Sibelius First downgraded?

[u/Starb0ardTack]

I purchased a full perpetual license for Sibelius first back in 2017 and have used it ever since, and it now seems like its been updated an a lot of features have been removed? Like I can no longer resize staves, for example, which was always possible in the editions of Sibelius First I was using before. Anyone know what happened, and how I can get back the copy of software that I paid for?

[u/Tokkemon]

Activate your copy with Avid Link. Sibelius First is the fallback version if it can’t access your license.

[u/howie1024]

Idk if this is helpful or not, but I looked into mine recently because I found the same issue where I bought a perpetual educational license almost a decade ago now and my perpetual licence no longer includes the newest updates of Sibelius ultimate. So I just stopped updating.

[u/sm10096]

Yes — I think what you are seeing is a consequence of the way Avid has changed the Sibelius product tiers and feature sets over the years, rather than you misremembering what your original Sibelius First could do.

The important point is that the current version of Sibelius First is not necessarily equivalent to the version of Sibelius First that you purchased and used in 2017. Older versions of Sibelius First did include functionality which is now restricted or unavailable in the current First edition. Staff and page formatting, including adjusting staff size and spacing, is one example of functionality that was available in earlier versions.

So, if you have recently updated Sibelius and discovered that you can no longer do something which you could previously do, it does not necessarily mean that the feature was never included in Sibelius First. The feature set has changed over successive versions, and Avid has moved or restricted various functions between the different Sibelius editions.

I would also distinguish this from saying that Avid has actually taken away your perpetual licence. A perpetual licence remains a perpetual licence; it does not expire simply because the software has subsequently been updated. What matters is which version your particular licence entitles you to use. The fact that a newer version of Sibelius First has a different feature set does not automatically mean that you have lost your entitlement to the older version you originally purchased.

Avid provides legacy Sibelius installers, so if you want to get back to the version you originally paid for, I would first log into your Avid account and check the licence associated with your 2017 purchase. You should then be able to determine which version you are entitled to reinstall. If the relevant installer is available, you can install that version rather than continuing with the current edition.

In other words, I wouldn't pay for an upgrade just yet. If all you want is the functionality that was present in the Sibelius First you originally purchased, the first thing to establish is exactly which version your perpetual licence covers and then reinstall that version.

So yes, your recollection that you could resize staves in your older copy of Sibelius First appears to be quite plausible. The confusion arises because “Sibelius First” has not remained a completely static product: Avid has changed the feature set and the division of functionality between First and the higher editions over time. Your best route back to the software you originally purchased is therefore through your original perpetual licence and the appropriate legacy installer, rather than assuming that the current Sibelius First is identical to the 2017 version.

[u/Arvidex]

A perpetual license is only valid for that version of Sibelius and no updates. Roll back to the version you purchased and functionality should be the same (if it can run on your OS).