MusicXML 2.0 Tutorial

MusicXML is a digital sheet music interchange and distribution format. The goal is to create a universal format for common Western music notation, similar to the role that the MP3 format serves for recorded music. The musical information is designed to be usable by notation programs, sequencers and other performance programs, music education programs, and music databases.

The goal of this tutorial is to introduce MusicXML to software developers who are interesting in reading or writing MusicXML files. MusicXML has many features that are required to support the demands of professional-level music software. But you do not need to use or understand all these elements to get started.

The tutorial is in several sections. You can read it online in HTML format, or download a PDF version. We also have a set of classical song samples that let you compare the appearance of the music notation in PDF format with its representation in MusicXML.

MusicXML FAQ

Why did we need a new format? What's behind some of the ways that MusicXML looks and feels? What software tools can I use? Is MusicXML free?

"Hello World" in MusicXML

Here you will find your simplest MusicXML file - one part, one measure, one note.

The Structure of MusicXML Files

There are two ways of structuring MusicXML files - measures within parts, and parts within measures. This section describes how to do it either way, and how to switch back and forth between them. It also discusses the descriptive data that goes at the start of a MusicXML file.

The MIDI-Compatible Part of MusicXML

What parts of MusicXML do I need to represent a MIDI sound file? The MIDI equivalents in MusicXML are described here.

Notation Basics

Here we discuss the basic notation features that go beyond MIDI's capabilities, including stems, beams, accidentals, articulations, and directions.

Chord Symbols and Diagrams

MusicXML provides a rich representation for harmonies, both for harmonic analysis and for chord symbols. Here we discuss how to create the chord symbols and diagrams found in much contemporary sheet music, including lead sheets, piano/vocal/guitar arrangements, and big-band charts.

Tablature

Here we describe the basics of tablature notation: specifying strings, frets, string tunings, and guitar-specific notations like hammer-ons and pull-offs.

Percussion

Here we discuss the steps needed to represent unpitched percussion parts such as drum kits. Some of these techniques apply to other types of music, such as the use of multiple instruments, alternate noteheads, and different measure styles.

Compressed .MXL Files

MusicXML 2.0 adds a compressed zip-based format that greatly reduces MusicXML file sizes. Here we discuss the structure of the compressed .mxl format.

FAQ - Hello World - File Structure - MIDI-Compatible - Notation Basics - Chord Symbols - Tablature - Percussion - .MXL Files

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Last updated January 1, 2009.