Free and worth every penny. MuseScore is getting better but you couldn't pay me to use it.
Plenty of MuseScore posts around here, enough to consider this the MuseScore FanBoys Club but its workflow is slow and clunky.
Don't get me wrong, I pay the annual fee to access everything MuseScore — only the notation app is free. My work gets done a lot more quickly in Notion, Finale, Dorico, Overture and Encore and that's what's important to me.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Not for me, but then I use keystrokes for much of what I do.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
This could open up a pro and con discussion of Open Source software. For all the good, there remains a persistent longing for standardization. Say, one of the developers comes up with a great new way to produce a function and winds up making it a part of the program. Then multiply that. As opposed to the Gates method, which is to rip off or copy standard code and put his brand on it.
This could open up a pro and con discussion of Open Source software. …
Except that MuseScore really isn't anymore and neither is Audacity, now owned by the same company. Oh, you can make pull requests on Github but a development team oversees everything. Frankly, I think it's a good thing.
As to that "Always free" part or, in their words, the limited "free" account. Basic functionality, yes but you want the "pro features", that's $49 a year (which I pay) or $6.99 a month.
So why do I pay? Sometimes, I find scores I can use with my ensembles. They are always in terrible shape but editing them into something I can use requires Pro. Normally, I export them as MusicXML and open in Finale, Dorico or Overture. If I don't care how they look and only want to play them with decent VIs, I open them in Notion 6 where assigning VIs couldn't be simpler. MuseScore doesn't support VSTs yet.
Quote:
but then I use keystrokes for much of what I do.
Nice if you have two working hands—not everyone is so equipped. Annoying to have to use a hand and a mouse to do many tasks.
Finale, Dorico, Notion, Encore and Overture require one hand or a mouse to do everything.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Well, different tools for different tradies I say.
Clearly Mike's requirements are met elsewhere but those requirements are, in at least some aspects, unique. Addressing the needs of differently abled folk could be done with the developers as well as the forum members. Even so he stated he uses it when needed and that, I suspect, says even more about the program when it's has a specialized niche in his workflow that sees him buy the annual subscription.
Mike, you make and defeat your won argument in the same post and slight folk with "the MuseScore FanBoys Club". What is a personal workflow essential to you isn't necessarily an important workflow essential to others but your perspective, without the jaundice, can be useful & insightful.
Last edited by rayc; 10/15/2212:52 AM.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Except that MuseScore really isn't anymore and neither is Audacity, now owned by the same company.
That doesn't stop them being Open Source. The source code for both is freely available and under the GNU GPL.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
Mike, you make and defeat your won argument in the same post and slight folk with "the MuseScore FanBoys Club".
I chose my words carefully and meant what I wrote. For years and in many threads, the mere suggestion around here that MuseScore is not all that good has brought them out in droves frothing at their keyboards because Free, apparently, trumps everything else which is nonsense in my opinion. When something is bad, it's bad and price or lack thereof, has nothing to do with it.
That v.3 is not all that good is a tremendous improvement over the previous versions. The new head of development—once its harshest critic—has done a pretty good job making it no longer horrible. Let's see what he and his team do with version 4. The code isn't stable yet so I'm passing for now.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Free, apparently, trumps everything else which is nonsense in my opinion. When something is bad, it's bad and price or lack thereof, has nothing to do with it.
There are certainly quite a few people in the OpenSource/FOSS world who believe paying for software is a heresy.
Personally I'm perfectly happy to pay for software that's good for me and I'll make donations for free-beer software and to things like Wikipedia.
Some of that "good for me", though, is related to familiarity. There are many people who love BiaB's note entry system, but I can't get my head around it at all. I find it unusable. That's probably just me.
For me, MuseScore works because I can do most of the heavy lifting without having to touch the mouse. Mice cause wrist strain and I've suffered with that for many years as a consequence. Horses for courses. YMMV.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
.................. Personally I'm perfectly happy to pay for software that's good for me and I'll make donations for free-beer software and to things like Wikipedia.
Some of that "good for me", though, is related to familiarity. There are many people who love BiaB's note entry system, but I can't get my head around it at all. I find it unusable. That's probably just me.
.......................
Gordon, you are not alone. I also donate to free software if I use it a lot.
I also find BiaB's note entry system unusable. I find other note entry systems much easier. Again YMMV and I do not knock other people's workflow.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
This has been promised for well over a year now. But this video is new so things may start to happen.
A good rule of thumb is to not sign up to a first release of a new version. There are almost always numerous bugs. Wait for the dust to settle.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
This has been promised for well over a year now. But this video is new so things may start to happen.
I like the promise. We'll see… I hope that the release version finally includes a decent implementation of MusicXML 3.0 (anyone at Dorico listening?). M-XML 3.1 or 4.0 would be nicer but I don't expect miracles.
For ease of use, nothing tops Encore but that's not seen a real upgrade since Encore 5 in 2008. Don Williams, the original developer, has bought the company and expects to release Encore 6 later this year. I don't know if he can include all the necessary new features and compatibility while maintaining the quick workflow that I want. At least, it will be nice to open the last 30+ years of files and export as M-MXL 3 at last. When I need to knock out a quick choral or praise band arrangement, nothing has ever been faster—just don't print for publication as it looks worse than MuseScore 1.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
.... we are delighted to announce the Alpha 2 release of MuseScore 4. This is a major milestone for us because it combines (with four exceptions) all the major work that will be released to the public.
Win - https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/releases/download/v4.0_alpha_2/M… Mac - https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/releases/download/v4.0_alpha_2/M… Linux - https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/releases/download/v4.0_alpha_2/M…
We are delighted to announce the Beta release of MuseScore 4! The links below are for our new Muse Hub installer application, which can be used to install and update MuseScore and download / install our new orchestral plugin Muse Sounds. See the bottom of this post for more information and help with Muse Hub installation.
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
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Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
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