MagicScore software comparison

Software MagicScore
Maestro Notation for MS Word Guitar OneTouch Composer SongWriter
General information
Version 8.171 8.189 8.171 2.017 8.254
Price, new customers $69.95 $69.95 $39.95 $39.95 $29.95
Price, upgrade $29.95 $29.95      
Operating system support Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
Touch-optimized UI
Score parameters
Orchestral complement examples, score headers 19 20 20 15
Number of staves Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited 12
Number of staff lines 0-12 0-12 0-12 5 0-12
Work with musical insertions
Merge/separate parts
Creating instrument template, editing instruments
Tabs support User customizable User customizable User customizable Standard tabs only User customizable
Musical font loading
Input instruments
Sequential input from keyboard and mouse
Sequential input from MIDI keybord/real-time input Step-by-step only
Built-in support of scanning/optical recognition of music Optional Optional Optional Optional
Virtual piano
(with an ability of changing duration «on the fly»)
Virtual guitar (with correct tabulature input)
Keyboard Panel (input range of 3 octaves)
Intervals Panel
Guitar chord generator
Score layout
Timing type Additive, compound Additive, compound Additive, compound Compound only Additive, compound
Chord notation input Automatic or manual Automatic or manual Automatic or manual manual manual
Number of versicles in score Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited 4
Choice of glissando type and duration Automatic
Grace notes, grace notes with slur, terminations Simple grace notes only
Inserts of musical fragments
(not anchored at stave position)
Automatic enharmonic change of double flat/sharp in two clicks
Guitar fretboard templates 12+created
by user		 12 16 16
Guitar frames
Special notation for percussion We have our Drum Map.
You can use it
as default
or change it
as you wish.		 We have our Drum Map.
You can use it
as default
or change it
as you wish.		 We have our Drum Map.
You can use it
as default
or change it
as you wish.		 Automatically configured for playback We have our Drum Map.
You can use it
as default
or change it
as you wish.
Creating non-standard key-signatures
Instruments and editors
 Piano Roll Editor
VST-instrument and effect support
Mixing console
Properties editor (with access to all components of
a symbol, including its elements, font, color, scale)
Online plug-in
(for publishing and viewing scores on the Web)
Active focus
Loading audio track into score
Multi-track audio editor
Tempo change as linear function
Interaction with other software and formats
OLE support (You can link and embed documents produced by other software such as sequencer, graphics editor, MS Word, etc.)
Save as audio file mp3, wav mp3, wav mp3, wav mp3, wav
Adding .sf2 soundfonts
Save as graphic file Full page PDF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, Emf, WMF, BMP, GIF Full page PDF, BMP, GIF, JPG, WMF, Emf, PNG, TIFF Full page PDF, BMP, GIF, JPG, WMF, Emf, PNG, TIFF Full page PDF, JPG
Graphic file insertion PDF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, Emf, WMF, BMP, GIF  GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, ICO, Emf, WMF  GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, ICO, Emf, WMF
MIDI file editing Yes + editor Yes + editor Yes + editor