Since the release of NotateMe 1 more than six months ago, Neuratron (who makes NotateMe) has been hard at work improving their pioneering music handwriting app.
Earlier this week those efforts paid off with the release on NotateMe 2 for Apple’s iOS and the Google Android OS. NotateMe 2 boasts an improved handwriting recognition engine, which Neuratron says is more accurate for chords, multiple parts, accidentals, and tuplets. NotateMe also gains MusicXML importing. Other improvements announced are in the areas of speed, editing, entering notes, playback, layout, education, and workflow.
The current price — a special until June 1 — is $22 in the US and £15.49 in the UK. After June 1, prices will double. The upgrade is free for existing users.
Here’s what’s new in NotateMe 2, according to Neuratron:
Much improved recognition engine — more accurate, particularly for:
- Building up chords
- Writing multiple parts on one track
- Only updating notes in bar currently being worked on
- Accidentals
- Automatic tuplet recognition
Faster:
- Only looks at the notes/beams being worked on so more complex bars do not slow it down
- Other optimizations
Import MusicXML files:
- Use Open In features from email apps or other notation software to import MusicXML files directly into NotateMe for editing as handwriting.
- Imports the following music symbols: Solid noteheads, open noteheads, cross noteheads, accidentals, articulation, beams, flags, mordents, trills, turns, pedal on/off, and more.
- Currently not supported: grace notes, tempo changes, coda barlines
Improved editing:
- Double-tapping objects or holding down over them sets them in stone, which means they won’t change, and can be copied and reused as the symbols they are
- Double-tap copying and copy/pasting objects sets them, and the copy in stone
- Double-tap drag a recognized notehead or accidental to another point on a stem and it will always be recognized as the same object
- Multiple bar copy and paste
- Eraser pen now deletes whole sections of objects so faster and easier
- Eraser pen multiple bar erase
Enter more:
- Symbol Pen – Drag pre-recognized symbols to your score. Or select existing objects and tap to tell NotateMe to treat them as that symbol
- Drum and percussion 5-line staff support. Add cross noteheads from the new Symbols Pen
- 1st, 2nd,3rd etc. repeat endings now supported by dragging barlines to the start or end repeat ending section type
- Key signatures now pre-written so drag up/down to adjust. Copy and paste C major key signatures
- Double-tap time signature to enter almost any time signature
- Add tempo changes (prefix tempo value with ‘=’) and technique markings (prefix with ‘.’) with the Text Pen
- Supports more than 3 leger lines
- Wider range of clefs available
- Choice of writing non-transposing scores – NotateMe asks user when first transposing instrument added. Displays playback semitone adjustment
- Specify tuplets in anacrusis
Playback improvements:
- Enter ‘.swing’, ‘.straight’, ‘.dotted eighths’, ‘.notes inegales’, ‘.heavy swing’, ‘.light swing’ to control Swing in playback. Alternatively add without the ‘.’ prefix add drag above staff
- Enter ‘=120’, ‘=Allegro’, ‘=Lento’ etc. to control tempo during playback. Alternatively add without the ‘=’ prefix and drag above staff
Layout improvements:
- Improved spacing between notes in final score
- Improved spacing between systems in final score
Education improvements:
- Grey Pen for creating exercises for students to trace notation
- Write using the full NotateMe and distribute to students running NotateMe Now (e.g. using AirDrop)
- Automatic end-of-score barline drawn in Printed Area
- Improved treble clef symbol circling the correct line
- Reset NotateMe’s learning by holding down the finger/stylus over the Eraser Pen tool button to allow a fresh profile for each new user
Workflow improvements:
- Printed Area notation scales down to show more of your score when shrinking the Input Area with the 2 finger resize gesture
- Create a copy of a score from within My Scores… dialog
- Cursor displays over rests during playback
- Send/e-mail NotateMe scores (.nas files). These also ‘Open In’ from e-mail apps
- iOS AirDrop supported to open a score on another device
- Empty bars which can be deleted with a vertical swipe are now shown with helper graphics
If you’re not ready to buy NotateMe but would like to try it out, a free version limited to a single staff, called NotateMe Now, is available for iOS and Android. Martin Dawe, Neuratron’s CEO, told me that “Apple are still reviewing NotateMe Now 2 for iOS – hopefully it will be available to download within a few days (which is why we have not so far made a formal announcement). We also expect to submit v2.0.1.0 featuring several fixes and improvements before the weekend.”
Updated 12:00 pm with comments from Martin Dawe.
Fred Hemke
Tell me how to acquire a free update.What am I missing in the next “fill in”/
yabin huang
free update.
mitch
how do I purchase this for $22???
Martin Dawe
Fred – If it does not automatically update, search NotateMe on your device’s app store and you should be able to do it from there.
Mitch – From your device’s app store – the price will vary slightly from country to country dependent upon taxes and exchange rate.
D
Anything for BlackBerry z10 or BlackBerry PlayBook?
Jimmy Haag
I received an email about the update for my Notateme App for iPad but I can’t find a way to update to version 2.Can you please help? Thanks Jimmy Haag Las Vegad
Angel L. Aquino
I am interested in the music handwriting app, I have my own material and would like to learn how to write my own scores properly. I am starting to get back into music after a 35 year absence.
Martin Dawe
D – sorry, no Blackberry support.
Marsha
I use both android and iPad. Once I purchase this, will I have access to both or do I have to purchase both?
Martin Dawe
Jimmy – If using iOS, please try updating to iOS 7. Apple made some changes recently to force developers to build for iOS 7.
Marsha – Unfortunately the App Store and Google Play stores are separate systems and you would need to purchase a license from each.
Jimmy Haag
I am using iOS 7.1.1 on my iPad so now how do I update to NotateMe2 -Thanks Jimmy
Martin Dawe
Jimmy – Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling (making sure to backup your scores first)? Otherwise please contact help@neuratron.com for further help.
Julian
Can you import files from this into Sibelius and visa versa?
Martin Dawe
Julian – NotateMe both imports and exports MusicXML files which Sibelius can export/open.
Kerry Kennard
Angel,
Sibelius 7 or 7.5 are great to use also.
Bought the 7.5 update this year,
Since using Sib. 5 since 2007.
You can buy this and Sib. 7 will open XML files,
as well as Notion from PreSonus.
Anita
Is this only for phones & iPads or can I use it in an old “vintage” (2007) MacBook Pro? I’m on OS 10.6.8
Thx
Martin Dawe
Anita – NotateMe will only work on smartphones & tablets. Full specifications are on the app stores for these devices.
Bill
This is indeed a very cool app, but I’m not sure why I’d choose it over the Notion iPad app…
Anna
1. Can you email this to yourself and open it up with the program “FinalePrint Music?” Or does it have to be the more expensive programs “Finale?”
2. I have a KindleFire. Will this open on this?
Thanks.
Martin Dawe
Bill – It depends on whether you would prefer to handwrite music (and then there are the PhotoScore and AudioScore add-ons coming soon).
Anna – I believe FinalePrint Music opens MusicXML files which NotateMe exports.
We did some testing with the Kindle Fire. Unfortunately its touchscreen doesn’t appear to be sensitive enough to consistently detect the writing of small objects (like noteheads).
If you’re looking for an alternative Android tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Note range works very well with its tapered S-Pen stylus.
Michael
I LOVE the app… I am a music theory student working on my master’s…. BUT I updated the app to 2.0… I went to check out the new stuff and looked at my song. A lot of my song had been messed up… so in the midst of fixing it all the app crashed and now my song is gone. 200+ bars gone. And it’s due in less than a week. How do I get my song back?
Martin Dawe
Michael – sorry, only just read this. I’m not sure why this should happen. Have you contacted help@neuratron.com?
Giorgos
Is it possible to handwrite chord symbols over the staff?
Lorenz Rychner
Can anyone please specify which of the many Adonit Jot models is the right stylus for the iPad version?
Many thanks.
Martin Dawe
Giorgos – You can enter chord symbols using a few taps from short menus. It’s not currently possible to handwrite them however.
Lorenz – Many users like the Adonit Jot Pro.
Lorenz Rychner
Martin, thank you. My local Microcenter has it for USD29.99.
David
Can I use this to notate jazz style music ?
For example a C7(#4) chord. I’m not concerned with midi playback, just using the software as if I were writing on paper (with the obvious advantages of a tablet). Also, if I wanted, could I put the chord symbols on a bass staff and add (at certain points in the score) bass notation ?
Carlin
I’d also be very interested in being able to write in the chords above (or even on) the staff with my stylus. Please consider implementing this feature. Thanks!
David
Now that I’ve purchased and used the app I have one wish. I would like to have the ability to use a “toolset” (for lack of any better term) of tap and drag symbols, noteheads, symbols ect. Using the software ended up being counterproductive because intended notation was misinterpreted. If there were a mode using tap and drag graphics, one could create scores without having the software misinterpreting and distorting the intended notation. In other words what you tap and drag onto the staff, is what you get.
Martin Dawe
David – please try tapping the Pen tool button and choosing the tool that is a note with lines above and below – you will then be able to drag symbols from the symbols bars onto the score (alternatively you can select notes etc you have already written and tap symbols in the bars to correct them if necessary).
Andrew
I’m sadly waiting for a windows version. Are there any rumours of one coming?
Carlin
I believe there are a number of us waiting for a windows version
Darlene Ray
Can anyone post how to get in touch with NotateMe app support? In particular, I’m trying to find out how to add slash chords but haven’t been able to find that info in any of their documentation or even online. Thanks!
Karl Hunter
I’m very interested in purchasing the software but I can find any documentation on the text and chord change input other then a fairly cryptic description of how the button works. How do you input chord changes? What symbols are available? Does it allow for Jazz chord notation i.e. triangle and slash notation for major and minor chords circle and a circle with a slash for diminished and halfdiminished etc. I didn’t see any videos on YouTube that detailed this function. Honestly it’s a deal breaker as no one wants to read chord changes on a quick tune where you have to distinguish between a big M and a small m on major and minor chords.
Carlin Lemon
Karl, I agree with you 100%. I would love to see jazz notation for whipping up quick lead sheets, but chord input needs to be as logical and simple as simply writing the chords above the staff.
David
I also agree that jazz chord notation would be nice. I bought NotateMe and used it for a while. I liked/preferred the “tap and drag” feature rather than having the software “learn” my hand notation style. I became frustrated with things like trying to notate triplet quarter notes and having the software rearrange them in a way I didn’t intend. I stopped using the software. I’m back to writing music on paper.
I really had high hopes. I see the problem as midi playback. If the software wasn’t doing midi playback it wouldn’t need to rearrange the notation. I would just like WYSIWYG – what you see is what you get. I can play what I write on the piano myself.
Carlin Lemon
I’ve also gone back to “paper” – which for me is handwriting my notation using PDF Annotator on a 15.5″ convertible laptop. It might be nice to have the option of deactivation MIDI playback for a better WYSISYG experience. Right now it just isn’t there yet, and I have a feeling I’ll be waiting for another revision or two before I can enjoy the benefits of this software.
angela
es posible transportar partituras
angela
es posible transportar partituras e imprimirlas
Karen
I wrote a line of music. When I went back and looked at it many notes were added that I did not write.
Does anyone know what happened to cause this?
Thanks!
David
I had the same problem. The software moved some of my notation to where it “thought” I intended. I wish they’d enhance the tap and drag feature. Also I wish they’d give the option to disable MIDI playback – and give me/you exactly what I notated WITHOUT rearranging things.