With the advent of digital technology, the variety of file formats and extensions have been exploding. Today, let's focus on one of the not so common but definitely very crucial formats, MXL or MusicXML files. These files can house a wealth of information including sheet music and musical notes which can be handled by a variety of applications and tools.
MXL Files and Music Notations
The MusicXML format is a standard open format for exchanging digital sheet music. It allows you to notate, play back, and print sheet music that is as good as or even better than what you can purchase without all the restrictions imposed by commercial sheet music. This W3C Music Notation Community Group article provides an insightful read on this.
Open and Use MXL Files
Opening an MXL file can sound complicated, but it's actually pretty easy. One of the most popular ways to open an MXL file is by using software like Finale or MuseScore. While MuseScore is a free, open-source software, Finale is a commercial software that offers more advanced features.
MXL is a compressed file, like a ZIP file. You double-click it to open it in MuseScore. As for Finale, just use the 'File->Open' function. Another option for opening such files is Sibelius, a well-known music notation software.
MXL Files for Developers
But the MXL file format is not just for musicians or composers. Developers working on music-related applications also find this format useful. Software libraries such as music21, MIT's music21 project or the Soundslice MusicXML Viewer can parse and handle MXL files to extract or manipulate the musical data contained in them.
MXL File Important Information
It's important to understand that not all applications or tools that claim to support MusicXML files can handle the .mxl extension. Some applications can only import or export .xml or .musicxml files. A majority of music software, however, can read and write .mxl files. A software's documentations should provide this information. If not, seeking clarification from the software support should clarify these capabilities.
Lastly, while handling MXL files, always remember to back up your original work before proceeding with any changes as wrongful manipulation might corrupt the file and render it useless.
