Finale 2004 and Sibelius 3.1

Two software packages are reviewed: 1. Sibelius 3.1 from Sibelius, and 2. Finale 2004 from MakeMusic. While Finale and Sibelius have been use by prize-winning composers, the programs can be just as well suited to hobbyist musicians and elementary-school teachers and students. Most existing users of Finale or Sibelius will find that the latest releases provide more than enough reasons to upgrade. If you're buying for the first time or switching, you're unlikely to go wrong with either program; each has a user base of professional composers and copyists with a devotion to their choice bordering on the religious. Sibelius remains by far the more accessible program to newcomers, and it still boasts an extensive list of elegantly implemented features. Finale is powerful and maintains the edge when it comes to number of features and direct control over layout. But the program suffers from a lack of speed, even on the fastest Macs, and learning to use it is difficult, despite the included video tutorials.