Stave'n'Tabs: Music Notation for PC and Mac

Software Reviews and Criticism

• By BobFlorida1231

  Excellent

  I just purchased this software. So far I find it to be well written and easy to learn. Just what I was looking for.

  
  
• By ThatVeganDude

  THRILLED so far!!!

  I just downloaded this free app about an hour ago and am very happy with it so far! I needed to notate my guitar chords so I could remember what I wrote. This app does so much! It seems to do everything I need. Still learning about it but it is very user friendly, has text/lyrics and lots of music notation functions. Thank you! I can’t say enough. I don’t want to go through all the functions and explain how to use it but I highly recommend it. Comes with a good help guide or just click around and you can usually figure something out. Great for guitar and lead sheet writing! More of my experience to come later. Looking forward to seeing the print capabilities. I tried to print straight from the editor/project window but it printed large and off the page, however, I haven’t tried to save it to PDF and then print. I would like to know if IAmTheWalrus got his issue resolved as I have not tried to compose with a triplet yet. Also had an issue with the slur lining up just where I wanted it between two 16th notes, however, I may not be savvy with it yet (I was trying to indicate a slide from one fret to another). Seriously considering buying the extended version.

  
  
• By El writero

  Limited

  This might be because I only have the free version but in terms of writing music, articulation is limited to just accents and fermates which I feel is limiting to a musician.

  
  
• By teger33

  So much potential, but...

  I purchased the Pro version of this app. It does (or could potentially do) so many wonderful things that are exactly what I’m after, which is arranging guitar chords and lyrics along with bass tabs and notation. The problem is that I have found it absolutely tedious to use on my Windows desktop computer. I’ve been using point and click, with occasional key strokes to enter my music and it takes me way too long to do very simple parts. The interface seems to fight me every step of the way. There must be a better way, but I find that the available documentation and video instruction are as cumbersome as the app itself. Even if I manage to finish the song I’m currently working on, it is going to take twice the number of pages because I can’t seem to condense the vertical space between the parts. I hope the developers improve its ease of use, because I need something with less muscle than Logic Pro for what I’m doing, but it still needs to feel musically responsive. And please add contrast to the UI. I need to be able to see a cursor--or highlighting that stands out more than pale yellow on white—so I can see which part, beat, or bar I am working with.

  
  
• By MrOnePercent

  Completely non-intuitive

  I understand navigating a music score can be complex. Its because of that the interface MUST be simple to use. But this is not. I installed the app and literally spend 30 minutes trying to add a single note to a single position on the staff. There is no tutorial, no guide, etc. I went to the website and found some instructions. I did find some, but they are completely non-intuitive. Navigating, selecting bars, measures, adding chords. Its all slow, clumsy, etc. Then I FINALLY found how to add single notes. You select a "spot" on the staff (inside an event), and you type on the keyboard. But the letters you type make seemingly make no sense. You want a C note? Type the letter A. You want a D note? Type S. What?? E note: type D. Seriously? And of course the FREE version you can't save your work. That's not an app - its crippleware. Save yourself some time. Skip this one.

  
  

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