Sibelius

Name: Sibelius
Rating: 4.2 (1548 reviews)
Author: Avid®

Music Notation and Scoring App

Free · In‑App Purchases

1.5K Ratings
Ages

4+
Years
Category

Music
Developer

Avid®
Language

EN
+ 8 More
Size

1.5
GB

Sibelius brings professional music notation to iPad and iPhone, putting the workflows used by countless composers, orchestrators, and arrangers at your fingertips. Seamlessly move between iPad, iPhone and desktop, and from studio to coffeeshop to scoring stage, and write anywhere inspiration strikes. # Work on scores anywhere Sibelius for mobile puts the #1 selling music notation program at your fingertips—literally. Work with the same tools and features used by countless composers and production houses every day on your iPad and iPhone. Whether writing down ideas, creating full-blown compositions, or reviewing scores, you have the freedom to create wherever you’re comfortable. #Take your portfolio to go Forget having to bring and break out your laptop when meeting with clients and collaborators. Instead, you can conveniently take the world’s most powerful notation toolset and your entire music portfolio with you wherever you go—ideal for those unexpected opportunities. And for tandemly working through last-minute revisions. # Hear your music in stunning detail Sibelius includes a high-quality sample library filled with a variety of musical instrumentation, so you can hear what your music will sound like when performed by real musicians. The Espressivo advanced notation interpretation even lets you adjust rhythm and swing to create a more humanistic feel. # Speed your workflow Sibelius for mobile is designed to take full advantage of Apple Pencil and iPad touch capabilities. Its elegant, streamlined interface provides the most intuitive and efficient workflows possible while supporting the same keyboard shortcuts you know and love from working on the desktop version, so you’ll feel right at home. # Get innovative note entry Experience the pen and paper workflow reimagined. Enter notes with the onscreen Keypad or a keyboard, and Sibelius takes care of all note layout. Touch a note and drag up or down to change its value, or drag left or right to add a flat or sharp. With an Apple Pencil, tap a note and tilt up or down to add a flat or sharp, or tilt left or right to choose the note value. # Have everything you need In addition to the Keypad, Sibelius for mobile features a Create menu that’s optimized for iOS, making it easy to add clefs, key signatures, time signatures, barlines, symbols, text styles, and more to your score from searchable galleries. You can also quickly search through all Sibelius commands using the Command Search, putting the entire app at your fingertips. # Move tiers to meet needs Sibelius is designed to grow with you to support your creative aspirations and project needs. From the introductory (and free) Sibelius First to the industry-standard Sibelius Ultimate, you can add more notation capabilities and instrument parts to take on more creative opportunities by simply upgrading your subscription tier. # Have everything on one creative platform Seamlessly move from desktop to tablet and back without ever having to import or export files. That’s because whether on mobile or desktop, you’re always in Sibelius. With files saved to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, or other iOS-supported cloud service, you have easy anywhere access to all your ideas and scores. # Enable a hybrid workflow While Sibelius for mobile is fully featured, providing many of the same tools as its desktop counterpart, there are some notation and layout features only available in the desktop version, making it an integral part of a complete workflow (compare versions). Plus, the mobile version comes free with the desktop version, enabling you to work where and how you want.

A Closer Look

Ratings & Reviews

4.2

out of 5

1.5K Ratings

It’s definitely got potential
10/02/2022

Brieasaurus
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.
It’s definitely got potential
10/02/2022

Brieasaurus

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.
Can’t subscribe so I don’t know if it’s useful!
09/29/2022

BandMan1028
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!
Can’t subscribe so I don’t know if it’s useful!
09/29/2022

BandMan1028

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!
Frustrated and un-jolly
12/16/2023

janeontour
Ugh, had this app for a couple years now and I pay the 5.99 Sibelius artist subscription. I use it to write basic lead sheets and easy piano arrangements for my students. It’s convenient as I don’t use a desktop anymore. Now, in the middle of December some weird mercury in retrograde crap happens and I don’t have my regular access. Apple says there is nothing wrong on their end and that my subscription is still active. However, the app says I’m only a Sibelius first and I have to upgrade… when I try it states that already have it, and I am logged in on 5 devices and have to log out (it’s only on my iPad and iPhone) or my subscription expired. I’ve updated my iPad, I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times, and even upgraded to the ultimate… nothing helped at all, but contribute more to the holly-jolly stress in my life. Also contacted avid, they said it’s an apple thing, contact apple, they say it’s an Avid thing… I feel like a ping pong ball right now. Mercury in retrograde ends Jan. 2nd… I don’t think I can wait that long… may check out Dorico in the meantime. Sibelius… do your best to convince a longtime supporter to stay with you. I’m running out of patience.
Frustrated and un-jolly
12/16/2023

janeontour

Ugh, had this app for a couple years now and I pay the 5.99 Sibelius artist subscription. I use it to write basic lead sheets and easy piano arrangements for my students. It’s convenient as I don’t use a desktop anymore. Now, in the middle of December some weird mercury in retrograde crap happens and I don’t have my regular access. Apple says there is nothing wrong on their end and that my subscription is still active. However, the app says I’m only a Sibelius first and I have to upgrade… when I try it states that already have it, and I am logged in on 5 devices and have to log out (it’s only on my iPad and iPhone) or my subscription expired. I’ve updated my iPad, I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times, and even upgraded to the ultimate… nothing helped at all, but contribute more to the holly-jolly stress in my life. Also contacted avid, they said it’s an apple thing, contact apple, they say it’s an Avid thing… I feel like a ping pong ball right now. Mercury in retrograde ends Jan. 2nd… I don’t think I can wait that long… may check out Dorico in the meantime. Sibelius… do your best to convince a longtime supporter to stay with you. I’m running out of patience.
Just NO
08/24/2023

TimTimpani
This is the worst music software I've ever used. I'm using an iPad Pro with pencil. I cannot select notes. According to the docs, I should be able to long press on a note to select it, or hold down near the note and "lasso" around it. EVERY THING I TRY IT JUST ADDS MORE NOTES. I can't hold down on a note and drag it to change pitch IT JUST ADDS ANOTHER NOTE. Every time I drag along the paper, the paper just moves around with the pencil or my finger. Oh, and to add a pick up measure, I have to open the search and type "Make Into Bar". I might as well go back to using my computer and typing text into Lilypond if I'm going to be typing all this stuff. And why can't I turn my pencil into an eraser to delete things by double tapping on it like I can with a drawing apps? And how do I set the time signature? When I tried to do that, it said I had to have something selected. Huh? The green bar is at the beginning of the piece. So, I guess I have to write the entire song out first, then select the whole song, then set the time signature????? I have an idea, just set the stinking time signature wherever the cursor is from that point forward--it's not that complicated. Absolutely non-intuitive interface.
Just NO
08/24/2023

TimTimpani

This is the worst music software I've ever used. I'm using an iPad Pro with pencil. I cannot select notes. According to the docs, I should be able to long press on a note to select it, or hold down near the note and "lasso" around it. EVERY THING I TRY IT JUST ADDS MORE NOTES. I can't hold down on a note and drag it to change pitch IT JUST ADDS ANOTHER NOTE. Every time I drag along the paper, the paper just moves around with the pencil or my finger. Oh, and to add a pick up measure, I have to open the search and type "Make Into Bar". I might as well go back to using my computer and typing text into Lilypond if I'm going to be typing all this stuff. And why can't I turn my pencil into an eraser to delete things by double tapping on it like I can with a drawing apps? And how do I set the time signature? When I tried to do that, it said I had to have something selected. Huh? The green bar is at the beginning of the piece. So, I guess I have to write the entire song out first, then select the whole song, then set the time signature????? I have an idea, just set the stinking time signature wherever the cursor is from that point forward--it's not that complicated. Absolutely non-intuitive interface.

What's new in Sibelius 2025.12 and 2025.12.1 # Notehead names now appear within Command Search # Support for customized "score subset and part" lists # Apple Pencil/Stylus tap-and-press now quickly enters note input # Improved staff filter text directive support