Best Music Notation Software with a Free Trial of 2025

Noteflight's online music notation editor is user-friendly, highly customizable, and suitable for professional applications, accessible from any device you choose. You can buy your favorite music from the Noteflight Marketplace, where you can also download, print, play, and modify the notation files you acquire. Additionally, you have the opportunity to sell your own arrangements and original compositions on Noteflight Marketplace, which is supported by ArrangeMe. The Marketplace Song Catalog allows you to search for copyrighted songs that can be arranged legally. You can create and sell an unlimited number of scores, record live audio directly into your scores, print out parts, and input or transcribe using any MIDI device. You can also share your work with specific users and organize your scores into collections, among other features. This platform is specifically designed with music educators in mind, enabling you to create a private website for your students where they can access all Noteflight Premium features, such as recording, performance, and assessment tools, enhancing their learning experience. It’s an excellent resource for anyone looking to elevate their music education and creativity.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dorico is a powerful tool for music composition and notation, delivering high-quality printed scores effortlessly. It integrates sequencer-style editing features that enhance playback while maintaining the elegance of the written music. Packed with hundreds of innovative and time-saving functions, Dorico remains accessible for beginners yet meets the rigorous demands of experienced professionals. Now accessible on iPad, users can conveniently download it for free from the App Store. Whether you're composing, arranging, or simply creating and printing music, Dorico significantly streamlines the process. Its smart design intuitively modifies notation as you compose, ensuring a seamless workflow. With nearly 1,500 realistic sounds at your disposal, the software facilitates lifelike playback, and its advanced notation capabilities allow for impressively quick results without any cumbersome workarounds. This blend of functionality and user-friendliness makes Dorico an essential asset for anyone serious about music creation.