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Symphony Pro - Music Notation

SymphonyPro 5 is a complete and intuitive app for writing music notation on iPad. It allows you to compose music for just about any size ensemble, from piano, symphonies, band, lead sheets, chord charts, guitar tabs, and more.
Category Price Seller Device
Music $19.99 Xenon Labs, LLC iPhone, iPad, iPod

Starting Version 5, Symphony Pro now offers handwriting recognition as the only in-app purchase: Perfect with Apple Pencil, and works great with touch or capacitive stylus

GETTING STARTED

SP provides all of the key options to begin your work. Import a score via MusicXML, MXL, MIDI, or SP file from your computer, or from apps like Dropbox, Mail, iCloud Drive, or Safari. You can base your project on a template, or start a blank score and add additional parts later.

EDITING

To add notes, choose Pencil mode, and tap anywhere on a bar to begin editing right away. You can quickly specify note properties before or after placing notes. By switching to Select mode with one touch, you can also transpose, erase, cut, and paste multiple notes/tracks.

With an on-screen instrument, a QWERTY keyboard, or Core MIDI compatible keyboard, you can quickly enter notes & chords in step entry mode. Record a part in real-time with on-screen instruments to transcribe into notation.

Versions 4 & 5 take greater advantage of the iPad touchscreen. With shortcuts and contextual menus to edit note & bar properties, many of the commonly used editing commands are right at your fingertips.

SP supports a wide range of notational elements for your composition. Including dynamics & articulations, time & key signature changes, clef changes, pedals, and repeat conventions. Edit chord symbols, lyrics, and annotations using the iPad’s standard keyboard.

EXPORT & SHARE

When you’re finished, print out your score with AirPrint, or export it as a PDF, MusicXML, AAC, MIDI, or Symphony file. Share files via email or directly to another computer or iPad via Dropbox/iCloud Drive.

KEY FEATURES

• Introducing Handwriting Recognition for Apple Pencil & touch
• Starting Version 5, Handwriting is the only In-App Purchase to enable the complete app
• Now download SP on your iPhone
• 24+ professionally recorded and sound-designed acoustic instruments, free out of the box

Earlier features offered free, to existing & new owners

• 114 built-in instruments for playback, and auditioning the notes you entered
• Create in standard music notation or tablature
• Edit with an on-screen piano, QWERTY keyboard, or a MIDI input device
• Dozens of shortcuts & gestures to edit & navigate
• Reduce your score size, range, or combination of parts for viewing & editing*
• Print directly to AirPrint
• Up to 48 instruments, 100 staves, 4 voices/layers per score
• Record a part in real-time with clicks at the beat with optional emphasis
• Backup & sync your scores with iCloud*
• Import MusicXML, MIDI, MXL, or Symphony files
• Export as a PDF, MusicXML, MIDI, AAC, or Symphony file
• Large selection of articulations & dynamics
• Multi-measure rests* for parts
• Grace notes
• Customizable notehead symbol & colors
• Chord symbol, lyric, and annotation tools
• Edit the properties of multiple notes and rests simultaneously by multi-note select
• Copy/Paste function supports partial & multi-bar/staff select
• Unlimited undo/redo
• Customizable stem directions & note beaming
• Transposing & concert pitch score option
• Change tempo or clef anywhere in score or bar
• Stream audio or share your screen wirelessly with AirPlay
• Advanced document management
• Create your own custom project template or use a built-in one
• Customizable part groupings for SATB and instrument families
• Customizable chord symbol, lyric, and annotation font
• Loop playback feature
• Auto-save support

* Previously a paid upgrade, but now free starting Version 5

For More information, please visit:

• http://www.symphonypro.net
• http://forums.symphonypro.net
• Facebook page at www.facebook.com/symphonyapp
• Learn about the iPhone-only app: bit.ly/symphonyiphone

Reviews

Exercise in frustration
Habaneroburger

The functionality is nice and the app shows a lot of promise but it gets a hundred little things wrong and it ends up fighting. you. all. the. time. When you can get in a groove of note entry then you’re really happy, but you can only enter maybe five or six notes successfully at most before it messes something up, and it takes you 30 seconds to fix it. It’s really bad about inadvertent screen touches (even finger touches while using the pencil are bad) and it loves to drop random notes ten ledger lines below a staff. If it gets the pitch of a note wrong and you go to fix it, what will it do? The same gesture may bring up an edit window, or add another note, or rewrite the note, or do nothing, at random. You can drag to change the pitch but it prefers to change to a non-diatonic note and it’s a real pain to move it the extra half-step. Especially with the pencil you learn to change its input mode all the time to reduce chances of input being misinterpreted. Multi-voice support is wonky. It loves to interrupt your workflow to brag how a feature you didn’t intend to invoke used to be paid but is now free. You get the picture here — using the app is a litany of navigating its bugs and quirks and shortcomings, and you cannot enter a state of flow with it because it behaves so erratically. You use it because you have to. You’re unlikely to be happy with this as your sole notation app unless your needs are trivial. For my part I will use it on-the-go for quick ideas or to do entry of scores I will later clean up in Sibelius on my laptop — an app which for all its oddities I have gained a much better appreciation for now. I don’t blame the developers. Writing this sort of app is super hard, and the Sibelius and Finale developers have had teams working for years and years, and their stuff costs hundreds. This price is a steal by comparison, but nevertheless you get what you pay for.


Impressive, but serious flaws
Spe42

It is a very impressive package, considering all the features that are built into the app. Was somewhat disappointed when, immediately after purchasing, I navigated to the in-app user manual, clicked on "submit feature request", and the app immediately crashed. When I then went to submit a crash report—the app crashed again. Notwithstanding, I am very impressed with the sheer volume of keystroke shortcuts to use the features—and since I am using an ipad keyboard case, this works well for my needs. However, as other reviewers have noted, the note input method is an incredible nuisance. Compared to what else is available on the ipad, and what reviewers are generally saying about them, Symphony Pro seems to my way of thinking yet the most reliable. All the music notation apps seem to have very compromising errors in their functionality, and not much in the way of signs of improvement (judging by what reviewers are saying, that is). Considering what's available, this is of very good quality.


Outstanding Creativity Tool
Jasper Yate

What an amazing way to bring musical composition to the iPad and beyond! Make music and save paper ~ what’s not to love!? Elegant and capable. Has all the tools I could imagine and more :)


More fun than playing games!
KStover02

I’m writing my first composition and this app will definitely make it easier. It’s more fun than playing games.


PLEASE IM SUPER UPSET
Xjdjdjdidifi

Please fix this ASAP: When I am setting my tempo I’ll adjust my tempo above 224 and if i hit play it changes my tempo to 224 you should be able to select any tempo you want. Ok please try and fix this. Thank You, Ryan D.


This app is great
ElectricMan4Ever

It lets you compose symphonies


Great tool for transcription and teaching!
Damien Smith

I really love this app. I am learning more and more about it all the time. It is a fantastic tool for both scoring, and teaching. It is relatively easy to learn and great for practicing and sharing files.


Teachers get this app,
Lizard Mike

This was complicated at first . However once I figures it out the process became smooth and extremely useful. I recommend this app for beginners and advanced. Specially music teachers.


Like using with Apple pincil
Toomuchsurfing

So far, so good. I will update later after using this more.


Great on iPad, almost unusable on iPhone.
Nathanael

Using this app on an iPad Pro is a joy. For me, it’s faster than any other notation program out there. (I have the most time on Finale.) But the iPhone version, especially on my XS, is a train wreck. The interface can’t seem to stay in any particular orientation, regardless of which way I hold my device. The interface is cut off on the corners. Please read Apple’s interface guidelines for iPhone X+ phones and IMPLEMENT THEM.


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