Common questions.
What you might wonder before you start writing: what it costs, what it opens, how playback and MIDI keyboards work, and where your music goes.
Getting started
Do I need to install anything or create an account?
No. Arpezia Notation runs entirely in your web browser. There is nothing to download and no account to set up. Open the editor and start writing.
Which browsers does Arpezia Notation work in?
Any current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Opera on a desktop or laptop. Keeping your browser up to date gives the smoothest results. One feature, connecting a MIDI keyboard, depends on the browser you choose, which the MIDI section below explains.
Is it really free?
Yes, free for personal and commercial use, with no feature gates, no watermarks, and no account. The paid Arpezia Platform includes and supports the editor, so it stays free. Here is why it is free.
Can I use it on a phone or tablet?
Arpezia Notation is built for a desktop or laptop, where a full keyboard, a pointer, and room for a full page make notation comfortable. A tablet can open and read scores, but detailed editing is happiest on a larger screen.
Your files
What can I open and save?
Arpezia reads and writes MusicXML (.musicxml and .xml) and compressed MusicXML (.mxl), in every published version of the standard. You can also export a PDF and print, laid out to the score’s own pages.
Will my scores open in other notation programs?
Yes. Everything you save is standard MusicXML, the format most notation programs read and write. Your music stays portable and is never locked into Arpezia.
I have a file from another app. Will it open cleanly?
Almost always. Arpezia opens MusicXML written by other programs, and when a file is not quite right, it explains the problem and repairs it safely, without inventing music. A lenient mode lets files with vendor extensions open smoothly.
MIDI keyboards
Can I connect a MIDI keyboard to play notes in?
Yes, in the browsers that support the Web MIDI standard. On a desktop or laptop, that means Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Firefox, on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The first time you use a keyboard, your browser asks permission to connect to it. Allow it, and you can play notes straight into your score. In Firefox, that first request also adds a small one-time browser component, which you approve once.
Why does my MIDI keyboard not work in Safari, or on my iPhone or iPad?
Safari does not support the Web MIDI standard on any device, so a MIDI keyboard cannot connect there. On iPhone and iPad, every browser is built on Safari’s engine, so MIDI input is unavailable across all of them. You can still open, read, and edit scores on those devices. Only live MIDI input is missing. To play notes in, use a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer with Chrome, Edge, Opera, or Firefox.
My keyboard is connected, but Arpezia does not see it. What can I check?
A few things, in order:
- Connect the keyboard first, then reload the page. Browsers look for devices as the page loads.
- When the browser asks permission to use MIDI devices, choose allow. In Firefox, approve the one-time component it offers, then reload.
- Close any other program that might be holding the keyboard, such as a music app or a second browser tab.
- Confirm the keyboard is powered on and the cable is seated, then reload once more.
- Make sure you are using one of the supported browsers above, and not Safari.
What is Web MIDI, exactly?
Web MIDI is the browser feature that lets a website communicate with MIDI instruments like keyboards and controllers. Because it lives in the browser and not in Arpezia, whether your keyboard works comes down to which browser and device you use.
Sound and playback
Can I hear my score play back?
Yes. A built-in synthesizer with 12 sampled instrument voices plays your score. Press the space bar to start and stop.
Which instruments can I write for?
Around 60 instruments across 10 families, each ready to use with the correct clef, transposition, and staff count. Add a part and start writing.
Privacy and the platform
What happens to my music and my data?
Arpezia Notation runs entirely in your browser. It carries no ads and does not sell data. Your scores are yours, saved as standard MusicXML you can keep on your own computer.
How does this connect to the Arpezia Platform?
Arpezia Notation is one part of the wider Arpezia ecosystem. Because everything you save is standard MusicXML, your scores are ready for the Songs library in the Arpezia Platform, or for any other application that reads the standard.