Can anyone please recommend any good music composition software? I''ve searched and searched the internet and all I see are "remix" type of software. What I''m looking for is something that would literally allow me to create music by selecting instruments and writing the music myself or by using a keyboard to insert the music where it would see my notes and write the music/record it for me. Thanks for your help!

Cakewalk or Music Factory Studio I believe.

You can give ModPlug Tracker a try, assuming you don''t mind creating a MOD file...ModPlug tracker supports a variety of MOD-files like IT, X3M, UMX etc.
Input via midi-port is supported. I believe you can find it at www.modplug.com, it is a free (and rather small) download.

Indeterminatus

--si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses--

Thanks for your input!

I''ve been using Cakewalk for a couple of years and I love it!

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My favorite has always been Noteworthy Composer. www.noteworthycomposer.com

You could try a tracker like fast tracker (visit http://maz-sound.com for a list).

I''ve writte my own software. A freeware version is available, not crippled, but limited to synth sounds not samples. Get your download from http://www.noisestation.com

I would suggest fruity loops. http://www.fruityloops.com
It sux for exporting MIDI''s but does good for exporting .WAV''s and .MP3''s. You can''t save your work in the demo version, but it''s still good.

If you''re into using a virtual software synth, try looking into Reason. It''s practically a word processor for music, and you can practically "write" music using a pencil tool. Although Reason utilizes keyboards (which is highly recommended) you can just go for the simplistic way of the pencil -_-

Reason is typically for music that''s to be exported into a .wav format. Although it supports MIDI exporting, the only instruments used in the export is a grand piano, which, quite frankly, sucks.

http://www.propellerheads.se

Cubase VST/32 by Steinberg - best sequencing/composition software I have used. Several pros (including Hans Zimmer - of Gladiator fame) use it. A little pricey, but worth every dollar. It is also a good multitrack audio recording program as well.