Available Engraving Software

Bagpipe music processing programs have different requirements from most other music processing programs. Although it is possible to get a generic music "engraving" program to correctly print the music of the bagpipe, because of the importance on the timing of and within the embellishments, I am doubtful that generic programs will be able to accurately play from the written scores.

The software that I've seen includes:

• Bagpipe Music Writer Gold is the follow-on to Bagpipe Music Writer Pro and the format has become a standard in the industry. This product is produced in Canada with copyright attributed to Doug Wickstrom and Robert MacNeil. Cost is about $100. (I own a license to this program and its predecessor and have purchased additional copies of this program for different people.)
• Bagpipe Player has the same interfaces and capabilities as the program above. It is available as shareware with a copyright claimed by Doug Wickstrom. (This software results from an unresolved issue between Doug Wickstrom and Robert MacNeil Musicworks.  I'm including the link, which some consider to be a link to be stolen software, to encourage a legal resolution to the issue.  If you are interested in the disagreement, please search Google archives or contact both parties.)
• PiobMaster is a WYSIWYG graphical program produced in Scotland. Its cost is about $75.There is an associated program called Drum Scriob for percussion.
• Electric Pipes is a modular system from New Zealand with a total cost of $105 for all modules.
• PiobMohr (Stittsville, ON) seems to be no mohr.
• PipeWriter has been recently upgraded (more to come!).
• ABC is a freeware/shareware program based open structure music language approach of Chris Walshaw. Implementation is a bit difficult as it does not install as a package, so I haven't yet evaluated it. It was made "friendlier" for Bagpipes using SET6 by William Robison, but this software seems unavailable now. There are some additional improvements in printing available from Eric Mrozek. The format is widely used and is extremely versatile.
• Lime is another format with a shareware player and the full program available for $65. Even after reading the manual, operation wasn't intuitively obvious. The program was briefly made "friendly" for bagpipes using PipeLime by Ewan MacPherson but this program doesn't seem to work with operating systems above Windows 95.
• Bagpipe.Tex is based on Music.Tex. Everything I've read suggests that it's somewhat more difficult that ABC to put together, so I haven't done anything with it.
• Finale is the creme-de-la-creme of personal computer software. It will do just about anything, and has a list price of $600! I don't own it, but I played in a band that used it. The printing was excellent.