Before the first note

A place to turn music from one form into another. Bring a recording, a video, a song link, a PDF or photo of sheet music, or a MIDI, MusicXML or ABC file. ScoreStarling makes it a score you can hear, fix and transpose, then gives it back as sheet music, guitar TAB, numbered notation (jianpu), MIDI, MusicXML or audio. It works in your browser and inside AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Claude.

Not yet: it is in public beta. Anyone can sign up and use it, and it changes often as we improve it. If something does not work the way you expect, tell us with Feedback in the workspace or through the Help center.

Anyone. Sign in with Google, or with your email and a password or a one-time code, and you can start right away. A voice, one instrument or solo piano is free; band recordings use credits, and every account gets 100 free credits a month. See pricing.

A voice, one instrument or solo piano is free, up to three transcriptions a day, and so are sheet music, score files, editing, listening and PDF, MP3 and WAV downloads. A band uses 40 credits a minute, after you agree to the price. Unlocking a score’s MusicXML, MIDI and ABC costs 15 credits, once. Every account gets 100 free credits a month; Plus and credit packs are on the pricing page.

PDF (staff, TAB or jianpu), page images, parts, TAB as text, MP3 and WAV are free. A free score’s pages and TAB text carry a small footer line, “Made with ScoreStarling · scorestarling.com”. MusicXML, MIDI, ABC and MEI need the score unlocked: 15 credits, once per score, which also removes the footer line. A band transcription paid with credits is already unlocked, and Plus unlocks every score while you have it.

Yes. Every account has an invitation link on its Share page. When a friend joins with it and finishes a first transcription of a recording, free ones included, you both get 100 credits, valid 30 days. Up to five friends earn rewards. Pricing has the other ways to get credits.

A clear recording where the part you want stands out. Tell ScoreStarling what is playing: one instrument or voice, solo piano, or a band. The first two are free and a band uses credits; each covers the first five minutes. Uploads can be up to 100 MiB, and long pieces can be split at a bar line. See which choice suits your recording. The Help center has tips for the most accurate draft.

Treat transcription as a first draft. Results depend on the recording and the music. Listen side by side with the original, correct what you hear, and review the score before performing or sharing it. See how accurate transcription was in our tests.

MusicXML is the standard exchange format for notation software such as MuseScore, Dorico, Sibelius and Finale. MIDI opens in any DAW. The PDF is ready to print or to read from a tablet. MusicXML and MIDI need the score unlocked (15 credits, once); the PDF is free, with a small footer line until then. For what each file keeps, see MusicXML vs MIDI vs PDF.

Yes. Add it once by its address; the connection guide shows how, for Cursor, VS Code and other AI apps too. Then attach a recording or a page of music and ask. Where the chat app supports it, the score opens right in the conversation.

Only your Google identity, email and basic profile, to identify your account; never Gmail, Google Drive or contacts. The Help center has the details.

Yes. Open a PDF or a picture of printed sheet music, a MusicXML, MIDI or ABC file, or a video, whose sound is transcribed. You can also paste ABC or MusicXML as text, or a link from YouTube, Bilibili, TikTok, Instagram, SoundCloud and many other sites when the site allows the download. Reading sheet music and files is free; clean printed pages read best, up to 12 PDF pages. For a phone photo or a jianpu page, an AI assistant that reads images can write it out for you. See formats and limits.

Yes. Switch any score to numbered notation, 1=key or fixed-do 1=C, or the melody alone, and the PDF you download follows that view. You edit on the staff; numbered notation shows the latest saved version. Lyrics, repeats, grace notes, dynamics and key changes carry over. See staff and jianpu details.

Yes, for guitar, bass and ukulele. A part shows TAB under the staff or TAB alone, in the tuning and capo you play with, and you can move a note to another string or type a fret. The PDF prints the TAB, TAB as text pastes into a message, and MusicXML carries the TAB staff. Bends, slides and hammer-ons aren’t written. See audio to guitar tab.

Yes, in beta. When your browser and its built-in agent support WebMCP, the agent can use the open workspace for you: select and edit notes, preview and undo changes, comment and download. Anything that spends credits waits for your clear yes. It uses your signed-in browser, so it is separate from connecting a chat app. Support varies by browser. See setup, examples and permissions.

The Help center answers questions about using ScoreStarling, and its last section explains how to reach us and what to include.