While working on a film score, composer David William Hearn was wishing that there was a way to make quick edits with other musicians, instead of having to go back to his studio and turn on his computer. He also wanted to return to the ease and fluidity of hand-writing music, yet evolve it with technology.

Hearn created StaffPad, a groundbreaking notation app that converts handwritten notes into a beautiful typeset score, with no mouse, keyboard, or complicated notation software to fiddle with. The app’s simple interface enables musicians to focus on music and not technology. StaffPad is a Windows app that uses Surface tablets to deliver a smooth, mobile, and productive experience. Microsoft published a video about the StaffPad story. StaffPad highlights the power of technology—from natural touch and speech input to Surface Pen precision—to help people, both young and old, express creativity in new ways. “It’s amazing how far-reaching music is,” Hearn said. “There are so many people writing music, so many people creating, which is just such a lovely thing. It goes so far beyond what I thought we could achieve with the app.”

Product/Service

Headquartered in the United States, StaffPad is a brand-new class of notation app, designed to take advantage of the advanced pen and touch input that is found on Microsoft Surface.

Industry

Cross-industry