Prior to taking this music technology course, I had never used Noteflight. I've heard of it before but usually programs like Finale or MuseScore were more common among my musician friends and colleagues. Honestly, I kind of wish that I knew about Noteflight sooner! It is a very user-friendly online program that allows musicians and teachers to compose and arrange music pretty much anywhere. Unlike a program such as MuseScore, Noteflight doesn't necessarily install any software on your computer. Instead, you work on compositions and then save it within your account in the Noteflight website. So basically, you can make progress on your work at just about any computer as long as it has internet access. No installations necessary!
The website itself is fairly easy to navigate and I came across only a handful of issues when trying to place certain embellishments in the music (accidentals, articulations, etc.). When playing back what you've written, the sound quality is quite good and the instruments sound clear and well-balanced. The option of displaying toolbars that relate to what your working on is a great way to reduce clutter and make the program much more intuitive. Sharing your work is also fairly simple and if you are having trouble with that, there are plenty of tutorial videos both on the Noteflight website and on YouTube explaining how to use the program more efficiently.
Pretty much the only downside to this program is without internet access, you cannot log into the website to do your work. This is where installed software like Finale, MuseScore, or Sibelius come in handy. Of course, I think it's great to have both types of programs; one that allows you to work online and another to work offline. By doing this, you won't have any limitations in what you can accomplish with your music.
Here's an example of Noteflight in action with "A Bicycle Built for Two." Enjoy!!
Noteflight - A Bicycle Built for Two
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