Music Notation Software

A comparison of Finale Notepad and MuseScore

Do you want to arrange or compose your own music online? If so, you have probably heard of Finale Notepad and MuseScore. Both of these programs are software you can use for creating detailed music parts and scores. Finale is by far the most popular music software. You can find them on university computers, almost every major and minor publisher in the world uses Finale. MuseScore is another well-known software that is totally free if you do not want to pay for Finale. 

I recently started on my own musical arrangements and have relied on both software. Right off the bat in my experience with Finale, the interface looked old like it was from the early 2010s. The software guide was very helpful and placing notes on the page was easy. I could also find different articulations and markings easily and did not have to go out of my way to search for them. In my mind, the main appeal of Finale comes from its ease of use. The interface may be old, but it is friendly for beginners starting to use the software. The only big limitation it has is the lack of chord notations. MuseScore on the other hand was more difficult to use. The layout was friendly, but placing notes with a mouse was a time-consuming nightmare until I figured out I could use a MIDI keyboard. MuseScore is always improving with some different updates. The palette of dynamics and other articulations are more diverse than the set in Finale.

Both Finale and MuseScore are great software, but each works better in different aspects. Finale is better for creating compositions with multiple parts, such as choir and orchestral works, while MuseScore is suited for instrumental works. If you can’t afford Finale, MuseScore is a good substitute. You can’t go wrong with either. Let me know which software you prefer.