Appmuse

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. Show more

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. Show more

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. Show more

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

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. :( Show more

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... Show more

I try to open something, black screen and nothing happens.

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. Show more

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. Show more

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! Show more

I am using Sibelius in demo mode in iOS and desktop before buying, and it’s maddening to say the least. I have several questions that I need answered about the software before I will commit to purchasing. The user forum may be a useful source of info, but since you need a purchased activation code to join in, I can’t use it. It’s a classic Catch-22 - I need the info to buy, but it won’t give me the info until after I buy. That leaves me to guess whether the software will do what I want (so far not) or whether there is some way to get it to work that I’m missing. Since there is no help desk or other official source of info, I’m stuck. Fortunately, Sibelius has competitors that will do what I want and I will probably go with one of them instead. It’s just too bad that I couldn’t make better use of my Sibelius trial period. Show more

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. Show more

I am updating this review from ⭐️ to ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. I am from another time and have been using computers before most of you were born. One computer would fill a small house when I first started; however, I have been using personal computers and iPads since their advent. I am a retired Ph.D. in nuclear physics, so music is only a hobby for me. I have used Sibelius 6.2 since it was introduced. Because of incompatibility issues with Sibelius for iPads, I was harsh in my initial review. I only wanted the iPad version to make small edits and send back to Sibelius 6. That is not possible without upgrading to a more recent version of Sibelius on my Windows 10 PC. Because I am from another time, I refuse all software subscription services. I am happy to pay one-time fees for upgrades, but not recurring subscription fees. Not everyone feels this way, but recurring fees go against my innermost principles. Also, I don’t particularly like upgrading software for two reasons: I am fast with the version I know, and upgraded versions frequently slow computers down causing a need to upgrade the computer. This is a never ending cycle if you allow it. Nevertheless, I have updated my review because, after much thought, I decided Sibelius for iPads has some usefulness to me. I like having my .sib files on my iPad. I like the playback on the iPad better than the PC Sibelius 6.2. If I do make small edits, the iPad version allows printing to a PDF. Sibelius 6.2 can scan these files. I also have the Sibelius companion software, PhotoScore, which can directly read PDF music files and transfer them to Sibelius 6.2. The result frequently requires a little touch up, but it’s not bad. So, I have found an acceptable way to use Sibelius for iPads that satisfies my needs without learning new software or paying subscription fees. It’s probably good that I am hitting my approach shot to the “18th green on the golf course of life.”? Show more

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. Show more

I have been a Sibelius user for many years. The subscription service, while trendy for businesses, is incredibly disappointing. The sell on this was the ability to have a mobile version and use the cloud to work on compositions across devices. The mobile version constantly crashes and I lose all my work. The “Sibelius Ultimate” basically has nothing over the old Sibelius 6. Not sure why I have to pay for the same-old with flawed mobile. Impossible to get support for, and I don’t want to use up my one-time support code on this. Otherwise you must pay to get help. At the subscription price point, this should be more reliable and have new features. Ridiculous! Show more

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. Show more

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!! Show more

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. Show more

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!!! Show more

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 :( Show more