Music creation software question

[tek]

Anyone know if there is a software program where I could play music on the computer? The keys would be the 'notes'.

I can type, but I could never coordinate two hands on a piano...

[ptmusic]

There are many software programs to create music, as your title mentions. There are also many programs that play music, as your post mentions.

Some programs have many features and have high learning curves; others are good at one or two things only. If you could explain exactly what you want to do, I'll be able to recommend something.

Do you want to compose music, note for note? Do you want to combine loops and samples that others have created? Do you want to produce fully arranged songs with drums, guitars, piano, voice, etc.?

When you say "the keys would be the notes" - do you mean piano keys or computer keyboard keys?

Describe your ultimate goal; I'm sure there's a program out there that can do it. Having composition skills is another matter....

-ptmusic

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

He wants to play his keyboard like a piano.

[tek]

I want to play songs, not compose. The computer keyboard keys would be notes. So the software would have to tell me to play certain alphabet letters.

[ptmusic]

[ QUOTE ]
He wants to play his keyboard like a piano.

[/ QUOTE ]

Meaning computer keyboard? There are programs for that, but it isn't as easy as playing a (synth) keyboard, no matter what your skill level.

If he wants to play his synth keyboard like a piano, take some lessons. There are software programs that teach, as well.

If he wants to input each note one at a time (a painful experience usually), most programs can do that with a mouse.

-ptmusic

[ptmusic]

[ QUOTE ]
I want to play songs, not compose. The computer keyboard keys would be notes. So the software would have to tell me to play certain alphabet letters.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, I think I get it. Your title included "creation" and that confused me.

I actually don't know a specific program that would tell you to hit certain letters at certain times in order to play a certain song. Even if one did have that feature, it would be at least as hard to do that as it would to play a regular synth keyboard hooked up to your computer.

But if you insist on using your computer keyboard as an input device for playing notes, I know of 2 programs that do this. As I said, the programs don't tell you what to play, but they do allow you to play whatever notes you want.

Ableton Live (http://www.ableton.com/) has this feature as one of many features in a powerful program. And Virtual Piano (http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/audio/vpiano.htm) can do this, but you need another program to provide the actual sounds.

Neither does exactly what you are saying, but both are pretty fun.

-ptmusic