NoteWorthy Composer

Active[2][4]

Country: United Kingdom (GB)
Founded: 1994
Developer: NoteWorthy Software[1][2]
Pricing: One-time purchase (affordable for average users)[7]
Open source: No
Platforms: Windows

Indexes

Music Notation

Overview

NoteWorthy Composer is a proprietary scorewriter application for creating, editing, printing, and playing back musical scores in standard notation on Windows computers. It supports note entry via keyboard, mouse, on-screen piano, or MIDI devices, and handles import/export of MIDI and Karaoke files along with graphical output. Designed for composers and musicians needing real-time visual score editing, it stands out for its focus on Windows-native notation processing without support for other operating systems.¹²³

Key Features

Note Entry Methods - Enter notes using computer keyboard, mouse, on-screen piano, or MIDI instrument.²
Score Playback - Play back musical scores with MIDI support.¹³
Printing - Print sheet music directly from the desktop.²
Transposition - Transpose parts to adapt for different instruments.²
MIDI Import/Export - Import standard MIDI files into notation and export scores as MIDI or Karaoke files.¹³
Graphical Export - Export scores as WMFs for graphical use.¹
Integrated Virtual Piano - On-screen piano for immediate note entry.⁷

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Standard	One-time purchase	Full notation creation, editing, playback, MIDI import/export, printing.⁷
Trial	Free	Limited evaluation version for testing features.²

Platforms & Requirements

Runs exclusively on Microsoft Windows computers. Minimum requirements not specified in sources, but compatible since 1994 release. No support for macOS, Linux, or other platforms; one source incorrectly mentions Mac availability.¹²⁶

Integrations & Ecosystem

MIDI import and export
Karaoke (*.kar) file export
WMF graphical export
Standard MIDI applications compatibility
MIDI devices for input

Alternatives

App	Difference
Sibelius	Professional-grade notation with broader platform support and advanced engraving, unlike NWC's Windows-only focus.
Finale	Comprehensive notation suite with guitar tablature and automatic note placement, features absent in NWC.
MuseScore	Free open-source alternative with cross-platform availability and community-driven development.
Dorico	Modern professional tool with AI-assisted features and multi-platform support.

Reputation

NoteWorthy Composer is regarded as an affordable, straightforward tool for amateur songwriters, hobbyists, and average users needing basic music notation on Windows. Strengths include ease of use for novices and experts, efficient MIDI handling, and a supportive community with guides and forums. Criticisms focus on limited features like lack of guitar tablature, automatic note placement, and cross-platform support.¹⁷

Sources (10)