HarmonyBuilder

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What HarmonyBuilder is

HarmonyBuilder is music notation and composition software for writing and hearing four-part harmony on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Basic supports four-part scores, moving notes, experimenting with harmony and rhythm, playback, and MIDI export. Educational adds voice-leading error checks, color-coded chord notes, and chord recognition and naming. Professional includes a Chord Selector wheel, Voicing Generator, and tools for harmonizing melodies or bass lines. Institutional provides a dedicated database where teachers and students can share assignments, homework, and compositions; score accounts are password-protected. Compositions can be saved to a computer, public web archive, or MIDI format, and private links can open scores in a browser. The software requires Java 6 or higher. A trial lasts up to 28 days and includes Basic, Educational, and Professional functionality. Basic costs $14 a month; Educational costs $49 a month.

Who it suits

HarmonyBuilder suits music students, teachers, composers, arrangers, songwriters, and musicians working with four-part harmony. Institutional tools target teacher-student sharing.

What it does well

Four-part score writing and playback
Voice-leading checks in Educational edition
Chord and voicing tools in Professional
MIDI export and browser score links
Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux

What to know first

Requires Java 6 or higher
No mobile apps
No free plan beyond the trial

Limits

The free trial lasts up to 28 days and includes Basic, Educational, and Professional functionality.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free Trial	Up to 28 days · Includes Basic, Educational and Professional functionality	Free
Basic	$14 activation price · Four-part notation · MIDI export · score sharing	$14, paid once
Professional	$19 special offer shown in chart · Includes Basic and Educational · chord and voicing tools · melody or bass harmonization	$19, paid once
Educational	$49 activation price · Includes Basic · voice-leading error checks · color-coded chords · automatic chord recognition	$49, paid once
Institutional	By Request · server subscription · Networking capabilities · dedicated database · online student and teacher accounts	On request

As harmonybuilder.com lists them, read 28 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the HarmonyBuilder website
Download the Windows, macOS, or Linux version
Install Java 6 or higher
Start the free trial for up to 28 days
Choose Basic, Educational, or Professional functionality
Create a four-part composition and save or export it

Verdict

HarmonyBuilder covers notation, harmony study, composition, and classroom sharing in separate editions. Its 28-day trial lets users explore the main editions before choosing a paid plan.

Questions

Is there a free trial?

Yes. A trial lasting up to 28 days includes Basic, Educational, and Professional functionality.

Which platforms are supported?

HarmonyBuilder runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It requires Java 6 or higher.

What does the Educational edition add?

Educational checks voice-leading errors, color-codes chord notes, and recognizes and names chords.

Can teachers and students share work?

The Institutional package provides a dedicated database for sharing assignments, homework, and compositions. Its score accounts are password-protected.

How can compositions be shared?

Compositions can be saved to a computer, a public web archive, or MIDI format. A private hyperlink can open a composition in a browser.

Facts from HarmonyBuilder's own pages

Audience: The maker identifies music students, teachers, composers, arrangers, songwriters, and musicians as intended users. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Basic editing: The Basic edition supports four-part music, note movement, harmony and rhythm experimentation, and MIDI export. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Composition tools: The Professional edition includes a Chord Selector wheel, Voicing Generator, and tools to harmonize melodies or bass lines. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
File formats: The comparison chart says compositions can be saved to the user's computer or a public web archive and in MIDI format. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Free plan: No · harmonybuilder.com, 21 Sept 2026
Harmony education: The Educational edition checks voice-leading errors, color-codes chord notes, and recognizes and names chords. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Institutional collaboration: The Institutional package provides a dedicated database for sharing assignments, homework, and compositions between teachers and students. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Purpose: HarmonyBuilder is music notation and composition software focused on writing and hearing four-part harmony. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Score sharing: Users can email a private hyperlink that opens a composition in a browser. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Security: The comparison chart describes Institutional score accounts as password-protected. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Support: The maker directs users with technical support questions to contact it and provides user manuals, tutorial videos, and FAQs. · musilogic.com, 28 Sept 2026
Technical requirement: HarmonyBuilder is written in Java and requires Java 6 or higher to run on Windows, Mac, or Linux. · harmonybuilder.com, 28 Sept 2026
Trial: The maker offers a free trial for up to 28 days that includes Basic, Educational, and Professional levels. · musilogic.com, 28 Sept 2026

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