LilyPond
Text-based music engraving program for printed scores
- #7 of 10 in best music notation software
- Free and open source
- Free to use
- Open source
- LinuxWindows
Ranked 7 of 10 in best music notation software
Free GPLv3 text-based engraving that produces printed scores with exact control. It has a steep learning curve, and its download page lists Linux and Windows builds only.
Best for Exact typeset scores from text files
About LilyPond
LilyPond takes music written in a plain-text language and typesets it, with an emphasis on engraving quality for printed scores. Users write notes, lyrics and layout instructions as text files, which makes versions easy to store and compare in version control. The project describes its goal as music notation for everyone, and it publishes manuals and examples.
Writing scores as text has a steep learning curve compared with graphical editors such as MuseScore, Sibelius or Flat. LilyPond is less suited to live input or handwriting. Its download page lists GNU/Linux and Windows builds, and it suits engravers and developers who want exact, scriptable output.
Key features
- Text-based input
- Engraving for printed scores
- GPLv3 license
- Manuals and examples
- Scriptable output
Strengths
- Engraving quality for printed scores
- Plain-text files for version control
Limits
- Steep learning curve
- Downloads listed for Linux and Windows only
Where LilyPond ranks
How LilyPond compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
#5 StaffPad | 83.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | iPadOSWindows |
#6 Noteflight | 80.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | Web |
| #7LilyPond | 78.5 | Free and open source | LinuxWindows |
#8 capella | 76.0 | Paid | WindowsmacOS |
#9 Guitar Pro | 75.5 | Paid | WindowsmacOSiOSAndroid |
The full comparison table for best music notation software has all 10 products.
Questions about LilyPond
- Is LilyPond free?
- LilyPond can be used without paying: Free and open source under GPLv3. Check the vendor’s pricing page for current limits.
- Is LilyPond open source?
- Yes. LilyPond publishes its source code under the GPL-3.0 license.
- Which platforms does LilyPond support?
- LilyPond is available on: Linux, Windows.
- What is LilyPond best for?
- Exact typeset scores from text files. In our ranking of music notation software it is number 7 of 10 with a score of 78.5.
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