There is also a new offering that is web based notation software called noteflight. There is no Mac version of this software available. For Windows and Linux users consider Musescore from You can read a comparison of Musescore and Finale NotePad at. I usually purchase these from resellers such as Since Finale NotePad is no longer free (it costs $9.95 per copy), there are two options I know of for a totally free music notation solution. Do be aware that there are liberal education discounts for students, church musicians and educators. But you will need to find a new source for free notation software, or go with one of the light, student editions such as Finale NotePad, Finale PrintMusic, or Sibelius Student. So, if you have an install disk for Finale NotePad 2008 or earlier, hold on to it. Finale Reader can open, play, and print (but not edit) any Finale family file – as well as MusicXML files – and it is a free download. They are now shipping a new product, Finale Reader. See my post on Music XMLĪlso, MakeMusic is no longer making earlier versions of Finale NotePad available. I also means that Finale NotePad files, when exported in XML format, can be opened by other applications that read Music XML such as Sibelius. NotePad 2009 can import/export MusicXML files so it can save files that can be opened in earlier versions of Finale. The price is certainly reasonable, but it is no longer free. MakeMusic announced in August, 2008 that beginning with Finale NotePad 2009, which is the current version, it will not be free and will cost $9.95 per copy.

In my previous post on free notation software, I listed Finale NotePad as free music notation software.

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