MusicXML

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MusicXML is an open, XML-based music notation file format.

It was developed by Recordare LLC, deriving several key concepts from existing academic formats (such as Walter Hewlett's MuseData and David Huron's Humdrum). It is designed for the interchange of scores, particularly between different scorewriters. Version 1.0 was released in January 2004. Version 1.1 was released in May 2005 with improved formatting support. Version 2.0 was released in June 2007 and included a standard compressed format.

As of March 2008, MusicXML is supported to varying degrees by over 90 different notation programs. These programs include:

The two leading scorewriting programs, Finale and Sibelius
Most of the leading Music OCR programs
Cubase, a leading music sequencer program.

The MusicXML standard is defined by a series of document type definitions (DTDs) which are each freely redistributable under the MusicXML Document Type Definition Public License.

[edit] Example

Like all XML-based formats, MusicXML is easy for automated tools to parse and manipulate. Though it is possible to create MusicXML by hand, interactive score writing programs like Rosegarden and Finale greatly simplify the reading, writing, and modifying of MusicXML files.

The following example is a score consisting of a single whole note middle C in the key of C major.

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
 <!DOCTYPE score-partwise PUBLIC
     "-//Recordare//DTD MusicXML 2.0 Partwise//EN"
     "http://www.musicxml.org/dtds/partwise.dtd">
 <score-partwise version="2.0">
   <part-list>
     <score-part id="P1">
       <part-name>Music</part-name>
     </score-part>
   </part-list>
   <part id="P1">
     <measure number="1">
       <attributes>
         <divisions>1</divisions>
         <key>
           <fifths>0</fifths>
         </key>
         <time>
           <beats>4</beats>
           <beat-type>4</beat-type>
         </time>
         <clef>
           <sign>G</sign>
           <line>2</line>
         </clef>
       </attributes>
       <note>
         <pitch>
           <step>C</step>
           <octave>4</octave>
         </pitch>
         <duration>4</duration>
         <type>whole</type>
       </note>
     </measure>
   </part>
 </score-partwise>

The output in standard musical notation looks like this: