Music search, reimagined

Scorch finds any chord, rhythm, or melody in seconds.

Scorch is a local search engine for MusicXML libraries. Index once, then play a chord or tap a rhythm to surface matching scores instantly.

Melody search results

MIDI-ready search

Play a chord or tap a rhythm and jump to the right score fast.

Library indexing

Why Scorch exists.

Scorch is a mash-up of SCOre seaRCH. It started when, as a composer with thousands of files, I spent an hour opening dozens of files to find one melody. That frustration sparked a mission: make score search robust, reliable, and fast.

Built as a desktop app with a local background service, so your library stays private and searches stay instant.

Important tools that drive the search.

These placeholders map to the Scorch workflow: index the library, search by harmony, melody, and rhythm, then jump into the match.

Library + index status
Chord or sonority search
Melody interval search

Search by metadata, elements, and instrumentation.

Start with the basics: titles, composers, lyricists, tempo text, key signatures, or specific notation elements. Then narrow by instrument requirements or ensembles to pinpoint the right score.

Metadata search

Metadata search

Filter by title, composer, arranger, lyricist, rights, or duration. Exact-match toggles keep results precise.

Element search

Element search

Look for time signatures, key signatures, tempo markings, lyrics, or directions. Ideal when you remember a specific notation detail.

Instrument search

Instrument search

Specify instrument counts, transpositions, or ensembles to find scores that match the players you actually have. Results include matched instruments and full instrument lists for quick checks.

Melody, chord, and rhythm search in action.

Here is the melody search flow. The same approach powers chord and rhythm search, so you can play or tap what you remember and let Scorch find the match.

Melody search: MIDI device selection

Pick a MIDI device

Select a MIDI input and begin listening. Scorch captures the phrase and prepares it for search.

Melody search: contour and pitch-class capture

Play the melody

The contour graph and note table show how Scorch interprets your phrase, including MIDI notes and pitch-class matches.

Melody search: result table and music view popup

See the exact match in the score

Results appear in a searchable table. The MusicXML viewer pinpoints the melody in the score so you can confirm the match immediately.

Play it, tap it, find it.

Use MIDI to play a chord or tap a rhythm. Scorch responds in near real-time and ranks the best matches.

Harmony results

Harmony search that understands context.

Search exact pitch-class sets, transposition-invariant chord qualities, or full sequences. Scorch keeps the harmonic context intact.

Exact pitch-class match Transposed quality match Chord sequences

Indexes that stay current.

Scorch watches your folders and can accept MusicXML directly from Dorico, MuseScore, or Sibelius. New files show up without re-indexing everything.

File watcher status
Index refresh queue
  • Harmony Sequence Searching
  • Melody Fuzzy Searching
  • Linear Rhythmic Searching
  • Vertical Rhythmic Patterns
  • Audio Feedback
  • Your Ideas Here!

Next on the roadmap.

The open beta launches mid 2026. Melody and rhythm indexing, deeper similarity search, and enterprise-ready service mode are on the path.

Want to help shape the beta? Tell us about your score library and we will invite you to the early cohort.

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