Like most of you when encountering a new software product I install then jump in with both feet. Most of us will click around until we are comfortable and if no difficulties are encountered we are on our way. While this premise is fine for word processing software it is not a great idea when using music software.
Most recording and notation software will have deep layers of menu items. It is easy enough to navigate these menus and figure out functionality of most programs. The problem here is if you do not have a firm understanding of the product you are robbing yourself of its functionality.
I have encountered multiple cases were people have purchased redundant software product because they didn’t know an existing product they were using had the functionality they were looking for. Fully understanding the products you are using not only saves time, but money.
This is definitely the case with George J. Hess’ new book “Create Music with Notion”. Notation is a fairly easy product to understand. As mentioned before the product is feature rich with deep menus and multiple uses.
George J. Hess takes you through the product step by step with valuable information for a Notion novice or pro. Hess starts with the basics and takes the reader though using Notion for guitar, basic arranging and video production.
The book speaks in a clear voice. George has a way of taking a technical product and explaining it in layman’s terms without dumbing down the book or omitting central information. This is not “Notion for Dummies”.
Don’t be surprised it you pick up some knowledge on notation principals, arranging techniques and writing basic when reading the book. Hess peppers the book with a wealth of musical principals throughout the book.
“Create Music with Notion” is a quick read and a nice reference for anyone thinking about buying Notion or an experienced user. The book is available from publisher Hal Leonard and can be found on Amazon.com.
Check with us next week for our review of the Notion software itself.
