MusiXTeX is a set of macros, based on the earlier MusicTeX, for typesetting music with TeX. MusicTeX demonstrated that TeX alone cannot practically typeset good-looking ties and slurs; MusiXTeX therefore works with a separate processor (musixflx) to generate the slurs. As a result, MusixTeX is a three-pass system: TeX, musixflx, and TeX again.

This version of MusixTeX builds upon work by Andreas Egler, whose own version is no longer being developed.

Raw MusiXTeX macros are universally acknowledged to be tricky to write: most users employ the pmx preprocessor, which takes much of the strain. However, no-one would claim that even pmx could serve as a ‘composer's workbench’ — among free software offerings, the composer is probably best served by lilypond, and there are several good (and very expensive) commercial packages.

See also musictex pmx musixtex-t1fonts.

The authors are Daniel Taupin, Andreas Egler, Ross Mitchell and Olivier Vogel.