StaffPad

There's nothing like it on any other device. I switched from being a long term apple user to the Surface Pro 4. This program is worth every penny. I wrote professionally for orchestras and this has changed the way I write music. No more headaches learning software. Just paper and pen and that's it. Scores are beautiful and the interface is smooth. Great job!

[updated review]: So flexible, it's surprising.The controls, whether zooming or adding notation, are very intuitive.Only drawback is the limited time signatures right now: but it's not a deal breaker - it's just more annoying. After using it for a while-I get why people are scoring it down (but don't agree): It works *so* well that it’s difficult to consider it as software-it’s like having a personal orchestra on call-willing to run through your score. Maybe these tips help: Don't annotate too quickly. It *can* keep up, but it struggles with "correctness" when you write fast. If you slow down & add precision to your strokes you get "instant, magical correctness". When StaffPad makes a mistake-don't use your stylus to erase or redraw-use your finger to correct. It knows the difference. It *knows*. Lastly: If it resolves your note placement wrong-don’t redraw: select it with your stylus and just drag it into place. I didn't even read the help. It's just intuitive. I hope this helps

Handwriting recognition is almost flawless. It requires a bit of adaptation, but that's to be expected. Initial score layout and note input is intuitive and a pleasure. The app falls flat on its face when it comes to time signatures, with only a short list of options. Others (1/4? 2/8? 5+6/8?) aren't allowed. The piece I'm writing isn't complicated, but it's not possible to notate in this app. If time signatures are changed on existing measures, notes aren't shifted. If you want to re-notate the 3/4 section in 2, be prepared to re-input the whole passage unless you want a section of 2/4 with 3 beats per bar. Maybe give us the option? The app also doesn't allow for music to be written without a key signature. I wouldn't be so critical, but the description clearly states that it's intended for pro composers. I want badly for it to be what it claims; it's an easy 5 stars if they fix the time signature issue. Alas, it's unusable for all but the most rhythmically simple music without it.

I'm not sure if someone else has pointed this out yet, but piano and pianissimo are backwards if you check on the expression tool for fine tune volume editing. Just figured I'd point that out so they can continue making this app better.

As someone who normally writes by hand and then inputs into Finale, I have loved being able to skip a step with this app. For the most part it's great and easy to use, but recognition improvement is needed with accidentals (especially flats) and ties. Being able to copy and paste multiple measures and staves at a time would also be a great feature. For the most part, this has been a great app to arrange songs for my piano students of all levels and a great tool to arrange songs before recording them. A strong start for this still young software.

I'm a professional cellist, studio musician/recording engineer from LA. I do mostly arrangements with notation software. This is the best app I've ever bought. No need for keyboard shortcuts, numeric keypad, mouse and midi keyboard. Just a pen. Super elegant, yet professional. If you use major notation software, you know what I'm talking about. I have to get back to handwriting music again Highly recommended!

I've used this app for months and loved every minute of it. As a former Finale and Sibelius user, I am so happy to have found an easy and quick way to write and arrange music that doesn't involve sitting in front of a computer and being tied to a keyboard. As a child, I learned how to notate music by hand, and it has always been my preferred method, but, obviously, it's not very practical at this stage of our technological evolution. And that's exactly why I was so excited to learn about StaffPad. It combines the best of both worlds - the ease of writing by hand with the capabilities provided by technology. There was a very slight learning curve in using the stylus, simply because writing on glass has a different feel than writing on paper, but, other than that, the program is very intuitive. And if there's something I need help with, the on-board tutorials take care of that. I look forward to seeing how the developers will evolve this already excellent product!