Found! The Best Websites for Free Sheet Music

Free Sheet Music – Legal or Illegal?

As a rule, anything a composer creates belongs to them. They decide whether their music is free or not. Legally, this is called "holding the rights to their music."

However, those rights don’t last forever. In most countries, they expire 70 years after the composer's death (though this can vary). Once expired, the composition becomes public domain, meaning anyone—including you!—can use it for free without permission. That’s why so much classical sheet music is available online—Mozart’s rights, for example, expired around 1861!

The Catch: Publisher Rights

But be careful! Sometimes, rights don’t just belong to the composer. A publisher may have owned certain rights to a special edition of a piece. Even if the composer’s rights have expired, the publisher’s rights may still be valid.

So before downloading free sheet music, check more than just the composer’s death date to avoid legal issues.

Safe Genres to Download for Free

Classical and older music is usually safe to download for free, as the copyrights have long expired. Here are some common categories:

• Medieval music – No pianos yet, and little surviving sheet music.
• Renaissance music – Includes works for harpsichord and early keyboard instruments.
• Baroque music – Think Bach, Vivaldi, Händel, Pachelbel and more.
• Classical period – Composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn fall into this era.
• Romantic period – Featuring Schubert, Brahms, and many others.

Many free sources offer PDF scans of old editions, uploaded by volunteers. These are often reliable and legally free to use.

3 Popular Websites for Free Sheet Music

IMSLP – The Largest Public Domain Sheet Music Library

IMSLP stands for "International Music Score Library Project" and is the largest collection of public domain sheet music in the world. Since it mainly offers classical music scores, it’s often called the "Petrucci Music Library," after its owner, Project Petrucci LLC.

Here is an overview of its copyright description, and here, you'll find its more detailed view.

How IMSLP Works

• Most scores are free (public domain = composer deceased for 70+ years).
• Sheet music scans include various historical editions.
• Subscription option introduced in 2015 for faster access.
• Free users face a two-day delay on new downloads and see ads.
• Copyright Challenges

IMSLP has faced copyright issues multiple times, leading to temporary shutdowns in 2007/08, 2011, and 2017. Despite this, it remains one of the most trusted sources for free classical sheet music.

Musopen – A Public Domain Sheet Music Database

Musopen is a U.S.-based database for public domain (copyright-free) sheet music. It started as a college project with the mission to “set music free.”

Beyond sheet music, Musopen also raises funds to record classical works, including the complete works of Frédéric Chopin.

Similar to IMSLP, Musopen offers semi-free access:

• Sheet music can be downloaded for free.
• High-quality recordings and premium downloads require a subscription.

Mutopia

Mutopia is a volunteer project offering around 2,000 public domain sheet music pieces, including some contemporary compositions donated without royalty claims.

What Mutopia Offers

• Covers multiple instruments, with nearly 800 piano pieces available.
• Largest collection: Focuses on Baroque music.
• All files are available in LilyPond format, making them easy to edit.

Things to Consider

• A public log tracks user feedback and complaints.
• No new content has been added since 2020.

Despite its slower updates, Mutopia remains a great resource for free, editable sheet music.

Never Download This Type of Sheet Music for Free!

Contemporary sheet music is almost never legally free. If you download copyrighted music for free from any source, you’re likely violating copyright laws.

The Only Exception

You can only download contemporary sheet music legally if:

✅ The composer (and publisher, if applicable) has explicitly granted free access in writing.

Otherwise, downloading copyrighted music without permission can result in hefty fines. Always check the source before downloading!

Forbidden Sheet Music (Unless You Pay)

Some types of sheet music are never legally free unless explicitly granted by the rights holder. Downloading them for free can lead to legal trouble.

What You Can't Download for Free

🚫 Contemporary composers – Includes any composer less than 70 years deceased, from young songwriters to Leonard Bernstein.

🚫 Rare special editions – Some valuable editions are rental-only, not for sale. If scanned and uploaded illegally, downloading them is a copyright violation.

🚫 Movie soundtracks

🚫 New Age music

🚫 Rock music

🚫 Pop music

🚫 Jazz music

To legally obtain these types of sheet music, you have a few options:

✅ Buy them from a legal sheet music source.

✅ Subscribe to a licensed sheet music provider.

✅ Rent them from the publisher (for rare or valuable editions).

Always ensure you're using an authorized source to stay on the safe side!

Buying Sheet Music: Pros and Cons

✅ Pros

• High-quality editions – Optimized for both digital viewing and printing.
• Access to all music – Play any piece, any genre, including copyrighted works.
• No legal risks – Stay on the right side of copyright laws.
• Supports composers – Buying ensures contemporary composers can continue creating music, helping sustain culture and creativity.

❌ Cons

• Costs money – Unlike free sources, buying sheet music isn’t free.
• Can get expensive – If you play a lot and buy each piece individually, costs add up fast.
• Time-consuming – Constantly searching and ordering sheet music takes effort.

Downloading Free Scores: Pros and Cons

✅ Pros

• Completely free – No cost, which is the main appeal.
• Supports community projects – Many free sheet music sites are volunteer-driven.
• Access to copyright-free genres – Classical and older music is widely available.

❌ Cons

• Old editions can be hard to read – Poor PDF quality or scans of aging scores.
• Legal uncertainty – The composer’s rights may have expired, but the publisher’s might still be valid.
• Time-consuming – Finding a good-quality, legally free arrangement takes effort.
• Variable arrangement quality – Some “open access” uploads are great, others poorly arranged.
• Limited to older music – If you secretly dream of playing contemporary pieces, you’ll need to pay for them.
• While free sheet music is tempting, finding reliable, high-quality scores can take more time than expected.

Sheet Music Subscription: Pros and Cons

✅ Pros

• Access to more than just Classical & Baroque – Play New Age, Pop, Rock, Movie Soundtracks, Jazz, and Boogie.
• More time for playing, less time searching – No need to hunt for free, high-quality scores.
• No legal worries – No need to check copyright sections in fine print.
• Consistently high-quality scores – Crystal-clear digital sheet music, optimized for screens and print.
• Easy organization – Store, organize, and access your sheet music digitally.
• Saves money in the long run – A flat-rate subscription gives access to both public domain and copyrighted sheet music, reducing individual purchases.

❌ Cons

• It costs money – About as much as three cups of coffee per month, but never more.
• It’s a commitment – But like a good relationship, the right service can keep you playing more.
• Not ideal for occasional players – If you rarely try new pieces, it may not be worth it.
• Unnecessary if you only play Classical – If you're happy with Bach, Beethoven, and their peers, free sources might be enough.
• For those who love variety and convenience, a sheet music subscription can be a great investment.

A Final Word of Warning

Read the small print! Usually, free sheet music websites will not guarantee you that everything you download from them is legal. They just appeal to their contributors to only upload sheet music arrangements that are in the public domain. So if you download anything that's copyrighted, they'll argue they are not liable. You, however, will be.