Best Music Notation Software for Windows of 2025

StaffPad is a highly acclaimed music notation application specifically crafted for touch and pen input, tailored for the needs of composers. This innovative app allows users to effortlessly compose music using their handwriting, edit with touch capabilities, and listen to their compositions with stunningly realistic audio playback. Complementing this, StaffPad Reader serves as a free companion app for musicians, enabling real-time display of individual parts from a StaffPad score across various devices. Any modifications made in StaffPad are instantly reflected in each connected Reader, ensuring seamless synchronization of annotations and playback as long as there is a simple Wi-Fi connection. Together, these applications create an exceptionally user-friendly and powerful environment for both composition and live performance. The advanced algorithms utilized by StaffPad transform handwritten notes into impeccably typeset scores, while also providing assistance by automatically correcting stem directions, incorporating courtesy accidentals, and indicating when beats are missing or excessive. This combination not only enhances the compositional process but also streamlines collaboration among musicians.

MagicScore SongWriter is an exceptional software designed for working with both songs and instrumental compositions. It caters to a wide range of users, including songwriters, vocalists, choirs, students, and hobbyist musicians. With MagicScore SongWriter, you can seamlessly navigate through all the phases of songwriting, from the initial melody sketch, chords, and lyrics to the final stages of publishing and printing. Additionally, it simplifies the process of writing and editing both solo and accompaniment parts. A variety of user-friendly tools are included to facilitate a smooth experience with sheet music and digital content, such as song form templates and ensemble layouts. The program is equipped with all the necessary editors for effortless lyrics typesetting and precise sound adjustments. Notably, MagicScore SongWriter stands out as the latest and most cutting-edge program within the MagicScore lineup, making it an essential tool for any aspiring musician. This software truly enhances the creative process by providing comprehensive support at every step.

Unleash your musical creativity with the incredibly quick and user-friendly Notion™ 6, a cutting-edge platform for music composition and performance. Enjoy the freedom to compose on your own terms and even input music using your handwriting. Elevate your projects through seamless integration with Studio One®, allowing for a more streamlined workflow. Experience rich and captivating sounds with high-quality samples from the London Symphony Orchestra and other renowned ensembles. Create polished scores with unprecedented speed, ranging from intricate film orchestrations to straightforward lead sheets and guitar tablatures. Regardless of whether you are an instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger, educator, or student, Notion 6 is designed to be the most accessible and sonically impressive notation software available today. Notion 6: Transforming the landscape of music notation for everyone.

Crescendo offers a straightforward and user-friendly platform for composing musical notation or guitar tabs, enabling users to effortlessly write, save, and print their music creations directly from their computers. With a diverse selection of sheet music symbols and the ability to incorporate various time and key signatures, along with a flexible layout, composers have the freedom to meticulously craft their arrangements. The software facilitates the addition of notes and rests in multiple values, from whole notes to thirty-second notes. Percussion notation can also be composed using various drum kits and templates. Composers can create dotted notes, chords, and implement repeats, enhancing their compositions further. Additionally, users can insert text for titles, tempo markings, dynamics, or lyrics, and easily manage measures with copy, cut, and paste features to incorporate thematic material. Staves can be braced together for collaborative ensemble scoring, and the program supports VSTi instruments, including piano and violin, ensuring high-quality MIDI playback for a realistic listening experience. This comprehensive tool truly empowers musicians to bring their musical visions to life.

With options for step-time and real-time MIDI input, as well as a built-in virtual piano keyboard, users can enter notes through various methods, including typing or clicking. You also have the flexibility to transpose selected sections to different keys or intervals, and even diatonically within the same key. Various tablature styles are available, featuring note symbols positioned outside the staff or upside-down string representations, alongside linked standard and tab staff pairs. MuseScore now supports opening Guitar Pro files, which facilitates a smooth transition for users. The import filters are continuously evolving with each new update. Every modification made to any part of the score is instantly mirrored in the full arrangement and vice versa, allowing for seamless editing. You can easily toggle between transposed and concert pitch, ensuring that the sounding pitches remain consistent while the written notes adapt. This feature allows you to concentrate on the essence of the music without being distracted by line or page breaks. When you're ready to prepare for printing, simply switch to Page View for a polished layout. Additionally, the user-friendly interface enhances the overall experience of music composition and editing.

Solfeg.io has created both a product for individual music learning & a product designed specially for teachers. App for schools: 👇 live, play-along music software and a lesson suite with many songs for teaching general music, theory, and instruments. Some of the features: ✅ Song library with the latest TikTok and Spotify songs you can play along 🎶 Quizzes for students 💻 Resources & Lesson Plans 📊 Student progress statistics Pricing: Maestro plan: $249 per year, Virtuoso plan: -$899 per year Solfeg.io for self learning 👇 play-along app that helps people relax whilst learning to hit songs that they known and can associate with on ukulele, piano or guitar. Features: Song library with the latest TikTok and Spotify songs 🎧 A tuner (guitar and ukulele) ✅ Chord recognition Instant feedback👂 TABS 🎼 Guided video tutorials ▶️ Weekly exercises ✨ Progress tracking Pricing: $5,99 per month or $29,99 per 6 months

QuickScore Elite is a robust and all-encompassing software solution designed for music composition, seamlessly merging notation, arrangement, MIDI, and audio sequencing capabilities. It allows users to produce publication-ready scores, create musical content for both desktop and internet platforms, and generate audio CDs, MP3s, and soundtracks tailored for films, videos, and games. Recognized as Sion Software's flagship music composition tool, QuickScore Elite Level II received the prestigious Editors' Choice award from Electronic Magazine in 1998 and has consistently secured the Top Ten Reviews Gold Award for five consecutive years. Users can quickly get started by utilizing one of QuickScore's customizable score templates, which include options for Piano, Solo Instrument, Organ, Choir, Band, and Orchestra, among others. In cases where specific templates are not available, users have the flexibility to create their own setups for future use. Furthermore, the software features the FluidGM soundfont player, enabling the playback of high-quality instrument sounds, enriching the overall music creation experience. Whether you're an aspiring composer or an established musician, QuickScore Elite offers the tools needed to bring your musical vision to life.

ScoreCloud makes it incredibly easy to convert your musical creations into sheet music almost instantly. Whether you're working with a live recording from a polyphonic or monophonic instrument, the process of notating music has never been more straightforward. This music notation software is perfect for a wide range of users, including musicians, students, educators, choirs, bands, and both composers and arrangers, and it is available for free download. You can create sheet music from your performances, enjoy seamless syncing across multiple devices, and take advantage of its intuitive editing capabilities. With no print watermark, unlimited song creation, and enhanced import and export options, ScoreCloud 4 for PC and Mac is entirely free to download, allowing you to dive into music notation from audio files and benefit from cloud synchronization right away. For those interested in additional features, the paid plans come with a free trial that grants complete access to all advanced functionalities upon signing up. Furthermore, users have the option to connect a MIDI keyboard to play music or utilize a virtual piano on their computer keyboard. Explore the various tools in the toolbar to make edits, incorporate voices, add lyrics, and include chords into your compositions. Overall, ScoreCloud provides an excellent platform for anyone looking to bring their musical ideas to life.

NotePerformer features its own collection of sounds, representing a comprehensive modern symphonic orchestra. It evaluates your musical score and delivers performances of all instruments with an authentic musical expression. Installation is straightforward, and utilizing NotePerformer is as simple as using the default sounds available in your notation software. Our goal is to ensure that working with our software is more gratifying than any alternative playback solution. Should you encounter any problems, we encourage you to share your feedback with us. Enjoy the benefit of not having to wait for samples to load while you work on your scores, as our optimized sounds load significantly faster. We leverage our proprietary technologies to create a seamless experience that merges sampling with synthesis. NotePerformer can be installed on an unlimited number of computers, although you will need to restart your notation software between devices. This flexibility makes it ideal for businesses, studios, or educational environments, allowing multiple users to access it on a shared site. The pricing begins at $200 for 1-5 seats, with the added convenience of mixing Mac and PC workstations. Experience superior playback quality in popular notation software such as Sibelius, Finale, and Dorico, and elevate your music production to new heights. Additionally, our user-friendly interface ensures that even those with minimal technical experience can achieve impressive results.

MagicScore Maestro 8 empowers you to transform your musical concepts into polished, readable music notation files using one of the most advanced and customizable scoring systems available today. This software allows you to produce high-quality prints of your compositions with minimal effort and time investment. In addition to the comprehensive features of our Maestro Notation program, it grants you complete control over every note in your work, ensuring that your artistic vision is fully realized. When inspiration strikes or a deadline approaches, it's essential to capture your ideas swiftly, accurately, and in a variety of formats. MagicScore Maestro delivers all these capabilities, offering a robust suite of features that competes with other top-tier music notation and composition tools on the market. By choosing this software, you can elevate your music creation process and enjoy an efficient workflow from start to finish.

MagicScore Guitar 8 provides guitarists with an all-in-one solution for their musical needs. Whether you are an experienced musician, a dedicated instructor, or just starting out, this software empowers you with advanced tab editing and music notation features that are easily accessible. It allows for swift song composition by arranging tabs and musical notes seamlessly. Designed to support both arrangement creation and skill enhancement, it includes various built-in functions for sharing your work, as well as practice and teaching tools that aid beginners in their learning journey. Additionally, MagicScore Guitar's versatility and user-friendly interface make it an invaluable resource for players at any skill level, ensuring that everyone can benefit from its comprehensive suite of features. With its rich capabilities, users can unlock their creative potential and elevate their guitar playing experience.

MagicScore OneTouch Composer stands out as the pioneering music notation software designed specifically for Windows tablets globally. Its creation was inspired by the acclaimed MagicScore Maestro and has received accolades as the top choice for Windows 8 tablets, thanks to the Intel Application Innovation Contest. Recognized by TopTenReviews as the premier music notation software, OneTouch Composer caters to a diverse range of musicians, including beginners, students, educators, and seasoned composers alike. The program integrates the most sought-after features from MagicScore Maestro, ensuring a rich user experience. Additionally, OneTouch Composer is remarkably user-friendly, making it an ideal option for anyone looking to delve into music composition with ease and comfort. With its innovative design and functionality, OneTouch Composer sets a new standard in music notation software.

MagicScore Notation for MS Word 8 merges the robust features of the MagicScore Notation software with the ease of embedding music notation directly into any MS Word document with just one click. A common limitation of many music notation applications is that users must insert a static image of the score into their word processing documents, making it impossible to modify the notes without removing the image and starting over from scratch. However, MagicScore Notation for Microsoft Word addresses this issue by enabling users to edit the musical notes directly within the word processor with a simple click. This innovative software eliminates the hassle of copying and pasting image files entirely. To incorporate music notation into a MS Word document, users simply need to insert a MagicScore Notation object add-in using either a toolbar button or the Insert->Object menu within Word. This seamless integration enhances the user experience and streamlines the process of music notation editing.

Experience the pleasure of crafting sheet music effortlessly with this innovative music notation software, Scorewriter, designed for Windows users. This program offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to easily harness the power of computer-assisted notation. You can zoom in on specific notes for editing, mimicking the way you would focus on a section of handwritten music. With just a click, you can zoom into a single measure, an entire system, a full page, or even your entire workspace! If scrolling is necessary, the convenient wheels located at the bottom-right corner enable seamless navigation in both directions. Enjoy the freedom of an unlimited workspace to spread your sheet music, allowing your creative ideas to flow beyond traditional page constraints. Access your distributed scores and their respective parts with ease. You have the flexibility to modify various aspects of the selected elements, and the actions available for your current selection will help streamline your workflow. Save time by obtaining what you need faster than it would take to choose a template. You can navigate back and forth as often as required, while left-right direction allows for selecting any type of element, and right-left focuses solely on notes. There are numerous features to uncover as you become more acquainted with DeluxeNote, enriching your musical composition experience. Embrace the journey of making music with this powerful tool that caters to both beginners and seasoned composers alike.

Denemo is a free music notation software available for GNU/Linux, Mac OSX, and Windows, designed to allow users to quickly input musical notation which is then typeset by the LilyPond music engraver. You can enter music using your computer keyboard, a MIDI controller, or even acoustically through a microphone connected to your sound card. By utilizing LilyPond, Denemo produces aesthetically pleasing sheet music that meets the highest standards of publication quality. The interface presents the staffs in a straightforward manner, enabling efficient music entry and editing. While you work, the typesetting occurs seamlessly in the background, achieving a generally flawless result that is suitable for publication. If necessary, final adjustments can be made to the typeset score using the mouse. This functionality offers a significant advantage over other widely used programs that often necessitate constant repositioning of overlapping notation during music input, making Denemo a more user-friendly option. In comparison with software like Musescore, Finale, or Sibelius, Denemo stands out for its efficient workflow and intuitive design.

With a PreSonus Sphere membership, you gain access to an extensive library of master class videos, collaborative tools, monthly live streams, exclusive features for Studio One, and presets crafted by industry experts, along with a wealth of loop and construction kit content that is regularly updated every month. There are absolutely no hidden fees or extra upgrade costs involved. This membership also provides a license for the renowned Studio One Professional, the only digital audio workstation that enables you to record, produce, mix, master, and perform all within a single platform. You can seamlessly transition from a creative idea to a fully mastered album, and even utilize song stems as backing tracks during live performances, all thanks to Studio One’s capabilities. PreSonus Sphere truly serves as the ultimate toolkit for today’s composer, allowing you to create everything from straightforward lead sheets to intricate orchestrations with ease. Additionally, the award-winning Notion® software helps you produce polished scores in a fraction of the time, enhancing your compositional workflow significantly.

Embrace your musical creativity and translate it into a stunning score to share your artistic vision with the world. Just like every musician has their own individual style, the reasons for choosing Finale software to compose music vary widely. Finale empowers you to easily bring to life any music notation you envision, while also catering to your creative process. Whether your inspiration leads you to a straightforward lead sheet or a complex Hollywood film score, Finale stands as the reliable choice for achieving exceptional results. This software grants you the liberty to choose not only what you create but also how you bring your ideas to fruition. From crafting a simple melody to orchestrating an elaborate Broadway production, you have the versatility to shape your music freely, following your intuition and preferred workflow. By inputting your compositions into Finale, you unlock a world of possibilities, enabling you to effortlessly rearrange measures, modify keys, and explore a myriad of transformations for your musical ideas. Ultimately, the software acts as both a canvas and a tool, allowing your creativity to flourish in limitless ways.

Anvil Studio ™ is a complimentary software application for Windows 10, 8.x, and 7, aimed at users interested in recording music with both MIDI and audio devices, composing music for these formats, and sequencing music through MIDI technology. Additionally, it allows users to experiment with music on their computers and offers the capability to print sheet music from standard MIDI files with the optional Print-Sheet accessory. The free version permits the creation of an unlimited number of MIDI tracks and includes two audio tracks, each limited to one minute in duration. If you opt for the Multi-Audio 1/8 accessory, your projects can feature up to eight audio tracks of any length. Furthermore, with the Multi-Audio 8/16 accessory, you can expand your creations to include up to 16 audio tracks without any length limitations, and if your setup has sufficient audio input ports, you can record as many as eight audio tracks at the same time, enhancing your music production capabilities. This versatility makes Anvil Studio a valuable tool for both amateur and professional musicians alike.

MC Musiceditor is an open-source music notation software available for free under the GPLv2 or later. It comes in two versions: MCMusiceditor, which is the full-featured variant, and MCMusiceditor-Lite, designed for Windows (starting from XP) and also compatible with Linux through Wine. Developed by Reinier Maliepaard, who is a psychologist, software engineer, musician, and educator at the ArtEZ Conservatorium in the Netherlands, this software aims to simplify the score-making process for musicians. The outcome is a user-friendly editor that produces professional scores without the need for extensive prior knowledge, except for some basic musical understanding. Furthermore, MC Musiceditor stands out as an efficient tool for composing, enhancing, listening to, and printing high-quality musical scores. Notably, it also allows for the sharing and exchange of musical notation data with other WYSIWYG music notation software such as MuseScore, Finale, and Sibelius, which are among the most widely used programs by my students. This versatility makes MC Musiceditor a valuable resource for both novice and experienced musicians alike.

Musink is a music-composition software program that's free and will revolutionize the way you compose music. You can create snippets, books, and MIDI scores; export your sheet music for the Web; note quickly; and you won't have to worry about page layouts again. Musink allows you to focus on writing and does all the heavy lifting. Musink Lite is completely free and used every day by thousands of composers. Musink Pro offers professional features that go beyond those of Musink Lite. Musink is available in two flavors. Musink Lite comes free. Musink Pro is more suitable for serious projects, hobbyists and teachers. Musink is a music-composing application that will revolutionize the way you create music. Musink Lite can be downloaded for free. Musink Pro, a fully-featured version of Musink, lets you do more with your MIDI keyboard and write faster. It also gives you ultimate control over your published scores.

LilyPond stands out as a music engraving software dedicated to generating the finest quality sheet music achievable. It successfully captures the visual appeal of traditionally engraved scores in digital formats. As a free software initiative under the GNU Project, LilyPond offers both power and versatility for a variety of engraving needs, including classical compositions, intricate notations, early and modern music, tablature, vocal arrangements, lead sheets, educational resources, large orchestral scores, tailored outputs, and even Schenker graphs. The inception of LilyPond was inspired by two musicians who sought to enhance the often lifeless appearance of computer-generated sheet music. They believed that musicians should engage with aesthetically pleasing music, prompting programmers to develop software capable of producing graceful printed scores. Consequently, this program excels in crafting visually appealing sheet music, adhering closely to the finest traditions of classical engraving. By automating layout details, LilyPond empowers composers, transcribers, and publishers to concentrate more on the artistry of the music itself, ensuring that the creative process remains at the forefront.

Pizzicato encompasses a suite of 11 software options, to which we can add two more: Harmony and Counterpoint, Alternative Notation. The Pizzicato Professional version encompasses every feature available in the other ten versions, each of which is tailored to specific functionalities and uses of the Pizzicato software. In comparison to the Beginner version, Pizzicato Professional provides an extensive array of additional features and capabilities. This version is equipped with a comprehensive suite of innovative and user-friendly tools designed to facilitate the process of music composition. It democratizes music creation, making it accessible to individuals with minimal or no prior music training. Furthermore, the tools and features included in this version enable users to enjoy a robust score editor and various resources to enhance MIDI score interpretation, along with numerous options for practicing music composition. Ultimately, Pizzicato Professional serves as a powerful platform for aspiring composers to explore and develop their musical ideas.