List of scorewriters - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This is a list of music notation programs
Scorewriter
A scorewriter, or music notation program, is software used for creating sheet music.A scorewriter is to music notation what a word processor is to text.-Comparison with multitrack sequencer software:...

. It excludes programs designed specifically for writing guitar tablature. For a list of guitar tablature software see the list of guitar tablature software.

Free software

ABassC, a text-based scorewriter for PalmOS and PocketPC, using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...
ABC Convert-A-Matic, a text-based scorewriter web application using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...
ABC Explorer, a text-based scorewriter using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...
abc2score, a text-based scorewriter using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...
abcjs, which includes an editor and engraver for ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...

in Javascript
abcm2ps, a text-based scorewriter using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...
abctab2ps, a text-based scorewriter extending ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...

to include Spanish, French, and German lute/guitar tabulature
BarFly, a Macintosh text-based scorewriter using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...
Canorus, a WYSIWIG scorewriter created by NoteEdit
NoteEdit
NoteEdit is a defunct music scorewriter for Linux and other Unix-like computer operating systems.NoteEdit is written in C++, uses the Qt toolkit, and is integrated with KDE. Released under the GNU General Public License, NoteEdit is free software....

users after that product was abandoned by its creator
Denemo
Denemo
Denemo is a free software graphical interface for music notation, mainly to GNU LilyPond, a program for engraving musical scores. Denemo has been under development since 1999. Using GTK+ 2.0, it works on Linux and Microsoft Windows....

, a scorewriter primarily providing a front-end for LilyPond
GNU LilyPond
GNU LilyPond is a computer program for music engraving. One of LilyPond's major goals is to produce scores that are engraved with traditional layout rules, reflecting the era when scores were engraved by hand....
EasyABC, a text-based scorewriter using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...
Five Line Skink, a Java text-based scorewriter using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...
Frescobaldi
Frescobaldi (software)
Frescobaldi is a computer program for creating and editing music notation. It is free software for the KDE Linux environment and is available under the GNU General Public License...

, a GUI
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...

front-end for LilyPond on Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
GNU LilyPond
GNU LilyPond
GNU LilyPond is a computer program for music engraving. One of LilyPond's major goals is to produce scores that are engraved with traditional layout rules, reflecting the era when scores were engraved by hand....

, a text-based scorewriter
Impro-Visor
Impro-Visor
Impro-Visor is an educational tool for creating and playing a lead sheet, with a particular orientation toward representing jazz solos.- Improvisation Advisor :...

, a GUI- and text-based scorewriter for constructing lead sheets and jazz solos on Linux, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...

, and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
MC Musiceditor, a script based scorewriter for Windows
muse2ps, a command-line scorewriter which converts MuseData
MuseData
The MuseData collection of virtual musical scores aims to represent the logical content of the standard classical repertory from 1690 to 1890 in a software-neutral fashion...

into PostScript.
MuseScore
MuseScore
MuseScore is free and open source music notation software for Microsoft Windows, Mac and Linux. MuseScore is a WYSIWYG editor, complete with support for score playback and import–export of MusicXML and standard MIDI files...

, a WYSIWYG scorewriter for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X
MusiXTeX
MusiXTeX
MusiXTeX is a suite of open source music engraving macros and fonts that allow music typesetting in TeX.-History:Macros for typesetting music in TeX first appeared in 1987 and were limited to one-staff systems....

, a set of macros and fonts that allow music typesetting in TeX
TeX
TeX is a typesetting system designed and mostly written by Donald Knuth and released in 1978. Within the typesetting system, its name is formatted as ....
NoteEdit
NoteEdit
NoteEdit is a defunct music scorewriter for Linux and other Unix-like computer operating systems.NoteEdit is written in C++, uses the Qt toolkit, and is integrated with KDE. Released under the GNU General Public License, NoteEdit is free software....

, a KDE scorewriter
Rosegarden
Rosegarden
Rosegarden is a free software digital audio workstation program developed for Linux with ALSA and QT4. It acts as an audio and MIDI sequencer, scorewriter and musical composition and editing tool...

, a scorewriter for Linux
TuxGuitar
TuxGuitar
TuxGuitar is a free, open source tablature editor, which includes basic features such as tablature editing, score editing, triplet support and the ability to import and export Guitar Pro gp3, gp4, and gp5 files. In addition, TuxGuitar can function as a basic MIDI editor using the tablature or staff...
PMW, or "Philip's Music Writer", a text-based scorewriter originally written for Acorn RiscOS (released as a commercial program called Philip's Music Scribe or PMS in the 1990s), later ported to POSIX and licensed under the GNU GPL
Capriccio, a score writer for Linux and Windows. Available also online under http://www.cdefgabc.com
Zap's abc, a scorewriter for Android devices, using ABC Notation
Abc notation
ABC notation is a shorthand form of musical notation that has been in use since at least the 19th century, In basic form it uses the letters A through G to represent the given notes, with other elements used to place added value on these - sharp, flat, the length of the note, key, ornamentation...

Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

Capella
Crescendo music notation software from NCH Software
NCH Software
NCH Software is a software development company founded in 1993 in Canberra, Australia. The Denver office was started in April 2008 due to the large U.S. customer base...
Cubase Score V1-5 (first run on version numbers)
Cubase SX
Cubase V4-6 (second run on version numbers)
Encore
Encore (software)
Encore is a scorewriter program for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh, originally created in the 1990s by the US company Passport. Presently Encore is distributed and developed by GVOX.MusicTime Deluxe is the 'essentials' version of Encore.- Ease of use :...
Finale plus the following lite versions: Allegro, PrintMusic, NotePad, Songwriter
Guitar Pro
Guitar Pro
Guitar Pro is a multitrack editor of guitar and bass tablature and musical scores, possessing a built-in MIDI-editor, a plotter of chords, a player, a metronome and other tools for guitarists and musicians...

(primarily for guitars and bands, but also notates other instruments)
Harmony Assistant, plus the lite version Melody Assistant
Igor Engraver
Igor Engraver
Igor Engraver is a music notation program, published by the Swedish company NoteHeads, and was produced for the Macintosh and Windows operating systems...
MagicScore Maestro plus the following lite versions: MagicScore Classic, School, Note and unique Music Notation for MS Word, and some freeware versions.
Mozart
Mus2
Mus2
Mus2 is a music application for the notation of microtonal works and, specifically, Turkish maqam music. Unlike most other scorewriters, Mus2 allows the user to work in almost any tuning system with customizable accidentals and play back the score with accurate intonation...
MusEdit
Musedit
MusEdit is a scorewriter program for Microsoft Windows, developed by Doug Rogers / Yowza software and first launched in 1997. The current version was released in April 2008.- Features :...
MusiCAD
MusiCAD
MusiCAD is a scorewriter program originally designed for folk music featuring irregular meter . It can automatically generate accompaniment voices from chord symbols...
Music Construction Set
Music Construction Set
Music Construction Set is a music composition notation program. It was originally developed in 1984 for the Apple II, and quickly ported to other systems of the era. It was designed and developed by Will Harvey and published by Electronic Arts...

(obsolete; was also for Apple II
Apple II series
The Apple II series is a set of 8-bit home computers, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977 with the original Apple II...

, Atari 400, and Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...

)
Musicmaster
Musicmaster (software)
MusicMaster for Windows is a music scheduling software produced by A-ware Software and used by radio, Internet and television stations. Their main office is located in Brookfield, Wisconsin.-History:...
Music Write
Music Write
Music Write is a Windows-based music notation program created by Voyetra Music Software. It uses a MIDI-based system for storing events, and the most recent versions save music in MWK files, similar to Standard MIDI Files with additional text and symbol events. Currently, Voyetra offers three...
MusicTime Deluxe
Encore (software)
Encore is a scorewriter program for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh, originally created in the 1990s by the US company Passport. Presently Encore is distributed and developed by GVOX.MusicTime Deluxe is the 'essentials' version of Encore.- Ease of use :...
C-Labs Notator Logic (before it was bought by Apple)
Notion
Notion (software)
NOTION is a computer software program for music composition and performance created by NOTION Music, a company located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Created for use on Microsoft Windows and Mac OS, NOTION's sample library for playback was recorded at Abbey Road by the London Symphony Orchestra...
NoteWorthy Composer
NoteWorthy Composer
NoteWorthy Composer is a scorewriter application made by .NoteWorthy Composer is a graphical score editor for Microsoft Windows computers , and is also reported to work on PCs under Linux with Wine. Versions 1 of NWC was released in October 1994, and Version 2 in September 2008...
Overture
Overture (software)
Overture is a music scorewriter program for Windows and Macintosh platforms, written by Don Williams, the author of the popular Encore scorewriter program. Visually, the Overture interface bears much resemblance to the Encore interface....

plus lite version Score Writer.
Rhapsody
Sibelius, plus lite versions Sibelius First, Sibelius Student, Sibelius Instrument Teacher Edition, G7
SmartScore Pro
SmartScore
SmartScore is a music OCR and scorewriter program, developed, published and distributed by Musitek Corporation based in Ojai, California, . As of March 2010, there are over 35,000 registered users of Musitek software worldwide....

(music scanning and scorewriting. Lite versions: SmartScore Songbook, MIDI, Piano and Guitar Editions)
TabTrax Drum, Guitar and Piano notation software and text tab importer, converter

Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...

ConcertWare
ConcertWare
ConcertWare is a music composition software program made by Chad Mitchell of Great Wave Software for the Mac OS in 1984. Later versions were published by Jump! Software Inc. It was the first music program for the Apple Macintosh that printed music from a graphics screen. It included MIDI keyboard...

(obsolete)
Cubase Score V1-5 (first run of version numbers)
Cubase SX
Cubase V4-6 (second run of version numbers)
Encore
Encore (software)
Encore is a scorewriter program for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh, originally created in the 1990s by the US company Passport. Presently Encore is distributed and developed by GVOX.MusicTime Deluxe is the 'essentials' version of Encore.- Ease of use :...
Finale notation program, plus lite versions: Finale Notepad, Notepad Plus, Songwriter, PrintMusic, Allegro
Harmony Assistant, plus the lite version Melody Assistant
Igor Engraver
Igor Engraver
Igor Engraver is a music notation program, published by the Swedish company NoteHeads, and was produced for the Macintosh and Windows operating systems...
Logic Pro
Logic Pro
Logic Pro is a hybrid 32 / 64 bit digital audio workstation and MIDI sequencer software application for the Mac OS X platform. Originally created by German software developer Emagic, Logic Pro became an Apple product when Apple bought Emagic in 2002...

, Logic Express
Logic Express
Logic Express is a "light" version of Logic Pro, a MIDI sequencer and digital audio workstation software application maintained by Apple that runs on the Mac OS X platform. It was announced on 15 January 2004 for release in March 2004....

(successor to Notator and Notator Logic)
Mosaic
Mosaic notation program
Mosaic is a now abandoned software program for producing music originally appearing as Professional Composer. Mark of the Unicorn, the company that produced the software, decided to update Professional Composer and the result was Mosaic. No media release was ever produced by the company about...

(Mac OS 9 only)
Mus2
Mus2
Mus2 is a music application for the notation of microtonal works and, specifically, Turkish maqam music. Unlike most other scorewriters, Mus2 allows the user to work in almost any tuning system with customizable accidentals and play back the score with accurate intonation...
MusicTime Deluxe
Encore (software)
Encore is a scorewriter program for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh, originally created in the 1990s by the US company Passport. Presently Encore is distributed and developed by GVOX.MusicTime Deluxe is the 'essentials' version of Encore.- Ease of use :...
Notion
Notion (software)
NOTION is a computer software program for music composition and performance created by NOTION Music, a company located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Created for use on Microsoft Windows and Mac OS, NOTION's sample library for playback was recorded at Abbey Road by the London Symphony Orchestra...
Overture
Overture (software)
Overture is a music scorewriter program for Windows and Macintosh platforms, written by Don Williams, the author of the popular Encore scorewriter program. Visually, the Overture interface bears much resemblance to the Encore interface....

plus lite version Score Writer.
Rhapsody (Mac OS 9 only)
Sibelius, plus lite versions Sibelius First, Sibelius Student, Sibelius Instrument Teacher Edition, G7
SmartScore Pro
SmartScore
SmartScore is a music OCR and scorewriter program, developed, published and distributed by Musitek Corporation based in Ojai, California, . As of March 2010, there are over 35,000 registered users of Musitek software worldwide....

(music-scanning and music-scoring. Lesser versions: SmartScore Songbook, MIDI, Piano and Guitar Editions)

Online

Capriccio, a score editor available online and as a standalone application - runs under Windows and Linux.
Noteflight, GUI score editor for web browsers
Scorio, a HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....

based WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...

scorewriter for web browsers and a community
Virtual community
A virtual community is a social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially crossing geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goals...

to share music notation

Other

Bank Street Music Writer
Bank Street Music Writer
Bank Street Music Writer was an application for composing and playing music for Atari 8-bit, Apple II, Commodore 64 and DOS . It was written by Glen Clancy and published by Mindscape. The original Atari version, developed under the name "Note Processor" was released in 1985 and used the computer's...

(Atari 8-bit, Apple II, Commodore 64 and DOS)
Cubase Score V1-2 (Atari ST)
Deluxe Music Construction Set
Deluxe Music Construction Set
Deluxe Music Construction Set is a 1986 music composition, notation and playback program for the Amiga and Apple Macintosh home computers.-Summary:...

(Commodore Amiga)
MusicPrinter Plus
MusicPrinter Plus
MusicPrinter Plus is a DOS-based scorewriter program, created by Temporal Acuity Products, Inc.-History:Music Printer Plus was developed by Dr. Jack Jarrett. It grew out of earlier work on a piece of software called Music Printer that ran on Apple computers. It was first released in 1988 and was...

(DOS)
C-Labs Notator V1-3 (Atari ST)
Pro-24 V2-3 (Atari ST - somewhat limited but was able to be used for entry and printing)
SCORE (DOS – once a leading publishing program)

Free software

Mac OSMac OSMac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...

Online

Other

See also

Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...