I’m Robert Estrin. Welcome to LivingPianos.com. Today I want to share something truly exciting with you—something I use every day in my own musical life. If you’ve seen my videos, you’ve probably noticed I often read music on my iPad. So what’s my go-to source for digital sheet music?
Virtual Sheet Music: The Original Innovator
I’ve been using Virtual Sheet Music for years. They were pioneers in the industry, dating all the way back to the 1990s. In fact, they were the first company to offer a truly viable alternative to printed sheet music. Over the years, the platform has continued to improve—but now, they’ve taken things to an entirely new level.
A Vast Library with Incredible Features
At first glance, Virtual Sheet Music already impresses with its extensive library and beautifully formatted sheet music. It’s incredibly easy to find what you’re looking for. But there’s much more under the hood. For almost any piece you find, you can not only view the music but also listen to it. Many titles include audio playback, and some even come with video tutorials and additional educational resources. The depth of available material varies depending on the piece, but what’s offered is always substantial.
Tools to Practice Smarter
Virtual Sheet Music offers some powerful playback tools. You can:
Adjust the playback speed
Loop specific sections to focus on tricky passages
Really dig into the music and absorb it fully
These features make it a phenomenal practice tool, not just for listening, but for learning.
Search and Explore with Ease
Let’s say you search for Flight of the Bumblebee. You’ll be amazed at how many different arrangements are available! From standard solo versions to unexpected combinations—piccolo and tuba, anyone? The flexibility is just mind-blowing.
Customize Your Own Arrangements
Here’s where things get really exciting. Suppose you want to arrange a piece for a custom ensemble. With just a few clicks, you can:
Choose your instruments
Instantly transpose the piece into any key
Make edits and tailor the arrangement to your needs
Export and print it—all without needing to learn a complex notation program
It’s that intuitive!
Play It Your Way
Once you’ve customized your music, you can:
Adjust the tempo
Choose your instruments
Playback your personalized arrangement in real time
It’s like having a full arranging and playback studio built right into your music viewer.
AI Assistant: Your Musical Companion
One of the newest features is the built-in AI assistant. It’s like having a knowledgeable teacher sitting right next to you.
Type in a question like “How do I practice scales on the piano?” and you’ll get a full, detailed regimen tailored to your needs. Want to learn about a specific composer or piece? Just ask! For example, you can inquire about Massenet or the origin of Meditation, and get instant, accurate answers.
You can even ask about the key of a piece or music theory topics like chord structure or transposition.
A Powerful Metronome Built In
Let’s not forget the built-in metronome. It’s one of the best online metronomes I’ve ever seen. It has precise settings that progress correctly: 72, 76, 80… perfect for gradually increasing your tempo. It’s straightforward, yet powerful.
Accompaniment and More
Need an accompanist? No problem. Choose a piece with accompaniment, then:
Start playback
Loop a section
Practice hands separately or together
You also get access to music theory tutorials, from note reading to more advanced topics like seventh chords and inversions. Whether you’re brushing up on basics or diving into deeper study, the resources are all there.
A Membership That Pays for Itself
I’ve been a member for years, and I can tell you—it’s worth it. Sure, there are other places to get sheet music online, but nothing compares to the ease of use and flexibility that Virtual Sheet Music offers.
Best of all? Around 99% of the music I use is included for free with membership. Some recently copyrighted material may have a small fee, but even then, you’ll get a generous discount.
Bonus Features for Performers
If you’re using an iPad (like I do), you can turn pages with a foot pedal. But Virtual Sheet Music goes even further: you can actually set it to turn pages with a tilt of your head—right to go forward, left to go back! It’s incredibly useful for live performances or smooth practice sessions.
The Bottom Line
Virtual Sheet Music is perfect for anyone serious about their music. Whether you’re a student, teacher, or performer, you’ll find this platform brings all the music you love right to your fingertips.
I’m thrilled to share this with you, and I hope you give it a try. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. I’m here to help!
5 thoughts on “Virtual Sheet Music: Is It Better Than Traditional Scores?”
This is great content, because with so many online options, it can be hard to decide where to go. I’ll definitely give VSM a look.
One suggestion — you should partner up with this website! Get a coupon code that gets all of us a discount as your subscribers, and a revenue sharing / referral stream for yourself for bringing that focused audience to VSM!
That’s an interesting idea. My videos are already featured on VirtualSheetMusic.com.
I guess I am set in my ways. This is not for me.
I also have no use for playing directly from an iPad or tablet, or a lot of the other features. But for those of us who don’t live in a city with a viable music store, the online sheet music sites are a lifeline — I can choose a piece of music, pay for it, download it, print it, and play it…all in a matter of five minutes. That has tremendous value even to those of us that are old-school.
For me, with my practicing and teaching, having all my music in one place is a godsend, not having to scramble through all kinds of books. It also negates the problem with page turning, which I love!