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How to scan sheet music with your phone or tablet

Lay the page flat in even light, hold the camera parallel to it so all four corners show, and use a document scanner mode that makes a multi-page PDF. Check each page for cut-off bars, then add the file to a sheet music reader. A photo of a page is enough.

Updated

What you need

You do not need a flatbed scanner. A recent phone or tablet camera is sharp enough for printed music, and the built-in scanning tools fix the angle and brightness for you.

  • A phone or tablet with a working camera.
  • A document scanning mode. Many phones and tablets have one in the camera, notes or files app.
  • A flat surface and even light.
  • A few minutes per piece, and a place to keep the PDF.

Check that you are allowed to copy the music. Scanning your own printed copy for your own use is common practice, but rules differ by country and by publisher. Public-domain editions are free to copy.

Scanning step by step

  1. Put the page on a flat, plain surface, such as a desk or a table. A dark background helps the scanner find the edges.
  2. Turn on a room light and avoid a single lamp. Shadows from your hand or the phone look like marks on the staff.
  3. Open the scanner. Hold the camera straight above the page, parallel to it, so all four corners show with a little margin.
  4. Wait for focus, then capture. Let the scanner detect the edges and crop them.
  5. Look at the preview. Zoom in on the notes at the edges and on any small print, such as fingerings and dynamics.
  6. Scan the next page. Keep the same distance and light.
  7. Save all the pages as one PDF, in order, and name the file with the title and composer.

Tips for a good scan

  • Light. Daylight from a window beside you, or two lamps on either side, gives the least shadow. Avoid a flash. It makes glare on glossy paper.
  • Angle. If the camera tilts, bar lines lean and the staves bend. Keep the device level with the page.
  • Flat pages. Press a page flat with a clear sheet of glass or plastic, or weigh down the corners. A curled page makes a curved staff.
  • Sharpness. Use the highest quality the scanner offers. Hold still, or lean your elbows on the desk.
  • Contrast. Use color or grayscale for pencil markings, and black and white for a clean printed page. If the paper is yellow, a black and white mode can make it crisp.
  • Margins. Do not crop into the music. Leave a little white around the outer staves and the page number.
  • Order. Scan the pages in order, including any blank back pages you need for turns.

Bound books and thick scores

The gutter is the problem. Music near the spine curves away from the camera and shades the page.

  • Open the book flat and scan one page at a time, with the camera over that page only.
  • Press the spine gently, but do not crack it. A clear sheet of acrylic helps.
  • Scan the page at a slight distance and crop later, so the inner staves are not cut.
  • If a book is too stiff to open flat, copy the page on a photocopier and scan the copy.

Old or faded music scans better in strong, even light. Pencil markings may need color or grayscale to stay visible.

After the scan

  • Keep the scan as a PDF, not a pile of loose photos. One file is easier to store and open.
  • Name it clearly, such as Chopin Nocturne Op 9 No 2.
  • Keep the original paper, and keep a backup of the PDF.
  • Check every page once. A missed page is a surprise on stage.

A scan is a picture of the page, so it cannot be reflowed or transposed like a digital score. It looks exactly like the paper, markings included, and that is usually what a player wants.

Scanning in SheetScroll

In the library, tap Add and choose Scan pages, or pick a PDF or photos you already have. SheetScroll keeps its own copy and never changes your original. It plays from scans exactly as they look on paper.

If you also have a digital copy of the same piece, such as MusicXML, SheetScroll can pair the two and follow your pages just as closely. Scans follow with the same listening and automatic page turns as any other score. Listening is SheetScroll Pro; reading, markings and setlists are free.

Questions

Can I scan sheet music with my phone?

Yes. Lay the page flat, hold the phone parallel to it in even light, and use a document scanner mode to make a PDF. A recent phone camera is sharp enough for printed music.

What is the best resolution for scanning sheet music?

The highest your scanner offers is a safe choice. For printed music, a sharp, straight-on photo matters more than the number of pixels.

How do I scan music from a thick book?

Open it flat, scan one page at a time with the camera directly over that page, and leave a margin near the spine so the inner staves are not cut off.

Can an app turn the page for a scanned score?

SheetScroll can. It follows photos and scans as they look on paper, and turns two beats before the end of the page when listening is on.

Is it legal to scan my sheet music?

Copying a printed copy you own for your own use is common, but laws and publisher terms differ. Public-domain music is free to copy. Check the rules where you live.