MuseScore Reviews

MakeMusic, the producers of Finale, ought to be getting seriously worried; although reviews comparing MuseScore 1.3 to Finale must have been based on comparison to Finale Notepad rather than the full version, with the release of MuseScore 2.0 the comparison is almost fully justified, at any rate as far as notation goes. The integration of Garritan sounds in Finale still puts it way ahead of MuseScore on the midi front, but for composers and music copyists for whom the score is the important thing, MuseScore has now become a serious contender. I have yet to put it through its paces with a really complex score, but don't doubt that it will be up to the job. Until now the industry standard, Finale is soon likely to be left far behind by the fact that MuseScore, as well as being free, is also available for Linux. Although as a long-term fan of Finale I don't really like to say this, I think I can hear the last nails being driven into Finale's coffin.