Are you trying to find music notation software among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling music notation software on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 22 hours of research and did 33 music notation software tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best music notation software you can buy today
![Crescendo Music Notation Software for PC for Music Score Writing and Composing [Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/6114pS7tKKL.png.png "The 8 Best music notation software of %currentyear% 24")
- Change the key signature and time signature, add whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes and rests (semibreve to semiquaver)
- Compose music in Treble, Bass or Alto Clefs, assign sharp, flat and natural accidentals to notes, keyboard shortcuts toggle between notes and rests
- Insert text to specify a title, tempo, dynamics or lyrics, drag notes to change their pitch or placement, copy, cut and paste measures to easily insert themes
- Add ties and slurs across notes, zoom in and out for easier editing, create dotted notes, chords, add repeats, and more, brace staves together to compose scores for ensembles
- Listen to your composition with MIDI playback, or export MIDI music files, print completed music projects or blank music sheets for hand transcription
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
- Finale PrintMusic 2014 is professional music software for arrangers, composers, teachers, students, and other musicians. Quickly create orchestrations of up to 24 staves, extract parts, hear your music play back, and print beautiful sheet music.
- Play MIDI keyboard and see music appear instantly; enter notes in step-time; import/export MIDI and Music XML files.
- Free software synthesizer with 128 plus instrument sounds; Human Playback to give your music human nuances. Composing and arranging tools; multiple-undo option; quick-start videos for getting started.
- Share songs with free, downloadable Finale Reader; save MP3 files for an iPod or burn to CD.
- System Requirements: Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 7
- Hess, George J. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 192 Pages - 03/01/2015 (Publication Date) - Hal Leonard Books (Publisher)
![TwelveKeys Music Transcription Software Assists Musicians to Transcribe Music [Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41y51y+qDbL.jpg "The 8 Best music notation software of %currentyear% 30")
- Play music recordings and watch the notes in real time
- Create a visual representation of notes in any music recording
- Slow the speed and loop playback to better transcribe subtle details
- Tone-enabled piano keyboard assists in note identification
- Graphs monotone and polyphonic recordings
- Sibelius Ultimate Music Notation Software for Students and Teachers is for sale to students, teachers, and administrators at K12 Schools and Higher Education institutions only.
- Full version, perpetual License of Sibelius Ultimate. Includes 1-Year of software updates and upgrades.
- Create with unrivaled compositional tools. Whether you’re well versed in writing music notation or prefer to use a keyboard, guitar, or your voice to enter notes, creating scores has never been easier.
- Compose with every instrument. Play back and hear every nuance of your composition in stunningly realistic detail with Sibelius Sounds. You get 36 GB of professional content, including a specially recorded symphony orchestra, rock, pop, and jazz instrumentation, world-class licensed sounds, and much more.
- Get more ways to create. Sibelius Ultimate Music Notation Software comes with two companion applications that give you more ways to input notes for composition, editing, or rearranging. With AudioScore Lite, you can input notes by singing or playing a monophonic instrument through a microphone, or turn recorded CD tracks into notation. And with PhotoScore & NotateMe Lite, you can turn printed, PDF, and JPEG sheet music into editable scores—and even handwrite music.
- MuseScore's main purpose is the creation of high-quality engraved musical scores in a "What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get" environment.
- t supports unlimited staves, linked parts and part extraction, tablature, MIDI input, percussion notation, cross-staff beaming, automatic transposition, lyrics (multiple verses), fretboard diagrams, and in general everything commonly used in sheet music.
- Style options to change the appearance and layout are available, and style sheets can be saved and applied to other scores. There are pre-defined templates for many types of ensembles. Functionality can be extended by making use of the many freely available plugins.
- MuseScore can also play back scores through the built-in sequencer and SoundFont sample library. Multiple SoundFonts can be loaded into MuseScore's synthesizer. There is a mixer to mute, solo, or adjust the volume of individual parts, and chorus, reverb and other effects are supported during playback.
- Humberstone, James (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 350 Pages - 02/08/2012 (Publication Date) - Cengage Learning PTR (Publisher)
- This item is shipped as a download card with printed instructions on how to download the software and a serial code to redeem the software online.
- Easily compose, play back, and edit music
- Playback using orchestral samples recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, and more
- Perform scores using Notion as a live instrument and save performances
- Process audio with PreSonus Native Effects Limiter, Compressor, and Pro EQ plug-ins
- This item is sold and shipped as a download card with printed instructions on how to download and install the software and a serial key to register and authenticate it.
- Advanced sharing functionality: Finale 27 lets you quickly and easily share your music notation with anyone. You can upload and share privately or publicly, without ever leaving the app.
- Support for Standard Music Font Layout (SMuFL): SMuFL is a growing comprehensive standard that organizes musical characters into a common layout so music fonts are displayed correctly across every notation program that supports it — so you can spend more time creating and less time searching for music symbols.
- Revised instrument list: Finale 27 sports a revised and expanded instrument list that ensures your notation looks great — no matter what instrument you’ve selected — and that you hear the proper sounds when playing back a document.
- MusicXML 4.0: The latest version of MusicXML captures more information then ever, giving you even more control when transporting your compositions, so you’ll be able to confidently and efficiently move files between today’s major music software apps.
- This Product is shipped as a download card, which is a postcard with download instructions and a serial key to authorize your software online.
- 1-Year Subscription License. Includes Avid upgrade and support plan that ensures you always have the latest features at your fingertips.
- Effortlessly glide through music with Magnetic Glissando
- Work faster with the updated Inspector. With the new, improved, and enhanced Inspector window, accessing, editing, and controlling elements in your score is easier than ever.
- Build up your score. Sibelius Ultimate Music Notation Software does more than just notes. You can add chord symbols and guitar chord diagrams by simply playing a chord on a MIDI device or typing suffix elements, thanks to automatic chord symbol recognition.
- This item is sold and shipped as a download card with printed instructions on how to download and install the software and a serial key to register and authenticate it.
- Advanced sharing functionality: Finale 27 lets you quickly and easily share your music notation with anyone. You can upload and share privately or publicly, without ever leaving the app.
- Support for Standard Music Font Layout (SMuFL): SMuFL is a growing comprehensive standard that organizes musical characters into a common layout so music fonts are displayed correctly across every notation program that supports it — so you can spend more time creating and less time searching for music symbols.
- Revised instrument list: Finale 27 sports a revised and expanded instrument list that ensures your notation looks great — no matter what instrument you’ve selected — and that you hear the proper sounds when playing back a document.
- MusicXML 4.0: The latest version of MusicXML captures more information then ever, giving you even more control when transporting your compositions, so you’ll be able to confidently and efficiently move files between today’s major music software apps.
- Advanced sharing functionality: Finale 27 lets you quickly and easily share your music notation with anyone. You can upload and share privately or publicly, without ever leaving the app.
- Support for Standard Music Font Layout (SMuFL): SMuFL is a growing comprehensive standard that organizes musical characters into a common layout so music fonts are displayed correctly across every notation program that supports it — so you can spend more time creating and less time searching for music symbols.
- Revised instrument list: Finale 27 sports a revised and expanded instrument list that ensures your notation looks great — no matter what instrument you’ve selected — and that you hear the proper sounds when playing back a document.
- MusicXML 4.0: The latest version of MusicXML captures more information then ever, giving you even more control when transporting your compositions, so you’ll be able to confidently and efficiently move files between today’s major music software apps.
- Quality-of-life updates: From quirky installer behavior and unusable display scaling to unexpected crashes and problems with printing, MakeMusic has addressed known issues that can slow down your creative process. The result is that Finale 27 is extremely stable and runs smoothly on both macOS and Windows platforms.
- Full version, perpetual License of Sibelius Ultimate Music Notation Software. Includes 1-Year of software updates and upgrades.
- Create with unrivaled compositional tools. Whether you’re well versed in writing music notation or prefer to use a keyboard, guitar, or your voice to enter notes, creating scores has never been easier.
- Compose with every instrument. Play back and hear every nuance of your composition in stunningly realistic detail with Sibelius Sounds. You get 36 GB of professional content, including a specially recorded symphony orchestra, rock, pop, and jazz instrumentation, world-class licensed sounds, and much more.
- Get more ways to create. Sibelius Ultimate comes with two companion applications that give you more ways to input notes for composition, editing, or rearranging. With AudioScore Lite, you can input notes by singing or playing a monophonic instrument through a microphone, or turn recorded CD tracks into notation. And with PhotoScore & NotateMe Lite, you can turn printed, PDF, and JPEG sheet music into editable scores—and even handwrite music.
- Advanced sharing functionality: Finale 27 lets you quickly and easily share your music notation with anyone. You can upload and share privately or publicly, without ever leaving the app.
- Support for Standard Music Font Layout (SMuFL): SMuFL is a growing comprehensive standard that organizes musical characters into a common layout so music fonts are displayed correctly across every notation program that supports it — so you can spend more time creating and less time searching for music symbols.
- Revised instrument list: Finale 27 sports a revised and expanded instrument list that ensures your notation looks great — no matter what instrument you’ve selected — and that you hear the proper sounds when playing back a document.
- MusicXML 4.0: The latest version of MusicXML captures more information then ever, giving you even more control when transporting your compositions, so you’ll be able to confidently and efficiently move files between today’s major music software apps.
- Quality-of-life updates: From quirky installer behavior and unusable display scaling to unexpected crashes and problems with printing, MakeMusic has addressed known issues that can slow down your creative process. The result is that Finale 27 is extremely stable and runs smoothly on both macOS and Windows platforms.
- Full version of Makemusic Finale 26 for sale to students, teachers, schools, non-profit organizations and churches.
- Create your way. Finale offers you the freedom both of what you create and how you create it. Whether you’re imagining a simple lead sheet, a Broadway score, or something truly unorthodox, you enjoy the flexibility to make your music any way you wish, and to make it in the order and manner that best supports your inspiration.
- Editing. Entering your music in Finale sets you free. In an instant you can move measures, change keys, and transform your music in countless ways. Finale even offers editorial input, like indicating when notes have been written out of an instrument’s range.
- Listening. Great sounds inspire you – and your audience. Finale’s exclusive Human Playback can make any music playback with the nuance of a human performer. Plus Finale includes a vast library of world-class Garritan instrument sounds for stunning realism.
- Sharing. Music is meant to be shared. As you create you can share files, back and forth, with Finale users – and others – thanks to built-in MusicXML support. When you’re ready to share the results, you can make printed sheet music, audio files, pdfs, and more; whatever it takes to produce the best performance.
- Feist, Jonathan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 200 Pages - 09/01/2017 (Publication Date) - Berklee Press (Publisher)
- Ellul, Matthew (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 171 Pages - 10/24/2017 (Publication Date) - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)
- Evans, Roger (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 112 Pages - 04/25/1995 (Publication Date) - Crown (Publisher)
- Berger, David (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 86 Pages - 01/17/2022 (Publication Date) - Such Sweet Thunder Music (Publisher)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Viaje, Aventuras (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 128 Pages - 02/12/2022 (Publication Date) - SF Nonfiction Books (Publisher)
How to choose a good music notation software
Does the idea of finding a fantastic music notation software make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in music notation software. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top music notation software products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top music notation software on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top music notation software brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top music notation software based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the music notation software were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good music notation software, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your music notation software.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting music notation software for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our music notation software. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what music notation software should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on music notation software.
