Musician's Toolbox
The MelodyFusion Music Toolbox contains a list of FREE music-related software tools suggested to us by other MelodyFusion members who want to share their experience and knowledge with you, to help you improve your own musical skills.
If you want to reciprocate by sharing your preferred FREE musical tools with other MelodyFusion members, or know of better FREE tools than those already listed, please feel free to complete the "Suggest a New Music Tool" form below.
Note: While MelodyFusion has briefly reviewed each tool to see that it meets certain criteria (e.g. includes instructions, FAQs or a support link), reference to any specific software, mobile application (App), product, process, service, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is provided for your information and convenience only and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by MelodyFusion. This means that if you need technical support in relation to any tool in the MelodyFusion Toolbox you will need to directly contact the developer / supplier of that tool.
FORTE Notation Software
FORTE Notation Software was created by musicians, for musicians, specifically to be user-friendly, functional, and fun! Perfect for all ages and all skill levels! You do not need time-consuming tutorials to get started. With FORTE you will be able to compose your first piece of music in as little as 10 minutes.
Drum Beat Metronome
Drum Beats+ metronome app was designed by musicians. It sounds great, is simple, and is perfect for any instrument or skill level. Unlike complicated drum machines, Drum Beats+ doesn’t have deep menus or too many buttons. Just 100+ drum beats played by a real drummer to help you develop timing and rhythm, and have fun while you practice.
Guitar Tuner
123Guitar Tuner is a great online application which provides a simple yet accurate interface. Once the app is open, scroll down for basic instructions as well as some unique tuning options. This app is not only designed as a guitar tuner, but also offers a tuner for Violins, Ukelele, Bass incorporating alternate keys.
Music creation/editing software
MuseScore is a score writer for Windows, OS X, and Linux operating systems. It is provided free and as open source software under the GNU General Public License. It supports a wide variety of file formats and input methods, contains powerful editing capabilities and includes layout formatting and score printing, as well as an integrated sequencer and synthesizer for playback. The website provides a comprehensive suite of educational tools including a tour of the software, a puff handbook, tutorials, FAQ, a "how to" link, and a discussion forum.
Audio Editors
Audacity is free, open source, cross-platform, multi-track audio editor software developed distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Audacity is intuitive to use and provides a host of capabilities such as recording live audio, recording computer playback into digital recordings, converting tapes and records into digital recordings, editing WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP2, MP3 or Ogg Vorbis sound files, as well as AC3, M4A/M4R (ACC), WMA and other formats via optional libraries, cutting/copying/splicing/mixing sounds, changing pitch speed, and a host of other options. The website offers a Help tab with documentation/manuals, a support desk, FAQs, Tutorials and Tips.
Wavosaur
Wavosaur is a free, simple and easy to use sound/audio/wav editor for editing, processing and recording sound files. It has all the necessary features to edit (cut, copy, paste, etc.) audio, produce music loops, analyze, record and batch convert. It supports VST plug-ins, ASIO driver, multichannel wav files and real time effect processing. The program has no installer and doesn't write in the registry. Wavosaur works on Windows 98, Windows XP and Windows Vista.
AudioTool
AudioTool is a powerful online digital audio workstation that stores all your tracks, samples and presets on cloud-based servers that are accessible using any browser, from anywhere, and at any time - and it looks and feels just like a real production studio too. Drag-and-drop your chosen devices onto the desktop and connect them using virtual cables to create your arrangements easily and intuitively. Start creating immediately by choosing your level of experience, or get right into the comprehensive suite of tutorials.
Virtual Studio
DarkWave Studio
DarkWave Studio is a free Virtual Studio For Windows featuring a modular Virtual Studio, Pattern Editor, Sequence Editor and Multitrack Hard Disk Recorder. It has support for VST/VSTi instrument and effect plug-ins. The virtual studio has a modular design allowing machines to be connected in an ad-hoc fashion. The pattern editor enables the quick creation and modification of patterns by clicking to add or delete notes and dragging notes to move or resize them. The sequence editor allows you to queue patterns to play for each control track in any arrangement, enabling reuse of patterns and quickly remixing projects. The Multitrack Hard Disk Recorder allows you to record the output of any machine and record it to 16-bit Integer of 32-bit Floating Point PCM encoded .WAV files for full-quality post-production editing or for conversion to MP3/FLAC/etc.
Software Studio/Digital Audio Workstation
Linux MultiMedia Studio (LMMS)
Linux MultiMedia Studio (LMMS) is a free cross-platform DAW / sequencer allowing music production with a computer. LMMS. It features: a song-editor for composing songs, a beat and bassline-editor for creating beats and basslines, a piano-Roll for editing patterns and melodies, an FX mixer with 64 FX channels, automation, SoundFont2, VST(i) host, and MIDI support. LMMS ships with many instrument and effect-plugins out of the box, and it imports MIDI and FLP (FL Studio/ Fruityloops Project) files.
VST Plugins
Best-free-vst.com
Best-free-vst.com is a website providing high quality, free Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plugins for use in music production.
Gersic
Gersic.com boasts one of the largest online databases in the world of free audio plugins, with nearly 2000 free VST plugins, free DirectX plugins, RTAS, AU, from developers all over the world.
VST Audio Tools
VSTHost
VSTHost is free, very easy to setup and the manual is very comprehensive. It can play the VSTis with a MIDI keyboard, normal pc-keyboard or mouse. It can run multiple plugins (instruments and effects) at the same time, load and save VST presets, record what is played to wav-files (8/ 16/ 24 and 32-bit supported), load MIDI files, import and export SysEx, and save all settings and setups in a bank and load them up easily.
Piano Tuitorial
Piano Tuitorial
In this Piano Tuitorial beginner’s guide we cover everything from the different piano types to whether it’s the right instrument for you. You’ll also learn great beginner songs, how to practice and important mistakes to avoid!
Music Theory
Circle of 5ths
Circle Of 5ths If you're a creator of music the Circle of Fifths can help you (i) Know how major and minor keys relate; (ii) Transpose your music into a different key (eg. if you're singing music originally composed outside your voice range); (iii) Know the right chord progressions no matter what key you're in (especially important with improv work) (iv) Count your sharps and flats (e.g. when notating your compositions) and Know where to put accidentals.
Guitar Tuner
GUITAR TUNING FOR BEGINNERS
Tuning is not rocket science, and Max Hudson of BEGR is going to cover all the important things you need to know to tune your axe like a rockstar, from the classic EADGBE standard guitar tuning, classic and alternative ways of tunings, different factors that affect the tuning, and, of course, tips on how to keep the tune longer.
JamPlay
JamPlay is a free, online guitar tuner, either tune by ear or use digital tuner. Simply select what you would like to tune your acoustic or electric guitar to. Click the play button next to each string. Play your electric guitar or acoustic guitar and match the notes accordingly.
Pro Guitar Tuner
Pro Guitar Tuner is a free online tuner which uses your computer microphone or an external microphone to enable you to tune your guitar right in your browser. The tuner allows chromatic, accurate and automatic tuning and is suitable for all string instruments. The website contains instructions and some technical information on tuning.
Guitar Chord Guide
Guitar Skill Builder
Guitar Skill Builder is a website run by Roy Barnett who has been playing the guitar for 38 years. His website is a treasure trove of information and advice on learning how to play the guitar and includes free downloadable PDF chord charts for beginner chords, bar chords, power chords, blues chords and left handed chords.
Metronome
Bestmetronome.com
Bestmetronome.com offers a choice of three online, one downlodable and one embedable metronomes. All are super stable. As standard audio metronomes they're suitable for use in guitar or piano practice or any other instrument and can be used in different styles of music and dance - for example, if you play flamenco you can look for soleá and siguiriyas rhythms, or in classical music you will surely need some standard metrum metronome like 3/4 or 4/4 with typical tick and bell sounds, while if you exercise rock or pop songs you may need a percussion loop.
TempoPerfect
TempoPerfect is a free digital metronome for Windows, Mac OSX, iPhone iOS, Android and Kindle operating systems, designed to help musicians play in time. It can create accurate beat patterns for simple or complex rhythms, can use a combination of accented and normal beats to subdivide beats so that tricky patterns can be easily heard, or it can accent the first beat in a measure when working in difficult time signatures. It includes a visual beat indicator bar. A Help Manual is accessed from within the program while Fads, a TempoPerfect Metronome Software Forum and Technical Support are provided via the website.
Composition Book (Printable Blank Scores)
Noteflight
Noteflight is a free online notation system which uses a click-and-drop approach to creating, storing, listening, printing, searching and sharing notated music online. A premium called Crescendo for a monthly fee. Notefligth also allows you to browse thousands of public musical scores, rate and comment on new compositions or find sheet music for songs you already know. A User's Guide offers detailed documentation on how to use Noteflight and includes a quick start guide. Noteflight supports Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mobile Safari and Android browsers. The website offers FAQs and a Feedback Page and a Help Desk for support.
BlankSheetMusic
BlankSheetMusic allows you to create and print free blank sheet music so that you can write your own scores. Options include selecting the staff paper from a range of pre-defined options (e.g. Piano, Mandolin, Choir, 6 stave, 10 stave, duets, quartet, etc), choosing the clefs, key signature, time signatures and selecting the page orientation. The website includes FAQs and a Contact Us for support.
Sheet Music
Newzik is the perfect tool to read and manage your sheet music in a single iPad or iPhone. The smartest sheet music reader app Newzik is built to cater the musicians’ most exclusive needs, whether you are a beginner, a professional or a band member.
MusicNotes provides instant delivery of printable sheet music with no shipping and handling fees. Just download, print and play. Plus, download and play your sheet music with our free interactive iPad, iPhone, Android, PC, or Mac apps!
8notes.com is run and owned by Red Balloon Technology Ltd, a music and technology company based in St Albans, England. The main focus of the site is sheet music, but it also offers a wide range of resources for musicians, from tuners, to chord charts and to lessons. A subscription service is available for access to a range of add-on features, including unlimited playalong tracks, parts and transpositions, as well as higher quality print-outs.
Free-scores is a free broadcast and media hosting for composers, arrangers and publishers. It allows selection of music based on instrument, musical style and instrumentation and also features a directory of free sheet music sites.
Resources
Band Flyers Rock your band’s marketing with awesome flyers, videos, social media graphics and album covers. Perfect for printing and sharing online!
Album Covers Design an album cover that personifies your music. Choose album covers from a wide selection of genres and artistic styles. Personalize, print and publish online in minutes.
Social Media Templates Rock your band’s marketing with awesome flyers, videos, social media graphics and album covers. Perfect for printing and sharing online!
Suggest a New Music Tool
Want to recommend an addition to the toolbox? Just fill out this simple form and we'll take a look at your suggestion and add it to the toolbox upon approval.
Production
FORTE Notation SoftwareMusic Creation/Editing Software
Audio Editors
Virtual Studio
Software Studio/DIgital Audio Workstation
VST Plugins
VST Audio ToolsBand FlyersAlbum CoversSocial Media Templates Theory, Playing, & Writing
Beginner Piano TutorialCircle of 5thsDrum BeatGuitar Tuner
Guitar Chord Guide
Metronome
Composition Book/Blank Scores
Sheet Music