Musicnotes has a rating of 1.3 stars from 32 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Musicnotes most frequently mention customer service problems. Musicnotes ranks 968th among Music sites.
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Large library of pieces available for digital downloads. I've used them for years without a problem and I'm surprised to see that people have so many complaints. For popular and musical theatre songs, "Singer Pro" versions are usually very good at having piano accompaniment that doesn't unnecessarily double the singer melody line. They offer transpositions into various keys and also a choice of arrangements for some songs that have been covered by various artists. Beware of accidentally purchasing an "audition cut," as that will only be part of the song, unless that's specifically what you need. There are other sheet music sites like sheetmusicdirect.com and sheetmusicplus.com that may save you $0.80 per sheet for a typical popular song, and offer more transpositions (but they can be flawed) and some titles that you can't find at Musicnotes. I'm a professional musician in my early fifty's who used to have to search, usually in vain, for sheet music at local shops or in the nearest large city. The quality of transcriptions that Musicnotes provides for your average pop song are better today than what publishers offered back in the 70's and 80's. But, it depends on the song, too. You can listen to a preview sample to decide first if you want to buy it.
This is an absolute scam, i have tried to print my suddenly two page "when it was five when i bought it piece" eight times and it just fails, my printer is fine and my computer. Also when i wrote this review it wants proof or purchase I tried copy and paste i tried screen shoting but no nothing would take so this will be an unverified purchase review but well i know what i wasted my money on and I'm hoping it means you wont.
This is an absolute scam, i have tried to print my suddenly two page "when it was five when i bought it piece" eight times and it just fails, my printer is fine and my computer. Also when i wrote this review it wants proof or purchase I tried copy and paste i tried screen shoting but no nothing would take so this will be an unverified purchase review but well i know what i wasted my money on and I'm hoping it means you wont.
One piece of sheet music, list price was $5.79
When one goes to check out price magically turns into $7.79
Tax 0.00
Shipping 0.00
They just add $2 hoping you won't notice the bump.
I'm reporting to state consumer affairs office. Suggest everyone else does likewise.
Products used:
none
Purchased a single pdf as a one of to try out their service. Guitar transcription was highly inaccurate in both rhythm and pitch. Contacted customer service not to get a refund, but to communicate the poor quality of product. No response. Lazy, entitled, amateur, unprofessional company. I subsequently made a much more accurate and professional transcription in less than 10 minutes of work. Best to choose a different and more reputable company for sheet music and transcriptions than these clowns.
Tip for consumers:
Don't, choose a different company
Products used:
Sheet Music (but virtually uselesss)
Sheet music in a size you can not possibly read at arms length. Condescending response from customer service. Work around solution suggested for a systemic issue with the product as though it was a customer based issue.
Just needed the pdf for my class, fool of me to believe it would be as simple as submit payment and access the pdf. The website is not user friendly at all. Complete waste of time. Had to request a refund as they never provided a valid link for download.
Stay away from these complete fraudsters. I ordered a piece of sheet music and paid full price for a childish edit of the first movement. No way to contact them. I will be calling American Express to charge this back. I never thought anyone would play this game till I saw the horrible reviews saying the same thing.
I have used music notes for several years with no problems. Over the past few months every time I try to enter my payment it says either the card number or the expiration date is wrong when they are clearly correct. I have wasted countless hours on this. And they have NO customer service!
Tip for consumers:
I don't know how to help you since I can't help myself on this freak site
Products used:
Music
Hello Lillie,
We help over 8 million musicians worldwide with their sheet music. We have a dedicated U.S based Customer Support Team that can help you, Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 6 pm, US Central time. You can also email us at support@musicnotes.com at any time. Stay musical!
Pricing is misleading and I would even say fraudulent. In the past the subscriptions didn't seem worth it.
However, it appeared things had improved so I finally subscribed. Now I regret it. Just more missleading to APPEAR more attractive. Example #1: they advertise $1 off for iOS/android purchases. For a score that is $5.79 in the web app, if you go to iOS app, it's magically $7.99 and is marked down to $6.99 So, it's a dollar off but more expensive. I checked several titles and it was the same for all.
Example #2: They say 24 songs are included. You can pick 12 of them but they pick the other twelve. Recommendation: avoid subscriptions. Purchase one-off music if you can't find it somewhere else. Be sure it's what you want before you buy and so far it's been okay that way. I don't trust them and will not be renewing.
Tip for consumers:
Verify the music score is exactly what you need first and not available elsewhere. Avoid so-called pro subscriptions. Just buy each piece individually. Watch out for different pricing in iOS vs. website. They advertise $1 off in iOS if you have a subscription but for a $5.79 piece, it's $7.99 marked down to $6.99 so even after $1 off it's still more expensive in iOS. This and similar tactics make confidence and trust in them as a company go waaaaay down.
Products used:
Music scores
They advertise the premium subscription, it seems like a good idea as you get 12 credits to spend on sheet music. I later found out that only very very simple arrangments, that normal cost approx $5.00, can be purchased with the credits, while any sheet music I actually want are not credit eligible. Absolute waste of time and money. Any of the simple arrangements would still be cheaper purchased individually than with the subscription.
Their apps are ridiculously outdated and lack basic features.
Examples:
- You can't set a zoom level for your sheet music.
- You can't select where to begin playback from. You can only start playback from the beginning of the song or from the start of a page.
The only thing musicnotes has on their competition is that some artists exclusively make their scores available through them. The majority of competitors are better in literally every other way.
Hi Bran,
We're sorry to hear that you're unhappy with your Musicnotes sheet music experience; we want to provide one that impresses. We update our apps regularly, usually once a month for iOS and Android, and will be adding an option to select a playback point in our next release, which is planned for early April 2021. The latest versions of our app releases can be found at musicnotes.com/apps, if there's anything else we can assist you with please contact our Customer Support Team at apphelp@musicnotes.com for direct assistance.
UPDATE: We've since released version 2. 22. 0 which contains the Selection and Looping feature where you can begin playing from any point in the song in addition to selection sections to loop for practice. Thank you!
What a rip off. I needed a piece of music in a hurry. Why would they charge $12.99 with your I pad app and you could get it through web site on their web page for $9.99. What a rip off they are. I am through with them!
The tab is fine. But you either have to squint to see the sheet music or go to the other option which shows 1/3 of the sheet music and cannot for love nor money scroll down. There is a bar on the side that is as thin as a hair. You can never hit it and it just turns the page. So if you like squinting or turning pages pointlessly then this APP is for you. If not don't buy
I ordered a transposed score of "if I can help somebody " for use in a church. The original was in E flat. I asked for it in B-flat. They sent me a score transposed UP. Who sings those notes!?! When I asked for a corrected score, they seem surprised that I wanted it DOWN and said it would take two weeks because it would have to be transposed by hand. Do not use this company. They are not responsive. I have yet to receive the corrected copy.
Tip for consumers:
Don’t do it! I have had very good success from other companies.
Products used:
Still waiting for a corrected copy. They indicated they were doing me a favor because I was only entitled to one copy per key!!
A recent "CAMPFIRE..." promotion certainly demonstrated an ignorance of their audience. 10 songs for $1.50 each. If you order all 10 you get two free for the price of $18.99!?! I could buy all 12 for $18.00, so why would I pay an extra $0.99? I have now "UNSCRIBED" due to this insult... Good Luck everyone.
Tip for consumers:
Make sure you check the math when looking at their promotions....otherwise, the music is fine.
Products used:
In the past I had purchased specific music sheets and downloaded them electronically so I do not know about their shipping. However, based on the last rediculous "CAMPFIRE..." promotion I have decided to "UNSCRIBE." The math in their promotion does not work for me and is an insult to my intelligence...
Hi Roger - We're sorry to hear that you're not happy with our sale. The initial ten songs are $1.50; however, the two bonus songs are not. You can only purchase them at a discount if they're bought with the full collection. For example, with our sale today, you can buy the ten leadsheets for $1.50 each, but "Landslide" and "I'm Yours" are actually $3.99 each if not purchased with the collection.
Please contact us via apphelp@musicnotes.com if you have any further questions or would like a full refund.
I ordered a piece of sheet music to be transposed. I paid and the download was in the wrong key. I asked for the correct download and was refused. No refund or effort to make things right at all. I will never use this website again and advise others to avoid it also.
Downloaded free version Musicscore apps form iStore. In about one month was charged $15.00. When tried to call them - no one picked the phone, forcing me to leave a message. Left a message (twice) but no one called me back. Last option for me to communicate and discuss this issue was email. They refused to remove charge so I was forced to contact my credit card. Never again dealing with Musicnotes.com.
Hi Boris, thanks for sharing your experience with us. We do not offer any apps or services by the name of Musicscore. The records we hold at Musicnotes, Inc for our website, www.musicnotes.com indicate you signed up for a Pro Plus membership on our website. You contacted us after hours, left a voicemail, and we followed up with you the next day. Our customer support team clearly explained the process of requesting a refund while also disputing a payment with your bank. Please feel free to email us via support@musicnotes.com if you have any feedback or require further assistance.
Very expensive and you get to print only a copy of the key you purchased. You have to pay for additional copies. Terrible! I started using other sites with the same features, but more affordable and you can change the key of the song before you print it out. Also they allow you to download a copy of the song and you do not have to purchase for additional copies. I am a music teacher and I purchase music constantly that is why I feel that musicnotes.com is not the best option. I am purchasing sheet music from them ONLY if I can not find a piece anywhere else including international sites.
Tried to purchase a song and everytime I put all my card info in I would submit just for it to say my card number wasn't valid. Which made me think, are they just stealing my card information? I don't trust this site
Bought music, couldn't download it and had to get "pro" subscription which said it allowed free PDF versions of purchased sheet music. Went to download purchased sheet music and had to pay more for the "free" PDF. This website is crooked. Do Not Use this site. There are many others that are honest.
Hi Rod, we’re sorry to hear you’re unsatisfied with your Musicnotes experience. When purchasing our Pro Plus membership, PDFs are only made available for sheet music arrangements that are purchased at the time of the Pro Plus membership or after. We’d be happy to provide you with the PDF you need, or issue a refund. Please contact us via support@musicnotes.com so we can resolve this issue for you. Further info on our Pro memberships can be found here: https://help.musicnotes.com/hc/en-us/articles/360013153671-Musicnotes-Pro-Standard-and-Pro-Plus-Terms-and-Conditions
We look forward to hearing from you!
I am not their customer, never have and never will after seeing that exorbitant 6.99 charge per music sheet. I get that it is a business, and artists get paid royalties. 6.99? That is half the cost of a Spotify subscription for $#*!s sake. And they give you alot of music. I am pretty sure people would not complain if the cost to download or read music on the site was paywalled by a $50 subscription fee, so long as you have access to all the music you want. We aren't living in the age of cavemen and printing presses, so there is no reason 3 pages of music notes should cost $7 to view on a computer screen.
Large library of pieces available for digital downloads. I've used them for years without a problem and I'm surprised to see that people have so many complaints. For popular and musical theatre songs, "Singer Pro" versions are usually very good at having piano accompaniment that doesn't unnecessarily double the singer melody line. They offer transpositions into various keys and also a choice of arrangements for some songs that have been covered by various artists. Beware of accidentally purchasing an "audition cut," as that will only be part of the song, unless that's specifically what you need. There are other sheet music sites like sheetmusicdirect.com and sheetmusicplus.com that may save you $0.80 per sheet for a typical popular song, and offer more transpositions (but they can be flawed) and some titles that you can't find at Musicnotes. I'm a professional musician in my early fifty's who used to have to search, usually in vain, for sheet music at local shops or in the nearest large city. The quality of transcriptions that Musicnotes provides for your average pop song are better today than what publishers offered back in the 70's and 80's. But, it depends on the song, too. You can listen to a preview sample to decide first if you want to buy it.
Tip for consumers:
Listen to the preview and see if there are multiple arrangements of the song to compare. If you're changing key, adjust the settings before you print. Set your printer up carefully. Compare sheet music versions to Sheetmusicplus.com and Sheetmusicdirect.com. Some arrangements are expensive because they have to pay both the copyright holder of the song and the arranger, or if the music is not a mass-market seller. I have never, ever had a problem with this company, and I consider it trustworthy.
Products used:
digital sheet music downloads
The scores in their app is much more expensive than web browser version! (And it's exactly same product) Are you even serious MUSICNOTES? Why are you punishing customers for using your idiotic app? So ppl, if you have to buy, open the score on a web browser instead of buying in the app. SHAME ON YOU, MusicNotes!
Hi Lucia. Our license agreements with music publishers & creators require us to pay a set royalty rate for each arrangement when purchased via the Google or Apple App Stores. We've been paying industry-leading royalty rates to artists and songwriters for over 20 years and will continue to do so. Over 8 million musicians choose Musicnotes as their most trusted sheet music source – if you purchased an arrangement you're unhappy with, please contact us via apphelp@musicnotes.com for a full refund.
If you attempt to download music from Music Notes using Firefox or Safari, you will see a pop up stating the site is having technical difficulties with these to internet explorer apps. I could not download my music order and followed all of the instructions for Mac users to resolve the problem, none of which worked. When I attempted to download the order, my printer display stated " In use" or "Off Line". I unplugged both the computer and printer, deleted the printer form my WiFi network, downloaded a new setup from HP and installed it. HP's downloaded setup app said it recognized my printer and was connected to my WiFi network, but could not enable it to print due to something in the printer's que blocking further printing. Prior to attempting to print this Music Notes order, the printer worked perfectly. It was only after this episode that it would no longer print anything, from Music Notes or any other document from any other source, unrelated to Music Notes. I now am replacing what was a 3-month old HP computer in perfect working order with a new HP computer due to this Music Notes "technical problem with Firefox and Safari"!
There response was, "... we can cancel your purchase." Great customer service. There is documented research in customer service stating, "If you make one customer happy, he/she may tell someone else about that experience. If you make one customer unhappy, they will tell 15 other potential customers about their dissatisfaction." One can only hope.
Tip for consumers:
Do not use Firefox or Safari to download music and ask Music Notes to guarantee in advance they will resolve any issue arising from their download- which of course they will refuse.
Products used:
None
Ordered online and everything worked fine but after they take your money you do not get the music you have purchased. Complete scam website, the worst ever.
Hi J C,
We have over 8 million customers across the world who use our service on a regular basis. Please contact us so we can address your concerns, we can offer a full refund if you're unsatisfied. There are many ways to contact us: phone, email, or live chat. Further info is available here: https://help.musicnotes.com/hc/en-us/articles/201825313-CONTACT-US-
Thanks!
Download Sheet Music: http://www.musicnotes.com
Hello Max,
You can always contact us via phone, email, or live chat. Further info is available on the public link below, which is also on the footer of our website, on every page of our site.
https://help.musicnotes.com/hc/en-us/articles/201825313-CONTACT-US-
We'd be happy to refund your order if you are unsatisfied, please send us an email (support@Musicnotes.com) with your order number and we'll investigate.
Hello Max,
You can always contact us via phone, email, or live chat. Further info is available on the public link below, which is also on the footer of our website, on every page of our site.
https://help.musicnotes.com/hc/en-us/articles/201825313-CONTACT-US-
We'd be happy to refund your order if you are unsatisfied, please send us an email (support@Musicnotes.com) with your order number and we'll investigate.