Symphony Pro - Music Notation 4+
Compose by handwriting or tap
Xenon Labs, LLC
Designed for iPad
-
- £14.99
- Offers In-App Purchases
Screenshots
Description
Symphony Pro 6 is a complete and intuitive app for writing music notation on iPad. It allows you to compose music for just about any size ensemble, from piano, symphonies, band, lead sheets, chord charts, guitar tabs, and more.
Starting Version 5, Symphony Pro now offers handwriting recognition as the only in-app purchase: Perfect with Apple Pencil, and works great with touch or capacitive stylus
GETTING STARTED
SP provides all of the key options to begin your work. Import a score via MusicXML, MXL, MIDI, or SP file from your computer, or from apps like Dropbox, Mail, iCloud Drive, or Safari. You can base your project on a template, or start a blank score and add additional parts later.
EDITING
To add notes, choose Pencil mode, and tap anywhere on a bar to begin editing right away. You can quickly specify note properties before or after placing notes. By switching to Select mode with one touch, you can also transpose, erase, cut, and paste multiple notes/tracks.
With an on-screen instrument, a QWERTY keyboard, or Core MIDI compatible keyboard, you can quickly enter notes & chords in step entry mode. Record a part in real-time with on-screen instruments to transcribe into notation.
Versions 4 & 5 take greater advantage of the iPad touchscreen. With shortcuts and contextual menus to edit note & bar properties, many of the commonly used editing commands are right at your fingertips.
SP supports a wide range of notational elements for your composition. Including dynamics & articulations, time & key signature changes, clef changes, pedals, and repeat conventions. Edit chord symbols, lyrics, and annotations using the iPad’s standard keyboard.
EXPORT & SHARE
When you’re finished, print out your score with AirPrint, or export it as a PDF, MusicXML, AAC, MIDI, or Symphony file. Share files via email or directly to another computer or iPad via Dropbox/iCloud Drive.
KEY FEATURES
• Introducing Handwriting Recognition for Apple Pencil & touch
• Starting Version 5, Handwriting is the only In-App Purchase to enable the complete app
• Now download SP on your iPhone
• 24+ professionally recorded and sound-designed acoustic instruments, free out of the box
Earlier features offered free, to existing & new owners
• 114 built-in instruments for playback, and auditioning the notes you entered
• Create in standard music notation or tablature
• Edit with an on-screen piano, QWERTY keyboard, or a MIDI input device
• Dozens of shortcuts & gestures to edit & navigate
• Reduce your score size, range, or combination of parts for viewing & editing*
• Print directly to AirPrint
• Up to 48 instruments, 100 staves, 4 voices/layers per score
• Record a part in real-time with clicks at the beat with optional emphasis
• Backup & sync your scores with iCloud*
• Import MusicXML, MIDI, MXL, or Symphony files
• Export as a PDF, MusicXML, MIDI, AAC, or Symphony file
• Large selection of articulations & dynamics
• Multi-measure rests, including automatic rests
• Grace notes
• Customizable noteheads & note colors
• Chord symbol, lyric, and annotation tools
• Edit the properties of multiple notes and rests simultaneously by multi-note select
• Copy/Paste function supports partial & multi-bar/staff select
• Unlimited undo/redo
• Customizable stem directions & note beaming
• Transposing & concert pitch score option
• Change tempo or clef anywhere in score or bar
• Stream audio or share your screen wirelessly with AirPlay
• Advanced document management
• Create your own custom project template or use a built-in one
• Customizable part groupings for SATB and instrument families
• Customizable chord symbol, lyric, and annotation font
• Loop playback feature
• Auto-save support
* Previously paid, but now free upgrade in Version 5
For More information, please visit:
• http://www.symphonypro.net
• http://forums.symphonypro.net
• Facebook page at www.facebook.com/symphonyapp
• Learn about the iPhone-only app: bit.ly/symphonyiphone
What’s New
Version 6.5.2
- General bug fixes
- Fixed issue on iPhone with iOS 17 where toolbars were not clearly visible
- Fixes other issues on iPad and iPhone where menus and icons were sometimes not clearly visible
Ratings and Reviews
The Best money can buy
I have used this for about 3+ years now, and this really is a Great app, if not the Best, suitable for the more serious scorer / composer.
It works Great, the built-in help function is a Big help when you need it. Seriously Good value for your money.
My only criticism is that page settings are very fiddly, and a case of trial and error, that is of course when you export a score as a PDF, and you want the score to be printed in such a way that it is Clear to read, particularly for people that print the score off in A4: planning how many staves you want on one page, how big the notes are on an A4 print, and planning where you want the page End can be very tricky, it usually takes about 5 or 6 test prints to get it exactly like you want it.
But if you read the music along on an iPad, it works like a Dream, absolutely Perfect, and in my opinion, the Best you can get for iPad.
As for the future, I just HOPE that Apple will design a “paper tablet”, OR that this app will be available on a paper- reader tablet of some sort.
Amazing App!
I will say first that this software does take a bit of getting used to but the more you discover new features the more you realise it’s genius. Packed with tons of features and very reasonable in price.
It has so many benefits, one of which from a music theory teaching aspect, it’s not something I’d initially thought of when I bought it. It was mainly for orchestral arranging and part writing if I need to draft up something quickly. Teaching music theory - it allows you to get students to practice the old fashioned and proper way of writing music using a pencil, but with the bonus of seeing it all printed up too.
There are reviews saying it is pricey but the nearest competitor that I used to use was Sibelius, which at one point was £300 upwards if I remember correctly. This is £10 for the app and £10 for the hand writing add on. Absolute bargain if you ask me.
Immature software
This is written in the hope it will stop the irritating pop-up request asking for "a good review".
The software is expensive for an ios app.
The handwriting add-on does not seem to add much advantage when editing a score; probably best for new score drafting.
The software offers good basic functionality but it has many quirks and bugs. With more care four stars might be achieved. I have been a long term user of Notion and hope that this seemingly more up-to-date software will be good enough to let me switch from Notion (which is also quirky and buggy). In practice I still need to use both depending on the tasks i want to complete.
Terminology is not defined (for example why have a 'project' rather than a 'score' and just exactly what is a 'layer'). In some places we have measures and others we have bars.
Other quirks include:
- No separation of file (project) name from the title of the piece; making the management of many scores unsatisfactory.
- Many random crashes - but have not yet lost data.
- Very restricted layout control.
- separating vocal parts (with lyrics) for printing tends to scramble the positions of the lyrics.
- Shortage of expression marks normally used (eg diminuendo)
- Can't change, save and reuse the default settings (eg set paper to A4 and it always comes back as letter).
- Exporting XML leaves out much of the expression and other text.
- Clunky process to find editing tools.
In-App Purchases
App Privacy
The developer, Xenon Labs, LLC, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy.
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
- Usage Data
- Diagnostics
Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More
Information
- Provider
- Xenon Labs, LLC
- Size
- 394 MB
- Category
- Music
- Compatibility
-
- iPhone
- Requires iOS 11.0 or later.
- iPad
- Requires iPadOS 11.0 or later.
- iPod touch
- Requires iOS 11.0 or later.
- Mac
- Requires macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
- Apple Vision
- Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- Languages
-
English
- Age Rating
- 4+
- Copyright
- © 2024 Xenon Labs, LLC.
- Price
- £14.99
- In-App Purchases
-
- Handwriting Recognition Tool £9.99
- Version 4: Complete Features Bundle £0.00