Did you record your piece in Logic Pro and now need a readable, professional score? Let’s quickly determine the best route.
- If your session is already clean and tempo-mapped, you can try printing it directly from Logic’s Score Editor — it’s a quick way to see what you actually have. Often, this first printout will reveal missing details like bar numbers, section marks, dynamics, and articulations, but it’s a useful reality check.
- If the printed score looks coherent and legible, but you need score details for your session, you can try MusicXML export. We’ll make your score from your XML export, with your audio as a reference.
- If not — no stress. Just send us the Logic project, and we’ll deliver a clean, publisher-ready Dorico score via a fast, musician-led aural takedown.
What if your Logic project includes audio tracks you need scored?
It’s common to have a vocal, guitar, or horn line recorded as audio and want it notated. Logic’s Audio to MIDI function can help a little — but only with clean, monophonic sources, and even then it’s hit-or-miss. It performs best on drum or percussion material, but it’s unreliable for melodic instruments and nearly useless for polyphonic audio such as piano or guitar chords.
In most real projects you’ll spend as long fixing the transcription as you would doing a proper aural takedown — essentially doubling task time while still needing the same musical decisions only a human can make. If your session includes live tracks, it’s faster and more accurate to send the Logic file directly — we’ll extract the music by ear and deliver clean notation in Dorico.
Logic-to-Score Readiness Check
Check all that apply:
✅ If you answered “Yes” to all, jump to Option A: Exporting MusicXML
❌ If not, skip to Option B: Send Us Your Logic Project
Option A: Exporting MusicXML from Logic – Or Printing from Logic
Important: In Logic Pro, MusicXML export is only available when the Score Editor is open and active, and you have a selection defined in the Track (or Region) area.
- Open the Score Editor: Window → Score Editor.
- In the Tracks area, select the region(s) you want included.
- Either: Choose File → Export → Selection as MusicXML – or File → Print
- Save the XML file and include it with your quote request.
If you choose to print, you may notice that most of the information that makes rehearsal run smoothly – like the project title, part name, composer or lyricist information, copyright footer, bar numbers, page numbers, section or rehearsal marks, double bar lines, dynamic markings and articulations – are missing from your printout.
If you’re looking for a quick in-studio read, it might be enough – but for an ensemble, it’s deadly, will run up the clock and cost you a lot more than getting it done right.
If your XML export looks musically coherent without those elements, we have a jump start on a low quote for converting this to real musical notation. We’ll be able to import your XML into Dorico (the new world standard for advanced notation), add all those elements listed above, do the part and score layouts, and deliver a polished, readable score and parts.
Option B: Send Us Your Logic Project (Fastest Path to a Clean Score)
If you couldn’t check all the boxes, that’s normal. Logic’s Score Editor reflects performance data — human timing, pedal holds, voice overlaps — which rarely equals clean notation. A direct export often carries that mess forward.
What we do instead: we open your Logic project, interpret the musical intent, and produce a clean Dorico score via a musician-led aural takedown. It’s usually faster — and far more accurate — than fighting a messy XML.
Tip: Zip the project folder with all audio assets consolidated, or export a Logic project package. If you’re unsure, just send the project and we’ll advise the quickest handoff.
Why Logic’s Score Editor Often Fails (and XML Carries the Mess)
- No solid tempo map: rubato and drift render unreadable rhythms.
- Over-pedaling: CC64 sustain merges notes into illegible durations.
- Piano hand separation lost: RH/LH collapse into one staff of chaos.
- Quantize ≠ notation: it flattens feel but doesn’t create clarity.
- Garbage in → garbage out: XML dutifully encodes whatever’s there.
Bottom line: You can’t quantize your way to clarity. Clean notation requires musical interpretation.
When XML Is Acceptable (Rarely)
- Simple, grid-tight parts (pads, bass, basic drums/percussion).
- Sessions already tempo-mapped, cleanly quantized, and voice-separated.
- Pedal and expression translated into actual durations (not just CC data).
If that’s not your session, XML won’t save you time; interpretation will.
What You’ll Get From Us
- Clean, readable Dorico score and parts (or Finale/Sibelius on request).
- Correct rhythms, voice-leading, and piano hand separation.
- Musical dynamics, articulations, and engraver-level layout.
- Delivery formats: PDF, Dorico project, MusicXML as needed.
Ready to move from DAW performance to a publishable score? We’ll get you there quickly and correctly.
Logic-to-Score FAQ
Can you create notation from my Logic project if it includes audio?
Yes — but not automatically. Logic’s Audio to MIDI can handle simple monophonic sources, but it’s unreliable for melodic instruments and useless for polyphonic parts like piano or guitar. For audio-heavy sessions, a musician-led aural takedown is faster and more accurate. Send us the Logic file or a stereo mix, and we’ll transcribe it directly into Dorico.
Will exporting MusicXML from Logic include all the score markings?
No. Logic’s export passes along notes and rhythms but omits many score essentials — dynamics, articulations, section marks, lyrics, and layout. We add those elements in Dorico so the result reads like professional sheet music, not a raw MIDI dump.
Can I send a Logic project that isn’t tempo-mapped or quantized?
Absolutely. Most real-world sessions aren’t grid-perfect. We interpret phrasing, rubato, and timing by ear, then rebuild a clean tempo map inside Dorico. It’s part of what makes our takedown service musical instead of mechanical.
Do you accept Logic projects with virtual instruments or plugins?
Yes. If your track uses third-party instruments, simply choose File → Export → Project as Package (include audio files). We only need the MIDI and audio data, not the plugin sounds themselves — though a rough mix helps us understand intent.
How should I prepare my project before sending?
Consolidate regions, bounce any software instruments you want preserved, and name each track clearly. A short note about intended instrumentation or style helps. If it’s messy, don’t worry — we’ve seen everything from pop demos to symphonic ballets built in Logic!
What formats will I get back?
You’ll receive a polished Dorico project (and optional PDF or MusicXML) with clean notation, correct parts, and print-ready layout. We can also export stems or MIDI if you need playback consistency with your original session.
Related reading: Preparing a Logic Pro Session for Notation (session setup that makes scoring easier)
Also see: The AI Music Fix-It Guide (why AI exports need human musical structure)