Sibelius is an advanced music notation program, designed for composers, arrangers, publishers, students, and educators. It is used to create and edit scores, compose, arrange, and print music. It offers powerful tools to quickly create scores and parts from a wide range of musical styles and genres, including classical, jazz, pop, rock, and more. It features powerful score-editing features, including an intuitive keyboard and mouse interface, a full range of staff and score-editing tools, and sophisticated playback and printing options. It includes a virtual orchestra, a library of sounds, and a vast library of instruments. It is available in both desktop and cloud-based versions, and is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X.
MuseScore is simpler and more flexible than Sibelius, and is GPL'd, free software, available to everyone, without restrictions. It is constantly being improved, and you can use it at will. Simpler and much less trouble maker than Sibelius. With open / standard formats: no lock-in.
It is easy to use, full-featured and free.
Record and playback midi and audio easily. Scoring is a bit more difficult
While it is more guitar-oriented, it can easily write sheet music for any instrument.
Very similar, and either / or software for music production? If necessary, would I go for the package that is the cheapest at the time?
Highly realized interface: an excellent 21st century application.
anticipates what musicians need to make music and delivers it. It's incredibly easy to use. It produces professional results and keeps getting better every year. This is understandable when you consider that musicians created the programs.
MuseScore
Rosegarden
Guitar Pro
LilyPond
Frescobaldi
Finale
Flat
Dorico
Impro-Visor
Anvil Studio
StaffPad
music21
Denemo
NtEd
Power Tab Editor
Band-in-a-Box
Canorus Music Score Editor
NoteWorthy Composer
EasyABC
Very good and free. It allows me to write my music, export it in a midi format file and upload it to Reaper DAW. It also allows me to import any midi I have recorded into Reaper and instantly have a score to share with other musicians.