Story time (hope no one minds)
About 6 years ago I started a thread on the Finale forum about wanting ‘Finale for iPad’. It was a long thread, and there were many replies, some quite interesting. I wasn’t the only Finale user who wanted this. I basically asked for the same Finale as the desktop version, perhaps without some of the engraving features that the iPad would not have been able to handle at that time. I was using a 2015 iPad Pro back then and my primary notation app on iPad was Notion iOS. So, the A9 SoC probably wasn’t ready to run desktop class apps.
After some time there was a firm “no” from the Finale team. This was disappointing, and imo, I believe it was a mistake. Honestly, in my arrogance probably, I didn’t understand why they didn’t see what I saw. But it wasn’t just them. There were some Finale users who didn’t see the point of a note entry program on the iPad either. I was bemused by this. I clearly did see the point because I was already using the iPad in a “professional” setting. In fact, going all the way back to 2016 I was writing full symphonic pieces in Notion iOS with an Apple Pencil, and I could compose and orchestrate wherever I wanted to. I often composed before and after orchestra rehearsals. If these compositions were going to be rehearsed, it would have been so easy to print the score and parts right there. That was exciting! At that time, having this ability felt way ahead of the curve.
I downloaded the Dorico for iPad app when it came out and paid for the one time purchase as soon as that was available. I also had Dorico 3 for macOS at the time but was still primarily using Finale.
Ironically, after Notion iOS changed to Notion, and Dorico was released for iPad, I started using Dorico for iPad as my daily, and I got to know it well quickly, which helped me later on when I migrated to the desktop version, (Dorico 4, but Dorico 5 primarily).
When Dorico 5 was released, which is very similar and familiar feeling to Dorico for iPad, that’s when I began my switch from Finale, (this was a few months before Finale made their announcement). Because Dorico 5 is so similar to Dorico for iPad, and because I do a lot of note entry on the iPad, opening files in Dorico 5 was a much better experience than using music.xml to Finale. This made the migration easy.
I had been using Finale since college in the '90s, and I never thought I’d use a different desktop notation app. Had Finale made the effort to develop an iPad version, who knows. But it was clear they would not. iPads in 2024, with M4 SoCs, XDR displays, and keyboard support are amazing and powerful, and being able to use a “pro” app on a tablet is incredible. iPad users know the freedom of being able to compose, notate and layout from anywhere without restriction. At home, on a plane, at the park, or wherever… I’ve been enjoying that freedom for 10 years now.
I wouldn’t mind seeing some Apple Pencil support in Dorico for iPad. I don’t need handwriting support, but it would be nice to be able to use the Apple Pencil as a selecting and tapping (to enter notes), instead of using a finger to select tools, etc. That’s the way I used it mostly with Notion iOS. Combining the pencil with the piano keyboard is a very efficient way to work.
Anyway, my point is, Dorico for iPad made my transition to Dorico 4/5 so much easier, By the time I decided to learn Dorico on the desktop, I pretty much already knew it, minus a few very minimal interface adjustments.
With all that said, I just want to say thank you to the Dorico team and Steinberg for creating what I wanted all along; a desktop class notation platform for the iPad that shares the same file format as the desktop version, and a notation program for both platforms that has sensible DAW-like features, with plug-in support, that’s as easy to use as a any DAW, and easily works with Vienna Ensemble Pro. (I build Dorico/VE Pro templates, btw, but that’s another story). If I was a developer, Dorico is basically what I would have designed for myself.
Cheers to the Steinberg/Dorico team. Bravo!
