13 Best Music Notation Software to Write the Music in Your Own Way

Whether you are a professional musician or a music student, music notation software offers more power to you than ever.

Earlier, people needed pen and paper to create music sheets. Now, it’s time to leverage the available technology to save time and effort while creating breathtaking tracks and tunes. 

You can use music notation software to capture your musical ideas in digital format. These also allow you to tweak the notes according to your choice and listen to the playbacks.

Continue reading to learn about the benefits of music notation software and the best tools you can use for creating musical notes.

What Is Music Notation Software? 

Music notation software allows you to write musical notes and scores easily. These programs also let you view, edit, re-arrange, print, and playback high-quality music notation. 

These applications can be downloaded on your computer or smartphone, while some can be accessed online. The tools available in the market have different features. You can input sounds using the device keyboard or MIDI instruments, depending on the software’s capability.

Importance of Music Notation Software

• It frees you from the lengthy task of engraving music with your hands.
• Besides creating notation, you can use these programs to playback the notes instantly.
• The software allows online collaboration with a worldwide spread team. 
• These tools enable independent musicians to play the score with numerous instruments.
• Having music notes in digital format means you can effortlessly share them with others.

How Music Notation Tool Works 

Conventional music composition used to involve multiple musicians playing the music score you created. The entire process gets digitized with the music notation applications. Here, musicians can engrave the music manually using their fingers or a stylus. 

They can also import a tune played on a MIDI instrument to convert it into a digital music sheet. Using the library elements, the application can also playback the scores with real-life experience. Then, composers can make necessary changes to the notes on the tool and play those again until they achieve what they have imagined.

Features to Look for in the Best Music Notation Software

• You may need to use the tool to create and edit any genre of music. Hence, your music notation application should be versatile enough to accommodate different music styles.
• The music writing software should enable you to enter notes easily and quickly. There should be responsive input tools for audio and aural feedback.
• Handwriting recognition and stylus support are also needed in such programs if you use these for music input.
• The software must also offer you music note editing features with advanced-level tools.
• It should also support multiple output files formats, such as MP3 and MIDI.
• Music notation programs should also create sheet music by formatting your notes and lyrics. 
• The application should be capable of sharing the notes and printing them in a customizable format.

Now, have a look at some robust tools that you can use on your desktop and mobile for music notation.

MuseScore

MuseScore is one of the most popular music notation apps for musicians. You can download this application on your Windows computer and create notes on it. This open-source app does not have any limitations.

This powerful professional tool is easy to use, and you can enter your input through a MIDI keyboard. Here, you can write music for guitar, piano, jazz, choir, band, orchestra, marching, and more. It also supports import and export facilities with other programs using MusicXML, MIDI, etc.

Musink

Change how you write music with Musink. Now, write beautiful sheet music at a blazing-fast speed with this music composition tool. Here, you can compose scores, exercise books, and MIDI files using less effort.

You can seamlessly playback your score on any MIDI device to check how it sounds. Entering notes into this software using a MIDI keyboard is also possible. It also offers some templates to convert your notes into customizable PDF files.

ScoreCloud Studio

ScoreCloud Studio is intelligent software for music notation that can convert your songs into sheet music in some simple steps. The songs could be entered as an audio file or through a MIDI device. Later, you can easily edit the scores and arrange them as you want. 

This software is available for download on Windows and Mac. This tool not only supports multiple output formats but also lets you sync across devices. Moreover, you can print and share your notations.

Impro-Visor

Impro-Visor is a free, open-source software for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This music notation program assists jazz musicians in composing music and listening to that might to find out areas that need improvisation.

You can develop a better understanding of solo construction and tune chord changes with this tool. Impro-Visor can also function as a play-along device as it can automatically generate rhythm-section accompaniment from chords.

LilyPond

If you want to produce the highest-quality sheet music, LilyPond should be your go-to option. This free music engraving program brings the aesthetics of traditional music sheets into printouts. 

It derives inspiration from the best hand-engraved music for style, font, and algorithms to generate strong, balanced, and elegant-looking output. It also offers version control so you can have a complete picture of the development story of your scores. 

Sibelius

Sibelius works to empower creative composers by providing the easiest way to create and share music. It even comes with an iOS mobile app, so you can seamlessly work and sync across your computer, iPad, and iPhone.

The free tool allows you to compose simple scores, while the paid plans offer you an array of advanced and robust features. It allows you to compose with touch, gesture, and Apple Pencil.

Dorico

Dorico is a popular music notation software for Windows, macOS, And iPad. On this program, you can compose music and write music notation. Also, it automatically generates printed results. 

It comes with various sequencer-style tools that you can use to edit your music playback without compromising the score’s beauty. While this software is powerful enough to meet the requirements of professional musicians, even the learners can easily navigate its simple interface.

Finale

Are you looking for a music notation tool that can help you capture your imagination? Use Finale, a tool that lets you write music, engrave a beautiful score, and get the best output available.

Here, you get the freedom of what you create and how you create. Once you have entered your music on it, you can change keys, move measures and edit it as you like. Its exclusive Human Playback feature allows highly nuanced music playback.

Flat

Flat is a music notation software suitable for collaborative work. Both beginners and professionals can use this tool to write music online. You can also use this online tool in offline mode, as this tool will automatically sync your offline task when the internet connection is available.

Multiple musicians can open a score and edit it in real time. This program also offers studio-recorded instruments for a realistic audio experience. It also records the complete edit history. Hence you can go to any version whenever needed.

FORTE 12 Home

FORTE 12 Home is a Windows-based downloadable software for music students and enthusiasts. It offers you all the functions you can find in a sophisticated notation tool. 

It supports MIDI live recording, so you do not need to scan the sheet music to edit and playback on this application. You can also import XML files into this tool and export music files in MP3 and WAV formats. 

Apple Logic Pro

Regarding mockups or master recordings, Logic Pro has become a reliable music notation app for professional musicians. This score editor lets you create, view, and edit music notation in software instrument tracks.

Here, you can play any MIDI instrument, and this software will turn it into perfectly readable notations. You can add notes, lyrics, and text to improve the score.

MusicJOT

MusicJOT is a dedicated music notation app for iPad that you can use with your finger or a stylus. It also supports palette selection entry. 

Its handwriting recognition technology immediately understands your handwriting and makes them ready for music playback and editing. During audio playback, you can control its tempo, volume, looping, and repeats. Moreover, the tool lets you view layers, modes, and statistics.

StaffPad

StaffPad helps you make beautiful music on your Windows devices with touch support and iPad. Built specifically for composers, it lets you handwrite your music notation and edit them to take the composition to the next level. 

You can also record and import audio using this tool and listen to the music playback with realistic sounds using the core library that contains 55+ instruments.

Author’s Note on Best Music Notation Software

All these programs are feature-rich, but you need to filter them based on your requirements.

• For free applications, go for Musink, ScoreCloud, MuseScore, LilyPond, and Impro-Visor.
• For collaborative music composition, choose Flat.
• For iPad, use Sibelius, Dorico, MusicJOT, Logic Pro – Apple, and StaffPad.

Conclusion

There are numerous benefits of music notation software for composers and musicians. These programs allow you to digitize the manual process of creating the music score.

Besides discussing the essential features of a good program, we also listed the best tools for music notation.

You may also explore some best music recognition apps.