Sibelius Software has announced the release of Sibelius v5.1, a free update for Sibelius 5 that enhances the user experience for musicians using the software with Windows Vista, Mac OSX, Music XML and controller keyboards from M-Audio. The upgrade also makes it easier to audition and find the right sounds using the mixer and to get going with the wealth of new built-in sounds supplied with Sibelius 5.

Sibelius 5.1 fully supports the Aero look and feel of Windows Vista, giving it an engaging interface on Microsoft's new platform. On the Mac, version 5.1 enables users to locate scores using Spotlight, and preview scores using Quick Look in the new "Leopard" operating system (Mac OS X 10.5).

MusicXML 2.0, the latest version of the industry-standard format to transfer scores between notation engines, is fully supported in Sibelius 5.1. This includes the new compressed .mxl format, which reduces MusicXML file sizes by around 20 times. The handling of instruments and layouts from MusicXML files has also been enhanced, and more notation than ever are imported, including unpitched percussion, multirests, guitar chord diagrams, and many more.

Users of M-Audio controller keyboards that offer extra buttons, faders and rotary controls can now easily use these to manipulate audio and other settings within Sibelius, thanks to a range of new input maps for M-Audio keyboards.

An update to the brand new mixer in Sibelius 5 makes it easier to identify sounds by seeing their program names, rather than just sound IDs. Users can also audition sounds and change a staff's MIDI channel all directly from within the mixer to help find the right sounds more quickly.

Playback of rolls and other unpitched percussion effects has been enhanced and it is now easier than ever to get started with Sibelius 5's brand new built-in sounds thanks to a default playback configuration.