Greatsoft Finale PrintMusic 2010

Finale PrintMusic 2010 :

• Music software for arrangers, composers, teachers, students, and other musicians
• Play MIDI keyboard and see music appear instantly; import/export MIDI and MusicXML files
• Share songs with free, downloadable Finale Reader; save MP3 files for an iPod
• Free software synthesizer with 128+ instrument sounds; Human Playback
• Composing and arranging tools; multiple-undo option; quick-start videos for getting started

Finale PrintMusic is the fast, easy way to bring your music to life – with professional results. The Setup Wizard helps you create scores of up to 24 staves. Note entry is a breeze, whether you enter with a mouse, MIDI device, microphone, or scanner. Human Playback™ makes your music sound like it’s being performed by live musicians. PrintMusic includes a software synthesizer with over 128 professional grade instrument sounds, plus Marching Percussion from Row-Loff™, and can save MP3s for making your own CDs. Enter notes with a mouse, MIDI keyboard, microphone, or scanner. Play your composition, print publisher-quality sheet music, or make MP3s for CDs of your musical creations. You’ll be proud of the results you get with PrintMusic. 

There are a couple limitations (i.e. things keeping it from perfect) to this the greatsoft SW so far as I've seen. But neither of these would warrant a lower rating. One is that you can only use 24 staves (expensive Finale has unlimited). This isn't too bad because you can always double up instruments (such as horns I, II, and III) onto on a single staff, etc. so you can still get a full orchestra sound if you want. The other limitation is on the human playback. There is a tab selection on the menu for "customize", but it is always grayed out, so you're left with the human playback capabilities which are built into the system, but there are a lot to choose from and they are good. Hopefully, they will include the customizable playback feature in the future.