From Globe Gazette, November 1,1998

New Program Helps Musicians Get Their Notes Down on Paper

Is there a budding young musician in your house, who is constantly composing new songs? Or do you think you could be the next Mozart (or McCartney), if only you could take those tunes in your head and put them on paper?

A new product from Wildcat Canyon Software offers an easy inroad to music composition. With "Autoscore" and a personal computer, the user can compose music by singing or playing a tune into a microphone.

The software instantly translates these sounds into notes on standard music scores on the screen. Once finished the user can edit, play back, or add additional tracks of harmony or additional instruments.

Unlike previous music software programs, which required expensive MIDI hardware to operate, Autoscore lets you compose music as soon as it is installed.

Autoscore 2.0 is available for both Windows and Macintosh, and includes improvements to improve accuracy for both transcribing and playing back a tune.

Although some precision in necessary in recording the tunes (for example, when transcribing the human voice, the program advises singing a standard nonsense syllable rather than words), the program is capable of handling dozens of tracks at once, and is designed for ease of use.

Autoscore 2.0 Deluxe includes the program along with a microphone to plug into your sound card and a sequencer, for a suggested $119. Autoscore 2.0 Professional, advertised as a tool for serious hobbyists or studio musicians, costs a suggested $249 and includes the ability to bend pitches and track volume, as well as customizable instrument filters and the ability to connect directly to many of today's most popular studio music programs.

For more information, contact Wildcat Canyon Software at (800) 336-0976 or visit their Website at www.wildcat.com.

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