Switching from Sibelius to QuickStave
A practical guide for Sibelius users — what feels the same, what's different, and how to bring your scores with you.
If you’ve been using Sibelius for years, switching to anything feels like a risk. You’ve got muscle memory, a library of scores, and a workflow that — despite its frustrations — gets the job done.
I get it. I first used Sibelius in 1999 at university — almost three decades ago. This post isn’t a sales pitch. It’s a practical guide: what will feel familiar, where you’ll need to retrain, and exactly how to bring your scores across.
Why switch?
Three things, briefly:
- It runs in your browser. Open a URL on any device — phone, tablet, Chromebook, desktop — and start writing. No install, no licence dongle, no waiting for updates.
- Creation is free. You can write, edit, and play back unlimited scores without paying anything. The paywall only activates when you want to export or share.
- Real-time collaboration. Share a link, edit together. Sibelius was never designed for this; QuickStave was.
If any of those matter to you, read on.
What feels the same
Keyboard-first note entry
Like Sibelius, QuickStave is built around the keyboard. You pick a duration, type pitches, and the notes appear. There’s no clicking between “select mode” and “input mode” — the editor is always ready for input.
Sticky duration
Pick a quarter note and it stays active while you enter multiple pitches. Identical to Sibelius.
Overwrite mode
Bar capacity is sacred. The bar always sums to the time signature. Lengthening a note eats the rest that follows it; shortening creates rests to fill the gap. If you’re comfortable with Sibelius’s default input behaviour, this will feel natural.
R to repeat, L to tie
Same shortcuts, same behaviour. R copies the current note forward. L ties to the next beat.
Arrow keys for navigation and transposition
← / → moves between notes. ↑ / ↓ shifts the selected note up or down by a diatonic step, respecting the key signature. Ctrl+↑ / Ctrl+↓ shifts by an octave.
On-screen shortcut hints
One of Sibelius’s quiet design wins was the numeric keypad display — a small on-screen replica that showed you which key did what. QuickStave takes this further: every keyboard shortcut is printed directly on its button, across every palette. You never need a cheat sheet. (I wrote a whole post about this.)
Professional engraving
QuickStave uses the Bravura font via the SMuFL standard — the same font used by Dorico. Noteheads, clefs, rests, and accidentals look publication-quality from the first note.
What’s different
Pitch entry: piano layout instead of letter names
This is the biggest muscle-memory change. In Sibelius, you press C for a C, D for a D, and so on. In QuickStave, the letter keys are mapped like a piano keyboard:
| Key | Note |
|---|---|
A | C |
S | D |
D | E |
F | F |
G | G |
H | A |
J | B |
The black keys sit on the row above: W E T Y U give you sharps or flats depending on the key signature.
Why? Because this layout makes chromatic entry faster. You don’t need a separate accidental prefix for most sharps and flats — just press the black key. It also maps spatially to a real keyboard, which many musicians find intuitive once the initial adjustment passes.
How long does it take? A few days of active use. The on-screen piano in the palette shows the mapping constantly, so you’re never guessing.
Duration numbers are shifted
In Sibelius, the keypad maps durations starting from 1 = demisemiquaver (32nd) up to 7 = semibreve (whole note). In QuickStave, the number keys run:
| Key | Duration |
|---|---|
1 | Semibreve (whole) |
2 | Minim (half) |
3 | Crotchet (quarter) |
4 | Quaver (eighth) |
5 | Semiquaver (16th) |
6 | Demisemiquaver (32nd) |
Longest to shortest, left to right. The logic is simple once you see it, but if Sibelius’s keypad mapping is in your fingers, expect a brief adjustment period.
Always editing
In Sibelius, you click somewhere on the score and start typing. QuickStave works slightly differently: when you open a score, the editing palette is immediately visible at the bottom of the screen, and bar 1 is selected. Click any bar to select it. Arrow keys move between notes within and across bars.
There’s no separate “score view” and “edit mode” — you’re always in the editor. The full score stays visible and scrollable while you work, with a palette of tools at the bottom.
Palette tabs instead of a keypad
Sibelius has a multi-page numeric keypad for durations, articulations, accidentals, and more. QuickStave replaces this with palette tabs switched by F1–F8:
| Tab | Contents |
|---|---|
F1 | Note entry (durations, accidentals, dots) |
F2 | Dynamics (ppp through sfz) |
F3 | Articulations (staccato, accent, fermata, bowing) |
F4 | Ornaments (trills, mordents, tremolos, grace notes, slurs) |
F5 | Voices |
F6 | Selection |
F7 | Text (tempo, expression) |
F8 | Bar properties (clef, key sig, time sig, barline) |
Each tab has its own set of keyboard shortcuts, printed on every button. There’s no collision between tabs — 1 means “ppp” on the Dynamics tab, and “semibreve” on the Note tab.
Panels open with Ctrl shortcuts
Score Properties, Instruments, and Share are accessed via Ctrl+P, Ctrl+I, and Ctrl+S — not bare letter keys.
How to import your Sibelius scores
QuickStave imports MusicXML files — the universal interchange format for music notation. The process depends on which version of Sibelius you’re using.
Sibelius 2018.6 or later (current versions)
This is straightforward:
- In Sibelius, go to File → Export → MusicXML.
- Choose Uncompressed (.musicxml) or Compressed (.mxl) — either works.
- Save the file.
- In QuickStave, open the Projects screen and press I (or click Import). Drag the file in or use the file picker.
- Your score opens in the editor.
Sibelius 7 through 2018.5 (2011–2018)
These versions have basic MusicXML export built in (File → Export → MusicXML), but the output quality varies. For better results, install the free Dolet for Sibelius plugin from MakeMusic, which produces cleaner MusicXML:
- Download Dolet for Sibelius from MakeMusic’s website (free).
- Install via Sibelius’s plugin manager.
- Export via File → Plug-ins → MusicXML → Export MusicXML.
- Import into QuickStave as above.
If you can’t install Dolet, the built-in export still works — you may just see minor formatting differences after import.
Sibelius 6 or earlier (pre-2011)
These versions have no built-in MusicXML export. Install the Dolet for Sibelius plugin (Dolet 6+ was free; earlier versions were paid), then export as described above.
If plugins aren’t an option, you can export as MIDI from Sibelius — MIDI import is coming to QuickStave soon.
Sibelius First (free tier)
Sibelius First historically lacked MusicXML export. The Dolet plugin may work depending on your version. Otherwise, MIDI export is your best option — QuickStave’s MIDI import is on the way.
What comes across in the import
QuickStave’s MusicXML importer handles: notes, rests, chords, ties, slurs, beams, tuplets, dynamics, articulations, tempo markings, expression text, key signatures, time signatures, clef changes, multiple voices, multiple staves, grace notes, ornaments, tremolos, hairpins, barline types, and lyrics.
If something doesn’t import perfectly, QuickStave shows a warning list so you know what to check. The import is best-effort — it won’t silently drop your music.
Getting started
The fastest way to try QuickStave is to just open it. No sign-up required. Import a score, poke around, see how it feels.
If you have questions or feedback, get in touch. I read every message.
— John Quick