hungary). Quick score entry, professional looking score (print publication quality), and correct playback.
Music Notation Software, a comprehensive index from Gordon Callon (USA)

Music Manuscript Paper Printing

The Music Manuscript Kit (MAC, PC), CD-ROm from Boosey & Hawkes (UK) for printing over 300 styles and sizes of manuscript paper
Free Manuscript Paper, from Linkware Graphics & SKD Designs (USA). Printable manuscript paper and other music graphics in PDF and GIF formats.
Free Manuscript Paper, from Songseek (USA). A variety of layouts in PDF format
Free Manuscript Paper, from Anton Jazz (USA). A variety of layouts in PDF format
Free Music Manuscript Paper, from Pomona College Music Department (USA). A variety of layouts in PDF format

Music Scanning and Transcribing

Cappella-Scan (Windows), from Capella Software (Germany). Scans and edits printed scores, converts to MIDI and Capella formats
MIDI-Connections SCAN (Windows), from Musica (Austria). Scans and edits printed scores, converts to MIDI format
MidiNotate Musician (Windows), converts MIDI files to printable scores. Includes built-in Internet browser to search for, download and unzip MIDI files. Determines chord names. Extract parts. Displays lyrics. Highlights active notes on the screen and automatically turns pages during playback. And more ...!
NotationMachine (Windows) from Jason Silver (USA), converts MIDI files to printable scores.
MIDIScan (Windows), from Musitek (USA). Converts printed sheet music into multi-track MIDI files; includes fully licensed copy of Lime® NIFF Notation Software.
MP Scan from Braeburn Software (UK). Braeburn Software has licenced the SharpEye music OCR engine and has incorporated it into MP Scan, an add-on to their Music Publisher note-processor (see above) with direct scanning into the package ready for editing or transposing.
PhotoScore (Windows/Mac), from Neutratron (UK). Converts printed sheet music to Sibelius or MIDI format. A Lite version of this product is bundled with Sibelius (see above).
Rosegarden score creation from MIDI input and MIDI sequencer, also exports Csound score file
SharpEye Music Reader (Windows/RISC), from VISIV (UK), converts a scanned image of printed music into a MIDI or NIFF file. Version 2 supports direct scanning and will accept BMP and TIFF files
SmartScore (Windows/Mac), from Musitek (USA). Fully integrated music scoring, MIDI sequencing and music scanning
Toccata is a Braille music notation and transcription program produced by Optek Systems (Australia). Optek Systems are now distributing SharpEye (see above) with Toccata
Transkriber™ (Macintosh or Windows), from Reed Kotler Systems. Simply play your music on your computer's CD player and record what you want using Transkriber's easy to use recording panel. Play back the music at whatever speed -- ½, ¼, . . . etc. of the original speed -- without changing the original pitch of the music
WIDI 2 MIDI (DOS/Windows/OS/2), a WAVE to MIDI convertor which inputs a musical audio recording into the computer and creates a score of the recording, from Russia

Metronome, Tuner, Temperament Calculator

Metronome Online, freeware from EMusic Institute
AP Instrument Tuner (Windows), freeware by Audio Phonics
Chromatic Tuner (Mac), shareware from Rustle Laidman, up to date with OS 9 and provides compatibility across all Mac systems, including machines as old as the Macintosh LC
ComTune (PC), tuning and sound spectrum software with 35 historical temperaments, from Moeck (Germany)
Echo View 4 (Windows), from Ian Tragen (UK). A sophisticated metronome.
ECS Suite (Windows), from Electronic Courseware Systems. Includes the ECS Music Metronome and the ECS Music Tuner The ECS Music Tuner offers fast, automatic note sensing in real time with a broad chromatic range and a special transpose function to shift the entire scale to match instruments not in the key of C. The Music Metronome turns your computer into a device to assist users in playing more accurately in tempo.
Amazing Metronome, freeware from Melanie Ebener (Germany) that features two separate tracks with main- and sub-beats sounding simultaneously in a wide range of time signatures and possible beat subdivisions along with adjustable tempo settings and a selection of sampled percussion sounds.
MetroGnome (Mac OSX), from Braxton Sherouse (USA); freeware software metronome; includes ability to calculate tempo if you tap it out
Metronome (Windows), from Tatsuaki Kuroda (Japan)
DMetro (Windows), shareware from Enqsoft
MIDI Metronome (Windows), freeware software metronome based on MIDI; supports a tempo rate of 30 BPM up to 300 BPM, a full range of tempos, plus a wide group of time signatures, (2-16)/(2,4,8,16,32); other features of the program include selectable drum instruments for high and low bits, using every MIDI device in the system, and display of the Italian expressions according to the tempo rate
Metronome (Windows), freeware version from Nick Baciu (USA)
Da Metronome (Windows), freeware from Dave Hilowitz; compact metronome that lets you select between the built-in tick sound, the PC speaker, and your own wave file; features a drop-down menu to let you selected the program's priority (for better timing accuracy)
The Orange Metronome, shareware from Orange Software; a complex rhythm generator and trainer with which you can learn new beat patterns and develop your sense of timing – for musical or other purposes; it is also a simple percussive accompaniment device
Pocket Metronome (PocketPC), from Pocket Musician; crippleware demo version available
Responsive Metronome (PalmPilot), shareware from Responsive Software; requires Palm 2
Metronome (PalmPilot), freeware from Andy Chan; generates repeated beat tone at a constant interval; simulates graphically a traditional mechanical metronome
Metronome (PalmPilot), freeware from Michael Winikoff (Australia)
Pitchpipe (PalmPilot), freeware from Michael Winikoff (Australia)
Musicbox (Psion Series 3a & 3c), shareware from John Neale; a complete musicians' toolkit; includes a playable piano keyboard, metronome, tuner, & tempo measurer timer; also the facility to record the tunes you play on the keyboard
The Harmonic Metronome (Windows), produces scales and arpeggios, perfectly tuned and perfectly timed; can be programmed to play a complete practice routine, any series you like of scales and arpeggios, in any choice of key, range, meter, and tempo; from Techno Business Solutions (USA)
Experimental Tuning System, Java applet from Pierre Lewis (Canada) that demonstrates various historical tunings and temperaments and allows one to experiment with them
Historic Temperaments from Fran Griffin (Australia), gives audio examples of the differences in some of these tunings, and includes descriptions of the main problems of tempering the scale, and outlines of practical methods of tuning. Requires MathReader and configuration of your browser to use MathReader
Vocal Lab (Mac), by Rustle Laidman (USA), listens while you play and displays the pitch of your instrument on a graph, in real time. Requires Macintosh with Microphone, System 6.0.5 or later, including Systems 7 & 8; compatible with systems 6.0.5 through 8.5 and GMacs. Shareware.
Sound colour analyser and tuner (Windows/Mac), from Tatsuaki Kuroda (Japan). This software was initially developed for shakuhachi tuning for makers, but also can use another purpose. It includes the following utilities: Sound color analyzer, multi-purpose auto tuner, sound volume meter, midi sound for tuning
Tuning System by Keith Griffin (Australia), a Java Applet which allows the user to enter a starting pitch from which it then calculates the frequencies of all the notes within an octave in 4 different temperaments.

Aural Training, Theory

Auralia (Windows/Mac), comprehensive ear-training package from Rising Software (Australia)
Big Ears, on-line random interval recognition training (uses Java applet)
EarMaster (Windows), aural teaching software with lessons in recognizing and transcribing intervals, chords, scales, rhythms and melodies(Denmark)
Ear Power (Windows), aural teaching software covering all aspects of aural training; from Nick Baciu (USA); available in English, Danish, German & Italian versions
Intonation Trainer, teaches woodwind and brass students how to listen for and eliminate intonation beats; from Coda Music Technology (USA)
Musitron (Windows), a complete theory and musicianship package, suitable for students of all ages, from Rising Software (Australia). Musition gives you instant practise in fundamental areas of music theory, with topics from note reading and rhythm for beginners to advanced scales, jazz chords, clefs and instrument keys and range for experienced students of music theory
Sight Singer (Windows), shareware from Ear Power (USA); helps to develop sight singing ability; generates random melodic drills, you sing or hum each note, the computer listens and helps you correct the intonation; available in English, Danish, German & Italian versions.
Teoria (Windows), from Jose Rodriguez Alvira (Puerto Rico). Exercises in construction, identification and ear-training of intervals, chords, scales, key signatures, harmonic function and melodic dictation.
Ear Training Software (Windows/Mac), freeware drills from David Bradfield (USA); requires Quicktime; tests intervals, modes, triads, and 7th chords

Music & CD Catalogue Software

Electronic Music Catalogue for Windows (EMCW), from BTM Innovation (Australia), fully functional nagware. Easy to use multimedia system that provides you with the capabilities to find catalogue entries by composer names, composer dates (including anniversaries), nationality, title, duration and instrumentation or genre
Repertoire 2000 (Windows), music cataloguing system, from BTM Innovation (Australia), fully functional nagware. Easy to use multimedia system that provides you with the capabilities to find catalogue entries by composer names, composer dates (including anniversaries), nationality, title, duration and instrumentation or genre
Production Music Catalogue for Windows (PMCW), from BTM Innovation (Australia), fully functional nagware. Easy to use multimedia system for the display, searching, printing, and downloading to the internet of CD information
ClassiCat (Windows), software for cataloguing recorded music collections, from TDWare (USA)