In 001027 MMDigest Mike Knudsen asked:

> Do any commercial composition programs have the "legal check" feature?

I do not know of any, therefore, for arranging for the 20er, I have
written a Java program.  (Java now supports full MIDI, although still
somewhat buggy.)  The program

* checks for "illegal" notes (right now hardwired 20er)
* moves notes too closely together apart at least "one hole"
* extends note lengths to at least "one hole"
* checks whether notes overlap

I usually arrange on 4 staffs, and sometimes I overlook an overlap
between a bass chord and a melody or "2nd melody" note.  (The previous
three items interact: sometimes it is impossible to lengthen the notes
without getting an overlap; trills are especially tricky.)

The program also does a few more things which are required by the
peculiarity of the puncher and punching program used by the guy who
punches for me.

As a score program, I use Noteworthy Composer.  I'm quite happy with
it, but this is probably so because my fingers are now used to writing
scores quite quickly -- I hate using the mouse when "thinking".

Harald M. Mueller