MakeMusic discontinues Finale after 35 years and recommends migration to Dorico Pro

MakeMusic has announced the discontinuation of its music notation software, Finale, after over 35 years of service in the music industry. In an official statement, the company acknowledged that Finale is no longer the future of the notation industry and emphasized the decision to cease its development rather than releasing updates with marginal value.

Effective immediately, no further updates will be issued for Finale or its associated tools, including PrintMusic, Notepad, and Songwriter. Purchases and upgrades for Finale have also been halted. Finale will continue to function on currently installed devices, but starting August 2025, authorization on new devices or reauthorization will no longer be possible, and technical support will end for all versions.

MakeMusic is advising users to migrate to Dorico Pro, a major competitor in the notation software market. Dorico Pro 5, typically priced at $579, is available for $149 to users of any version of Finale or PrintMusic for a limited time.