<p><a href=“as%20it%20stands%20I%20have%20no%20idea%20how%20to%20create%20an%20electronic%20instrumentation%20of%20a%20Bach%20fugue%20and%20I’m%20not%20sure%20which%20program%20to%20use%20to%20begin”>quote</a>.
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<p>At the freshman level, most programs don’t care what software you’ve used (yet) so for portfolio work they’ll even take loop-based stuff you create in programs such as garage band. (However, warning, arranging a bach fugue in garage band is kind of painstaking without a keyboard interface!) But if you want to work in the programs you are MOST likely to work in at school (in terms of sequencing) my son, who is a sophomore, works almost exclusively in protools when in studio or logic when working on his own (mac based and composition) work. Each of those programs have entry level/beginner versions available. In the case of protools, it’s usually packaged with a capture device (eg. Mbox). Protools has historically been the professional standard, but Logic lovers (including my son) will tell you that for independent work, for scoring, etc. logic has come a long way and is increasingly used.</p>
<p>For scoring software, there is or was a cheap version of finale that my son fooled around with in HS called Print Music. That got him through to an extent, but wasn’t terribly robust.</p>
<p>One thing that really helped my son was to take a private summer “studio” with a well-versed sound guy/professional engineer in our city who was the instructor at our local college, which had a recording arts program. He learned a lot there. If you don’t have a music tech class in your HS (my son didn’t), see if a local cc has programs. If you took a summer course, you could use that time to prepare a portfolio of your work.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>