The Best Sites for Finding Music Sheets: Best Music sheet Subscription sites and Free Sites

      The Best Sites for Finding Music Sheets: Best Music sheet Subscription sites and Free Sites

      The world of Music scores/sheets can be hella confusing: you know, when you search for a song and you find like 20 versions of that song, and then you read the reviews (when there are reviews, actually) and even the best rated one has that person that says that “this music sheet is awful” and you are even more confused.

      Or maybe you want a kind-of-official transcription of a piece, that is usually paid, but also want to save money: for this there are membership sites for sheet music where you can download lots of sheets and/or get a big discount on some pieces.

      But now let’s jump to our list of the best music sheet sites and musical scores subscriptions for music pros and any music enthusiast, both free or paid!

      Best music sheets site for professional musicians and conservatory/music schools: VirtualSheetMusic Music Sheet Subscription

      VirtualSheetMusic is one of the best music sheet subscription membership site for guitar, piano and basically much more that allow you to find a huge collection of sheets (in fact it has been around since 1999!) and features a lot of genres as well, but in my opinion the area where it shines is classical music section: from ensemble music to violin, classical guitar, piano, voice music scores and flute (and many other strings and woodwinds instruments), just to name a few of the many instruments covered.

      Check out the best music sheet site and subscription for classical and other sheet music

      Some of the people that might benefit the most from this type of subscription-based model are:

      • Professional musicians that need scores in a easily portable format;

      • Music schools and conservatories that needs high volumes of musical sheets;

      • Composers;

      • Musical instrument teachers overall;

      • Music directors and orchestras/ensembles

      Not Only Classical Music Sheets

      Beyond the high number of instruments there also is a high number of genres available, as you can see from the following wide list:

      A Cappella (1460)Advent (11524)African (182)Alternative (3009)American (2526)

      Blues (3836)Broadway (11888)

      Cajun (17)Calypso (72)Caribbean (88)Carol (11434)Celtic (596)Children (33684)Christian (7924)Christmas (11370)Classical (16887)Concert (10721)Contemporary (2049)Country (9803)

      Disco (644)Disney (7606)

      Easter (993)

      Festival (17470)Film/TV (18289)Folk (9197)French (1252)Funk (1174)

      German (199)Gospel (3205)Graduation (252)

      Halloween (511)Hanukkah (160)Hip-Hop (680)Holiday (4591)Hymn (2371)

      Inspirational (4105)Irish (1058)

      Jazz (23223)

      Latin (3437)Light Concert (448)Love (8872)

      Madrigal (43)Metal (4960)Motet (15)Movies (18289)Multicultural (732)Musical/Show (12001)

      New Age (1164)Novelty (811)

      Oldies (4401)Olympics (111)Opera (662)Orff (2)

      Patriotic (895)Polka (98)Pop (94805)Punk (924)

      R & B (3680)Reggae (738)Renaissance (53)Rock (60521)

      Sacred (7301)Soul (3481)Spanish (424)Spiritual (748)Standards (23707)

      Traditional (6123)

      Wedding (3738)Winter (2670)World (623)

      The instruments covered (with the number of music sheets for that particular musical instrument) are also:

      Accordion (512)Alto (voice) (8772)Alto Flute (23)Alto Saxophone (8667)

      Banjo (366)Baritone (voice) (3)Baritone Saxophone (5960)Bass (voice) (7812)Bass Clarinet (5113)Bass Flute (1019)Bass Guitar (1498)Bassoon (4325)

      Cello (8545)Clarinet in B flat (10543)Clarinet in E flat (350)Cornet (521)

      Double-Bass (3439)Drums (4047)

      English Horn (117)Euphonium in B flat (414)

      Flute (11379)

      Guitar (78800)

      Handbells (89)Harp (607)Harpsichord (1151)Horn (7774)

      Mandolin (1161)

      Oboe (6985)Oboe d’ Amore (3)Organ (1396)Other Instruments (20842)

      Percussions (1072)Piano (88831)Piccolo (2411)

      Recorder (1492)

      Soprano (voice) (8786)Soprano Saxophone (527)

      Tenor (voice) (6290)Tenor Saxophone (8106)Timpani (1353)Trombone (9623)Trumpet (12152)Tuba in C (4159)Tuba in E flat (Sousaphone) (373)

      Ukulele (5453)

      Viola (7625)Violin (11001)Voice (74574)

      The main features of Virtual Music Sheet music sheet subscription membership are:

      • A total of over 2500 titles, consisting in more than 10.000 overall pieces that are downloadable and/or also available as PDF how many times you want with a subscription;

      • You can also find exclusive arrangements that are only available within the member area;

      • There are over 45000 MIDI and MP3 files for the tracks as well as MP3 accompaniment files for many of the pieces;

      • Online interactive music with a real-time transposition features, playback and other interactive stuff included, for example you can change tempo, transpose and change the instrument too;

      • Discounts for external resources (up to 70%), for example for copyrighted digital sheets from Alfred (some with training videos included), Hal Leonard (with interactive features for some pieces too) or also Schott Music, and even piano accompaniment videos and discounts for physical external musical items;

      • They also plant 10 trees for every new membership subscriber (making this, at least on a more “green” prospective, one of the best music sheet subscription thanks to the huge sheets library).

      Download thousands sheet music titles for only $37.75.

      Where to Find Guitar and Bass Tabs: Ultimate Guitar

      Ultimate Guitar is one of (if not THE) most famous sites for tabs: here you can find not only almost all the songs that are somewhat famous for acoustic and electric guitar (but also bass and for drums too for some songs), but you can also find more versions of a song (well that’s not always a good thing as you have to check a good version, but at least there are the reviews of other players that can help us).

      There are also different categories within the versions of a song: from the chord-only sheets (that have the chords to strum added above the song’s lyrics) to the actual tabs and also official tabs (that are not free and come with the paid version of Ultimate Guitar membership)

      Another interesting feature that has been there since last year is the “shots” section, that is basically a TikTok (or Instagram Reels) for showing your playing and show your personal progress.

      Other cool features are also the button that lets you hear the song on the same page of the tabs and also use the autoscroll while you play, and (for the paid users) the backing track options, the possibility to export to PDF files, and see the pro tabs (with loop, slow down feature and other more interactive options) and the official version tabs made by Ultimate Guitar guitarists.

      Where to Find Guitar and Bass Tabs (again): Songsterr

      Songsterr is another very good website for tabs (you can find guitar, bass and drums too on this website) but instead of having multiple versions for each song here you have a single tab for every song.

      This can result in a more “clean” and easy navigation for lots of users, and after all Songsterr is very popular so it definitely meets the taste of many musicians online.

      On every tab you can have the MIDI track playing in the background, and you can also use the Playback feature for free; however, the many features that make this a more interactive practice are only for paid users.

      Buying the pro version you can have:

      • Official audio for the songs;

      • The option for printing your tabs and keep your printed sheets with you;

      • The Tempo Control features (great for slowing the song track if you want to practice a specific section or a solo, as going slow is definitely a great way to learn a new song, especially if it has fast sections too);

      • A Loop option;

      • A Solo mode option (for practice);

      • A Pitch Shift option;

      • An Ad-Free Website.

      Subscription is 9.99$ at the moment, so it’s not a very expensive thing considering the huge amount of tabs and the many additional features.

      Overall, the clean interface of Songsterr website and the MIDI tracks available for free can be good enough for the majority of the music players if they search for sheets, unless they want to print those as well, while the paid features are a good addon, especially considering that if you want to play along to a song you have to keep a separate Youtube tab open with the song playing (while Ultimate Guitar had a button for playing the Youtube video song on the tab page itself).

      Public Domain Music Sheets: the IMSLP Library

      The IMSLP website (also called Petrucci Music Library) is a massive library of public domain classical pieces, some even “screenshotted” versions of the original sheets.

      On the website you can find:

      • 215,840 works;

      • 26,267 composers;

      • 1,960 performers

      • 704,945 scores

      For some pieces, though, you can find them in the original language, so it might be a bit less “user-friendly”, and also not all pieces are there because of the nature of this online library that only hosts public domain music pieces.

      Plus, as this hosts the original compositions, it might be more limited in the range of covered instruments and also exclude transcriptions (that also comes with their copyright, so a public domain piece transcribed to another different musical instrument comes with its own “new” copyright usage type, and for this reason it might not be in the IMSLP web library).

      The search can be filtered by authors, instrument difficulty, nationality, time period and instrumentation and genre too.

      Overall, this is a great online resource that can help lots of people thanks to its massive amount of different pieces from lots of composers and periods, and it’s also free (you can still offer a voluntary tip for the website maintenance if you want, as you will see when downloading the materials from this website’s download section).

      CONCLUSION

      As for the vast majority of things, music learning and practice has shifted to the digital and internet world for lots of people, and for what concerns the music sheets area for pro musicians, conservatory/music schools, teacher/orchestras or simply new learners, one of the main advantages is the big portability and generally gig-friendly nature of digital files, especially considering that nowadays almost everyone has a device that can read those files and consult the lots of free sheets and also the best music sheet subscription services in seconds.

      As for most things, “analogic” music scores and digital files have both their pros and cons obviously, but having the possibility to choose between those two options is definitely a great quality boost for many.

      No matter what you choose though, as long as it help us keep playing everywhere!

      Why Trust Our Review about the top music sheet sites (subscription model or not)

      Demonstrated Expertise

      Our review of the best sites for finding music sheets, both subscription-based and free, is rooted in comprehensive research and firsthand experience with the platforms we discuss. Our team includes professional musicians, music educators, and seasoned composers who bring a wealth of knowledge and practical insights to the table. This diverse expertise ensures that we can evaluate each site from multiple perspectives, considering the needs of various users—from beginners to seasoned professionals.

      We have meticulously tested and evaluated each site, scrutinizing aspects such as the breadth of their music libraries, the quality and accuracy of the music sheets, user interface, and the value of their subscription plans. This hands-on approach allows us to provide detailed and reliable recommendations based on real user experiences.

      Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis

      To offer a thorough evaluation, we've incorporated both quantitative and qualitative metrics. For instance, we have assessed the number of available music sheets, the variety of genres and instruments covered, and the functionalities provided by each platform (such as real-time transposition, playback features, and MIDI files). By providing these details, we help readers understand how each site measures up in terms of performance and usability.

      Comprehensive Comparisons

      Our review doesn't just list the top sites; it also delves into what sets each platform apart from its competitors. For example, VirtualSheetMusic's extensive classical music collection and exclusive arrangements stand out, while Ultimate Guitar's user-generated tabs and interactive features like "shots" and backing tracks offer unique benefits for guitarists. We discuss these distinctions to help users make informed decisions based on their specific needs and preferences.

      Balanced Pros and Cons

      Every platform has its strengths and weaknesses, and we ensure to present a balanced view by discussing both the benefits and drawbacks of each. For instance, while the IMSLP Library offers a vast collection of public domain classical pieces for free, it might be less user-friendly due to the original language of some compositions. By highlighting such details, we provide a realistic picture of what users can expect.

      Continuous Evolution

      We also consider how each platform has evolved over time, noting improvements and new features that enhance user experience. This ongoing assessment ensures that our review stays current and relevant, reflecting the latest updates and offerings from each site.

      Additional Resources

      To further aid our readers, we include links to other useful resources and multiple sellers, allowing users to explore additional options and make purchases from their preferred merchants. This comprehensive approach ensures that our review serves as a one-stop guide for all things related to music sheets.

      My Experience While Reviewing Music sheet subscriptions and other music score sheets websites

      Hands-On Testing

      As a professional musician and educator, my journey through these music sheet sites has been both insightful and enriching. I personally subscribed to and utilized each platform extensively, testing their functionalities across various instruments and genres. For example, I used VirtualSheetMusic's extensive classical collection to find pieces for my students' recitals and found the exclusive arrangements particularly beneficial.

      Real-World Application

      In my role as a music teacher, I often rely on digital music sheets for convenience and portability. I used Ultimate Guitar and Songsterr in my guitar classes, exploring the different versions of songs available and utilizing features like playback and tempo control to enhance my students' learning experiences. The ability to export tabs to PDF in Ultimate Guitar and the clean interface of Songsterr were particularly noteworthy in facilitating effective teaching.

      User Experience Evaluation

      Navigating these sites allowed me to critically assess their user interfaces and overall usability. I noted how easy or challenging it was to find specific music sheets, the efficiency of the search functions, and the clarity of the provided sheets. For instance, IMSLP's vast library was impressive, but its search functionality required a bit more effort compared to the more streamlined processes on subscription sites.

      Comparative Analysis

      I compared these platforms not just against each other, but also against traditional methods of acquiring music sheets. This holistic view enabled me to appreciate the digital advantages—such as immediate access and interactive features—while also acknowledging areas where traditional sheets might still hold value, such as for certain types of performances or personal preferences.

      Personal Insights and Recommendations

      Throughout my review process, I documented my experiences and observations, providing personal insights and recommendations based on real-world use. This firsthand experience lends authenticity to my review, ensuring that readers can trust the information provided. For instance, I highlighted VirtualSheetMusic's eco-friendly initiative of planting trees with every new subscription, adding a unique ethical dimension to their service.

      By sharing my direct experiences and detailed analysis, I aim to offer a trustworthy and authoritative guide that helps musicians, educators, and enthusiasts find the best music sheet sites to meet their needs.

      Best Music sheet sites and subscription websites music scores for musicians 2024