Avid has announced the release of its Sibelius music notation software, Sibelius 2023.8, which introduces an exciting new feature that revolutionizes chord notation workflows. With the incorporation of a sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) model, users can now add auto-complete chord symbols to their scores, significantly speeding up the process.
Traditionally, entering chord symbols and chord diagrams into Sibelius has been a manual process, even with the assistance of plugins. However, the latest update changes this by allowing users to simply click through bars and notes in their score, while the AI analyzes the surrounding music for harmonic context and provides suggested chord symbols. This applies to music of all textures, from complex polyphonic sections to simple melodies.
Sam Butler, Director of Product Management at Avid, explains, Our new AI-driven feature makes it quick and easy to add chord symbols to existing music, while giving the user complete flexibility to manage the process. It’s like having an interactive session with a harmony professor at your fingertips.
Users have the option to input chord symbols at the start of each bar or after each note. In cases where the harmony is ambiguous or users disagree with a suggested chord symbol, Sibelius can instantly present alternative suggestions with a simple click. The software even indicates the number of possible alternatives and provides a confidence score for each suggestion, allowing users to scroll through the options before making a decision.
The AI model used to generate chord symbol suggestions has been trained using public datasets that include music by renowned composers such as Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Max Reger. This extensive training enables the software to understand and suggest accurate chord symbols that align with the intended harmonic context.
The Sibelius 2023.8 update is available for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and is accessible to all Sibelius users with a current subscription or Software Updates + Support Plan on their perpetual license. The chord symbol feature is available on all desktop platforms. Avid also promises continued updates to Sibelius that will further enhance music composition workflows, making them faster and easier for users.
This groundbreaking update to Sibelius demonstrates how AI technology can significantly enhance music notation software, making it more intuitive and convenient for musicians to create their compositions. By incorporating AI-driven auto-complete functionality for chord notation, Avid has empowered users to streamline their workflow and focus more on their creative process. With its user-friendly interface and accurate chord symbol suggestions, Sibelius 2023.8 is set to revolutionize the way musicians notate their music.
