LilyPond vs Finale

Struggling to choose between LilyPond and Finale? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

LilyPond is a Audio & Music solution with tags like open-source, music-engraving, sheet-music, music-notation, music-scores.

It boasts features such as Music engraving, Produces publication-quality sheet music, Open source and cross-platform, Supports many music notation constructs, Text-based input format, Extensive documentation and pros including Free and open source, High quality output, Powerful engraving capabilities, Cross-platform, Large user community.

On the other hand, Finale is a Audio & Music product tagged with notation, composition, publishing, engraving.

Its standout features include Notation editing, Score layout and printing, Playback and audio export, VST and AU plugin support, Music scanning and OMR, Publishing and sharing, and it shines with pros like Powerful engraving and layout tools, Intuitive interface, Support for complex notation, Integrates with DAWs and VSTs, Built-in audio engine, Available educational pricing.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

LilyPond

LilyPond

LilyPond is an open source music engraving program that produces publication-quality sheet music. It is cross-platform and used by musicians, music students, composers, and engravers to create professional music scores.

Categories:
open-source music-engraving sheet-music music-notation music-scores

LilyPond Features

  1. Music engraving
  2. Produces publication-quality sheet music
  3. Open source and cross-platform
  4. Supports many music notation constructs
  5. Text-based input format
  6. Extensive documentation

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

High quality output

Powerful engraving capabilities

Cross-platform

Large user community

Cons

Steep learning curve

Text-based input can be difficult

Limited GUI/WYSIWYG options

Less intuitive than other notation software


Finale

Finale

Finale is a music notation program used by composers, arrangers, musicians, and publishers to create, edit, audition, print, and publish musical scores. It offers advanced engraving capabilities and integrates with other audio and video production software.

Categories:
notation composition publishing engraving

Finale Features

  1. Notation editing
  2. Score layout and printing
  3. Playback and audio export
  4. VST and AU plugin support
  5. Music scanning and OMR
  6. Publishing and sharing

Pricing

  • Subscription
  • Educational discount

Pros

Powerful engraving and layout tools

Intuitive interface

Support for complex notation

Integrates with DAWs and VSTs

Built-in audio engine

Available educational pricing

Cons

Steep learning curve

Expensive for casual users

Limited MIDI implementation

No Linux version