Best Makemusic Podcasts (2024)

1
MOLA 2024 conference and tech fair wrap-up 53:13

3M ago53:13

53:13

The 2024 conference of MOLA: An Association of Performance Librarians recently concluded in Cleveland, Ohio, and by all accounts it was a rocking success. The conference began with the second annual Tech Fair, a gathering of librarians, product specialists, and vendors, with demonstrations and exhibits bookended by panel discussions about technolog…

1
FMM 206- The bigger the breakthrough.... 56:14

3M ago56:14

56:14

So we are deep into a story together… A story of the darkest must tumultuous time in my life. A time that almost ended me. And now things are about to get very, very weird, It starts with an event that spiralled me into panic followed by multiple appointments with the UK’s top specialists. And then there was a flash of intuition from my mentor that…

1
Print perfect (encore); MOLA 2024 preview 50:51

3M ago50:51

50:51

Printing music is something that takes skill and attention to detail — both by the music preparer and the printer. When everything’s communicated well, it leads to print shop nirvana and the ideal result for everyone involved. Philip Rothman and David MacDonald talk through a specific project and illustrate the various steps along the way to set it…

1
FMM 205 - The Bigger the Breakdown... Part II 44:13

4M ago44:13

44:13

1
FMM 204- The bigger the breakdown.... 41:19

4M ago41:19

41:19

WE… ARE … BACK! Hello, It’s been a while! 18 months to be precise. After 4 years of never missing a beat and recording an episode of the podcast every single week…We suddenly disappeared. Why? It’s a big question and it deserves a big answer. In this podcast, I will share with you the reason why I and the podcast disappeared. Fair warning: it may b…

1
Video killed (it with) the notation star 55:30

5M ago55:30

55:30

With music notation work often intersecting in some capacity with music production and scoring to video, it’s important to know when your software of choice is the best option for a particular need within a project, and when it’s not. When it comes to fine-tuned formatting and engraving decisions, we can’t move from one notation software product to…

1
An interview with Steinberg’s Daniel Spreadbury 1:13:26

6M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

We last visited with Steinberg’s product marketing manager Daniel Spreadbury on the podcast upon the release of Dorico 4 in January 2022, and more recently last summer in Berlin at the MOLA conference in a panel discussion with his colleagues and competitors in the music notation software industry. Although Dorico didn’t have much of a presence at …

1
NAMM 2024: An interview with Muse Group’s Jack Sutton 37:48

6M ago37:48

37:48

At the 2024 NAMM Show, we interviewed representatives from the businesses in our field of music notation software and related technology. Today’s podcast episode is a conversation Philip Rothman had with Jack Sutton, Muse Group’s head of communications. Jack’s first visit to NAMM coincided with the company’s first official presence at the show as t…

1
NAMM 2024: An interview with MakeMusic’s Jason Wick 34:57

6M ago34:57

34:57

At the 2024 NAMM Show, we interviewed representatives from the businesses in our field of music notation software and related technology. Today’s podcast episode is a conversation Philip Rothman had with Jason Wick, MakeMusic’s director of product development. Jason talked with me about their MakeMusic Cloud product, including their Practice tool, …

1
NAMM 2024: An interview with Avid’s Sam Butler 34:18

7M ago34:18

34:18

At the 2024 NAMM Show, we interviewed representatives from the businesses in our field of music notation software and related technology. Today’s podcast episode is a conversation Philip Rothman had with Sam Butler, Avid’s director of product management. Sam talked with us about the new Sibelius features that Avid previewed at NAMM, the new Android…

1
NAMM 2024: Wrap-up and interview with CEO John Mlynczak 51:15

7M ago51:15

51:15

The 2024 NAMM Show was full of exciting news, products — and, most of all, the interesting people that create the news and products. Especially as it pertains to the Scoring Notes beat of music notation software and related technology, there was a lot to cover, and many miles were logged in service of bringing as much of the experience back to our …

1
The staples of printing self-published music 1:01:48

7M ago1:01:48

1:01:48

It’s easier than ever to publish your own music — but that doesn’t mean it’s a simple proposition. Even though a lot of music is made available digitally, there is still a significant demand for printed material. The logistics of printing physical copies and shipping them to customers can be tricky to navigate. It’s important to not be “toner-deaf”…

1
A December to remember 1:28:04

9M ago1:28:04

1:28:04

With the Muse Group acquisition of Hal Leonard, and Dorico, MuseScore, Sibelius, and Finale all freshly updated, 2023 is going out with a bang. We gather round the fire and discuss all the news, as we get ready for the year ahead in music notation software and related technology. More on Scoring Notes: Muse Group acquires Hal Leonard Dorico 5.1: Fi…

1
Black Friday deals are music to our ears 1:11:21

10M ago1:11:21

1:11:21

Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to get new stuff at low prices. But in the world of music notation software and related technology, it can also be a chance to reflect on the way you work and create, and to acquire the tools that will complement your skills. Philip Rothman and David MacDonald summarize the best deals we’ve found to…

1
StaffPad updates go beyond just keeping the lights on 1:10:54

10M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

David MacDonald and Philip Rothman talk with David William Hearn, the co-founder and lead designer of StaffPad, about everything from product updates to what it was like making a live demo for Apple in 40 minutes, along with the implications of AI, industry changes, the Muse Group acquisition, and much more. More on Scoring Notes: StaffPad “capture…

1
Tricks and treats [encore] 40:35

10M ago40:35

40:35

To celebrate Halloween, we’re looking at scary things we see in the music notation software and score preparation process, and see if we can sweeten the experience with some tricks and treats. Philip Rothman and David MacDonald discuss the spookiness of using the mouse and how you can better become a jack-o-lantern of all trades by focusing more on…

1
FMM203- Brad Bizjack: Rewire Your Mind For Success 54:29

11M ago54:29

54:29

Discover how to escape being stuck with the same cycling thought patterns that keep you living in the past so that you can set yourself up for success in music and every other area of your life. The reason why people use time as an excuse. ‘I don’t have enough time’, ‘I’ve wasted to much time and I’m running out of time’ - and how to dispel the lie…

1
Chris Swaffer’s Notion of where music notation software is headed 55:59

11M ago55:59

55:59

Notion is one of the oldest and most ubiquitous music notation software products available today. With its roots stretching back to Musicprinter Plus, a program invented in the 1990s, to today, with native apps on virtually all major desktop and mobile operating systems, Notion has always been at the vanguard of music notation software. Notion was …

1
Asked and answered, part 3: Back to school 54:34

12M ago54:34

54:34

Listeners responded to our “call for calls” with some terrific questions about music notation software, related technology, the business of music preparation, and more. On this episode, Philip Rothman and David MacDonald celebrate the beginning of the academic year by answering questions about the music notation software, tools, and services best s…

1
Music notation platforms: an industry perspective 58:11

1y ago58:11

58:11

For the first time ever, MOLA, An Association of Performance Librarians, devoted an entire day to technology that featured vendor exhibits, presentations, discussions, and meetings. Bookending the day were two panel discussions; one moderated by David MacDonald on the subject of music reader tablet experiences, and one moderated by Philip Rothman w…

1
Behind “Behind Bars” with Elaine Gould 1:13:11

1y ago1:13:11

1:13:11

If there is one book that anyone working with music notation needs to have, either on their desk, or on their device — or at least in a library within walking distance of their home — it’s Behind Bars: The Definitive Guide to Music Notation. Published in 2011 by Faber Music, Elaine Gould’s 700-page volume quickly became the preeminent reference for…

1
Half Notes: A comparison of tablet music reader technology experiences 40:49

1y ago40:49

40:49

For the first time ever, MOLA, An Association of Performance Librarians, devoted an entire day to technology that featured vendor exhibits, presentations, discussions, and meetings. Bookending the day were two panel discussions; one moderated by David MacDonald on the subject of music reader tablet experiences, and one moderated by Philip Rothman w…

1
Asked and answered, part 2: In awe of the DAW 1:02:34

1y ago1:02:34

1:02:34

Listeners responded to our “call for calls” with some terrific questions about music notation software, related technology, the business of music preparation, and more. On this episode, Philip Rothman and David MacDonald take a variety of questions and dispense solicited (and unsolicited) advice. The topic at hand for this part: Using music notatio…

1
Asked and answered, part 1 1:02:29

1+ y ago1:02:29

1:02:29

Listeners responded to our “call for calls” with some terrific questions about music notation software, related technology, the business of music preparation, and more. On this episode, Philip Rothman and David MacDonald take a variety of questions and dispense solicited (and unsolicited) advice. Among the topics: the best way to switch among diffe…

1
Ask your questions on the Scoring Notes podcast 2:59

1+ y ago2:59

2:59

Have you ever listened to an episode of the Scoring Notes podcast and wished you could ask a question directly on the show? No?! Never had that desire? But now that I’ve mentioned the possibility, it sounds like something you’d want to do, right…? Right? Seriously, we actually do get a lot of questions and suggestions for the podcast, and many of t…

1
(Re)learning how to use music notation software 56:25

1+ y ago56:25

56:25

It’s fair to say that the concept of music notation software is easy to understand. You write music on a computer, it shows up on your display, and you print it out. What could be so difficult about that? Well, as we all know, plenty. Philip Rothman and David MacDonald remember beginning with zero knowledge about programs like Finale, Sibelius, and…

1
How we don’t use music notation software (but do use related technology) 59:31

1+ y ago59:31

59:31

Sometimes music notation software is perfect for the job, but other times, it’s the related technology that’s better suited to the task. Fortunately, we cover both sides of the equation on Scoring Notes — and it’s the latter part that Philip Rothman and David MacDonald discuss on this podcast episode. When creating scores and parts, music notation …

1
Justin Bianco, forScore, and more 55:17

1+ y ago55:17

55:17

forScore, the sheet music reader, is the no. 1-ranked music app on the Apple Store with good reason. Justin Bianco, its creator and developer, relentlessly refines the vision that he had when the iPad was first introduced: to make a simple yet powerful music reader for Apple’s revolutionary platform. Used in all music genres, in live performance, s…

1
Behind the scenes with MuseScore 4’s design and engraving improvements 1:06:22

1+ y ago1:06:22

1:06:22

The release of MuseScore 4 is a major update and quite possibly the most significant one in the open-source application’s history since the release of MuseScore 1.0 in 2011. It includes major improvements to the user interface, layout, engraving, and playback features. Not coincidentally, this is also the first major version of of MuseScore to be r…

1
Reflect and refresh 42:53

1+ y ago42:53

42:53

Philip Rothman and David MacDonald review significant themes and product releases, reflect on our favorite podcast episodes, recall fun times, spread holiday cheer, and refresh ourselves for the year ahead in the world of music notation software and related technology. More from Scoring Notes: Scoring Notes product guide Podcast highlights from 202…

1
From “zero to slice”: Soundslice takes on optical music recognition with AI 50:41

1+ y ago50:41

50:41

Soundslice syncs audio, video and music notation into a single web-based interface that can be used on virtually any piece of music. A favorite tool for musicians that want to learn how to play music by interacting with both the sheet music and a recording, it’s at the cutting edge of some developments in the more general field of music application…

1
FMM202 - Escape Your Matrix: How to Accelerate and Expand What’s Possible for You 22:46

2y ago22:46

22:46

Today we are going to be talking about tearing holes in the fabric of reality and collapsing time. Nope, it’s not sci-fi. This is something you have access to. And easy access to. Changing your reality and collapsing your own personal timeline. So that you get to achieve what you want in your life and your music in a fraction of the time you think …

1
Back in the black with holiday deals and discounts 57:31

2y ago57:31

57:31

It’s here! Black Friday, the time when retailers and consumers meet in the happy place of sales and specials. This time can be about more just getting a few dollars off, though — it can be an opportunity to acquire new skills using products and services that will benefit you all year round. To that end, Philip Rothman and David MacDonald run throug…

1
FMM201 – Say Goodbye to Your Hardware, the Future Is Plugins! 32:09

2y ago32:09

32:09

In today's episode we have a controversial conversation that I would love to have your input on. Rob from Team FMM is convinced that hardware has been knocked off it’s perch… …and that the future lies in the box and therefore we should all focus on software going forwards. I threw my best shots at him during this session in support of hardware and …

1
FMM200 - John Hayes: The Path From Instagram Covers to a Multi-Album Deal 59:45

2y ago59:45

59:45

Today we welcome Ambient and Electronica producer John Hayes to the show. John is currently signed on a three-album deal to the excellent Nettwerk label alongside artists such as Sasha and il:lo. His music is supported on radio stations worldwide, including the iconic BBC, and his track Sleep Song has over 2 million streams on Spotify. In this conv…

1
Melissa Smey’s commission mission 43:22

2y ago43:22

43:22

On the Scoring Notes podcast, we have spoken before about music preparation and the technology we all use to create musical compositions and get them in front of players and an audience. But how do those compositions begin in the first place? We’re not talking about the magical moment when a composer wakes up and decides that they are going to crea…

1
FMM199 - Unusual but Effective: How to Bring Creative Confidence to Your Sessions. 26:57

2y ago26:57

26:57

Are you open to exploring something a bit leftfield? We all know that there are ways to get into a creative headspace at the start of a writing session that will help us to be more productive in that session… And maybe you are already making good use of many of them… DAW Templates…Creating a tidy studio space…Having a plan of what you want to achie…

1
FMM198 - Creative Crisis: Has It Become Impossible to Be Original? 17:04

2y ago17:04

17:04

In this episode, we’re asking the question - has it all been done before? Have we reached the frontier of music and there are no new genres, sounds, or musical directions to pursue? Given the amount of music in the world and the hundreds of genres and subgenres that exist, it would be easy to conclude that the answer is yes… …Our lot now is to simp…

1
Aaron Copland, in his own words 32:40

2y ago32:40

32:40

When Aaron Copland thought of the Far West, he probably didn’t have Wisconsin in mind, but Milwaukee was the perfect location to “road test” the new edition of Rodeo. That’s where Philip Rothman went for the first rehearsals of a new edition of Copland’s masterpiece that I prepared. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of music dir…

1
FMM197 - FMM197 - Should the Music You Listen to Be the Music You Make? 15:57

2y ago15:57

15:57

In today’s episode, we’re going to be exploring that question. Said another way: Just because a particular genre lights you up to hear it in a club or on your phone, does that mean it’s the music you were put on this planet to make? …or could it be that holding on to the belief that you must make the genre that’s your favourite to listen to is drag…

1
FMM196 - The Startling Truth About Distraction and Why You Need to Tell Your Loved Ones 30:13

2y ago30:13

30:13

Today we’re meeting a familiar foe but in a surprising new way. The enemy in front of us is distraction, and we’ve uncovered some new research that shows that everything we thought we knew about distractions and their impact on creatives is actually way worse. And some of the things we didn’t know were distractions… to our minds, actually are. Dist…

1
FMM195 - Post Vacation Syndrome: Getting Back To Your Creative Groove In Days Not Weeks 21:34

2y ago21:34

21:34

No matter how organised and self-disciplined you are, change is inevitable. And, as a result, that will shake up your routine. This episode is all about the inevitable breaks that from time to time we are forced to take away from our regular creative sessions. Whether it’s an illness, life events, vacations, work, or perhaps you’ve simply fallen of…

1
Setting the scene with Joshua Luty 1:04:37

2y ago1:04:37

1:04:37

We’ve spoken about opera occasionally on a few Scoring Notes episodes — like in the 2-parter we did on lyrics, for instance. But a genre as big and complex as opera deserves our uninterrupted focus. Around for centuries as an art form, opera continues its appeal through the present day, with many contemporary composers working in this area, includi…

1
FMM194 - Studio Paralysis: The Red Flags to Beware! 22:45

2y ago22:45

22:45

Nobody wants their art to be a stressful frustrating anxiety-inducing experience. And yet I’ve noticed so many creatives bring this upon themselves by creating their own studio paralysis. In this episode, we’re going to be exploring a strange phenomenon that will hamper your ability to make progress with the piece of music you are writing. In fact,…

1
FMM193 - KPD: Building a Career That Feeds Your Soul 1:09:33

2y ago1:09:33

1:09:33

Today we are entertaining one of Spain’s finest House Music Producers, KPD. With hundreds of releases to his name on the world's biggest labels from Defected to Toolroom AND with one of his singles reaching 25 million streams on Spotify, I was keen to understand how he maintains this output, at this quality. And all whilst DJing around the world! T…

1
Setting a high bar (from Selling Sheet Music) 33:11

2y ago33:11

33:11

Garrett Breeze’s podcast, called Selling Sheet Music, features practical advice about the art and the business of getting scores from your head to the music stand. Garrett invited Scoring Notes co-host Philip Rothman to be a guest on his show, and it was fun having someone ask Philip the questions for a change instead of the other way around. We di…

1
FMM192 - My Wife’s Expensive Mistakes and Why I Chose to Talk About It. 18:15

2y ago18:15

18:15

Today we are going to be talking about mistakes… … particularly mistakes my wife Ana has made. And let me tell you, they’ve cost us a few quid! But… they have also revealed a profound lesson for me and a way of thinking about mistakes that, if you find yourself holding back due to fear of making mistakes, I know you are going to love. So If you wan…

1
FMM191 - Stop Sabotaging Your Music! 25:03

2y ago25:03

25:03

Today we are going to be talking about sabotage! Specifically, how we often sabotage our chances of success by worrying, avoiding, and procrastinating on the things that we really want to achieve. Maybe you know you’re doing this regularly, maybe you can see that you are starving yourself of learning opportunities, growth and the results and outcom…

1
What’s new? 54:31

2y ago54:31

54:31

If you’re not up to date, then you’re missing out on the latest features. That’s always been true, but perhaps never more so than now, with regular updates being the norm for music notation software. Philip Rothman and David MacDonald review the latest updates to Dorico, Sibelius, Finale, and MuseScore, and highlight the most useful new features — …

1
FMM190 - What Labels Expect From You 32:16

2y ago32:16

32:16

This is the second part of a double-header focussing on what it takes to get your music signed on the labels you love, and the shortcuts to get you there fast. Previously we heard the perspectives of established artists in the scene learning how to get noticed, and the pitfalls they have fallen into so that you don’t fall into the same. In this epi…

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