Optical Music Recognition (OMR) · Sheet Music OCR
Free Optical Music Recognition —
scan sheet music in your browser.
QuickStave's free sheet music OCR turns a PDF or photo of a score into notes you can edit, play, and export — in seconds, on any device. No install, no per-page fees, and your files never leave your computer.
Scan sheet music in three steps
Import your score
Open the Scores screen and hit Import. Drop in a PDF or a photo of the page you want to digitise.
QuickStave reads it on your device
Recognition runs right in your browser — no upload, no waiting on a server queue. Your sheet music stays private to you.
Edit, play, and export
The result opens as a fully editable score. Fix anything, hear it back instantly, then export to MusicXML, MIDI, or PDF.
Why scan with QuickStave?
Most Optical Music Recognition software is a paid desktop install, or uploads your files to a server and charges by the page. QuickStave does neither.
| QuickStave | PhotoScore / SmartScore | Flat.io PDF Import | Audiveris | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Paid | Per-page credits | Free |
| Runs in | Any browser | Windows / Mac install | Browser | Java install |
| Your files | Stay on your device | On your device | Uploaded to a server | On your device |
| Setup | None — just open a tab | Install + licence | Account required | Install Java + app |
| Edit the result | Full editor, same tab | In the bundled editor | In Flat's editor | Export only |
Comparison reflects each product's standard offering at time of writing.
Sheet music OCR, built the QuickStave way
Genuinely free
No per-page credits, no trial countdown. If free software can read your score, you shouldn't have to pay to do the same.
Private by design
Everything runs on your device. Your scores aren't uploaded, stored, or processed on anyone else's computer.
Fast
Seconds per page, not minutes. We're called QuickStave for a reason.
Any device
Chromebook, iPad, phone, or desktop — if it has a modern browser, it can scan.
Editable, not locked
The scan lands in a real notation editor. Correct a wrong note, add dynamics, transpose — then play it back.
Open formats out
Export to MusicXML and MIDI to carry your score into Sibelius, Dorico, MuseScore, or a DAW.
Curious how we built browser-native OMR? Read the engineering story.
Frequently asked questions
Is QuickStave's music scanning free?
Yes. Scanning a score and editing the result are free, with no per-page charges and nothing to install. Exporting the finished score to MusicXML or MIDI is part of Pro; PDF export is free with a small badge.
How do I scan sheet music online?
Open QuickStave, go to the Scores screen, and hit Import. Drop in a PDF or a photo of your printed sheet music and QuickStave scans it into editable notation right in your browser — no app to install and nothing uploaded to a server.
What is the best free sheet music scanner?
Most sheet music scanners are paid desktop installs or charge per page. QuickStave is a free, browser-based sheet music scanner: it reads a PDF or photo of a score into editable notation on any device, keeps your files private on your machine, and exports to MusicXML, MIDI, or PDF.
Is QuickStave a sheet music OCR tool?
Yes — Optical Music Recognition (OMR) is OCR for sheet music. Just as OCR turns a scanned document into editable text, QuickStave's music OCR turns a PDF or photo of a score into editable notation you can play and export. It is free and runs entirely in your browser.
What is the difference between music OCR and OMR?
They describe the same thing. "OCR" (optical character recognition) is the familiar term for reading text from an image; "OMR" (Optical Music Recognition) is the specialised version for musical notation. QuickStave does OMR — sheet music OCR — for free, on any device.
Do I need an account to scan sheet music?
No. You can open QuickStave and scan a score immediately — no sign-up, no email address, no registration of any kind. An account is only needed if you want to sync scores across devices, share them, or buy Pro.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Optical Music Recognition runs in any modern browser, with no app to download and no licence to manage. You can optionally install QuickStave as a PWA for offline use, but that is a convenience rather than a requirement.
Does it work on Android, iPhone, iPad, Chromebook, Mac and Windows?
Yes — all of them. QuickStave's sheet music scanner is a web app, so it runs on Android and iOS phones and tablets, iPads, Chromebooks, Mac, Windows and Linux, in any modern browser. There is no separate app for any platform, and the scan runs on your own device whichever one you use.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Recognition runs entirely on your own device. Your sheet music never leaves your computer — which is also why we can offer it for free.
What file types can I scan — PDF, PNG, JPG, or a photo?
All of them. QuickStave accepts PDF, PNG and JPG, and you can photograph a paper copy directly with your phone camera. A clean PDF or a straight, well-lit photo gives the best result; faint, skewed or handwritten pages are harder and need more cleanup in the editor.
How accurate is it?
This is an early release and improving steadily. Treat the result as a fast first draft you tidy up in the editor — still far quicker than entering every note by hand.
Can I export the scanned score?
Yes. Once it is in QuickStave you can export to MusicXML (to open in Sibelius, Dorico, or MuseScore), to MIDI, or to PDF.
How long does a scan take?
Usually seconds per page, depending on your device — not the minutes that desktop tools often need.
Scan your first score now
It's free, it runs in this browser, and nothing gets uploaded. Open QuickStave, go to the Scores screen, and hit Import.