How to Create Sheet Music
Write music notation, guitar tabs, or chord-and-lyrics lead sheets using a free online editor. Preview your score in real time, export as PDF, or add pages directly to a printed songbook — no software to install, no account needed.
Why Create Your Own Sheet Music?
Custom arrangements
Transcribe songs the way you actually play them — your key, your voicings, your fingerings. No more scribbling corrections on someone else's chart.
A powerful learning tool
Writing music out by hand (or by keyboard) forces you to internalize intervals, rhythm, and structure. It's one of the fastest ways to improve your ear.
Share with your band
Hand every player a clean, consistent chart before rehearsal. No more squinting at phone screenshots or deciphering handwritten notes.
What You Can Create
Four ways to write music — pick the one that fits your workflow.
ABC Notation
A compact text-based format for melodies, harmonies, and multi-voice arrangements. Great for folk, traditional, and classical music.
Lead Sheets (Chords + Lyrics)
Type lyrics and place chord symbols above them. The editor formats everything into a clean, printable lead sheet — perfect for singers and jam sessions.
Tablature
Write guitar, bass, ukulele, mandolin, or banjo tabs with standard tab notation. Ideal for string players who read fret numbers instead of staff notation.
Visual Editor
Point-and-click note entry on a standard staff. Add notes, rests, accidentals, and dynamics without learning any text syntax.
How It Works
Pick your format
Choose ABC notation for traditional scores, Chords + Lyrics for lead sheets, Tab for string instruments, or the Visual Editor for point-and-click entry.
Write or enter your music
Type notation in the editor or click notes onto the staff. A live preview updates as you go so you always see the final result.
Preview and refine
Check spacing, line breaks, and repeats in the rendered preview. Make adjustments until every bar looks exactly right.
Export or add to your songbook
Download the finished page as a PDF, or send it straight into the Songbook Builder to combine with other songs into a printed book.
Tips for Great Sheet Music
- Start simple — get the melody and chords down first, then add dynamics, repeats, and articulation marks in a second pass.
- Use the preview constantly. A measure that looks right in text can feel cramped on the rendered page — catch spacing issues early.
- For lead sheets, keep chord symbols concise (Cmaj7, not C major seventh). Consistent formatting makes charts easier to sight-read.
- Add tempo and key signature at the top of every piece. Players picking up your chart cold need that context immediately.
- If you're writing tabs, include the tuning in the header — especially for alternate tunings like DADGAD or Open G.
- Break long pieces into logical sections (Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge) with rehearsal marks or section labels.
- Export a test PDF and print one page before committing to a full songbook. Check that note spacing and font size work on paper.
More Free Tools
Explore all our music tools to create, organize, and print your music.
Ready to Write Your Music?
Open the free Sheet Music Editor and start creating notation, tabs, or lead sheets. Export as PDF or add pages to your songbook — no account needed.
Start Creating