Can Sheet Music Scanner Export MIDI, MusicXML, Audio, or PDF Files?

Updated

Yes. Sheet Music Scanner lists export options for MIDI, MusicXML, audio (M4A/AAC, MP3, WAV), and PDF, with exports going to a cloud drive. That means you can scan printed sheet music, play it back in the app, and then move the result into notation software, a DAW, or a file archive instead of retyping the notes by hand.

The same app also imports files, so it works as a converter in both directions: images or PDFs in, editable or playable formats out.

What Sheet Music Scanner can export

According to the app's own feature list, the export formats are:

Export format Typical use
MIDI Import into a DAW or sequencer to edit, re-voice, or trigger virtual instruments
MusicXML Open in notation software (e.g., MuseScore, Finale, Sibelius, Dorico) to edit the score itself
Audio — M4A/AAC, MP3, WAV Listen on any player, share a reference recording, or drop into a video/audio project
PDF Keep a clean, printable copy of the scanned or edited sheet music

Exports are saved to a cloud drive, so the file leaves the device and can be opened on a computer or another app.

What you can import

Before exporting, you need something for the app to read. Sheet Music Scanner accepts:

  • Camera capture — point your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad at the printed page and take a picture.
  • Image files — common types including PNG, JPG, and TIFF.
  • PDF files — including PDFs stored in a cloud drive.

So a scan isn't the only path: if you already have a PDF of the sheet music, you can skip the camera and load it directly.

Why the export formats matter

The four formats serve different jobs, and picking the right one saves work:

  • MusicXML is the one to choose if you want to edit the notation — fix a wrong note, change a key, rearrange a part. It preserves pitches, rhythms, and score structure far better than MIDI.
  • MIDI carries performance data (notes, timing, velocity) but not notation. It's the right choice for DAW work, but don't expect clean engraving from it.
  • Audio is for listening and sharing, not editing.
  • PDF is for printing or archiving a fixed version.

If your goal is "scan it, fix it, print it," the practical route is scan → export MusicXML → edit in notation software → export PDF from there.

Practical points to check before relying on it

  • Export and import capabilities can vary by app version. The feature list describes what the app supports, but the exact menu options and any format limitations in your installed build are worth confirming in the app itself.
  • Recognition is not perfect. The app reads treble, bass, and alto (viola) clefs, notes with ties, duration dots, rests, accidentals, repeat signs, and triplets/tuplets — but complex or low-quality scans can still produce errors. Check the playback before exporting, since mistakes carry into the exported file.
  • Multi-page scores are supported, which matters if you're exporting a full piece rather than a single page.
  • Playback settings affect the export. You can set pitch standard from 440 Hz across a 380–480 Hz range, tempos from 50 to 330 BPM, choose from a long instrument list (piano, strings, winds, brass, guitar, organ, choir, and more), play individual staffs separately or voices together, and transpose by up to two octaves. These choices shape what the audio and MIDI exports sound like.

Quick answer by goal

  • Want to edit the notes in notation software? Export MusicXML.
  • Want to use it in a DAW or with virtual instruments? Export MIDI.
  • Want to just listen or share? Export audio (M4A/AAC, MP3, or WAV).
  • Want a printable copy? Export PDF.
  • Starting from a PDF or photo you already have? Import it first — no camera needed.