Table of Contents
Music notation software, which is also called music writing or music composition software, lets musicians write and create music on their computer or other device. Use the table below to compare the best Music Notation software that is currently available. Music notation software gives you more power than ever, whether you are a skilled musician or a music student.
In the past, music pieces were made with a pen and paper. Now is the time to use the technology we have to save time and effort while making amazing songs and tracks. You can save your musical thoughts in digital form with music notation software. You can also change the notes and play them back to hear what they sound like. Read on to find out why music writing software is helpful and what the best tools are for making musical notes.
Best Music Notation Software Comparison Table
Product | Features | Visit Link |
---|---|---|
MuseScore | Music notation creation, playback and virtual instruments, import and export capabilities, sharing and collaboration, free and open-source | Visit Website |
Musink | Music notation composition, real-time playback, print and export capabilities, customizable notation styles, integration with digital audio | Visit Website |
Notion 6 | Comprehensive notation tools, MIDI and virtual instrument support, audio recording and editing, cross-platform compatibility, score sharing and collaboration | Visit Website |
Sibelius | Advanced music notation tools, intelligent input and editing, wide range of instrument sounds, import and export functionality, extensive sharing capabilities | Visit Website |
PLAYSCORE 2 | Sheet music scanning, music playback and analysis, export and synchronization, annotation and notation editing | Visit Website |
DORICO | Intelligent music engraving, flexible input and editing, advanced playback capabilities, MusicXML support, comprehensive layout options | Visit Website |
Noteflight | Online music notation software, collaborative composition, MIDI recording and playback, MusicXML import and export, publishing and sharing options | Visit Website |
MuseScore

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Music notation creation | Create and edit sheet music using a wide range of notation symbols and musical elements |
Playback and virtual instruments | Listen to your compositions with built-in MIDI playback and assign virtual instruments to the score |
Import and export capabilities | Import and export music files in various formats, including MusicXML, MIDI, PDF, and more |
Sharing and collaboration | Share your scores online, collaborate with other musicians, and access a vast library of user-created compositions |
Free and open-source | MuseScore is free to use and open-source software, making it accessible to musicians of all levels |
MuseScore is one of the Best Music Notation Software for artists who need to write down music. You can put this program on your Windows machine and use it to make notes. This open-source app can do anything it wants.
This powerful tool for professionals is easy to use, and you can use a MIDI keyboard to enter information. You can make music here for guitar, piano, jazz, choir, band, orchestra, marching, and more. It also lets you import and export with other apps that use MusicXML, MIDI, and other formats.
The Good
- Open-source software
- Many features and functions
The Bad
- Advanced features may need plugins or extensions.
Musink

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Music notation composition | Compose and arrange music using a user-friendly and intuitive interface |
Real-time playback | Listen to your compositions in real-time, allowing you to hear how the music sounds as you write it |
Print and export capabilities | Print your sheet music or export it to various file formats, including PDF and MIDI |
Customizable notation styles | Customize the appearance of your music notation with various font styles, sizes, and symbols |
Integration with digital audio | Connect your compositions with digital audio software to create synchronized music and sound effects |
Musink Best Music Notation Software will change the way you write music. With this tool, you can now write beautiful sheet music at a lightning-fast speed. Here, it’s easier to write music notes, activity books, and MIDI files.
You can use any MIDI device to play back your score and hear how it sounds. You can also use a MIDI keyboard to enter notes into this program. It also has templates that you can use to turn your notes into editable PDF files.
The Good
- Easy music notation interface
- Easy composition tools
- Plays and records MIDI.
The Bad
- Few layout and formatting options
- Not as feature-packed as other software.
Notion 6

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Comprehensive notation tools | Create and edit music notation with a wide range of symbols, chords, lyrics, and expressive markings |
MIDI and virtual instrument support | Use virtual instruments to playback your compositions and achieve realistic sound representation |
Audio recording and editing | Capture and edit audio directly within the software, allowing for combined music and audio production |
Cross-platform compatibility | Access Notion 6 on Windows and macOS platforms, ensuring flexibility and compatibility |
Score sharing and collaboration | Share your scores with others, collaborate on projects, and receive feedback from fellow musicians |
Notion 6 was the most complete program we looked at. It had all the important editing tools you could ever need. It’s also very flexible, since artists can add notes by using a MIDI keyboard, playing virtual instruments on the screen, or writing notes directly on the digital staves. Since a recent software update, you can even write your score on a computer with a smart pen, since the program can read handwriting.
Its instrument sample library, which has sounds from the London Symphony Orchestra, Neil Zaza, and the Wooten brothers, really pleased us. The software also works well on Mac, Windows, and iOs systems, so you can start writing a piece on your home computer and finish editing it on your iPad or iPhone.
The Good
- Multimedia and music notation software.
- Teamwork tools
- Productivity tool integration
The Bad
- May overwhelm music notation software seekers.
Sibelius

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Advanced music notation tools | Utilize a comprehensive set of notation tools and features for professional-grade music composition |
Intelligent input and editing | Benefit from intelligent features like Magnetic Layout and Dynamic Parts, streamlining the workflow |
Wide range of instrument sounds | Access a vast library of high-quality instrument sounds and play back your compositions realistically |
Import and export functionality | Import and export music files in various formats, including MusicXML, MIDI, and audio formats |
Extensive sharing capabilities | Share your scores online, collaborate with others, and publish your music for wider distribution |
This is a Best Music Notation Software for professional artists, but the interface is surprisingly easy to use, so even if you’re new to composing, you won’t feel overwhelmed. Like Notion 6, this software is updated and changed by a team of developers on a daily basis. But the musical sounds in Notion were a little more impressive, and we couldn’t find a “video” window in Sibelius that would have let us watch a movie and score it at the same time.
Even with all of that, it’s a really great app. You can enter sounds with a computer mouse, a virtual piano or guitar fretboard, or by plugging a MIDI keyboard into your computer’s USB port. It also adds the right rests and note appearances automatically, so you can work quickly on a tune without having to change the score as you go.
The Good
- Professional music notation software
- Enhanced notation tools
- Excellent playback
The Bad
- Comparatively expensive.
PLAYSCORE 2

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Sheet music scanning | Scan printed sheet music using your device’s camera or a scanner, and convert it into digital notation |
Music playback and analysis | Play back scanned scores and analyze the music with features like tempo adjustment and looping |
Export and synchronization | Export scanned scores as MusicXML or MIDI files, and synchronize them with other digital platforms |
Annotation and notation editing | Add annotations, make corrections, and edit the scanned scores to refine and personalize the notation |
PlayScore 2 is a Best Music Notation Software that claims to understand all the symbols of standard music writing and can play all kinds of sheet music and scores. It is impressive that it can also read SATB voice scores, chamber music, songs, and music for piano. It can even be used as a MIDI transcription tool in your DAW.
PlayScore 2 can export both MIDI and MusicXML. This means that your scores can be opened in almost any notation tool, on both Mac and PC.
Just take a picture of your score with your phone, and you can edit, rearrange, and arrange it for different instruments in your DAW. The parts can even be printed out!
The Good
- Innovative sheet music digitization technology
- Playing scanned scores live
- Recognizing musical notation well
The Bad
- Editing scanned scores is limited.
DORICO

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Intelligent music engraving | Benefit from sophisticated music engraving algorithms for professional-quality sheet music |
Flexible input and editing | Utilize flexible input methods and powerful editing features to quickly and accurately notate music |
Advanced playback capabilities | Experience realistic playback with virtual instruments and detailed articulations and expressions |
MusicXML support | Import and export MusicXML files for compatibility with other notation software and digital platforms |
Comprehensive layout options | Customize the layout, formatting, and appearance of your sheet music to meet your specific needs |
Steinberg’s Dorico is a Best Music Notation Software bit of a newcomer to the world of engraving tools. The program costs just a little less than Sibelius, but it has about the same number of features. Dorico stands out because it has a built-in MIDI editor and VST support, which makes the playing quality better.
This choice between workflows could be a game-changer for artists who are more used to using a DAW. Sibelius has a built-in sound library with 36 GB of synthesized and recorded instruments, but it won’t be able to compete with the playback you can make with a built-in MIDI editor that lets you control velocity and expression as well as VST instruments and effects.
The Good
- Modern, user-friendly interface
- Intelligent auto-notation and formatting tools
- Excellent engraving and publishing support
The Bad
- Newer software with fewer users
Noteflight

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Online music notation software | Access and use Noteflight directly through your web browser, eliminating the need for local software installation |
Collaborative composition | Collaborate with other musicians in real-time, allowing for shared composition and feedback |
MIDI recording and playback | Record and play back your compositions using MIDI input or virtual instruments |
MusicXML import and export | Import and export MusicXML files, enabling compatibility with other notation software and platforms |
Publishing and sharing options | Publish your scores online, embed them in websites, and share them with others via social media |
Noteflight is a Best Music Notation Software tool for writing music notation that is easy to use and runs smoothly. It can be used by both artists and composers, and it has many features that let you make it your own. The app works with iPhone, Windows, and Android devices, among others.
Noteflight is a website where people can share their songs and work together with others in real time. It is a useful tool for both students and teachers because it works with learning systems like Google Classroom. The app also has an online community where its users can talk with each other.
The Good
- Cloud-based music score creator and sharer
- Live editing and feedback features
- Individuals and schools can afford it.
The Bad
- Limited offline functionality without internet.
FAQs
A: Yes, most music notation software has playing capabilities. You can connect virtual instruments or sound banks to the written notes, which lets you hear how your piece would sound when played by a real band.
A: Yes, you can print the sheet music you make with music writing software. You can change the style, format, and page settings to make scores look more professional.
A: Yes, most music notation software lets you import and export music files in MIDI, MusicXML, PDF, and audio forms, among others. This lets it work with other apps and makes sharing and working together easier.