Customizing a tablature staff

Changing tuning

1. Right-click on the staff and select Staff/Part Properties…
2. Press the Edit String Data… button at the bottom of the dialog box. This opens the String Data dialog:
   
3. Under Strings tuning, click on a string pitch and select Edit String…; Alternatively, just double-click the string pitch.
4. Select a new pitch in the Note Selection box and click OK. Alternatively, just double-click the new pitch.
5. Click OK to close the “String Data” dialog box.
6. Click OK to close the Staff/Part Properties dialog.

Notes: (1) If the tuning is changed on a tab staff that already contains some notes, fret marks will be adjusted automatically (if possible); (2) Any change of tuning to a particular instrument applies only to the score at hand, and does not change any program default settings.

Adding or removing strings

Add a string

1. Right-click on the staff and select Staff/Part Properties…
2. Click on Edit String Data…
3. Click on a string pitch and select New String…
4. Select the new pitch and press OK; alternatively, just double-click the new pitch.

The new string is inserted below the selected string. You will also need to adjust the number of lines in Staff/Part properties→Advanced style properties.

Delete a string

1. Right-click on the staff, select Staff/Part Properties…
2. Click on Edit String Data…
3. Click on a string pitch and press Delete String.

Note: After deleting a tablature string you will also need to adjust the number of lines in Staff/Part properties→Advanced style properties.

Mark unfretted string “open”

For an instrument such as the Baroque lute, this feature is used to mark a bass course as unstopped—i.e. always played open like a harp string. This means that only a fret mark indicating a zero fret can be displayed.

To mark a bass course as unstopped:

1. Right-click on the staff, and select Staff/Part Properties...
2. Click on Edit String Data…
3. Check the required boxes in the Open column.

See also Period tablature notation.

Change number of instrument frets

This property defines the maximum fret number which can be entered on a tablature staff.

1. Right-click on the staff, and select Staff/Part Properties…
2. Click on Edit String Data…
3. Select or enter a new number using the “Number of frets” spinner.

Changing tablature staff type

MuseScore provides a range of common tablature types. If you want to change the tablature type, choose one of two options:

Change staff type from Instruments panel

1. Ensure that the Instruments panel is visible (toggle F7).
   
2. Click on the arrow next to the instrument name to reveal the staves.
3. Click on the edit cog next to the desired staff and choose an option from the "Staff type" dropdown.
4. To close, press Esc, or click outside the dialog.

Change staff type from Staff/Part properties

1. Right-click onto an empty area of the staff and select Staff/Part Properties….
2. Click on Advanced Style properties, select the desired option from "Template", then press < Reset to Template. You can fine tune the display if necessary using the "Fret Marks" and "Note Values" tabs.
3. Click OK twice to exit.

Note: For customization options in detail, see Customizing appearance of tablature (below).

You will find the terms "simple", "common" and "full" in the tablature type names:

• Simple: Displays just fretmarks.
• Common: Displays fretmarks, rests, stems and beams.
• Full: Displays fretmarks; rests, stems and beams, half-note stems.

Customizing appearance of tablature

Tablature staff properties

1. Right click on the staff and select Staff/Part Properties…
2. Click on Advanced Style Properties….

This gives you access to a full range of tablature customization options. See Staff properties: Tablature options.

Tablature staff style

Global settings are set in Format→Style→Tablature styles.