The Standard Music Font Layout (SMuFL) specification for music-symbol fonts.
LS Iris has always been a distinctive presence in the SMuFL font landscape — a handwritten music font with calligraphic roots and a warmth that sets it apart from the field. After several years off the market, it’s back, newly overhauled and significantly expanded.
As we close the book on 2025, it’s time to look back at another year of music notation news, updates, creativity, and conversation.
Three more fonts from the legendary Music Type Foundry are now available for the first time in SMuFL format: MTF-Gutenberg 1939, MTF-Ross, and MTF-Improviso. In addition, each of the original five MTF fonts receives significant updates.
MuseScore Studio 4.6 brings improvements in engraving, workflow and playback. Full support for custom SMuFL fonts, improved staff hiding functionality, and increased options for bar numbers and chord symbol display are among the highlights.
The Music Type Foundry introductory sale is extended by one week. Each MTF SMuFL font is available at Notation Central at a special discount of 25% off through April 7, 2025.
Five of the premium Music Type Foundry fonts have been newly revised and re-released exclusively on Notation Central, the first time in three years that these fonts have been made available.
MakeMusic has made all of its Finale fonts available for anyone to download, for free, independently of Finale itself. This includes not just the "Finale" SMuFL fonts introduced in Finale 27, but the older fonts as well, such as the Maestro, Engraver, and Jazz fonts.
MakeMusic has ended development and availability of Finale, its flagship music notation software, and has partnered with Steinberg to offer Dorico Pro at a deeply discounted exclusive price.
Lelandia is a newly created music font available for use in Sibelius that you can get from Notation Central. Lelandia was migrated from Leland, which is the default music font used in newer versions of MuseScore. Leland is inspired by the look of the SCORE engraving program, created by Leland Smith.
The MOLA 2023 conference will see the debut of the Tech Fair, on Friday, June 2, 2023. The fair will be an opportunity for technology-focused presentations and exhibits, especially those relevant to performance librarians, publishers and musicians.
