ScoreCloud
ScoreCloud is music notation software that turns singing, whistling or instrumental playing into sheet music automatically. Its three programs, Studio, Songwriter and Express, run on Windows, Mac and iPhone, exporting PDF, MusicXML and MIDI files.
What is ScoreCloud?
ScoreCloud is a music notation suite published by Doremir Music Research AB, a Stockholm company that calls itself a Musical Intelligence Company. Its purpose is unusual: instead of asking you to enter notes, it listens to a performance and writes the notation, so that someone who can neither read nor write music can still produce a score. The technology rests on about twenty-five years of research in music cognition, with the sound analysis developed at the Speech, Music and Hearing department of KTH. The founders are Sven Ahlback, a professor at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm who wrote his thesis on music cognition, and Sven Emtell, a KTH computer engineer.
The brand covers three programs. ScoreCloud Studio (Windows and Mac) notates a single acoustic instrument or a MIDI performance, supports overdub and manual writing, and builds multi-staff scores for bands, choirs and ensembles. ScoreCloud Songwriter (Windows and Mac) takes voice and instrument recorded through one microphone, or an MP3 or YouTube import, and returns a lead sheet; the site describes it as a combination of AI methods that separates the audio, analyses the music, transcribes the lyrics and assembles the result, with melody and accompaniment separation, transposition, tempo changes, drum grooves and backing tracks. ScoreCloud Express (iPhone and iPad) captures an idea on the move by singing, humming or whistling.
Songs are stored in the cloud and synchronised between devices, and an interactive web player is available from the web account. A free ScoreCloud account is required, because analysis and storage run through cloud services. The business model is subscription-based: a permanent free plan capped at ten songs, then PLUS, SONGWRITER and PRO tiers. CNN, Forbes and Wired UK coverage is quoted on the home page, and the company says it is backed by Swedish and international private investors together with the Almi Invest venture fund.
The publisher states the limits itself: produced pop songs and recordings with drums or symphony orchestras do not yield a satisfactory analysis, and guitar tablature is not available yet.
What it does
- Sing, hum or whistle a melody and get it notated automatically
- Play a MIDI keyboard and watch the notation appear as you play
- Record voice and instrument through a single microphone and obtain a lead sheet with lyrics and chord symbols
- Import an audio file or a YouTube video and turn it into a score, on the Songwriter and PRO plans
- Generate chords automatically with Auto Chords, under the Magic Wand button
- Separate melody from accompaniment, transpose, change the tempo or the backing style, and export a karaoke version
- Export to MIDI or MusicXML, print to PDF, and share a link to the interactive web player
When to use ScoreCloud / When not to
A quick filter to help you decide if ScoreCloud is the right fit.
When to use ScoreCloud
- Singer-songwriters who record voice and instrument in a single take and want an instant lead sheet with lyrics and chord symbols
- Music teachers who need printable scores and classroom arrangements without entering every note by hand
- Musicians who cannot read or write music, since the site states you can begin writing music without knowing any music theory at all
- Composers and arrangers building multi-staff scores for choirs, bands and ensembles
- Guitarists looking for the chords of an MP3, and singers who need a piano score for an audition
When not to use ScoreCloud
- Producers working on finished pop tracks, drum recordings or symphony orchestra material, which the publisher says will not generate a satisfactory analysis
- Guitarists who need tablature, as it is not available in ScoreCloud yet
- Developers looking for a documented public API, since access to the technology goes through an email licensing request only
- Procurement and compliance teams that require a DPA, a subprocessor list or a published hosting jurisdiction
- Android users, as ScoreCloud Express is published for iPhone and iPad only
How to use ScoreCloud
A typical end-to-end flow, from setup to results.
- Check the requirements first: macOS 10.8 or later, or Windows 7 or later, at least 2 GB of RAM, and any compatible MIDI device for MIDI input
- Create a free ScoreCloud account, from the sign-up button in Express, at the first launch of Studio, or from the web registration page
- Download the program you need: Studio or Songwriter for Windows and Mac, Express from the iOS App Store
- Set your input in the preferences, on the Audio/MIDI tab
- In Studio, connect a MIDI keyboard or a microphone and simply play or sing: no pre-sets, no click-track, nothing
- In Songwriter, record voice and instrument through one microphone, open an audio file, or import from YouTube
- In Express, sing, whistle or hum into the phone microphone
- Edit the result: manual note entry, voice separation, Auto Chords, and rhythm correction by dragging the bar lines
- Export with Export Current Snippet, Save All Snippets, Song As MIDI or Song As Music XML, and print to PDF; on Windows a third-party PDF printer such as PDF Creator, Bullzip or Adobe Acrobat Pro is required, while macOS handles it natively
- Sign in with the same account on every device to synchronise, using the icon next to Cloud Collections in Studio
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Automatic notation with no pre-sets, no click-track and no knowledge of music theory required
- Three entry points: voice or whistling, acoustic instrument, and MIDI keyboard
- A permanent free plan that is genuinely usable, with ten songs and transcription from singing included
- Low paid entry point at 5.99 USD per month, or 59 USD per year
- Automatic synchronisation between mobile, desktop and browser
- Open exports in MusicXML and MIDI, so scores can be reopened in other notation software
- User intellectual property asserted in the Terms and on a dedicated security page, with an EU publisher under Swedish law and abundant documentation, video tutorials and a Learn section
Cons
- Transcription quality depends entirely on the performance: ScoreCloud Studio does not know any songs
- Fails on produced pop, drums and symphony orchestras, and long recordings take about 1.5 times their duration to analyse
- No guitar tablature
- Key capabilities sit in the higher tiers: audio files and MusicXML export from SONGWRITER, batch MIDI analysis on PRO, watermarked printing on the free plan
- An account is mandatory because analysis and storage run in the cloud, PDF export is not native on Windows, and the number of accounts creatable from one IP address in a day is limited, which is awkward for a class
- No DPA, no subprocessor list, no published hosting country, no named security certification, and no documented opt-out from research and development use of the data
- No Android app, no documented public API despite a Technology Licensing and APIs page, and a privacy policy unchanged since 2 September 2021
Pricing & Plans
ScoreCloud offers a permanent free plan, FREE, limited to ten songs stored online with watermarked printing. The lowest paid entry point is the PLUS plan at 5.99 USD per month or 59 USD per year. SONGWRITER is priced at 11.99 USD per month or 119 USD per year, and PRO at 20.99 USD per month or 149 USD per year. All amounts are displayed in US dollars. When first signing up for any paid plan, the customer receives ten free days of ScoreCloud PRO. Subscriptions may be cancelled at any time from the account settings; cancellation takes effect at the next billing cycle, with no refund for the cycle in progress.
- ten songs stored online
- watermarked printing
- notation from singing
- manual entry
- automatic chords
- MusicXML import and cross-device sync
- unlocks ScoreCloud Express and Studio
- unlimited songs online and offline
- printing without watermark
- notation from singing and from playing
- transcription from a polyphonic instrument recording
- MIDI import and export
- unlocks Express and Studio
- everything in PLUS plus the ScoreCloud Songwriter program
- instant lead sheets
- transcription from audio files and MusicXML export
- unlocks Express
- Studio and Songwriter
- everything in SONGWRITER plus notation from audio files
- MusicXML import and export and batch MIDI analysis
- unlocks Express
- Studio and Songwriter
Data, GDPR & hosting
A consolidated view of how ScoreCloud handles your data.
GDPR overview
Doremir states explicitly that it follows the General Data Protection Regulation, including for exports of personal data outside the EU; clause 9.1 of the Terms repeats it. The company is established in Sweden, so no Article 27 EU representative is required or appointed. Clause 9.3 splits roles: Doremir is controller for account creation, each account holder is controller for the personal data inside their own Material. Questions about processing, corrections or unlawful processing go to support@doremir.com under clause 9.4, while the privacy policy and support pages point to support@scorecloud.com for deletion requests. Clause 10.3 provides for deletion or return of personal data after termination on written request. Swedish law applies, with Stockholms tingsratt as court of first instance. What is missing: no DPA, no subprocessor list, no named certification such as SOC 2 or ISO 27001, and a privacy policy last updated on 2 September 2021.
Who owns the data?
Clause 8.2 of the Terms of Use states that the user owns, or is responsible for, all Material uploaded, and that every intellectual property right in that Material belongs to the user or to the licensor it was licensed from. The security page adds that the Terms grant Doremir no rights to your material or intellectual property beyond what is needed to run and improve the ScoreCloud services, namely analysis, technical issues and development. Clause 9.3 makes Doremir Music Research AB the controller for account creation, while each account holder is the controller for the personal data contained in their own Material. The timestamp of a first save is presented as evidence of authorship precedence.
Reuse rights
Because ownership stays with the user under clause 8.2, the scores and exports produced can be reused, performed, published or sold without asking Doremir for permission. The only stated restriction is third-party copyright: publishing protected material on My ScoreCloud requires the rights holder's authorisation, and ScoreCloud removes unauthorised content. On the publisher's side, the privacy policy says data stored in the cloud is used solely for solving issues with the service and for research and development purposes. Clause 8.2 adds that Material may be processed for Doremir's market analysis, business development and statistics, and states that details will not be shared with third parties. The privacy policy also declares that no personally identifiable data is transmitted to any third party. Data collected at sign-up covers username, real name, display name, IP address, country and email address, plus Facebook Connect identifiers, access token and friend list when that login is used, alongside standard log files and cookies. Nothing on the site addresses AI model training on customer data, and no opt-out is documented.
Data retention & training
Hosting summary
ScoreCloud publishes no hosting jurisdiction. Neither the privacy policy, nor the Terms of Use, nor the dedicated security page names a country, a region or a cloud provider: there is no mention of AWS, Azure or Google Cloud. The only technical statement is that modern encryption algorithms and secure network protocols are in place to stop data from falling into the wrong hands. What is known is the corporate jurisdiction: Doremir Music Research AB is established in Stockholm, Sweden, so the controller sits inside the European Union and Swedish law governs the contract. The privacy policy and the Terms both acknowledge that personal data may be exported outside the EU, without naming a destination or a transfer mechanism. One network detail should not be mistaken for data hosting: the scorecloud.com web server resolves to 46.30.213.11, operated by One.com A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark. That is the marketing website, not a statement about where user recordings and scores are stored. No DPA and no subprocessor list are published.
Things to keep in mind
Risks and trade-offs to weigh before adopting ScoreCloud.
- Closing an account is irreversible: the site warns that all your songs and other ScoreCloud data will be irretrievably lost, so keep your own MusicXML, MIDI or PDF exports
- Your username is published publicly by default, and your real name too if you choose to disclose it
- Publishing protected material on My ScoreCloud requires the rights holder's authorisation and ScoreCloud removes unauthorised content, so copyright exposure sits with the user
- Uploaded Material may be processed for Doremir's research and development, market analysis, business development and statistics, and no opt-out is documented anywhere on the site
- The site contradicts itself on the minimum age: 18 in clause 4.2 of the Terms, 13 in the privacy policy, with no explicit hierarchy between the two
- Two support addresses coexist, support@scorecloud.com and support@doremir.com, the Terms give a Stockholm address that differs from the one on the publisher's own site, and the free trial is described in three different ways, so a given page may not reflect what you actually sign up for
- Leaning on automatic transcription can quietly erode the habit of reading and writing notation yourself; the software does not know the song, so the output always needs a musician's ear to catch the errors that only a comparison with the source will reveal
Setup & Integrations
Technical difficulty
Low. You install a desktop program on Windows or Mac, or an iOS app, and create a free account; there is no server setup, no technical skill and no music theory required. The friction is audio: input has to be configured on the Audio/MIDI tab of the preferences, which is the source of most problems described in the FAQ, and MIDI latency may require closing memory-hungry software or using an external sound card. PDF export on Windows needs a third-party PDF printer. Requirements: macOS 10.8 or later or Windows 7 or later, and 2 GB of RAM minimum.
Deployment
Apps stores
Integrations
Behind ScoreCloud
Fundraising
Social
Resources
All the official URLs gathered for verification and reference.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be able to read music to use ScoreCloud?
What kinds of input does ScoreCloud accept?
Is there a free plan, and how much does the paid version cost?
Is there a free trial?
Who owns the scores I create?
Can I work offline?
Is there a mobile app?
Can I export to another notation program?
What is the minimum age to open an account?
How do I delete my account and my data?
Should you pick ScoreCloud?
ScoreCloud occupies a position few notation tools claim: it starts from a performance rather than from data entry. Where competitors ask you to place notes, ScoreCloud listens to singing, whistling, an acoustic instrument or a MIDI keyboard and writes the score itself, which makes it genuinely useful to people who never learned to read music. The approach rests on some twenty-five years of academic research in music cognition, carried out at KTH and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm.
The trial barrier is low. A permanent free plan covers ten songs, the first paid tier costs 5.99 USD per month, and ten free days of PRO come with any first paid subscription. Exports in MusicXML and MIDI mean nothing is locked in, and clause 8.2 of the Terms leaves the intellectual property of everything you upload with you.
The reservations are equally clear. The result depends on the quality and the nature of the source: the publisher itself warns that produced pop, drums and symphony orchestras will not analyse satisfactorily, and manual editing is often needed afterwards. There is no guitar tablature, no Android app and no documented public API.
For institutional use, the data governance is thin. No DPA is published, no subprocessors are listed, no hosting country is disclosed, no security certification is named, and the privacy policy has not been revised since September 2021 while the Terms were updated in January 2024. Several internal contradictions remain unresolved, notably on the minimum age, on which plan unlocks local saving, and on the shape of the free trial.
ScoreCloud is worth the detour for songwriters, teachers, choirs and musicians who want an idea captured as notation quickly. Larger organisations with procurement requirements should ask Doremir directly for what the site does not publish.
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