Notation Express Classic for Sibelius

FAQs

Please see this page for information specifically about the Sibelius 2024 update.

Please see this page for information specifically about the Dorico 5 update.

“Notation Express/XL” refers both to Notation Express and Notation Express XL.

What do I need to use Notation Express?

You need the 15-key Stream Deck console OR the Stream Deck Mobile app on iOS or Android from Elgato (purchased separately), and Sibelius Ultimate or Dorico Pro. The Stream Deck console and Stream Deck Mobile are not included with your purchase of Notation Express.

What do I need to use Notation Express XL?

You need the 32-key Stream Deck XL console OR the Stream Deck Mobile app on iPad from Elgato (purchased separately), and either Sibelius Ultimate or Dorico Pro. The Stream Deck XL console and Stream Deck Mobile are not included with your purchase of Notation Express.

Will Notation Express XL work on the Stream Deck 15-key console or the Stream Deck Mobile app for iOS?

It won’t work on the 15-key console; you need the 32-key Stream Deck XL console to use Notation Express XL, but it will work on Stream Deck Mobile for iPad.

Can I use Notation Express and Notation Express XL simultaneously?

Yes. Notation Express and Notation Express XL for Sibelius Ultimate share the same set of custom shortcuts for Sibelius Ultimate, and the same is true for Notation Express and Notation Express XL for Dorico Pro. These shortcut profiles are installed on your computer when you install Notation Express or Notation Express XL.

If you are fortunate enough to have both a Stream Deck and a Stream Deck XL, or even the Stream Deck Mobile app on your iPhone or iPad and a Stream Deck XL, it is possible to use both products simultaneously to supercharge your workflow even more.

I’ve already purchased Notation Express and would like to purchase Notation Express XL (or vice versa). Can I get a discount that reflects the bundle price?

Contact us by sending a message through the contact form at the bottom of this page, and we will help you. Include the e-mail address you used for your original purchase. Please be patient as this must be generated manually through our ordering system. We will not be able to help via phone. If you haven’t yet purchased either product, purchase the bundle.

What version of Sibelius/Dorico will Notation Express/XL work with?

Notation Express/XL is built for Sibelius Ultimate 2024.3 or later and the latest version of Dorico Pro 5. Use with earlier versions of Sibelius, Dorico, or the “lite” versions such as Sibelius First or Sibelius Artist, or with Dorico SE or Dorico Elements, is not recommended nor supported.

Does Notation Express/XL work with Mac and Windows? What is the minimum operating system required?

Yes, as follows:

• Notation Express/XL for Dorico 5 works with Mac and Windows. Mac requires macOS 10.12 or later, Windows requires Windows 10 64-bit or later.
• Notation Express/XL for Sibelius works with Mac and Windows. Mac requires macOS 10.14 or later, Windows requires Windows 10 64-bit or later.
• The latest Stream Deck desktop software is required. Please consult Elgato official minimum system operating requirements for your device, which may be later than the OS minimums for Dorico and Sibelius:
  • Elgato Stream Deck
  • Elgato Stream Deck MK.2
  • Elgato Stream Deck XL
  • Elgato Stream Deck Mobile
• Notation Express/XL is not supported on Stream Deck Mini or Stream Deck Plus.

Are there different versions of Notation Express for the Stream Deck console and the Stream Deck Mobile app for iOS?

No. The same Notation Express profile that will work on the Stream Deck console for Sibelius Ultimate or Dorico Pro will work on the Stream Deck Mobile app for iOS; The same Notation Express XL profile that will work on the Stream Deck XL console for Sibelius Ultimate or Dorico Pro will work on the Stream Deck Mobile app for iPad.

Do I need to purchase the Sibelius Ultimate and Dorico Pro versions separately?

Yes. Notation Express/XL for Sibelius Ultimate and Notation Express/XL for Dorico Pro are separate products and must be purchased separately.

What languages does Notation Express/XL work with?

Notation Express/XL for Dorico 5 works with all languages without any additional configuration required. However, the labels on the icon buttons are in English only.

Notation Express/XL for Sibelius 2024 works with all languages without any additional configuration required. However, the labels on the icon buttons are in English only.

Who is Notation Express/XL intended for?

Anyone, from beginner to pro, will benefit from Notation Express/XL. Everyone will enjoy the speed with which text, dynamics, articulations and more can be entered. Pros will especially enjoy the advanced engraving features available at the touch of a button.

Will Notation Express/XL replace the need to use a computer keyboard with Sibelius Ultimate or Dorico Pro?

No. But with Stream Deck’s touch-and-press interface, it will reduce the need to memorize many Sibelius Ultimate or Dorico Pro keyboard shortcuts and program custom ones, and will reduce dependence on the numeric keypad and mouse for many commonly-used items.

How do I set up Notation Express/XL?

Setup instructions are provided for Sibelius Ultimate, or Dorico Pro along with the installation files. Setup should not take more than a few minutes. Also see the installation videos for Sibelius and Dorico.

Can I use my existing keyboard shortcuts with Notation Express/XL?

Yes. Notation Express enables the Stream Deck to communicate directly with Sibelius Ultimate and Dorico Pro, so that you can program your own custom key commands without interfering with Notation Express.

What happened to Notation Express for MuseScore?

We have temporarily discontinued this product, but are evaluating a reboot at sometime in the future.

Documentation

Reference

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Installation video

 

Version History

November 9, 2024: Version 3.1.1 released for Dorico and Sibelius.

Changelog – Dorico & Sibelius

Minor updates to the Stream Deck plugin. No functional changes.

• Uninstallation of the plugin is no longer necessary, as the version number will increment whenever there is a plugin update.
• The plugin is now shown as “Notation Express for Dorico” or “Notation Express for Sibelius” instead of “Dorico Stream Deck Actions” or “Sibelius Stream Deck Actions”.
• The documentation has been updated.
• The main icon for the Dorico plugin is correctly referenced.

No profile changes.

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October 28, 2024: Version 3.1 released for Dorico and Sibelius.

Changelog – Dorico

Updated plugin to conform Elgato’s guidelines for icon design and categorization.

New subfolder: Gradual tempo changes with the following buttons:

• accel., poco accel., molto accel.
• allarg., poco allarg., molto allarg.
• rall., poco rall., molto rall.
• rit., poco rit., molto rit.
• sost.
• string.

Changelog – Sibelius

The experience of connecting the Stream Deck (or the Stream Deck Mobile app) to Sibelius is improved. Although the popup from Sibelius asking the user to authorize the connection between Stream Deck and Sibelius will still appear at the start of every new Sibelius session (when Sibelius is launched), it will no longer reappear after the computer sleeps, or when Stream Deck is disconnected and reconnected. You may still get multiple popup messages if you have more than one Stream Deck connected to your computer. Sibelius Ultimate 2024.10 is required.

Updated plugin to conform Elgato’s guidelines for icon design and categorization.

Update the installer to include the latest version of the Sibelius plugins.

The “4 slashes” tremolo button now correctly returns a 4-slash tremolo instead of one with 5 slashes. On the XL profile, there is a new “5 slashes” tremolo button.

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March 7, 2024: Version 3.0 released for Sibelius 2024.3.

Changelog – Sibelius

Completely rebuilt for Sibelius 2024.3

• Reclaim your shortcuts – You can now reclaim all of the keyboard shortcuts for your own use, as you like, without them being reserved by Notation Express
• Cross-platform support – One Notation Express profile works for both Mac and Windows, so you can use the same profile on both operating systems (no need to purchase separate versions)
• Multi-language support – Notation Express is now supported in all languages, so you don’t need to switch to English to use it in Sibelius (the icon labels will still only be in English, for now)
• Faster – The direct connection to Sibelius makes Notation Express significantly more responsive, because it passes commands directly to Sibelius instead of invoking a series of macros that may involve opening and typing into a popover, for example
• Control Sibelius in the background – The direct connection to Sibelius means that you can use your Stream Deck to control Sibelius even when another application is running in the foreground

Notation Express for Sibelius 2024 adds support for many new features: more than 75 new buttons to Notation Express XL for Sibelius and more than 40 new buttons to Notation Express (15-key) for Sibelius.

Many icons have also been refreshed, and the profile has been re-organized in certain areas.

Both Notation Express and Notation Express XL

• The main screen folders now have red borders (previously, only subfolders had red borders)
• Many other icons have been refreshed, and command names updated, especially in the Hiding and Formatting folder

Third-party Tools folder:

These buttons are included in Notation Express and will work with third-party tools such as NotePerformer, Graphical MIDI Tools, and UltraMix, but the tools themselves must be purchased separately.

• Graphical MIDI Tools (launches the GMT window; does not control GMT functions)
• UltraMix
• NotePerformer
  • Add NotePerformer a2, a3, … MIDI Message
  • Add NotePerformer Guitar Effects Message
  • Add NotePerformer Orchestral Tuning MIDI Message
  • Add NotePerformer Pipe Organ & Accordion Stops MIDI Message
  • Add NotePerformer Tenuto Always MIDI Message
  • Add NotePerformer Vibrato Amount MIDI Message
  • Add NotePerformer Vibrato Speed MIDI Message
  • Reset Mixer for NotePerformer

Notation Express XL

New items in Bold)

 Voices (new folder)

• Swap 1 & 3
• Swap 1 & 4
• Swap 2 & 3
• Swap 2 & 4
• Swap 3 & 4
• Other voice-related buttons copied from Modify and Arrange folder:
  • Swap 1 & 2
  • Voice 1
  • Voice 2
  • Voice 3
  • Voice 4
  • All voices
  • Delete Voice 1
  • Delete Voice 2
  • Delete Voice 3
  • Delete Voice 4
  • Filter Voice 1
  • Filter Voice 2
  • Filter Voice 3
  • Filter Voice 4
  • Merge to Voice 1
  • Paste into Voice

Notes > More Notes

• Add LV to Notes replaced with Toggle LV
• Next tie style

Articulations

• Caesura
• Copy Articulations (and Slurs)
• Filter Non-tied notes (for applying articulations only to non-tied notes and notes that start a tie chain)

Dynamics

• sub. is temporarily removed, but it will re-appear in a future update

Bars, Barlines, Brackets, Repeats

• Fill Selection With Slashes

Noteheads renamed Noteheads & Microtones

• New noteheads:
  • Slashed
  • Back slashed
  • Ping
  • Inverted triangle
• Microtones:
  • Quarter sharp
  • Quarter flat
  • Three-quarter sharp
  • Three-quarter flat
  • Remove accidentals duplicated here for ease of use

Text

• Position Rehearsal Marks
• Smarten Quotes
• Gradual tempos:
  • accel.
  • rit.
  • rall.
• Separate Music characters folders for Mac and Windows platforms
• The pre-set tempo indications such as e = are removed; these and more can all be applied by using the buttons in the Music characters folder instead

Beaming and Tremolos

• Z on Stem (Buzz)

Lines renamed Lines & Ornaments

• Lines:
  • Arrow
  • Dashed slur
  • Vibrato
  • Wide vibrato
  • Pedal lift
  • Pedal lift again
  • Pedal lift finally
  • Pedal (no line)
  • The Trill natural, Trill flat, and Trill sharp buttons will only work if those custom line styles exist in the document (i.e., a Scoring Express template)
• Ornaments
  • Inverted mordent
  • Mordent
  • Inverted triple mordent
  • Triple mordent
  • Turn
  • Reversed turn
  • Inverted turn
  • Other symbol

Filters: Reorganized to accommodate many more filters, and even more in the future

• System Text
• Select More
• Filter Others
• Filter With Deselect
• Filter Notes By Duration
• Expression Text
• Filter More:
  • Bar repeats
  • Clefs
  • Comments (moved here)
  • Cue-size objects
  • Grace notes (moved here)
  • Hairpins
  • Hidden Objects
  • Instrument Changes
  • Non-tied notes
  • Notes with tremolos
  • Pedal lines (moved here)
  • Bar numbers (moved here)
  • Page Number Changes
  • All Barlines
  • Special Barlines
  • Non-Special Barlines
  • Key Signatures
  • Time Signatures
  • Top, 2nd, 3rd, Bottom Note for Copying (moved here)
  • Top, 2nd, 3rd, Bottom Note for Deletion (moved here)

Modify and Arrange renamed Modify and Select

• Select More
• Extend selection up
• Extend selection down
• Extend selection left
• Extend selection right
• Select System Passage
• Copy Double Note Values (use with Paste)
• Copy Halve Note Values (use with Paste)
• Split Bar
• Join Bars
• Some items moved to Voices folder

Hiding and Formatting

• Make Into Score Subset
• Make Into Part
• Insert Graphic

Playback and Navigation

• Loop
• Next page
• Previous page
• Scrub backward
• Scrub forward
• Renotate
• Playback line

Notation Express (15-key version)

 Voices (new folder)

• Swap 3 & 4
• Copy
• Paste into Voice
• Other voice-related buttons copied from Modify and Arrange folder:
  • Swap 1 & 2
  • Voice 1
  • Voice 2
  • Voice 3
  • Voice 4
  • All voices
  • Delete Voice 1
  • Delete Voice 2
  • Delete Voice 3
  • Delete Voice 4
  • Merge to Voice 1

Notes > More Notes

• Toggle cue-size notes

Notes > More Notes > Note input

• Add LV to Notes replaced with Toggle LV and moved here
• 64th button removed to make room
• Notes > More Notes > Note input > Tuplet utilities renamed Tuplets & Accidentals
  • Suppress cautionary
  • Remove accidentals
  • Parenthesize accidental

Articulations

• Copy Articulations (and Slurs)
• Filter Non-tied notes (for applying articulations only to non-tied notes and notes that start a tie chain)
• New More subfolder
  • Plop
  • Doit
  • Scoop
  • Fall
  • Custom 1
  • Custom 2
  • Custom 3
  • Caesura
  • Wedge, Short fermata, Long fermata are moved here
  • Copy Articulations (and Slurs) and Filter Non-tied notes duplicated here for ease of use

View & Options > More View Options, Zoom

• Timeline

Bars, Barlines, Brackets, Repeats

• Fill Selection With Slashes
• D.S. al Fine removed to make room

Text

• The folders Tempo and System Text, Techniques, and Staff text are now all subfolders within this folder
• Characters & Diacritics:
  • é, è, ñ, ô, ü, ç, Curly left apostrophe, Curly right apostrophe, Curly open quote, Curly closed quote, En dash
• Separate Music characters folders for Mac and Windows platforms
  • The pre-set tempo indications such as e = are removed; these and more can all be applied by using the buttons in the Music characters folder instead
  • Position Rehearsal Marks
  • Gradual tempos:
    • accel.
    • rit.

Lines renamed Lines & Ornaments

• Lines:
  • Slide removed to make room
  • The Trill natural, Trill flat, and Trill sharp buttons will only work if those custom line styles exist in the document (i.e., a Scoring Express template)
• New Ornaments subfolder:
  • Inverted mordent
  • Mordent
  • Inverted triple mordent
  • Triple mordent
  • Turn
  • Reversed turn
  • Inverted turn
  • Other symbol

 Modify and Arrange renamed Modify and Select

• Select More
• Split Bar
• Join Bars
• Transposing Score
• Slide left
• Slide right
• Some items moved to Voices folder

A second page has been added to the home page, to accommodate the Third-party Tools folder, and various other helpful buttons such as Sibelius Reference and shortcuts to the Sibelius forum, Notation Express, and Scoring Notes web sites.

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October 24, 2023: Version 3.0 released. Update for Dorico 5.

Version 3.0 for Dorico change details

Notation Express for Dorico 5 adds support for some features introduced in Dorico 4 and Dorico 5. There is a new folder dedicated to voices, both profiles see additional buttons in most areas, and the XL profile gains support for Insert scopes, Play mode tracks, and layout enhancements, among other improvements. Many icons have also been refreshed, and the profile has been subtly re-organized in certain areas.

Cosmetic updates to both Notation Express and Notation Express XL:

• The main screen folders now have red borders (previously, only subfolders had red borders)
• The popover icons have been refreshed
• Many other icons have been refreshed, and command names updated, especially in the Formatting folder

Notation Express XL new features:

• Voices and Insert (new folder)
  • Starts Voice
  • Ends Voice Immediately
  • Ends Voice After Barline
  • Change to Upstem Voice 1
  • Change to Downstem Voice 1
  • Change to Upstem Voice 2
  • Change to Downstem Voice 2
  • Change to Upstem Voice 3
  • Change to Downstem Voice 3
  • Change to Upstem Voice 4
  • Change to Downstem Voice 4
  • Add Slashed Voice
  • Swap Voice Order
  • Change to Previous Voice
  • Change to Next Voice
  • Default Stems Up
  • Default Stems Down
  • Other voice-related buttons copied from Modify and Arrange folder
  • Insert mode scopes:
    • Voice
    • Player
    • Global
    • Global Adjustment of Current Bar
  • Playback & Navigation
    • Tempo track
    • Marker track
    • Chords track
    • Fixed/Follow Tempo
    • Scrub Playback
    • Decrease Key Editor Grid Resolution
    • Increase Key Editor Grid Resolution
    • Suppress playback (this is the same as Mute in Noteheads & Harmonics)
    • Unsuppress playback (this is the same as Unmute in Noteheads & Harmonics)
  • Formatting
    • Insert Music Frame
    • Insert Text Frame
    • Insert Graphics Frame
    • Lock Layout
    • Unlock Layout
    • Move to Previous System
    • Move to Next System
    • Insert Frame Break renamed to Create Frame Break
    • Insert System Break renamed to Create System Break
  • Articulations
    • Stressed
    • Unstressed
    • Copy Articulations
    • Paste Articulations
  • Clefs
    • Percussion 2 (rectangular)
    • After Grace Notes
    • Reset Clef Position
    • Hide
  • Bars, Barlines, Brackets, Repeats
    • Create Numbered Bar Region
  • Beaming and Tremolos
    • Z on Stem (Buzz)
    • Tremolo with Attack
    • Tremolo with Release
  • Filters
    • Repeat Endings
  • Notes > More Notes
    • Input pitch: Sounding/Written
  • Modify and Arrange
    • Split Flow
    • Trim Flow

Notation Express new features:

• Voices (new folder)
  • Change to Upstem Voice 1
  • Change to Downstem Voice 1
  • Change to Upstem Voice 2
  • Change to Downstem Voice 2
  • Merge to Downstem Voice 1
  • Swap Voice Order
  • Change to Previous Voice
  • Change to Next Voice
  • The Delete Upstem Voice 1, Delete Downstem Voice 1, Delete Upstem Voice 2, Delete Downstem Voice 2, and Merge to Upstem Voice 1 buttons have been moved here from the Modify and Arrange folder
• The Tempo and System Text and Staff Text folders have been moved into one new main-level Text folder, and the following buttons added:
  • Curly left apostrophe
  • Curly right apostrophe
  • Curly open quote
  • Curly closed quote
  • Em dash
  • En dash
  • Letters with diacriticals: é, è, ç, ñ, ô, ü
• Modify and Arrange
  • Normal/Cue Size
  • Hide stems
  • Show stems
  • Slide left
  • Slide right
• Articulations
  • Copy Articulations
  • Paste Articulations
  • A new More subfolder has been added, containing:
    • Plop
    • Doit
    • Scoop
    • Fall
    • Lift (wavy)
    • Plop (wavy)
    • Doit (wavy)
    • Remove jazz articulations
    • Stressed
    • Unstressed
    • Long fermata, Short fermata, and Staccatissimo are moved here
    • Copy Articulations and Paste Articulations are duplicated here

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February 6, 2022: Version 2.1 released. Update for Dorico 4.

Version 2.1 change details

Changelog – Dorico

• It is no longer necessary to quit and relaunch the Stream Deck desktop app each time Dorico is opened. However, you may need to do this once, after updating to the latest version of the Notation Express for Dorico plugin.
• Pressing a Playing Technique button (or an Articulation button that is defined as a Playing Technique in Dorico) without anything selected no longer crashes Dorico.
• For Playing Techniques (and Articulations that are defined as a Playing Techniques in Dorico), Clefs and Octaves, and Ornaments, pressing these buttons without anything selected will load the pointer (mouse) cursor, so that you can place the item into your score.
• (Notation Express XL only) Key Signatures: The C# major icon is correct.
• (Notation Express 15-key only) Clefs and Octaves: The 15 line down key is correct.

In addition, the Preferences button works properly. This was technically not the result of a Notation Express fix, but rather the Dorico 4.0.10 update, so please be sure you’ve updated Dorico as well.

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January 30, 2022: Version 2.0 released. Support for Dorico 4.

Version 2.0 change details

Changelog – Dorico

Completely rebuilt for Dorico 4

• Reclaim your shortcuts – You can now reclaim all of the keyboard shortcuts for your own use, as you like, without them being reserved by Notation Express
• Cross-platform support – One Notation Express profile works for both Mac and Windows, so you can use the same profile on both operating systems (no need to purchase separate versions)
• Multi-language support – Notation Express is now supported in all languages, so you don’t need to switch to English to use it in Dorico (the icon labels will still only be in English, for now)
• Faster – The direct connection to Dorico makes Notation Express significantly more responsive, because it passes commands directly to Dorico instead of invoking a series of macros that may involve opening and typing into a popover, for example
• Control Dorico in the background – The direct connection to Dorico means that you can use your Stream Deck to control Dorico even when another application is running in the foreground

XL only: New in Playback & Navigation: Previous Page, Next Page

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May 24, 2020: Version 1.4.1 released. Support for Dorico 3.5.

Version 1.4.1 change details

Changelog – Dorico

New in Formatting: Dynamics fomatting subfolder, Condensing Change, Note Spacing Change, Toggle Condensing, Lock System, Set Local/Global Properties
New in Staff Text: Fingering, Figured bass
New in Filters: Condensing Changes, Figured bass
Dynamics folder: Repositioned Other dynamic button to the right of hairpins

Changelog – Dorico XL

New in Formatting: Condensing Change, Note Spacing Change, Toggle Condensing, Lock System, Set Local/Global Properties, Edit Graphically, Edit Frames, Edit Staff Spacing, Edit Note Spacing, Graphic Slices
New in Staff Text: Fingering, Figured bass, Create Chord Symbol Region
New in Filters: Condensing Changes, Figured bass

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March 10, 2020: No new Notation Express release, but information and FAQs updated for Stream Deck Mobile on Android.

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February 17, 2020: Version 1.4 released.

First release for Musescore. Support for Dorico 3.1 and Sibelius 2020.1 and many other updates.

Version 1.4 change details

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October 1, 2019: Version 1.3 released for Dorico — first support for Dorico 3.

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August 6, 2019: Version 1.2 released — first release of Notation Express XL for Dorico and Sibelius.

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June 24, 2019: Demo released for Dorico and Sibelius.

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May 29, 2019: Version 1.1 released — Support files installed via installer; updates for Stream Deck Mobile.

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April 29, 2019: First release for Dorico.

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March 7, 2019: First release for Sibelius.

 

License

Can I use Notation Express on more than one computer?

Yes! A purchase entitles one person (you) to use it on one computer at a time, on as many computers that you personally use. Unless you have extra limbs, that should suffice nicely.

Can I use Notation Express on both the Stream Deck console and the iOS app?

Yes! Your purchase entitles you to use Notation Express on both devices. You must purchase the Stream Deck console and subscribe to the Stream Deck Mobile app separately.

Can my buddy who shares my computer use Notation Express?

No! Well, there’s no way to technically prevent it. But please ask your buddy to purchase his own copy.

My buddy wants to use my copy of Notation Express. Can I send it to him?

No! He should purchase his own copy. Let’s all be buddies!

Can I change the default Notation Express profile — move icons around, add my own shortcuts, actions, etc.?

Yes! That’s the beauty of it — it’s totally customizable for your own use. You can always re-import the default Notation Express profile again.

So, once I do that, can I send that profile to my buddy?

No! Please don’t share any profile derived from the Notation Express profile, or any shortcut/key command preference file derived from the one included with Notation Express, unless your buddy has already purchased Notation Express, too — then it’s OK.

I have Notation Express for Sibelius/Dorico already. Can I get Notation Express for Sibelius/Dorico too?

Notation Express for Sibelius Ultimate and Notation Express for Dorico Pro work very similarly in many respects, but “under-the-hood” they are quite different products (just like Sibelius Ultimate and Dorico Pro are different products) and must be purchased separately.