Music software

Under the generic term music software you summarizes various computer programs for music production, recording, post-production, distribution and playback together. Often such programs are integrated into a digital audio workstation.

• 3.1 sequencer
• 3.2 Audio Editors
• 3.3 Audio effects
• 3.4 Software tools 3.4.1 Software Synthesizer
• 3.4.2 software sampler

Overview and interaction

The term implies a wide variety of music software program genres. The following application areas are outlined:

• Composition (→ software that helps when composing, and automatically composing software)
• Production (→ Arrangiersoftware )
• Notation ( → music notation programs )
• Music (→ accompanying software, educational software )
• Recording (→ recording programs )
• Mix ( mix, mix down ) to the sum
• Masters ( → mastering software )
• Distribution via recordings, radio, music streaming ( → Online Services )
• Playback ( → Media player)
• Analysis (→ software for ear training, music theory, instrumental customer, and music information retrieval systems)
• Transcription ( → Software for automatic music transcription)

Since overlap and blend through the medial opening these areas may (subject " hybridization of Computer Software", " media convergence "), a significant sharp distinction between software classes is very difficult.

With the mouse, computer keyboard or a master keyboard sounds can be entered in any music software. Depending on what the music is needed, use is made of a suitable program of the desired type. Notation programs we can create notes using the computer. They are the musical equivalent of a text processing program. The notes can be printed or translated into a MusicXML file. This provides a machine-readable score or a score dar. To play the notes one uses the MIDI standard. in MIDI format the individual notes are stored as short, interpretable by the computer commands. Most notation programs are able to play back MIDI. For further processing of a MIDI file, you need a so-called sequencer. This helps in arranging many audio tracks into a whole. Various editing options are available. For a more realistic reproduction are two basic technologies: The saved notes can be played either with a software synthesizer or a sampler. The music thus produced can be via the sound card of the computer or played directly translated into an audio file. Audio files can be edited with audio editors or DJ software on. Finished pieces of music can be published in many different ways, and then played back with a media player and listened. In the analysis or transcription of the played audio music learning programs or music information retrieval systems can help.

Data exchange

Communication interfaces

To facilitate communication between the different types of music software, some interfaces defined by manufacturers and developers which enable data exchange standard, thus allowing the use of modular plug-ins.

For communication between sampler and plugin based sound generators and sound filter, the default VST by Steinberg and RTAS Avid have been established, which are implemented on all popular systems. Under Linux LV2 is also used. Under Mac OS X you will find the AU format. ReWire from Propellerhead is used for communication between non-modular applications ( Microsoft Windows and Mac OS). Using Rewire can about playing two different music programs are synchronized. JACK manage audio routes between music programs on Linux. The interfaces can be enhanced by the implementation of the standard ARA for modern audio applications. ARA was developed by Celemony and Presonus and presented in 2011.

Data formats

In the file format of a music software content created is stored. In principle, a private (proprietary ) data format is specified for each application, ie created with the software files can usually also be opened and edited himself again only with the software. However, some open, or at least standardized formats for music software have been established. An open format is a published specification of storing data in digital form. A standardized format has also been published, but is not necessarily free, since the developer companies raise partly royalties for the format -containing patents ( → see eg MP3).

The following formats have prevailed in Music Software:

• MIDI
• Audio ( Wave, AIFF, MP3, AAC, Vorbis, ... )
• MusicXML

Genres of music software

Sequencer

A sequencer or tracker is a software for recording, playing and editing of data for the creation of music. The historical origins and hence the main field of application is in the recording and editing MIDI tracks.

Audio Editors

Audio editors are software applications for PCs, with which you can digitally record and edit sounds through the sound card or a connected digital interface. In contrast to the sequencer of the historical origin of an audio editor is the recording and editing of audio tracks. In mastering software is specialized for mastering audio editors.

Audio Effects

Audio effects are own little music programs to change the sound, which are usually included as VST plug-ins in sequencer or audio editor.

Software instruments

A software tool used for software-based sound generation (including percussive sounds - drum machine) in a sequencer, audio editor, music notation program or. One differentiates two basic technologies, the synthesizer and sampler.

Software synthesizer

The sound generation is performed at a software synthesizer (also short soft synth or synth called ) using sound synthesis. The tones are generated in the software. About coupled oscillators can be modeled as custom sounds created (→ electronic music) or familiar sounds. Advantage of the synthesis is the small storage volume. Disadvantage, however, is the most low fidelity (transparency ) over the imitated instrument.

Software sampler

In contrast to the software synthesizer, the sampler will play only single, pre-recorded sound " snippets " instead of generating them specially. For this purpose, a so-called sound library is required with extensive instrument collections. The more comprehensive the collection of recorded sounds, the more realistic is the sound impression. The sampler manages these " sound libraries ". It can, for example, be integrated via MIDI VST or another music program for sound enhancement.

DJ software

A DJ program is a musical software which emulates the earlier performed by a disc jockey on turntables or CD players and a mixer mixing on a PC and the user beyond additional ways of interacting, such as for creating remixes offers.

Notation software

Notation software is used to create notes using the computer. In the foreground of the functionality is mostly the aesthetic print image, and many functions for playing and listening via MIDI are available. In addition, support programs by many modern touch automation and editing functions.

In German-speaking commercial programs finals ( in publishing ), Sibelius dominate (for arrangers and composers ), PriMus (for music teachers and church musicians ) and Capella ( in private households ). Free alternatives are MuseScore or LilyPond. Other programs of this genre, there are a large number (→ see lists of music notation programs )

Composer software

Composer software there are two kinds: The first kind of music-creation programs is supportive, ie it represents the composer tools for his work aside. The tools can affect the sound synthesis, but also the arrangement or recording. Depending on the preferences and goals of the composer can serve as Composer software sequencer, audio editor, music notation program or. Hybrid programs offer here often helpful automatisms such as the recognition of the Tonvorrats an instrument or calculating the chords. Also sound generators such as Max / MSP, Pure Data, among others be possible in principle for composing, about electronic music, employed ( algorithmic composition ).

The second type of compositional software itself created pieces of music, so they composed largely independently. The selection in this area is small, because the musicological background is demanding. There is very little useful scientific basis for the ( more or less) automatic generation of music.

Below you will find a collection of software that controls the " semi - automatic " composition in a given stylistics:

• Band-in- a-Box
• Ludwig
• Tonica fugata

Distribution software

Distribution software helps in the publication of music, be it for commercial distribution or free publishing. Most solutions in this area are therefore as an interactive media website and also as a SaaS application. In such online portals you can as a musician or music lover, distribute or discuss with other users about their music in public.

Among them are ...

• Myspace.com
• Grooveshark.com
• Noteflight.com
• Scorio.com
• Musescore.com
• Scoreexchange.com
• Soundcloud.com

U.v.m.

Media player

Using a media player you can play media content such as audio data, but also video and single images can be reproduced on a computer. In addition to standard functions such as start, stop, pause ... dominated a media player usually also the display of metadata, creating playlists and managing media libraries. Among the best known representatives of this genre include iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, and VLC media player.

Music Tutorial

Tutorials for Music exist in many different ways, for example:

• Music Theory
• Harmony and Counterpoint
• Ear Training

Music analysis software

Well-known music analysis software usually comes from the field of music information retrieval. It deals with some of the sentiment analysis of music (→ see eg mufin player) or the similarity search (→ see eg iTunes Genius ). Different manufacturers have specialized with their software on the automatic music transcription.