MusiCAD

MusiCAD

Original author(s)	Musys Software
Initial release	September 1994; 30 years ago (1994-09)[1]
Stable release	4.0 / 1 May 2015; 9 years ago (2015-05-01)
Written in	C++
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Available in	3 languages
List of languages Dutch, English, German
Type	Scorewriter
License	Proprietary
Website	musicad.com

MusiCAD is a scorewriter program originally designed for folk music[2] featuring irregular meter (like ^7
₈ or ^13
₁₆) and automatically generated accompaniment voices (bass[3]/chords[4]) from chord symbols and specified time signature.[1] Created lead sheets are audibly verifiable. One of its design goals was to be as predictable as possible: 'what-you-write-is-what-you'll-hear'.[5] The resulting music engraving is the result of the notes used and an applied set of rules (note sizes etc.) that determine how notes should be drawn.[5] After changing the layout parameters or after transpose the (new) rules are applied, perhaps changing page layout completely.

The name MusiCAD is a portmanteau of music and computer-aided design.

The DOS/XT and Dutch-only 1.65 version has been available since 1994.[1] Version 2.0 added support for multi-voice score editing. Later versions do not focus that much on folk music anymore and will allow up to 32 voices as well as percussion notation. The 3.0 version is available for Microsoft Windows and in Dutch, English and German.[6] Like a few other scorewriters, it uses plain ASCII files for storage. MusiCAD will read and write ABC-notation[7] as well as MIDI, and is capable of writing PDF-files for easy distribution of scores. There is an unlimited-time evaluation mode which allows storing and printing. Version 4 adds (among others) UTF-8, MusicXML import/export.[8]

Score printed using MusiCAD version 1

Score printed using MusiCAD version 4

See also

• List of music software

References

1. Touburg, Barbara (15 September 1995). "Muzieknotatie en Computer". Akkoord (in Dutch). 95–4. Utrecht: Stichting LOAM: 21–22.
2. "Muziek Archief voor MusiCAD gebruikers". Digitale Stad Eindhoven. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
3. "automatic bass-line". Musys Software. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
4. "automatic chord-line". Musys Software. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
5. "Ontwerpfilosofie (design criteria)". Musys Software. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
6. "MusiCAD evolution". Musys Software. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
7. "abc-notation". Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
8. "Release notes MusiCAD". Musys Software. Retrieved 24 April 2019.

External links

• MusiCAD home page