Frequently asked questions

Common questions about reading and playing sheet music with this app. For the steps, see the guide.

Can I use it on a phone, an iPad, Safari, or Firefox?

The app is tested on Chrome and Edge 137 or later on a computer. The reading engine needs a browser feature called JavaScript Promise Integration (JSPI). Browsers without it show a message instead. Chrome on Android (137 or later), Firefox (153 or later), and Safari (27 or later) have added it, but the app has not been tested on them yet, and phones and tablets often do not have enough memory for reading (about 2 GB). If it does not work, take the photo with your phone and open it on a computer.

Is it free? Do I need an account?

It is free, with no account, no sign-up, and no ads.

Is my sheet music uploaded anywhere?

No. The photo, image, or PDF is read inside your browser on your computer and is never sent to a server. Photos taken with the camera are not saved. Only the last score (as MusicXML) and its tempo are kept in the browser so they are there next time. See the privacy policy.

How long does reading take?

Roughly 10 to 60 seconds per page, depending on the computer and the number of staves. The first time, the app also downloads its reading engine (about 130 MB) once; after that it starts right away and works offline.

What kind of sheet music can it read?

Printed music in standard notation: a single melody or a piano score on two staves (grand staff) works best. Images (JPEG, PNG, WebP, …) and PDFs up to 12 pages can be read. Handwritten music, tablature, and chord charts without notes cannot be read. Scores with many staves take longer and contain more mistakes.

How do I read a piece with several pages?

Open a PDF: the pages are read in order and joined into one score. A photo of two facing pages is split and read left page first. The app opens one file at a time, so to read several separate photos as one piece, put them into one PDF first.

Some notes are wrong. How do I fix them?

Switch to Edit and drag the notes to the right pitch and length, add missing ones, or delete extra ones. Measures marked “!” did not add up when they were read, so check those first. Many mistakes go away with a sharper, straighter photo. See how to fix reading mistakes and photo tips.

The tempo is wrong.

The app reads the metronome mark at the top of the first page, or a tempo word such as Allegro; if it finds neither it uses ♩ = 120. The number is used as quarter notes per minute, so a marking like ♩. = 60 in 6/8 plays too slow (enter 90 instead). Set the tempo by hand with −5 / +5, the number, or the slider. See tempo markings and BPM.

Does it follow tempo changes, dynamics, or repeats?

The whole piece plays at one tempo with one simple instrument sound. Tempo changes in the middle (rit., a new tempo), dynamics (p, f), and grace notes are not played as written. Listen to it as a check of the notes and rhythm, not as a performance.

Are lyrics, slurs, and articulations kept?

Lyrics and chord symbols are not read. When you edit the notes, the score is rebuilt from the notes only, so slurs, articulations, and similar markings disappear from the saved file.

Can I save the result? Can I get MIDI or MP3?

The MusicXML button saves a .musicxml file. Open it in a notation program such as MuseScore to print it, transpose it, or export MIDI or audio. See what MusicXML is.

Can I open a MusicXML file I already have?

Yes. Choose or drop a .musicxml, .mxl, or .xml file and it opens right away with its tempo, without reading. Partwise MusicXML, which is what notation programs export, is supported.

Where did my last score go? How do I delete it?

The last score is kept in this browser and appears again when you open the app. Clear removes it. It is also removed when you clear this site's data in the browser settings, and it is not kept in private browsing.