http://www.sibelius.com/products/sibelius/4/

Looks like I will be upgrading soon - AND it is already Tiger compatable!

I've gone though the tour on the website and I'm wondering, what type of benefits will this be to users like myself?

I'm still fairly new to Sibelius since I just started using it this year but I was wondering if anyone knew if any of these enhancements and features will be greatly benefical to VD2 users.

I guess basically, I'm asking if I purchase Sibelius 4, will it help make my job as a percussion arranger easier than the current Sibelius 3 does.

[quote author=gbass598 link=topic=718.msg2722#msg2722 date=1120617731]
I've gone though the tour on the website and I'm wondering, what type of benefits will this be to users like myself?

I'm still fairly new to Sibelius since I just started using it this year but I was wondering if anyone knew if any of these enhancements and features will be greatly benefical to VD2 users.

I guess basically, I'm asking if I purchase Sibelius 4, will it help make my job as a percussion arranger easier than the current Sibelius 3 does.
[/quote]

After having the privilage of seeing an early preview of this, I have two words...[b]dynamic parts.[/b] This is going to be such a time-saving feature for those of us who create parts to distribute. No more extracting parts as they are now dynamically contained within your score. Any edits you make in the score will immediately reflect in the (already formatted) parts. In my opinion, that alone is worth the price of admission.

Jim,

So the parts are ";included"; in the score?  I can't wait to check this out!  Soundsl ike quite a time saver to me and anything that saves time means more time with my family - ALWAYS a good thing!

[quote author=Dave Ratliff link=topic=718.msg2724#msg2724 date=1120626244]
Jim,

So the parts are ";included"; in the score?  I can't wait to check this out!  Soundsl ike quite a time saver to me and anything that saves time means more time with my family - ALWAYS a good thing!
[/quote]

From within your score, you can actually hit a key-command to switch to ";part view"; where you can choose different parts via another key command, or a simple pulldown menu. Any tweaks that you might normally do to your parts (resizing staves, dropping first system, little nudges with the title, etc) can be performed on that part, and once you've done it...it's done. No more extracting...just switch to the part and print it, or select which parts you want to print from the new ";parts"; window which allows you to specify how many of each part to print. If you couldn't tell, I'm pretty stoked about this feature! :)

[quote]";Also included are automatically positioned buzz rolls (z on stems)";[/quote]

Hooray!

Ugh...I just bought Sibelius 3 in June!!!

Only people who have registered their copy after July 1, 2005 are eligible for a free upgrade. A 6 day window...that blows. The dynamic parts sounds nice, but it looks like I won't be using it anytime soon. :(

[quote author=Jim Casella link=topic=718.msg2725#msg2725 date=1120627191]
From within your score, you can actually hit a key-command to switch to ";part view"; where you can choose different parts via another key command, or a simple pulldown menu. Any tweaks that you might normally do to your parts (resizing staves, dropping first system, little nudges with the title, etc) can be performed on that part, and once you've done it...it's done. No more extracting...just switch to the part and print it, or select which parts you want to print from the new ";parts"; window which allows you to specify how many of each part to print. If you couldn't tell, I'm pretty stoked about this feature! :)
[/quote]

I can't wait!!!

It's kind of funny how software releases are timed...the same time I noticed the thread on Sibelius 4 I heard Finale 2006 was taking pre-orders.�� I prefer Sibelius but end up using Finale about a third of the time so any improvements are appreciated.�� There are no dynamic parts (a total slam dunk!) but some cool features include integrated Garritan sounds, a studio/mixer view, and support of NI VST/AU.�� They even list VDL2 on the page related to VST/AU.�� Finale 2006 could be cool but probably will also remain a total pain at times.
David Knight

[quote author=cflake link=topic=718.msg2726#msg2726 date=1120634731]
[quote]";Also included are automatically positioned buzz rolls (z on stems)";[/quote]

Hooray!
[/quote]

[b]WARNING[/b]

Z's don't work like you think...  just to be forewarned, if you add a Z to a stem in Sib, it introduces lots of midi notes.  There's no way around it.

For example, put a whole-note on a cruddy GM snare, and what Sibelius does is a whole bunch of presses that in essence ";fake"; a roll.  It'll have maybe 26 short notes.  Maybe 33.  Maybe 19.  Depends on the tempo.  It takes a simplistic note and makes it emulate the behavior.

On the whole, this isn't all that pleasant for VDL.

Plus side -- the Z is on the stem.
Minus side -- the midi events have to be altered.

So the workaround is that within sibelius you have to set the Z'd note to not play back (like a 0 velocity) and then add a hidden note that triggers the appropriate buzz in VDL2.  The other option is to just let it stay, and then edit the midi with a midi editor to eliminate the inappropriate events.  Otherwise, you'll end up with 43 buzzrolls played within a whole note.

Of course, there's always the Sib3 system of attaching a graphic, then re-placing it on the individual parts, one at a time...

Yes - Sibelius 4's new buzz roll ";Z"; is cool on the surface, but the way it tries to simulate a non-metered roll isn't very useful for those of us who use sampled sounds. Once Sibelius 4 is out, I'd encourage any VDL users to contact Sibelius and request a feature enhancement to allow ";Z"; marks to be turned on or off for any given staff.

The easier workaround (for now) would simply be to add the Z as a Sibelius Symbol (shortcut: Z), then nudge it to where it's accurately placed. It'll work for score or parts if you do it that way.

I like the video feature because that is something I will use daily.  Right now I have to make timing notes outside the program, and checking if they line up is a tedious process.  It looks like a wdie variety of formats will be supported too.

Copy+Paste into MS Word is cool too- not everyone has Adobe Acrobat.

It's been a long time coming, and I can't wait for it.  Dynamic Parts is probably one of the most welcome no-brainer additions to a notation program ever.  I usually use focus on staves in lew of extracting parts, just because 14 instruments and 5 songs equals a lot of sibelius files to manage--but this looks absolutely perfect.

Also wish I hadn't of bought my last Sibelius license June 26th. :-)  6 day window is pretty slim, but hey business is business.

Also Jim, do you know if they changed anything about the staff type system that would break the current VDL2 templates?