Harmony Assistant vs StaffPad

Harmony Assistant is desktop software for computer-assisted music composition and editing. It supports MusicXML, MIDI, parts extraction, and tablature, and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Users can enter scores with a mouse, computer keyboard, or external MIDI keyboard, then work in full-page editing or engraver mode for score layout. Its embedded SoftSynth contains hundreds of instruments and can play through basic sound cards without external MIDI hardware. The program loads and saves MIDI, WAV, AIFF, MP3, OGG, TAB, ABC, and XML files. The embedded MyrScript language lets users add features. Documents can be password-protected and allowed to play without modification. Virtual Singer is an additional module for singing lyrics in multiple languages and voices. The trial has no time limit, but saving is disabled and printing is limited to one page while unregistered. A registration code is a lifetime license for one platform and includes future versions.

StaffPad is a music composition app for handwriting notation, recording or importing audio, touch editing, and playback. It turns handwritten notes into typeset scores, can correct stem directions, and flags beat-count issues. Playback includes a core library of more than 55 instruments. Audio features include tempo mapping, Adaptive Audio, recording and import, plus delay, reverb, compression, chorus, and EQ. Exports include MP3, WAV, AAC, MIDI, MusicXML, and print-layout PDF. StaffPad Reader shows individual parts and receives score changes over local Wi-Fi with synchronized playback and annotations. ScoreSync works without internet, and scores remain local rather than in the cloud. StaffPad requires an iPad with Apple Pencil or a Windows device with active pen and touch. Apple Silicon Macs can open and preview scores but cannot write notation; Android is unsupported and the app is English-only. StaffPad costs $49.99, paid once; Reader is free, while the iPad plan has no listed price.