FAQ
Questions about StaveWave conversion and review.
Find answers about uploading, what happens during the score check, which notation apps work, and how the audit log helps you track every fix.
- Does StaveWave cost anything?
- During the public beta you can upload a score, walk the bar-by-bar review, and export the MusicXML with an audit log — no signup or credit card required. Paid plans are coming.
- Do I need to install any software?
- No. StaveWave is an online service that runs entirely in the browser — nothing to install, no plugins. It works on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPad, and Chromebook.
- What file formats can I upload?
- You can upload PDF, PNG, JPG, WEBP, or TIFF files up to 100 MB and 50 pages. Clean PDFs and flat 300 DPI scans work best.
- What will I get after conversion?
- You get draft MusicXML plus a bar-by-bar score check that spots uncertain measures on your original page, explains each finding in plain language, and offers one-tap verified fixes. The final export includes an audit log of everything found and fixed.
- Can I use the MusicXML in Sibelius, Dorico, MuseScore, or Finale?
- Yes. StaveWave exports standard MusicXML for any notation app that imports MusicXML, including Sibelius, Dorico, MuseScore, Finale, and similar score editors.
- How do I review the score?
- The score check walks you through flagged measures in order of confidence. Each warning group — like 'overfull bars' or 'rhythm mismatches' — comes with verified fixes you can apply one tap at a time or all at once. You can play any bar to hear the error, edit in the notation panel, and see the beat ruler confirm the fix.
- Does StaveWave hide uncertain results?
- No. Uncertain measures, confidence scores, and warnings stay visible — pointing at the exact ink on your original page — so you can review everything before exporting. Nothing is silently smoothed over.
- What is the engraving service?
- StaveWave's second service: it turns MusicXML into publisher-quality engraved sheet music. Feed it the verified MusicXML from a conversion — or a file from any notation app — and get print-ready PDF plus SVG, PNG, extracted instrument parts, transposed editions, and MIDI or MP3 audio.
- What output formats does engraving offer beyond PDF?
- SVG vector graphics for the web, per-page PNG images, individual instrument parts as separate PDFs, transposed editions for B♭/E♭/F instruments, and MIDI or MP3 audio rendered from the engraved score.
Ready to upload a score?
Start with a clean PDF or 300+ DPI scan. StaveWave will walk you through the score check — spotlighting uncertain bars on your original page — then export a clean MusicXML and an audit log delivered with the file.