Melody Assistant

Active

Country: France (FR)
Founded: 1999
Developer: Myriad Software
Pricing: Shareware (free with limits, license purchase unlocks full features)
Open source: No
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux

Indexes

Music Notation

Overview

Melody Assistant is a score editor for music writing, printing, and rendering, supporting unlimited staves, tablatures for string instruments, and Gregorian notation. It includes an embedded software synthesizer for playback on basic sound cards, digital audio recording and import/export, and input via mouse, keyboard, or MIDI. Designed for composers and musicians, it stands out with its shareware model allowing unlimited free use with restrictions and compatibility with formats like MIDI, WAV, AIFF, MP3, and OGG.²³

Key Features

Score Editor - Complete editor with unlimited staves, mouse/keyboard/MIDI input, and support for clefs, time signatures, dynamics.
Embedded SoftSynth - High-quality playback using software synthesizer without external MIDI hardware.
Tablature Support - Automatic calculation for string instruments, lute tablatures, and chord diagrams.
Digital Audio Tracks - Record from microphone/CD, import WAV/AIFF/MP3/OGG, with Fx processors.
Import/Export Formats - Supports MIDI, KAR, MOD, S3M, TAB, ABC, and exports to WAV, AIFF, MP3, OGG.
Gregorian Notation - Specialized notation mode for chant scores.
Custom Instruments - Build instruments from digital recordings.
Myriad Plug-in - Free plug-in for web viewing, transposing, playing, and printing scores.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Unregistered (Free)	Free	Full use with limits: no clef/time changes, short exports, print watermarks.
Registered License	Purchase once (price not specified in sources)	All features unlocked, free updates for all future versions.

Platforms & Requirements

Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. Requires a sound card for SoftSynth; older reviews note Mac OS 7.5+ with 8MB RAM, but current version 7.6.3i supports modern systems. No mobile or web versions mentioned.²³⁴

Integrations & Ecosystem

MIDI import/export
KAR import
MOD/S3M import
WAV/AIFF/MP3/OGG import/export
TAB/ABC import/export
Myriad plug-in for web
Virtual Singer (separate app)

Alternatives

App	Difference
Harmony Assistant	Full version of Melody Assistant with page mode, engraver, and advanced features like Myrweb export.
Finale	Professional notation software with more complex interface and higher cost, similar note entry.
Sibelius	High-end notation program focused on publishing-quality scores, less emphasis on audio recording.

Reputation

Melody Assistant is regarded as a capable, affordable tool for hobbyist and professional musicians, praised for its feature-rich score editing, audio capabilities, and ease of use on basic hardware. Users appreciate the shareware model and active updates, with recent version 7.6.3i in 2025 and positive ratings around 4.5/5. Criticisms include interface clutter from numerous toolbars and limitations in the free version like watermarks and export restrictions.²³⁴

Sources (10)