MusicXML
by Recordare, pronounced "re-cor-DAR-ray"
The MusicMXL XML file format provides a music notation interchange standard. It triumphs where NIFF (Notation Interchange File Format) failed. Widespread adoption is a significant part of MusicXML's success, making it today's de facto industry standard, and the likely standard for some time to come.
MusicXML allows sharing of music notation between MusicXML-ready music notation applications ... but it has other potential as well. Recodare proposes that MusicXML 2.0 "will soon serve the same role for interactive sheet music that MP3 files serve for recorded music," however this potential is yet to be seen. Presently file interchange is the primary benefit for most notation applications. MusicXML is the 'go-between' file format.
This is exciting news, so let's understand what MusicXML is not. MusicXML file interchange is not equivalent to file compatibility or file import. It's NOT a means of opening a Finale or Sibelius score directly in Encore ... nor is it a means of opening an Encore file in Finale or Sibelius.
MusicXML notation interchange, or any proposed notation interchange, is like sharing text documents through Rich Text Format (often called RTF.)
Any application that reads MusicXML can open an Encore MusicXML file. Conversely, Encore can open MusicXML files generated by other notation applications. In other words, because Encore supports MusicXML you can export an Encore score to a MusicXML file. Other notation applications that read MusicXML (such as Finale and Sibelius) can open this XML representation of your score, with most or all aspects intact.
For exchange purposes MusicXML is far superior to MIDI export. MIDI exports only include notes, volumes, instrumentation, basic effects like reverb, and details specific to the sound and timing. A MusicXML export contains lots more information. It has all the MIDI data, plus details essential to the score and its readability, such as: clefs, lines per page, measure per line, dynamic marks, articulations, lyrics, text, slurs, stem direction, tablature, repeat signs, endings ... the list goes on.
You can create scores in Encore and save to MusicXML knowing that a Finale or Sibelius will be able to open your score with all the aforementioned features intact. If your publisher wants your scores in Finale format, but your prefer working in Encore, try sending MusicXML files. Conversion on their end my suffice for their needs. Nevertheless, details and essentials may get lost along the way.
An RTF exported a word processing document may lose some aspects of formatting or layout during export or import phase. A very common loss is column layout or image positioning. Usually all the words come through, as well as basic formatting such as font faces, styles and sizes, but highly specialized typographical issues may be ignored, such as kerning, tracking, ligatures, and true fractions.
Similarly there's a potential for loss of detail when sharing scores via MusicXML. Layout and notational features may be lost two main ways:
1) A notation application may fail to export all the features and aspects of a score to the MusicXML document it creates.
have internal features that it fails to translate to MusicXML. Thus the MusicXML export is a subset of the score itself.
2) An importing notation application may not support all the features in a MusicXML file which came from a more advanced program. In such cases the importing application simply ignores those features and they are permanently lost.
Reports and Silent Failures:
Ideally applications will report on issues that will affect the score during import or export. An application knows when it encounters a object, property or feature that it does not include in MusicXML exports, therefore it should provide a list of unexported elements, features and properties.
Just the same, an importing application knows when it encounters a object, properties or features that it ignores or discards; it should provide a list of unimported elements, features and properties.
Without such reports users will have to examine every measure to see if details have been successfully transferred. Few things are more frustrating than silent failures or silent ineptitude, being led down a path ... thinking that your export is complete, or that another application will have the capacity to import all of it's characteristics.
MusicXML and Application Independence
To date applications hold market share partly because users are confined by proprietary file formats. Once the promise of MusicMXL is fulfilled, it may level the playing field among notation applications, forcing them to compete on usability, workflow, and features. That day has not yet fully dawned. However if notation companies fully embrace MusicXML, the promise may soon occur.
The dream is something like this. Via MusicXML interchange, you'll be able to edit a score in various applications, switching between them due to strengths, aptitudes and usability, choosing the tool that best fulfills a particular task. When you're done with the heavy lifting, you can open the MusicXML file in your favorite 'polishing' application and add the finishing touches. Presently this is not entirely possible because not all vendors support all MusicMXL properties. Most overlooked are issues of layout, such as measures per line and lines per page. And there are many small details that may be lost, and that can really trip you up.
As MusicXML adoption and development continue, the future benefits of MusicXML will unfold. Ultimately MusicXML may allow notational application independence. It's up to developers to keep up with the evolving MusicXML standard. Conversely MusicXML must keep stride with features and innovations created by notation developers. The MusicMXL specification is very thorough. Hopefully vendors will step up to the plate. Recordare claims that over 80 notation offerings are already on board at some level. Please encourage your software company to do so.
Before long most of those using music notation software will benefit directly from MusicXML.
(For more information on MusicXML go to: http://www.musicxml.org/xml.html.)
Music Notation Software Companies (a list of contenders in the field):
- Encore, MusicTime - http://www.gvox.com (See Encore 5 review)
- Finale, Allegro, G7- http://www.finalemusic.com
- Harmony Assistant - http://www.myriad-online.com (Myriad)
- Lilypond - http://lilypond.org
- Logic - http://www.apple.com/logicstudio/logicpro/
- Melody Assistant - http://www.myriad-online.com (Myriad)
- MIDINotate http://www.notation.com
- Mozart - http://www.mozart.co.uk
- MusEdit - http://www.musedit.com
- Music Publisher - http://www.braeburn.co.uk (Braeburn)
- Nightengale - http://www.ngale.com (Adept Music Notation Solutions)
- NoteWorthy Composer - http://www.noteworthysoftware.com
- Notion, Progression (for Guitar) http://www.notionmusic.com/
- Overture - http://www.geniesoft.com
- Personal Composer - http://www.pcomposer.com
- Score - http://www.scoremus.com
- ScoreWriter - http://www.geniesoft.com
- Sibelius - http://www.sibelius.com
Tablature and ABC music notation software
- BarFly - http://www.barfly.dial.pipex.com
- The ABC Music Project - http://abc.sourceforge.net
- ABC Convert-A-Matic - http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html
- GuitarPro - http://www.guitar-pro.com
- PowerTab - http://www.power-tab.net
- TablEdit - http://www.tabledit.com
More information at: http://ace.acadiau.ca/score/others.htm
Music Notation Exchange Languages
MusicXML: http://www.musicxml.org/xml.html
http://www.musicxml.org/
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This page last updated: 01-16-2008
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