The most striking factor of StaffPad is, without doubt, its $69.99 price tag. Which practically makes this music app one of the most expensive applications currently available on the Windows Store.
Then again, with all talk of big name app and game developers parting ways with Microsoft’s operating platforms, maybe an app like this is just what the doctor ordered — it is, at is core, a music notation application that supports handwriting recognition.
Pretty unique combination, and justifies the price tag and the lack of a free trial.
The official description explains:
“StaffPad is a groundbreaking music notation application, featuring advanced handwriting recognition. Write music, using your digital pen*, and StaffPad will transform your handwritten notation into a beautifully typeset score which you can then edit, play back, print and share. For composers and musicians, StaffPad revolutionizes the art of writing music.”
As you may have guessed, this app requires a device with pen and touch input capabilities.
Think a Surface Pro 3, the newer Surface 3, or the array of newer Windows powered tablets from vendors like HP, Dell and Lenovo — basically the upper tier of hardware, as opposed to the various budget slates some of which can be had for less than the price of this app, actually.
Anyway, you use a digital pen to write music on this app, and it automatically transforms it to typeset score that can be further edited, played or printed. This premium app only supports x86 and x64 version of Windows, meaning ARM based hardware is out of luck.
Click here to check out StaffPad on the Windows Store.
All Comments
I guess we will see
Microsoft actually showcased this app (the developer was there) at BUILD 2015. So when it comes to notable exclusive applications in the Windows Store, this one is right up there at the top.
Nice to see creations like this get the spotlight.