Name: Sibelius
Rating: 4.21713 (875 reviews)

User Reviews for Sibelius

4.22 out of 5

875 Ratings

2 years ago, Brieasaurus

It’s definitely got potential

I’d like to see the ability to save as musicxml in the ultimate version. Also would like to see better quality sounds. I like the way you can write using a mouse. It’s like what you do on a desktop. Makes it so much easier since I’m used to it. Still getting used to where everything is since it’s all hidden. I’m used to having everything on screen. If you can implement an option for everything to be visible that would be awesome. Also exporting as an audio recording would be great, but only if you add better quality sounds. 900mb sounds is not very good. But I could work around that if you bring the ability to export as music xml. But this is the closest thing I’ve found to writing music in a quality program outside the computer. For when I travel I can keep writing music. Sure I could go with staffpad but it doesn’t recognize my handwriting most of the time. So, if you brought the sound quality and ability to save as music xml you would have an awesome app on your hands. It’s definitely got potential and I’d like to see pro tools come to iPad next.

2 weeks ago, ianburrito

Subscription service glitch! And I was in the middle of a perfectly good piano concerto

So, we bought the Artist subscription for your app in August, and it just renewed on November 30. I am writing on December 6, and my subscription has just today disappeared. So when I go to the menu to restore it, it says “Your subscription has expired”. But if it renewed on the 30th and it is just now the 6th, and each billing period is a month, that is impossible. I would like some support with this. Our $6 now covers only less than a week, rather than a month. Anyway I have reached a solution for my piano concerto: to take the first movement and turn it in to a “Concert Piece”. That, at least, isn’t a worry. Also I like the new input keyboard too. It is more colorful, with the different voice color tags. P.S. If you buy the Perpetual license your subscription will not disappear like that 👍

10 months ago, janeontour

Frustrated and un-jolly

Ugh, had this app for a couple years now and I pay the 5.99 Sibelius artist subscription. I use it to write basic lead sheets and easy piano arrangements for my students. It’s convenient as I don’t use a desktop anymore. Now, in the middle of December some weird mercury in retrograde crap happens and I don’t have my regular access. Apple says there is nothing wrong on their end and that my subscription is still active. However, the app says I’m only a Sibelius first and I have to upgrade… when I try it states that already have it, and I am logged in on 5 devices and have to log out (it’s only on my iPad and iPhone) or my subscription expired. I’ve updated my iPad, I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times, and even upgraded to the ultimate… nothing helped at all, but contribute more to the holly-jolly stress in my life. Also contacted avid, they said it’s an apple thing, contact apple, they say it’s an Avid thing… I feel like a ping pong ball right now. Mercury in retrograde ends Jan. 2nd… I don’t think I can wait that long… may check out Dorico in the meantime. Sibelius… do your best to convince a longtime supporter to stay with you. I’m running out of patience.

1 year ago, TimTimpani

Just NO

This is the worst music software I've ever used. I'm using an iPad Pro with pencil. I cannot select notes. According to the docs, I should be able to long press on a note to select it, or hold down near the note and "lasso" around it. EVERY THING I TRY IT JUST ADDS MORE NOTES. I can't hold down on a note and drag it to change pitch IT JUST ADDS ANOTHER NOTE. Every time I drag along the paper, the paper just moves around with the pencil or my finger. Oh, and to add a pick up measure, I have to open the search and type "Make Into Bar". I might as well go back to using my computer and typing text into Lilypond if I'm going to be typing all this stuff. And why can't I turn my pencil into an eraser to delete things by double tapping on it like I can with a drawing apps? And how do I set the time signature? When I tried to do that, it said I had to have something selected. Huh? The green bar is at the beginning of the piece. So, I guess I have to write the entire song out first, then select the whole song, then set the time signature????? I have an idea, just set the stinking time signature wherever the cursor is from that point forward--it's not that complicated. Absolutely non-intuitive interface.

2 years ago, The Phantom Scholar

A Great Start

I believe this is a great product so far! It does need some adjustments to allow for it to be more useful on the day-to-day, but it has been very helpful for me so far. One thing I think would help a lot would be to have some area for custom shortcuts: either along the top next to the current buttons, maybe have a few spots that can be customized or have another layer to the keypad for shortcuts to certain commands and tools.

12 months ago, La neige

i wouldn't bother... yet

I am a long time user and had high hopes when I installed this but its not particularly functional. the functionality with apple pencil is particularly poor. I would have liked the idea of editing in a more 'traditional' pencil paper way but avid basically made the pencil into a mouse. There is also limited access features that you might want from the desktop version. no plugins, for example. they could improve it by making this primarily a tool for setting finishing touches in the layout stage since most ipads are paper sized it would be great to do that with an apple pencil (at least for parts). Also being able to mark it up like you do in score editing and being able to go back and adjust with those marks in mind would add a lot of value. Currently its like using finale notepad but expensive.

2 years ago, BandMan1028

Can’t subscribe so I don’t know if it’s useful!

I am so excited to get to use this app! I’ve been waiting years for a powerful, full featured notation app that would allow me to use my old Sibelius files on my iPad (since I don’t use a laptop any longer). Then I try to open one of those files and try to upgrade to the Artist level subscription, only to constantly get the error message “Offline - Check your internet connection and try again” I’m most definitely not offline. So, the promise of this app is botched by your inability to take my money. I hope to get to actually try your app in the future!

2 years ago, arkofsax

Not bad but needs work for serious applications

Like many others, I see the potential in this app. There are some features particularly involving note entry that definitely help push this to the front of the line for mobile music composition. I would recommend implementing a “toolbar” of sorts- possibly something that can be swiped aside to hide/reveal as needed. This bar could include customized additions such as “triplets”, “add bar at end”, etc. The current searching system is simply far too slow and awkward. Most importantly though, the app has now crashed twice on me and cost me MANY hours of work. Please implement an autosave feature!!! This is a huge problem and in my opinion pretty much renders the app unusable as I can’t really get into a flow without fear of the inevitable crash.

2 years ago, Windsurfer320

Has potential and a mean streak!

I have Sibelius on my iMac and MacBook Pro, and finally now on my iPad Pro. I was so excited about this app and the mobility of the Sibelius product on my iPad. I really like Sibelius, but… I was working on a Big Band piece for a couple of days while visiting the grandkids out of town. I was constantly saving my progress. On day 2, the app just shut down completely, with no sign of my work anywhere. I probably had about 7 hours of work invested in this piece. That is very frustrating when you know that you are constantly saving your work and it totally disappears to never be seen again! This is a major show stopper! If you don’t have the confidence that your work won’t be lost, then how can you invest time in this version of the app???? I do think the app has potential once the bugs are worked out. Don’t go spending days on charts without taking screenshots. I took one screenshot, and it was of only the first page of my work. I had complicated drum parts, guitar parts, and of course horn parts as well. So, 4 pages vaporized. Bummer!!!

1 year ago, UnstoppableConrad

Ambiguity of the app’s actual features via free version

I’ve been browsing for a long time and I was ready to spend money in promise of working jazz articulation features. Only, it’s impossible to tell what the app actually has to offer seeing as the important articulation marks in question are locked behind the subscription. Naturally this can be said for most other features, but frankly I just wanted to know how good or bad the playback quality would be. It was this and overall clunkiness/occasional errors (some accents just get blatantly ignored in playback) that has me looking back into Dorico instead.

2 years ago, byhyffhj

Charge way too much and the terrible custom or service

I’ve used Sibelius for about 18 years and was very satisfied for about 16, but since they have moved to charging the ridiculous amount of $20 a month $240 a year I am about ready to leave. Over the last 18 years I bough three Sibelius programs for about $300 and would update every year often for free and then around $50 to update again. $240 every year is too high, and the way everything is autoimated and it being almost impossible to reach a human to address billing errors has me inches away form going to Finale or Dorico. Honestly Sibelius I know you have no interest in music notation and are all about creating platforms for DJ’s so just do that.

2 years ago, sudo.fsck

Update: Still stealing and refusing to refund

Avid took it upon themselves to charge me for 2 months after I initially canceled my subscription, including forcing a charge-off on a credit card that had been paid off and closed for nearly two years. When trying to get the refunds to which I am rightfully entitled, Apple told me I had to reach out to Avid. Despite sending over all of the receipts, Avid has also decided that they will not refund me and are trying to send me back to Apple. Save yourself the headache and skip this app, the customer service is absolute hot garbage and they will steal from you and try to harm your credit at the same time.

1 year ago, B-Dubbers

Good App, Could Use Tweaks

I enjoy Sibelius as a notation software, especially when the desktop matched Word so it made navigation easier. However, this did not translate to the app yet. You have a limited amount of dropdowns until you just have to search for what you’re looking for and hope you have the name exactly right. There is limited supporting documentation to help the user beyond “getting started”. Not even google searches have answers for just the iPad’s version. What could help: -In-depth user documentation to help change parts, add/remove various things, and examples with pictures to show how to solve various problems in the app -Buttons for faster implementation of commonly used tools, such as adding/deleting bars and parts, navigation, etc. In summation: The app is not so clear, and has much potential to be a great app with better user documentation.

2 years ago, Namhglit

Decent, but not for full compositions

The app is fairly good. However, I would not suggest using it for full compositions. It can be handy to make small edits or even make small simple pieces or melodies (perhaps for trios, quartets, or a piano reduction). It can also be fairly good for jotting down ideas, but it is always much more efficient to work on a desktop than the app—which is to be expected.

5 months ago, CMorse NH

Absolutely unintuitive

I’m trying to figure out how to copy sheet music without having all of the extra bass lines, etc. from my own music books. all I want is an entire song on one page instead of on four pages with all the extra stuff like in my books. I can barely figure out how to get started and when I can, I end up with a whole bunch of extra rests everywhere on the page in between notes and everything else. I’ve tried finding and reading some help literature, there’s not much out there. Some actual freaking instruction would be very helpful.

2 years ago, vln arr.

Are the saving issues really fixed?

I spent 2.5 hours making edits and save a couple of times along the way. I went to wrap up for the night and clicked on the arrow (not holding it down) for the drop down menu for saving, and it took me back to the file screen. There were no saved versions and I couldn’t figure out how to just get back to the file I was working on. I opened another file, made one measures of edits, clicked saved, but when I reopened it, those changes did not save. Is this because I’m in trial mode? This is a very disappointing start in my switch from Finale.

9 months ago, ecujhhy

Good, but a MAJOR issue

I have been using Sibelius for a while now. And while I have found it a generally pleasant experience, there is one issue that really needs to be fixed. When I create a score with more than one part, like a duet, I can’t set individual key signatures. For example. If I was to make the key signature on the trombone part B flat major, it would also add the 2 flats to the key signature on the alto saxophone part. Please fix this, it really does seem like a simple feature…

2 years ago, allthegoodnicksrtaken

Unusable for some visually impaired folks

Fonts enlarge correctly, but the window containing them has no scrollbar, so it's impossible for those of us who depend on large/accessible system fonts to read the "getting started" in a helpful way. Not being able to read the docs is a nonstarter for me, and particularly frustrating as a past pro user of desktop Sibelius looking to resume orchestral composition as a hobby -- I'd intended to initiate a top-tier subscription after a quick look around to make sure the mobile UI would work for me, but natch :(

2 years ago, Teubk

Great potential, frustrating bugs.

I love the ease of this app! It’s exactly what I need to transcribe and transpose…but constantly what gets in the way of my efficiency is incessant CRASHES. I’ll be moving quickly and if I fail to highlight an object say to add text the app will always crash often before my first save thus requiring me to start all the way over again and go write this review. This app will certainly be what musicians use on a tablet it just requires some TLC. Thanks!

4 days ago, UNDeI27@KeI2

It’s got style!

Took me a minute to figure out this on mobile, but it was worth the small learning curve. Now that I have a notation app so well-made, with stylish design, wile keeping it so professional and easy to use. To top it all off it even has a great free version of the app. So This app is a must Have!!!

6 months ago, Kyle Sinpraseuth

Best music score ever!!! I dont know why some of y’all hate this.

If some of y’all hate it, why would you download it and leave a bad review, whats the point of downloading it then if your gonna hate it? Just find another music score app, not that hard! Freaking babies. -Kyle

2 years ago, A___Human

The Best Composition software with a Mobile app

I have tried MuseScore and NoteFlight, but neither of them have an effective mobile version. The main thing I ask to improve is the MIDI, which is one of the lowest quality I have used.

2 years ago, Lipshurt

Bugs, awkward

This is only regarding the mobile app on iPad: Pencil implementation is awkward. Most apps that use the pencil have a way to block off the screen where your palm rests. The only way to use the pencil effectively is to wear a cotton glove with three fingers cut shorter to allow your fingertips to use the touch screen. The app dumps your work every so often, like you open the file and you’ve lost your most recent session. The app does NOT save automatically, and even if you save your work it can get erased. Choosing “save and close” is more reliable. Do it often, like back in 1991. Customer support is really nothing other than someone reading you the paragraph from the manual.

2 years ago, E Natsuhiro J

EXTREMELY difficult to use on idevices

Why did Avid even bother producing these apps?! Note input and features are extremely finicky and difficult to use, it’s not user friendly at all which is severely disappointing. I’ve used Sibelius on PC’s for 17 years and it’s really best just to only use these on a computer with a full on keyboard and mouse, it’s much much easier to use and straightforward. Avid really wasted a lot of time money and memory even bothering with these device apps.

4 months ago, LunaCamLovegood 12

I love this app! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really love this app. It is just sooo easy to use. I could use it on the go, and it is completely free! For any composers or future composers out there, then this is what you need on your phone or iPad or whatever you have. 6/5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

6 months ago, Wfhruhuh

Question, in a hurry!!!

The best composing app! A very important question and I am in rush for it: can I copy and a part from one piece and paste it on another piece?please reply thank you so much!!

1 month ago, Anon App Review

Still super bad.

This app is still a usability abomination. Initially reviews day of release and just tried again. Wow. Reducing to 1 Star for having never even tried to improve it in that area. Crashed when tried to import a MusicXML. Not sure if it’s possible now. Maybe not. Thought I’d try anyways. Bought Dorico Mobile instead, and ended up getting Dorico Pro instead of Sibelius Ultimate because I need a usable mobile solution.

2 years ago, Mz.Lady Saxx

Wasted too much time correcting the app

App Kept Crashing! Extremely annoying to compose an entire score only to loose it in a freeze screen before crashing! Even after hitting save, it will not open back up the same. Don’t click transpose or key change button b/c it will crash again. Ugh took me 4 hours to write happy birthday due to crashes and redoing what I already did. :(

2 years ago, Wannadoo

Whaaaat?

WHY do I have to pay AGAIN for this App when I own Sibelius Ultimate on my laptop? Well, ok, I do monthly subscription but even so. Isn’t this going a bit far? Avid should include a facility with either program to avail the user of both versions, seeing as we are still paying for it! If anyone can correct me in this I would be grateful as I would like the portability if the app but I’m not paying twice!!

2 years ago, dyllisphiller

No perpetual license, limited feature set

There is no perpetual up-front licensing option. Its feature set is extremely limited as a result. I’ll consider paying for good software—but anything that isn’t for enterprise users shouldn’t be subscription-based. The app also doesn’t seem to support exporting as MusicXML, which is probably so it can’t work with MuseScore so people will buy their desktop app.

1 year ago, GPSRX33

Keep losing my work

My big gripe is that every time I make a new score and come back to it later, the score is gone - I’ve lost a lot of work this way. I’ve never used a mobile app without auto save, and to be honest this makes the app unusable for me.

9 months ago, arrozzconpollo11

Subscription error makes app I paid for unusable

I have an artist subscription. It is paid for. The app doesn’t recognize it and errors out every time I try to restore purchases. The support on the avid website is not helpful at all. I tried opening another support case via the apple App Store with avid, hopefully they respond but this is ridiculous.

1 year ago, Dino1🫠

Hard to position

It’s great for starting and works really well, but it’s hard to get the notes into the right position. It also plays all of my songs really slowly, so if you could fix those problems that would be GREAT. 👍🏻

1 year ago, Dean Brewer

Great Software!

Fantastic software. Best scoring app I’ve used thus far. Only problem can y’all PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE allow us mobile users the ability to export scores in .xml format?

2 years ago, ispent10minonnickname

Absolutely Terrible

I lost 2 hours worth of work because this pathetic excuse for a notation app crashed completely out of no where. I was writing a three voice fugue. There is absolutely no reason the app should have overloaded because of that. I will never be supporting this company in my life ever. Fix the UI. Make it less clunky. Make it more intuitive. This is pathetic. Its 2023

2 months ago, Donski45

Excellent music notation

It does the job, i’m waiting for this for so long…

2 years ago, kenplaysviola

Cannot write one note

I have an Apple Pencil and I am unable to write one note. The user interface is not clear and is counter intuitive. I should be able to use the pencil to write a note instead of clicking around everywhere guessing. I hope this app supports hand writing notes one day.

2 years ago, ilovemusic1016946

FRUSTRATING!!!!

I’ve had and been using Sibelius for months now and this is absolutely ridiculous, this has crashed for me so many times its uncalled for and the best thing about Sibelius is that it doesn’t save your work!!! I spent 2 hours writing a composition for it to just disappear. I’d like a refund for my subscription this is horrible!

2 years ago, EnnuiMatisse

Unusable (crashes, loses work)

Might have been a good app if it didn't constantly crash and lose work. Listen you tour users and at least implement auto-save. Fix this before doing anything else, or you're effectively just tricking people into paying for your unusable app.

7 months ago, Krem Tram

Layout is awkward and inefficient

Although this app does have nice features, it feels really awkward to use them. I haven’t used this app for long, but I don’t want to use it anymore because editing music feels like a pain with this app.

1 year ago, 17474

Useless App

I already own the full desktop sibelius program on my computer, I spent $600 on this, and then Avid would like me to also have a subscription to the sibelius app, without providing a buyout option, it's a waste of money when the stock app only can write four staves at a time

2 years ago, dogdoogdooog

Feels like 50% of what you get on desktop

Firstly the app never saves what I work on, so unless you plan on composing/arranging an entire piece in one sitting then be wary. I have to use this for an arranging class at my university and since I don't have a laptop I was hoping that the app would be somewhat viable...

7 months ago, ldb999999

Useless

Does not let you login to your avid account for an existing subscription and avid charges you $30 to call them and online support is no help. All app documentation does not resemble current version of the software. DO NOT BUY avid products or subscriptions.

2 years ago, Ramito23

None find the original score, it is no recovery, and no save possibilities, my job was erased

Just after closed my app , I didn’t have possibilitie to save, or save in other folder option. I lost my time , please how can I have to recovery my 5 hrs of music transcription in my iPad?

2 years ago, 33jpb22

Lots of buggy behavior

Perhaps the problems I experience are local to my device…I dunno…nonetheless… wonderful use and potential…

1 year ago, plantmusic

No 432hz tuning?

Hello, I am a 432hz and other alternate intonations. Please advise on how to playback scores in Sibelius in A=432hz Thanks so much C

2 years ago, Mikey Bilello

Crashes consistently for iPad

Basie features such as adding a treble clef, or using the search function to change the tempo, cause the app to crash consistently. I have a brand new iPad 9th gen with the latest iOS and the latest version of Sibelius.

9 months ago, Giorgi8888

bugs

Sibelius app has big potential but there are many bugs for ex. when i am writing app is closing or lagging because of that written by my music deleted!!!! please take care of this problem

2 days ago, MrBucky

Scores don’t save reliably

I pay for a subscription on the iPad but am always fearful that my work won’t be saved. Looking on forums for Sibelius, I see that this is a known yet still unresolved issue. Get it together, Sibelius, please.

1 year ago, alddybald

Nifty but seeming oversights

Love it overall for writing music on the fly, but it seems there’s no copy function on the phone.

Description

Sibelius brings professional music notation to iPad and iPhone, putting the workflows used by countless composers, orchestrators, and arrangers at your fingertips. Seamlessly move between iPad, iPhone and desktop, and from studio to coffeeshop to scoring stage, and write anywhere inspiration strikes. # Work on scores anywhere Sibelius for mobile puts the #1 selling music notation program at your fingertips—literally. Work with the same tools and features used by countless composers and production houses every day on your iPad and iPhone. Whether writing down ideas, creating full-blown compositions, or reviewing scores, you have the freedom to create wherever you’re comfortable. #Take your portfolio to go Forget having to bring and break out your laptop when meeting with clients and collaborators. Instead, you can conveniently take the world’s most powerful notation toolset and your entire music portfolio with you wherever you go—ideal for those unexpected opportunities. And for tandemly working through last-minute revisions. # Hear your music in stunning detail Sibelius includes a high-quality sample library filled with a variety of musical instrumentation, so you can hear what your music will sound like when performed by real musicians. The Espressivo advanced notation interpretation even lets you adjust rhythm and swing to create a more humanistic feel. # Speed your workflow Sibelius for mobile is designed to take full advantage of Apple Pencil and iPad touch capabilities. Its elegant, streamlined interface provides the most intuitive and efficient workflows possible while supporting the same keyboard shortcuts you know and love from working on the desktop version, so you’ll feel right at home. # Get innovative note entry Experience the pen and paper workflow reimagined. Enter notes with the onscreen Keypad or a keyboard, and Sibelius takes care of all note layout. Touch a note and drag up or down to change its value, or drag left or right to add a flat or sharp. With an Apple Pencil, tap a note and tilt up or down to add a flat or sharp, or tilt left or right to choose the note value. # Have everything you need In addition to the Keypad, Sibelius for mobile features a Create menu that’s optimized for iOS, making it easy to add clefs, key signatures, time signatures, barlines, symbols, text styles, and more to your score from searchable galleries. You can also quickly search through all Sibelius commands using the Command Search, putting the entire app at your fingertips. # Move tiers to meet needs Sibelius is designed to grow with you to support your creative aspirations and project needs. From the introductory (and free) Sibelius First to the industry-standard Sibelius Ultimate, you can add more notation capabilities and instrument parts to take on more creative opportunities by simply upgrading your subscription tier. # Have everything on one creative platform Seamlessly move from desktop to tablet and back without ever having to import or export files. That’s because whether on mobile or desktop, you’re always in Sibelius. With files saved to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, or other iOS-supported cloud service, you have easy anywhere access to all your ideas and scores. # Enable a hybrid workflow While Sibelius for mobile is fully featured, providing many of the same tools as its desktop counterpart, there are some notation and layout features only available in the desktop version, making it an integral part of a complete workflow (compare versions). Plus, the mobile version comes free with the desktop version, enabling you to work where and how you want.