The Book Teaches You How To Run A Software Program Not How To Compose Music
If you intend to buy this book to learn how to use Sibelius software as an aid to composing any kind of music, this is your book. The use of Sibelius software is what 90 percent of the book is devoted to. Sibelius software is expensive and its manuals are superior to Composing Digital Music For Dummies but the Dummies book does simplify the use of Sibelius software.

If your intention is to learn how to use digital instruments or software programs to lay down a drum track, to get a bedrock of bass accompaniment, to layer background music, to use your digital instrument to generate arpeggios, to learn which timbres work together, and finally how to compose melody and harmony, this is the wrong book for you. I can't point you to an alternative but Backbeat and Berklee songwriting titles cover some of this turf.

Looks good to me!
I just read some sections from a friend's copy, it looks good to me, and I am about to buy my own copy. It appears to be exactly what I am looking for - a thoughtfull complete introduction for someone who is new to digital composing.

Vines keeps it conversational...
Like the techie friend you call to set up your TiVo, Vines keeps it conversational but focused. The best way to familiarize yourself with something new to is read something that covers a lot of bases, and this book touches on a big variety of subjects. If you are a musician already, but not technically savvy (my Dad) the first half is for you. If you are more of a DJ at heart (me) there's some theory in the second part can go a long way with minimal application. A good read standalone, but also a friendly companion to the dozens of dry manuals and articles you'll inevitably read along the way.

who new I could compose?
My boyfriend and I picked up this book, he always wanted to try to do some composing. He is alittle familiar with music but other than listening I knew next to nothing, but w/ this book it was actually fun!! The book takes you through the whole process with easy to follow steps. My boyfriend also found history of digatal music very interesting. I would definetly recommend this book if you have an interest in music.

music composition not creation
This book was really not what I expected at all after reading the description. I was expecting it to be a book about creating digital music. You know... starting from scratch or with loops or samples or whatnot and creating something that your friends and family can appreciate. Something along those lines. But that's not what this book is at all. I guess "composing" should be taken in the classical sense, since the book focuses mainly on using a particular piece of software to produce sheet music. There are sections on understanding and writing sheet music, and then a lot of discussion on using that particular piece of software to accomplish it.

Quite frankly, it seems a little unlikely to me that someone would be a novice to music and want to pick up a book like this to suddenly learn how to compose sheet music (without being able to play it), but whatever floats your boat. If that's what you are looking for, this might be a good book for ya. But if you are looking for more of a hands-on guide to actually creating digital music (composing, as in creating or putting together the actual music) then this is sure to disappoint.