Sheet Music Scanner
Scan Sheet Music Into an Editable MusicXML File
Upload a photo or scan of one printed page. You get a MusicXML file for your notation software. Scanning needs an account, and the result needs checking.
- accesssign-in, credits
- processingour server
- image size1 image, 12 MB
Your scanned score will appear here.
What a sheet music scanner should do for you
Partiturmaker is a sheet music scanner for one printed page at a time. You get a MusicXML file for your notation software instead of retyping every note. Here is what it does, and where it stops.
You have a printed page and want it in Sibelius, Dorico or MuseScore without typing each note.
MusicXML download
Scan the page, then download the MusicXML (.musicxml). It is the recognition result as it comes out, and notation software that reads MusicXML opens it for editing. One page per scan.
Scans come back with mistakes, and it can feel faster to retype.
Preview and play before you download
The recognized music is redrawn as notation right below the tool, and you can play it. Compare it with your page first. Then correct what is wrong in your notation software. Nobody can promise a clean result, so plan to check every scan.
Scanner apps and OMR programs are pricey or need a subscription for an occasional page.
Credits per scan
You pay in credits per scan, and the scan button shows the price before you press it. If the recognition itself fails, the credits come back. Scanning needs an account. See Pricing for the details.
A phone photo reads worse than a proper scan, and you do not know how to shoot the page.
Camera or file
Choose a PNG, JPG or WEBP file, or take a photo with your camera. You see a preview and the file name before you scan. The image is sent as it is, so shoot it carefully. Tips are below.
You just want to hear the page you photographed.
Play and Stop
The result has a Play button, and the sounding notes light up. That is all it does: no tempo control, no seeking. For those, load the MusicXML into the Sheet Music Player.
How to scan sheet music to MusicXML
- 1
Pick one page
Choose a PNG, JPG or WEBP image up to 12 MB, or use the camera link. You get a preview and the file name. You do not need an account to get this far.
- 2
Sign in and press Scan sheet music
Scanning needs an account and uses credits. The button shows the price first. The tool checks for the result every few seconds while it reads the notes.
- 3
Check the result
Look at the redrawn notation and press Play. Rate the result with the thumbs if you like.
- 4
Download and edit
Download the MusicXML and open it in your notation software. MusicXML is read by MuseScore, Sibelius, Finale and Dorico. MIDI and ABC downloads are there too.
Before you press scan
Recognition works from the image alone. We do not crop, rotate or brighten it for you, so a clean image helps. Blurry, dark, shadowed, angled or curved photos will probably read badly or fail.
One page only
Each scan reads a single image. Scan the next page as a separate job.
Flat, straight-on, well lit
Hold the camera square above the page. Keep out shadows and flatten the fold of a book.
Printed five-line music
Standard notation on five-line staves. Guitar tabs and chant notation are not supported. Handwritten music will probably read poorly.
A file we accept
PNG, JPG or WEBP, up to 12 MB. HEIC, GIF, BMP and TIFF are rejected.
Music you may use
Use it on music you own or have the right to use, for personal practice and study.
What is optical music recognition?
OMR reads an image of printed notation and turns it into music data, the way OCR turns a picture of text into words. Partiturmaker runs it on our server and hands you the result as a MusicXML file.
- The output is a music file, not a picture.
- You correct it in notation software, not in the browser.
- It is not perfect, so proofread against your page.
Three files come out of a scan
MusicXML (.musicxml)
The recognition result, unchanged. This is the file to open in notation software.
MIDI (.mid)
Made from the on-page preview, so it has the preview's limits.
ABC (.abc)
Also made from the preview. Text notation you can read and paste.
What the scanner does not do
You cannot fix notes on our page. Edits happen in your notation software after download. The preview is simpler than the MusicXML: it leaves out key signatures, lyrics, dynamics, slurs, articulations, grace notes and repeats, so an error can hide there. There is no PDF input, no batch and no multi-page document.
When another tool fits better
Same recognition, different job.
Sheet music scanner questions
How do I digitize sheet music?
Photograph or scan one printed page, upload it here, and download the MusicXML. Open that file in notation software to correct it and keep working. For a PDF with several pages, use PDF to MusicXML instead.
Is there a free sheet music scanner online?
You can choose an image and see the preview without an account. Scanning needs sign-in and uses credits, and the button shows the price. See Pricing. It is not free without limits.
Is there an app where I can scan sheet music and hear it?
Yes, in the browser. After a scan, press Play on the result. For slower tempo and more control, use the Sheet Music Player.
What is the best scanner for scanning sheet music?
A flatbed scan gives the cleanest image, and a well-lit, straight-on phone photo can work too. Whatever you use, upload one clear page at a time.
Can it read handwritten music or guitar tabs?
Guitar tablature and chant notation are not supported. Handwritten music will probably read poorly. It is built for printed five-line notation.
What happens if the scan fails?
If the recognition fails, for example when no staff lines are found, the credits for that scan come back automatically. If a scan runs long, it may still finish and show up in your library.
Does it need an app or an account?
There is nothing to install. It runs in a phone, tablet or desktop browser. Scanning needs an account, and every scan is saved in your library, where you can open and download it again.
Is the image stored?
Yes. The image is uploaded to our storage and kept with the library entry, so do not scan anything you would not want stored.
Scan your first page
Choose an image, check the preview and press Scan sheet music. Then take the MusicXML into your notation software.