Let’s get up to speed on some recent developments in the music notation software industry, like software updates, Michael Good’s retirement, the next W3C group meeting, Sibelius team licensing, and more.
musicxml
Dolet 8.1 MusicXML plug-in for Sibelius is released
MakeMusic has released Dolet 8.1 for Sibelius, its latest version of the free plug-in that writes MusicXML files that can then be read and used in more than 200 applications that support the interchange format.
PlayScore 2 adds text, lyrics, guitar chords, and more
The most recent updates to PlayScore 2 support lyrics, guitar chords, and multi-measure rests. A count-in feature, better rehearsal instrument support, and more improvements are also included. Plus, a preview of what’s to come.
Finale version 27.2 adds new jazz template, native Apple silicon support
Finale version 27.2 runs natively on Apple silicon Macs for the first time. All default documents and document styles in v27.2 are now SMuFL-based, and, in a welcome surprise, there is a fully revamped SMuFL-compliant jazz default file and document style.
Dolet 8 for Sibelius adds MusicXML 4.0 support and much more
MakeMusic has released Dolet 8 for Sibelius, its latest version of the free plug-in that writes MusicXML files that can then be read and used in more than 200 applications that support the interchange format.
Beta testers sought for Dolet 8, the MusicXML plug-in for Sibelius
MakeMusic is seeking beta testers for its free Dolet 8 plug-in for Sibelius. Although Sibelius has its own built-in MusicXML export function, Dolet exports MusicXML differently from the native Sibelius feature. This is the first update to Dolet since 2016.
Finale version 27.1: SMuFL burrows deeper
The Finale v27.1 update brings deeper SMuFL integration into Finale. It is now possible to convert legacy non-SMuFL-based documents to SMuFL-compliant documents, and to import font metadata directly into Finale’s document settings. Plug-ins and libraries are also updated to use SMuFL.
Newzik Maestria review: The score reader that promises to read scores
Maestria is a technology that allows Newzik to not just display a score, but also to understand it musically. The resulting score is a LiveScore, which includes the ability to view the score as with any other, and also the ability to play it back and export it.
Music Notation Community Group reviews progress; discusses future MNX format
The W3C Music Notation Community Group held its 2021 annual meeting. The major discussion topic was the status of MNX, the new music notation format. In addition, the group reviewed recent achievements such as MusicXML 4.0, SMuFL 1.4, and a new documentation generator.
Finale version 27 review: SMuFL and MusicXML 4.0 support
A review of Finale version 27. Headlining the new features are deep support for two open standards: Standard Music Font Layout (SMuFL), and MusicXML. Tighter SmartMusic integration, playback improvements, and user interface enhancements round out what’s new.