Comparison of MIDI editors and sequencers

Summary

Notable software MIDI editors and sequencers are listed in the following table.

Software Platform License Developer Editing interface Notes
Aegis Sonix Amiga Proprietary Aegis Development Score, keyboard, and an instrument editor Music sequencer and a score editor.
Anvil Studio Windows Freemium Willow Software Score, piano roll, tablature, event list Full-featured MIDI editor & sequencer with staff, piano roll, percussion, event list, and audio editors.
Ardour FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, Windows GPL-2.0-or-later Paul Davis, and The Ardour Community Piano roll, event list MIDI support began with version 3.
Aria Maestosa Linux, macOS, Windows GPL-2.0-or-later MIDI sequencer/editor with score, keyboard, guitar, drum and controller views.
B-Step Sequencer macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS (iPad), Android, Raspberry Pi Proprietary Monoplugs A step sequencer to create arpeggios, chord progressions, basslines or percussions. Available as VST, Audio Units or standalone program.
Band-in-a-Box macOS, Windows
(also previously for Atari ST)
Proprietary PG Music Accompaniment sequencer with audio loops and more.
Cakewalk by BandLab Windows Proprietary BandLab Technologies Piano roll, event list
Steinberg Cubase macOS, Windows
(also previously for Atari ST)
Proprietary Steinberg Score, piano roll, event list[1]
Deluxe Music Construction Set AmigaOS, macOS Proprietary Electronic Arts
Digital Performer macOS Proprietary Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU)
DirectMusic Producer Windows Freeware Microsoft Part of DirectMusic SDK.
Finale macOS, Windows Proprietary MakeMusic, Inc. Score Composition and sequencing program, with various versions, including freeware (v. 2008 and earlier) "NotePad" version (with very limited features).
FL Studio Windows, macOS, Android, iOS Proprietary Image-Line Piano roll, step sequencer
GarageBand macOS, iOS Proprietary Apple Import only, saves to native format.
Guitar Pro Linux, macOS, Windows Proprietary Arobas Music
Indaba Music macOS, Windows Proprietary
JFugue Linux, macOS, Windows (Java-based) 5: Apache-2.0
3-4: LGPL-2.1-or-later
Programming library (API).
KeyKit Linux, Windows Free for non-commercial use, source available
LilyPond FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, Windows GPL-3.0-or-later
Live macOS, Windows Proprietary Ableton Piano roll
Logic Pro macOS
(also previously for Windows & Atari ST)
Proprietary Apple/Emagic (formerly named C-Lab) Piano roll, step editor, event list
LMMS Linux, macOS, OpenBSD, Windows GPL-2.0-or-later Piano roll, step sequencer DAW; VST, LADSPA support. MIDI editor displaying notes positions on a virtual keyboard. As of March 30, 2011 no MIDI aftertouch support.
MAGIX Samplitude Windows Proprietary MAGIX
Master Tracks Pro Windows Proprietary GVOX (originally Passport Designs) Full-featured GUI MIDI sequencer with notation screen (requires supplied Anastasia TrueType or Type1 font), event editor, MCI, SMPTE sync., etc. Tested to work under Win 10 1903.
MIDI Converter Studio Windows Shareware ManiacTools MIDI file converter, karaoke converter.
Mixcraft Windows Proprietary Acoustica Audio and MIDI sequencer, support for VSTis, MIDI recording, editing, and playback.
Mozart Windows Proprietary David Webber Music notation software for simple tunes to full scores of up to 64 parts.
MuLab Windows, macOS Proprietary Mutools MIDI and audio full DAW. Support for customizable modular DSP graphs. For electronic music but not only.
MultitrackStudio Windows, macOS, iOS Proprietary Bremmers Audio Design MIDI and audio full DAW, simple user interface, flexible MIDI editing.
MusE Linux GPL-2.0-or-later Piano roll, event list Open source midi and audio work station with support for VST, DSSI, LADSPA and LV2.
MuseScore Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS (partial) GPL-2.0-only Werner Schweer Score Music notation software with full MusicXML support. Piano roll editor, unlimited parts. good stability below 300 000 notes, edit multiple files at once, user friendly GUI, portable edition.
Musink Windows Proprietary Lee Reid Music notation freeware with MIDI output, loop, and playback functionality.
Notation Composer Windows, with Wine support Proprietary Notation Software Score, piano roll Full featured notation software program and MIDI sequencer.
NoteEdit Linux GPL-2.0-or-later Jörg Anders MIDI based score writer Defunct; last stable release September 2006.
NoteWorthy Composer Windows Proprietary Noteworthy Software Can import and export MIDI data, but only edit and display it as a musical score. Runs correctly in wine.
Overture macOS, Windows Proprietary Sonic Scores (formerly called Geniesoft) Score, piano roll, MIDI sequencer Notation, tab, piano roll, MIDI/step sequencing, VST/VSTi host, hybrid DAW, video sync.
Podium Windows Proprietary Zynewave
Pro Tools macOS, Windows Proprietary Avid Score, piano roll, event list
Qtractor Linux GPL-2.0-or-later Audio MIDI multi-track sequencer application written in C++ in the Qt framework.
REAPER Linux, macOS, Windows Proprietary Cockos Score, piano roll, event list Supports guitar tabs and MIDI2Tab conversion with TabEditor plug.
Reason macOS, Windows Proprietary Propellerhead Piano roll
Renoise Linux, macOS, Windows Proprietary Tracker Demo version available.
Rosegarden Linux GPL-2.0-or-later Score, piano roll, event list Audio, MIDI sequence, record. Win VST support, LADSPA, JACK.
Scala Linux, macOS, Windows Freeware, noncommercial Manuel Op de Coul Specializes in tuning; converts ascii score file to MIDI.
Seq24 Linux, Windows GPL-2.0-or-later Piano roll MIDI loops sequencer.
Sibelius macOS, Windows Proprietary Avid (originally Sibelius Software) Score, piano roll, tablature Live scoring of sheet music from MIDI input.
Signal Web Open source Signal Piano roll, event list
Studio One macOS, Windows Proprietary PreSonus Score, piano roll, drum editor
TineFune Linux, Windows Proprietary TineFune, LLC Piano roll, event list MIDI sequencer with a Web Browser GUI, no windows or menu clutter.
TuxGuitar FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, Windows (Java-based) LGPL-2.1-only Tablature Tablature editor.
Z-Maestro Windows Proprietary "Lite" version: limited tracks, I/O.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "MIDI Editors". steinberg.help. Retrieved 2017-11-28.