Sibelius Scorch replacement? Sibelius replacement?
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 397
    Now that Avid (the owners of Sibelius) have switched the support of online playback of Sibelius files from the free Scorch plugin to their subscription-based cloud storage model (requiring all new uploads and links), I am looking for a different app/plugin with which to create scores that both display and play back online. I have hundreds of scores in Sibelius, with approximately 200 already on my website with Scorch files, and if I am going to convert them to some other format, I might as well look at other methods of doing so, especially as the 'Avid Scorch' model means having to pay the subscription fee yearly in order to be able to continue to access the files.

    While I am asking this question, I might as well also ask what programs people are using for score creation, their pros and cons, and associated costs. I presently use Sibelius and pay the yearly subscription (educational discount) of $89. I am accustomed to Sibelius, but that certainly doesn't rule out changing to a different program that works better! TIA!
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Curious... for what purpose do you use the playback function via the web?
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    I used Sibelius in college and for a few years after. Nowadays, Musescore is free and does everything I need. It’s not always *as* intuitive as Sibelius (I do miss being able to just drag horizontally to adjust spacing between notes), but there are workarounds to everything once you’re familiar with its idiosyncracies.
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • Schönbergian
    Posts: 1,063
    MuseScore beats out Sibelius in pretty much every way nowadays - notation quality, playback, and their online database.
    Thanked by 3Patricia Cecilia CHGiffen CharlesW
  • davido
    Posts: 873
    Yea, I just switched to Musescore to save the parish $$$. I really miss the horizontal dragging
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 397
    Francis--I use it so that my schola members can hear and practice their parts in polyphony. In Sibelius I can set each voice to a different sound, which is very helpful. (My basses are always the tenor trombone, altos the viola, sopranos the 'choral Ahs'.)

    A related question: to get my Sibelius scores into MuseScore, can I import them to Musescore using xml or midi?
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,148
    A related question: to get my Sibelius scores into MuseScore, can I import them to Musescore using xml or midi?
    .xml is your best bet for importing choral scores into MuseScore.
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    It might be worthwhile to check whether your choir's members' computers are perhaps able to play the MIDI files without a web interface. If that's the case, you could continue to use Sibelius to make them.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Patricia Cecilia
  • Schönbergian
    Posts: 1,063
    Alternatively, export the Sibelius sounds as a .wav file (and convert to .mp3 if file size is an issue) and then distribute the score to your choir members along with the audio file, which can be played by just about any electronic device out there.
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,148
    If the goal is to have scores both for viewing and for playback in MuseScore, then importing .midi is definitely inferior to importing .xml (or .mxl) and will entail far less editing.
    Thanked by 3chonak Incardination Patricia Cecilia
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,025
    Check out Noteflight.com

    Option to use for free, but very useful premium features cost only $49 per year.

    Entirely web-based, intuitive graphic interface, options for keyboard entry shortcuts, sharing of scores online both for viewing and playback, options for allowing others access to edit your work. You can form public and private groups among Noteflight members for score sharing and you can also create links that anyone can click on to access a score. You can import scores in .xml format.

    Serves my needs just fine. It's what I use.
    Thanked by 2Incardination Patricia Cecilia
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    MuseScore is good. I have Finale, but have considered it a near abomination since my youth.
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    If you're willing to do a little leg work, you can make videos to put on YT as well. I export my scores as PDF's and make practice recordings with Hauptwerk and then overlay the two in Camtasia (most video editors could do this, however).
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Patricia Cecilia
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