I need a program that will allow me to create sheet music for many instruments (full orchestra) and will allow me to play it back in MIDI (but also would allow me to affect sound volume, etc. using the various symbols that are used in music notation). As well, I need to be able to format it so it can be printed. Also, if it's possible to be able to separate the different instruments into separate pages, but so that they can be played back together. Any recommendations, please. Thank you.

Also, I was wondering if there is any software that can convert MIDI into WAVE. Can this FruityLoops thing do that? If, for example, I use the first kind of program I mention and export the file into MIDI, would FruityLoops be able to like have it in it and allow me to save it as a WAVE? Also, what are these soundfonts that Ruthven was talking about? Would they allow me to make the MIDI sound like real instruments? Please, recommend for me software that can do these things. Thank you very much. I need this for a school assignment where I have to create a significant (in length) musical composition. Thank you again.

Do you need it for free? I know Cakewalk Music Creator, it's pretty good, but it's at least 50$.

As for the conversion, try Goldwave. It's free trial.

Hope that helped...

Noteworthy Composer is a great and inexpensive program for writing multi-track scores. There's a demo available if you want to try it out.

For converting MIDI to WAV, you could use Fruity with some Soundfonts, one for each instrument you use. A Soundfont is a band of recorded sounds (samples), which are transposed and played back when properly set up via MIDI. There's also some other programs such as Wingroove (old and dated though) for converting MIDI to WAV.

If you have an Audigy sound card, you can go into the surround mixer, and select "What U Hear" as your recording source. Play your MIDI, and record a WAV in your favourite wave editor (Cool Edit, Goldwave, Windows Sound Recorder, whatever) while the MIDI plays. If you have an older Sound Blaster, you can go into the Windows mixer (Start -> Run -> "sndvol32", then in the mixer, go File -> Properties, select the "Recording" radio button and click OK), make sure "Synth" is checked as the recording source, set the volume, play the MIDI and record simultaneously with another program.

I see you know your composing programs, my Montrealer friend. You are definitevely more skilled than me in that matter. You should indeed go with Shintock's rescources, Master Tonberry.

Welcome to the forums, dude.

How did you know I was from Montreal though?

http://www.mozart.co.uk/ = really good, temporarily-free compositional program