Tutorials How To Manual MIDI and Audio
MusicXML is a music notation format used to exchange files between music notation programs. It is based on XML and can therefore be read by any XML parsing software. Like MIDI files, MusicXML files contain information on notes, tempo, key signatures, time signatures, lyrics, MIDI channels and programs. In addition, MusicXML contains extensive notational information, including information on clefs, slurs, barlines, staves, musical directions, display of accidentals, stems and beams, chord symbols, tablature and page layout. In fact, MusicXML is designed to be able to represent all common Western music notation. As such, MusicXML is usually the best format for exchanging music notation between software that supports it. NIFF and MIDI files can also be used to exchange musical data between music applications.
QuickScore can both read and write MusicXML files. MusicXML format is generally the first choice when importing from scanning programs or other music notation programs. It is also usually the best choice when exporting to other notation software that supports it. When exporting to music software that is not concerned with notational information, MIDI files are usually a better choice than MusicXML. Audio files such as MP3 and Wave files are very different from MIDI, MusicXML or NIFF files, as they have no note data, but are instead precise representations of the sound of a composition. Use them to create CDs, play on a variety of audio devices or import into audio editing software. QuickScore can import audio files and extract note data from them, but this is not as easy or efficient for this purpose as importing MIDI, MusicXML or NIFF files.
Scanning programs usually have a good MusicXML implementation. Most music notation software supports MusicXML to one degree or another. QuickScore's MusicXML implementation is extensive.