A few useful notes

Good questions.
Clear answers.

From your first PDF to your next arrangement. Find help with sheet music conversion, file formats, and everything in between.

25 answers to help you get started

Getting started

How do I convert a PDF score to MusicXML?

Upload your printed sheet music PDF, choose MusicXML, and start the conversion. Review the recognized score and listen to the preview before unlocking your files. Open the downloaded MusicXML in a notation editor to check the notes, adjust the layout, or make your arrangement.

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Can I convert sheet music PDF to MIDI?

Yes. Select MIDI when you upload your score. Optical music recognition identifies the printed notation and creates MIDI note data. Preview the result, then download the MIDI to use in music software. It is a synthesized interpretation of the notation, not a recording of a musician.

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Can I scan sheet music with my phone?

Yes. Take a clear, straight-on photo and upload it as a JPG or PNG using your phone’s browser. Include the whole page and avoid shadows, glare, and curved paper. If your phone saves HEIC images, export the photo as JPG first. You do not need to install an app.

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How do I turn a photo of sheet music into MIDI?

Upload a JPG or PNG of printed notation and choose MIDI. Use an evenly lit photo with legible staff lines and noteheads. Once recognition finishes, listen to the preview and compare it with the original before downloading.

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Is sheet music conversion free?

Uploading a score and reviewing its visual and audio preview is free. Downloading your converted files requires a one-time purchase or available subscription pages. The example score on our website also has free sample downloads so you can try the formats in your software.

How long does sheet music conversion take?

The time depends on the page count, image quality, complexity of the notation, and queue. The progress window shows preparation, recognition, and export stages. You can close that window and reopen it from the upload card while the job continues. Please wait for the current score to finish before starting another.

Files & formats

Which files can I upload, and what are the size limits?

Upload one PDF, JPG, or PNG file, up to 20 MB and 10 printed pages per conversion in the standard recognition mode. The difficult-scan setting processes one page at a time. For several photos, combine them into a PDF first. Split longer scores into smaller PDFs. Password-protected, damaged, or unreadable files may need to be exported again.

What is the difference between MusicXML and MIDI?

MusicXML is the better choice for editing notation: it represents the score’s notes, rhythm, parts, and supported musical markings. MIDI describes performance events such as note pitch, timing, and velocity. Choose MusicXML for a notation editor and MIDI for playback or a digital audio workstation. Both can need corrections after recognition.

What is an MXL file, and how is it different from MusicXML?

An .mxl file is a compressed MusicXML package. It contains the same processed notation as the uncompressed .musicxml download in a smaller file. Choose whichever your notation software accepts; decompressing the package does not improve recognition accuracy.

Can I convert sheet music to MP3 for practice?

Yes. Choose the MP3 download for synthesized practice audio you can play on a phone or share with a student. MP3 is ready-to-listen audio; MIDI contains editable note data and needs a sound source. Neither replaces a human performance, and any recognition errors can also be heard in the audio.

Can I download a printable PDF of the converted music?

Yes. The PDF output is newly typeset from the recognized score, so spacing and page breaks can differ from your source. It is useful for printing the recognized notation. Keep the original PDF as your reference and check the converted notes before sharing or printing.

Can I open the result in MuseScore, Dorico, Sibelius, or a DAW?

Use MusicXML or MXL with a notation editor that supports MusicXML import, such as MuseScore Studio, Dorico, or Sibelius. Use MIDI with a DAW such as Logic Pro, Ableton Live, or FL Studio. Import support and layout behavior vary by application. Our free sample is a useful compatibility check.

Better results

How accurate is PDF-to-MusicXML conversion?

Accuracy varies with the source and the notation. Clear printed scores generally give recognition a better starting point than blurry, skewed, or heavily marked pages. Dense chords, multiple voices, tuplets, ties, and accidentals can need attention. We do not promise perfect transcription: compare the visual and audio preview with your original before buying.

How can I improve sheet music scanning accuracy?

Use the original exported PDF when available. Otherwise, scan a flat page or photograph it straight on in even light. Keep all staff lines, clefs, key signatures, and barlines visible. Avoid clipping the music, enlarging a tiny screenshot, or applying filters that erase thin lines. Try the scan recognition setting for photographed or scanned pages.

Can you convert handwritten music or guitar tablature?

The converter is designed for printed Western staff notation. Handwriting, guitar tablature, percussion-only notation, and unusual historical notation are not supported reliably. A guitar score written on a conventional pitched staff is a different case from tablature; preview it before deciding whether the result works for you.

Can I edit or transpose the converted sheet music?

Download MusicXML or MXL and open it in a notation editor to correct notes, change key, transpose instruments, or adjust the arrangement. The website provides conversion, comparison, and playback; it does not currently include a full score editor.

Can you convert an MP3 or recording into sheet music?

Yes. Our Audio to MusicXML tool accepts WAV, MP3, FLAC, M4A, and OGG recordings up to 3 minutes and 20 MB. It works best with one pitched instrument and a steady tempo. Preview for free; downloads cost $0.99 per started minute with a $1.99 minimum. Audio is billed separately from page plans.

Plans & payments

How much does a conversion cost?

Pay-as-you-go downloads cost $0.50 per source page, with a $3 minimum per order, in USD before applicable taxes. A 1-page upload is therefore $3; a 10-page upload is $5. The checkout shows the amount before you pay. One unlock includes all available output formats for that score.

Do I need a subscription or account to download a score?

You can make a one-time guest purchase without a subscription. Monthly plans require an account: Musician includes 50 pages for $9/month, Studio includes 150 for $19/month, and Professional includes 1,000 for $99/month. Choose a plan on the pricing page or purchase an individual score after previewing it.

Do unused subscription pages roll over?

No. Unused pages expire at the end of their billing period and do not roll over. Your new allowance becomes available for the next paid billing period. Extra pages require your approval; there are no automatic overage charges.

How do I cancel or manage my subscription?

Sign in and open Billing to manage your subscription through the billing portal. Check the cancellation date shown there. Canceling stops future renewals according to the displayed terms; it does not automatically refund previous payments. Contact support if a charge or access problem needs investigation.

What if my converted file is missing or unusable?

Contact support with your order reference and a short explanation. We can investigate a failed delivery, duplicate charge, or technical problem. Review the Terms of Service for the refund policy and applicable rights. The free preview helps you assess recognition quality before purchasing.

Privacy & developers

How long are uploaded scores and downloads kept?

Conversion files are normally available for 24 hours. Completing an unlock gives a 24-hour download window; payment processing can temporarily extend retention. Download the files you need before the expiry shown with your result. Account and billing records are handled separately, as explained in the Privacy Policy.

Is there a sheet music conversion API or MCP server?

Yes. Developers can create a scoped API token and upload scores, check progress, inspect page usage, and download unlocked files. AI agents can use the MCP tools with the same token permissions. Subscription pages can be used with explicit approval; API and MCP calls do not automatically charge overages. See the API & MCP page for limits, examples, and client compatibility.

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