Free Open Source Programs for Musicians and Music Teachers

Here are some open source programs for musicians and music teachers that are about as powerful as their name competitors at a fraction of the cost (like $0.00)

MuseScore - Music Notation Software

For music notation, MuseScore is great.  The current version competes well with slightly older versions Finale and Sibelius and they are working on version 2.0 which should stack up well against the newer versions.  Besides saving to its own format, it can export in various graphic formats, MIDI, and will create PDF files directly in the program.  It will also read and write MusicXML files.  The learning curve is about the same as the big names and, although the documentation is rather basic, it is among the best I have seen in open source and freeware.

MuseScore - Music Notation Software

Audacity - Audio Recording Software

Audacity is an audio recording and editing program.  You can record directly into your computer or you can import audio files from a recorder or even from the internet and edit them, add effects, etc.  It is multi-track. It reads and writes most major audio formats.  It does not include MP3 since that is a proprietary format, but there is a 3rd party add-on that will easily take care of that.  I use it to edit recordings that I have made with my recorder of myself at the piano or my church choir.  I can then edit, splice, dice, whatever to my hearts content.

Audacity - Audio Recording Software

Libre Office - Office Suite

Libre Office is the free open source office suite that allows you to free yourself from Microsoft.  It has all of the applications and functionality of MS Office without the cost - word processor, spread sheet, data base, presentation, drawing, etc.  It is extensible.  There is even an add-on that allows you to embed a MuseScore score directly into the document and edit directly re-edit it if necessary.  You don't have to save the score into a graphic format and then switch programs.  That is part of the reason that I included it here.  Great for the music teacher who wants to place music into a document for your students.  It reads and writes all MS Office file extensions as well as the open source extensions.  It will also read, edit (if un-protected) and write PDF files.  With the money that you save on MS Office you will be able to get that next piece of music equipment that you have always wanted.

Libre Office - Office Suite

These links are also available in the links section to the right.