Comparison of MIDI editors and sequencers
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, drum editor, event list[ 1]
Deluxe Music Construction Set
AmigaOS , macOS
Proprietary
Electronic Arts
Digital Performer
macOS, Windows[ 2]
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 (version 2008 and earlier) "NotePad" version (with very limited features). Discontinued.[ 3]
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.
MidiEditor
Linux, Windows
GPL-2.0-or-later
Markus Schwenk
Piano roll
Open-sourced on GitHub.
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
References
Techniques By country Active organizations Inactive organizations