Dorico
Music notation software from Steinberg for Windows, macOS and iPad
- #2 of 10 in best music notation software
- Free plan, paid upgrades
- Free to use
- WindowsmacOSiPadOS
Ranked 2 of 10 in best music notation software
A composition-first notation program for Windows and macOS, with a free edition for scores up to eight players and a free iPad app. The Pro edition has the publishing options engravers need, at several times the price of Elements.
Best for Composing and arranging, with a free starter edition
About Dorico
Dorico is a notation program that Steinberg describes as designed from the ground up for composing. It offers flexible input and editing tools, and transformation features that change tonality, move music between players, map parts onto new scales and create voiced parts from chord symbols. It imports MIDI and MusicXML and exports MIDI, MusicXML, audio and graphics.
Three editions are sold. Dorico SE is free and limited to scores for up to eight players, Elements is aimed at home use and secondary school students, and Pro adds the publishing options that professional engravers and publishers need. Dorico for iPad is free, and projects move between the desktop and the iPad app. The desktop versions run on 64-bit Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) and Windows 11, and on macOS 12 and later.
Key features
- Composition-first note input
- Free Dorico SE edition
- Dorico for iPad
- MIDI and MusicXML import and export
- Publishing tools in Pro
Strengths
- Free Dorico SE for scores up to eight players
- Tools to move and reduce music between instruments
- Projects move between desktop and iPad
Limits
- Pro costs several times the price of Elements
- Features are split across three editions
Where Dorico ranks
How Dorico compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1Sibelius | 92.0 | Subscription | WindowsmacOSiPadOS, iOSChromeOS |
| #2Dorico | 91.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | WindowsmacOSiPadOS |
#3 MuseScore | 90.5 | Free and open source | WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid |
#4 Flat | 85.5 | Free plan, paid upgrades | macOSWindowsWebiOSAndroid |
#5 StaffPad | 83.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | iPadOSWindows |
The full comparison table for best music notation software has all 10 products.
Questions about Dorico
- Is Dorico free?
- Dorico can be used without paying: Free Dorico SE for up to eight players; Elements and Pro are paid. Check the vendor’s pricing page for current limits.
- Is Dorico open source?
- No. Dorico is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does Dorico support?
- Dorico is available on: Windows, macOS, iPadOS.
- What is Dorico best for?
- Composing and arranging, with a free starter edition. In our ranking of music notation software it is number 2 of 10 with a score of 91.0.
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