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This is a comparison of music notation programs.

General information

Name Guitar tablature WYSIWYG editor MIDI entry [a] Playback File formats Developer(s) Stable release; review date License Cost Operating systems
Import Export
Canorus No Yes MIDI CanorusML, [b] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] simple LilyPond [e] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] LilyPond, [e] PDF Reinhard Katzmann, Matevž Jekovec, Georg Rudolph 0.7.3; 18 June 2018 (5 years ago) (2018-06-18) Since 0.7.3: GPL-3.0-only
0.1.0 to 0.7.2: GPL-2.0-only 		No cost Linux
Capella Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, VST, SoundFonts Capella, [f] CapXML, [g] MusicXML, [c] MIDI [d] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] BMP, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, Truevision TGA, PCX, HTML capella-software AG 9.0-13; 19 March 2024 (25 days ago) (2024-03-19) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS
Denemo Yes Yes Step-time MIDI Denemo, [h] limited LilyPond, [e] MusicXML [c] LilyPond, [e] MusicXML, WAV, Ogg, PDF, PNG, MIDI Jeremiah Benham, Richard Shann 2.6.0; 11 March 2022 (2 years ago) (2022-03-11) GPL-3.0-or-later No cost Windows, macOS, Linux
Dorico Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, VST Dorico, [i] MusicXML, [c] MIDI [d] MIDI, [d] MusicXML, [c] WAV, MP3, PDF, PNG, TIFF, SVG Steinberg 5.1.30; 3 April 2024 (10 days ago) (2024-04-03) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS
Early Notation Typesetter No Yes No No ENT [j] ENT, [j] PDF Samuel Gossner, Daniel West, Dieter Theuns 0.9.6; 20 October 2020 (3 years ago) (2020-10-20) Proprietary No charge for single font Windows, macOS, Linux
Encore Yes Yes MIDI Encore, [k] MusicTime, [l] Rhapsody, [m] Compressed MusicXML [n] MIDI, [d] Cakewalk MIDI, [o] Master Tracks Pro, [p] PDF Passport Music Software 5.0.4 (Windows); 5.0.7 (macOS); 2015 (9 years ago) (2015) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS
Finale Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, VST, AU, [q] Garritan library Finale, [r] MusicXML, [c] MIDI [d] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] WAV, MP3, AIFF, PDF, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, EPS, BMP, GIF, PICT [q] MakeMusic, Inc. 27.4; 29 November 2023 (4 months ago) (2023-11-29) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS
Forte Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, VST Forte, [s] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] CapXML [g] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] BMP, JPEG Lugert Verlag GmbH 12; 2020 (4 years ago) (2020) Proprietary Non-free Windows
Frescobaldi No WYSIWYM MIDI LilyPond, [e] MusicXML, [c] ABC MusicXML, [c] PDF Wilbert Berendsen 3.3.0; 26 March 2023 (12 months ago) (2023-03-26) GPL-2.0-or-later No cost Windows, macOS, Linux
Guitar Pro Yes Yes MIDI, RSE Guitar Pro (versions 1–7), [t] MusicXML, [c] Compressed MusicXML, [n] MIDI, [d] ASCII tab, [u] Power Tab, [v] TablEdit [w] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] ASCII tab, [u] PNG, PDF, WAV Arobas Music 8.1; 27 March 2023 (12 months ago) (2023-03-27) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS, Linux
Impro-Visor No Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI Impro-Visor [x] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] PDF Bob Keller 10.2; 1 August 2019 (4 years ago) (2019-08-01) GPL-2.0-or-later No cost Windows, macOS, Linux
LilyPond Yes No No MIDI LilyPond; [e] using converters: ABC, [y] ETF, [z] MIDI, [d] MusicXML [c] PDF, PNG, PS, SVG Han-Wen Nienhuys, Jan Nieuwenhuizen 2.24.3; 19 November 2023 (4 months ago) (2023-11-19) GPL-3.0-or-later No cost Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD
MagicScore Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, SoundFonts SFD, [aa] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] Karaoke, [ab] WAV, MP3 MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] Karaoke, [ab] WAV, MP3, PDF, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, EMF, WMF Maestro Music Software 8.280; 2017 (7 years ago) (2017) Proprietary Non-free Windows
Mozart Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI Mozart, [ac] MusicXML, [c] NIFF, [ad] MIDI, [d] Karaoke, [ab] ABC [y] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] ABC, [y] BMP, EMF, GIF, JPEG, PBM, PNG, TIFF Mozart Music Software 16.1.2; February 2024 (2 months ago) (2024-02) Proprietary Non-free Windows
Mus2 No Yes MIDI Mus2 [ae] MIDI, [d] AIFF, WAV, PDF, SVG, BMP, JPEG, PNG Utku Uzmen (Data-Soft Ltd.) 3.2.3; November 2022 (1 year ago) (2022-11) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS
MuseScore Studio Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, SoundFonts, SFZ MuseScore, [af] MusicXML, [c] Compressed MusicXML, [n] MIDI, [d] Karaoke, [ab] MuseData, [ag] Bagpipe Music Writer, [ah] Band-in-a-Box, [ai] Overture, [aj] Capella, [f] CapXML, [g] Guitar Pro (versions 1–6), [t] Power Tab (experimental), [v] PDF (experimental), ABC [y] (with plugin) MusicXML, [c] Compressed MusicXML, [n] PDF, PNG, SVG, MIDI, [d] WAV, FLAC, Ogg, MP3 The MuseScore developer community 4.2.1; 24 January 2024 (2 months ago) (2024-01-24) GPL-3.0-only for desktop tools; online and mobile tools are proprietary and freemium No cost for most tools Windows, macOS, Linux
MusiCAD No Yes MIDI MusiCAD, [ak] MIDI, [d] ABC [y] MIDI, [d] ABC, [y] PDF, JPEG, PNG, BMP Musys Software 4.0; 1 May 2015 (8 years ago) (2015-05-01) Proprietary Prompt to purchase license appears when saving [2] Windows
MusicEase Yes Yes MIDI MusicEase, [al] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] ABC, [y] SongWright [am] MIDI, [d] PDF MusicEase Software 10.1c; August 2023 (8 months ago) (2023-08) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS
Musink No WYSIWYM MIDI Musink [an] MIDI, [d] PDF, PNG, XPS Lee Reid 1.3.0.3 Proprietary No cost Windows, macOS
MusiXTeX Yes No No No TeX ( incl. PMX and M-Tx), [ao] MusicXML [c] (with converters) DVI, [ap] PS, PDF, MIDI [d] (for PMX input) Daniel Taupin, Ross Mitchell, Andreas Egler 1.38; 29 March 2024 (15 days ago) (2024-03-29) GPL-2.0-or-later No cost Windows, macOS, Linux
Notation Composer No Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, SoundFonts Notation, [aq] MusicXML, [c] Compressed MusicXML, [n] MIDI, [d] Karaoke [ab] MusicXML, [c] Compressed MusicXML, [n] PDF, MIDI, [d] Karaoke, [ab] PNG, BMP, JPEG, GIF, WAV, FLAC, Ogg, MP3 Notation Software 4.0.3; 2022 (2 years ago) (2022) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS, Linux
NoteWorthy Composer Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI NWC, [ar] MIDI, [d] Karaoke [ab] MIDI [d] NoteWorthy Software 2.75a.2; 2017 (7 years ago) (2017) Proprietary Non-free Windows
Notion Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, VST MusicXML, [c] Compressed MusicXML, [n] MIDI, [d] Guitar Pro [t] (versions 4–5) MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] WAV PreSonus 6.8.2; 24 August 2021 (2 years ago) (2021-08-24) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS, iOS (iPad)
Overture Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, VST, AU [q] Overture, [aj] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] Score Writer [as] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] WAV, MP3 Sonic Scores 5.6.1.1; 2 December 2019 (4 years ago) (2019-12-02) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS
Philip's Music Writer Yes No No MIDI PMW [at] MIDI, [d] PS Philip Hazel 5.22; 21 December 2023 (3 months ago) (2023-12-21) GPL-2.0-or-later No cost Linux (older versions for RISC OS)
Power Tab Editor Yes Yes MIDI Power Tab, [v] MIDI [d] MIDI, [d] ASCII tab, [u] BMP, HTML Brad Larsen 1.0.0.175; 26 August 2006 (17 years ago) (2006-08-26) Proprietary No cost Windows
Rosegarden No Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI Rosegarden, [au] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] Hydrogen [av] LilyPond, [e] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] Csound, [aw] Mup, [ax] PDF Chris Cannam, Richard Bown, Guillaume Laurent 23.12; 6 December 2023 (4 months ago) (2023-12-06) GPL-2.0-or-later No cost Linux
SCORE Yes No Step-time MIDI SCORE (.mus) EPS Leland Smith,
San Andreas Press 		5.01; 1 November 2013 (10 years ago) (2013-11-01) Proprietary Non-free MS-DOS
Windows
ScoreCloud Studio No Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, VST MIDI, [d] live audio MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] WAV, PDF Doremir Music Research AB 4.7.12; January 2024 (3 months ago) (2024-01) Proprietary Free without file saving Windows, macOS, iOS
Sibelius Yes Yes Step-time and real-time MIDI, VST, AU, [q] Avid library Sibelius, [ay] MusicXML, [c] MIDI [d] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] MP3, PDF, SVG, EPS, PNG Avid Technology, Inc. 2024.3; 6 March 2024 (38 days ago) (2024-03-06) Proprietary No cost up to 4 staves [3] Windows, macOS, RISC OS, iOS
SmartScore 64 Yes Yes MIDI SmartScore, [az] scanned images, MusicXML, [c] NIFF [ad] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] Finale, [r] NIFF, [ad] PDF Musitek Corporation 11.5.105 (Windows); 11.5.106 (macOS); 24 February 2024 (49 days ago) (2024-02-24) Proprietary Non-free Windows, macOS
TuxGuitar Yes Yes MIDI TuxGuitar, [ba] MusicXML, [c] MIDI, [d] Guitar Pro (versions 1–6), [t] Power Tab, [v] TablEdit [w] MIDI, [d] Guitar Pro (versions 3–5), [t] LilyPond, [e] ASCII tab, [u] PDF Julian Gabriel Casadesus 1.6.2; 3 April 2024 (10 days ago) (2024-04-03) LGPL-2.1-only No cost Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD
Name Guitar tablature WYSIWYG editor MIDI entry [a] Playback Import Export Developer(s) Stable release; review date License Cost Operating systems
File formats

File formats and extensions

  1. ^ a b When entering notes, "step-time" means one first selects the note duration then enters notes and chords one a time, while "real-time" means one plays the notes to enter with correct rhythm and the software recognizes the note durations.
  2. ^ Canorus native format, .can
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am MusicXML, open standard XML-based music notation exchange format, .xml or (version 3.1 or later) .musicxml
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av Standard MIDI file format, .mid or .midi
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h LilyPond plain text native format, .ly
  6. ^ a b Capella native format, binary file, .cap
  7. ^ a b c Capella native format, compressed ZIP containing XML, .capx
  8. ^ Denemo native format, .denemo
  9. ^ Dorico native format, .dorico
  10. ^ a b Early notation typesetter native format, .ent
  11. ^ Encore native format, .enc
  12. ^ MusicTime (by the same developer as Encore) native format, .mto, .mus (different to Finale .mus)
  13. ^ Rhapsody (by the same developer as Encore) native format, .rhp
  14. ^ a b c d e f g MusicXML version 2.0 or later, compressed as a ZIP, .mxl
  15. ^ Cakewalk MIDI file format, .mff[ clarification needed]
  16. ^ Master Tracks Pro (by the same developer as Encore) native format, .mts
  17. ^ a b c d Mac version only
  18. ^ a b Finale native format, .mus (2012 and earlier) or .musx (2014 and later)
  19. ^ Forte native format, .fnf
  20. ^ a b c d e Guitar Pro native format version 1–2, .gtp; version 3, .gp3; version 4, .gp4; version 5, .gp5; version 6, .gpx; version 7, .gp
  21. ^ a b c d ASCII tablature plain text format, .txt, .tab, or .btab
  22. ^ a b c d Power Tab Editor native format, .ptb
  23. ^ a b TablEdit native format, .tef
  24. ^ Impro-Visor native format, .ls
  25. ^ a b c d e f g ABC plain text format, .abc
  26. ^ Finale Enigma Transport Format, .etf [1]
  27. ^ Maestro software family native format, .sfd
  28. ^ a b c d e f g Standard MIDI file format including standard MIDI lyrics, used for karaoke, .kar
  29. ^ Mozart native format, .mz
  30. ^ a b c Notation Interchange File Format, .nif
  31. ^ Mus2 notation and tuning file format, .mus2, .mu2
  32. ^ MuseScore native format, .mscz; uncompressed XML-based format, .mscx; style sheet, .mss; score album, .album
  33. ^ MuseData project format, .md
  34. ^ Bagpipe Music Writer native format, .bww
  35. ^ Band-in-a-Box native format, .mgu or .sgu
  36. ^ a b Overture native format, .ove
  37. ^ MusiCAD plain text native format, .mc
  38. ^ MusicEase native format, .mez
  39. ^ SongWright native format, .sw
  40. ^ Musink native format, .musink
  41. ^ PMX, preprocessor language for MusixTeX, .pmx; M-Tx, processor for PMX, .mtx
  42. ^ TeX device independent file format, .dvi
  43. ^ NoteSoft file, Notation Software native format, .not
  44. ^ NoteWorthy Composer native format, .nwc or .nwctxt
  45. ^ Score Writer (by the same developer as Overture) native format, .scw
  46. ^ Philip's Music Writer native format, human-readable text, .pmw
  47. ^ Rosegarden native format, .rg
  48. ^ Hydrogen drum machine song XML file format, .h2song
  49. ^ Csound audio domain-specific language format, without orchestra data, .csd
  50. ^ Music Publisher Score file format, .mup
  51. ^ Sibelius (scorewriter) native format, .sib
  52. ^ SmartScore native format, .enf
  53. ^ TuxGuitar native format, .tg

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "An incomplete description of the Enigma Transport Format". LilyPond.org. Archived from the original on 3 May 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  2. ^ Restrictions
  3. ^ Version Comparison
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