MuseScore - Free Writing (function suggestion)
I would like to suggest a new function to MuseScore - "Free Writing" anywhere on the page. It would be great to have a pen/pencil tool like in painting software, to be able to freely write/draw anywhere on the page with a mouse cursor.
Comments
This comes up time and time again since at least a decade...
In reply to This comes up time and time… by Jojo-Schmitz
Thanks, I didn't know that. I just installed MuseScore yesterday and after a while, I wanted to add my handwritten drawings.
In reply to Thanks, I didn't know that… by _Marcin
You may already enclose your handwritten drawings as images in the meantime
In reply to You may already enclose your… by jeetee
Thanks, I will think about that, but it will take too much time I guess.
In reply to Thanks, I will think about… by _Marcin
Not really. Even if MuseScore someday gets some sort of rudimentary drawing tool, it's unlikely to ever be as well-developed as in a program dedicated to this, just as no drawing tool is ever likely to have as sophisticated a music notation system as MuseScore. So you'll almost certainly be able to create your drawing more quickly in just about any other drawing program than in MuseScore. And then it's only seconds to copy and paste the graphic into MuseScore.
Also, you can already add text anywhere you like, using any of several different text tools. Also a palette of thousands of different musical symbols that can easily be added.
In reply to Not really. Even MuseScore… by Marc Sabatella
In my opinion, it would be better not to close the MuseScore window and enter other software to do the drawing, even if that would be fast. I imagined just having a simple pencil with a thin line to do graphic. Sophisticated drawing tools are redundant.
In reply to In my opinion, it would be… by _Marcin
Well, you don’t need to close MuseScore just to switch to another app for a few moments. I’m just trying help you solve your problem right now, and it is a viable solution.
As for what would be considered redundant, my sense is for every person who is satisfied with just a pencil tool, 5 more would say, that’s useless unless it also allows geometric shapes, and another 5 wpd say it needs to support fills and arrows and whatever else. The trick would be in determining the sweet spot - satisfy the most users with the least effort.
If you explain more about what you’d use such a feature for and more about what the minimum requirement would be, that would be helpful in designing and prioritizing this, as well as in recommending workarounds.
In reply to Well, you don’t need to… by Marc Sabatella
I think that the different annotation tools in Sibelius is quite useful, especially for educational purposes. When grading papers it's a very handy tool.
"Annotate" seems quite like the earlier desription, but the "comment" and "highlight" tools are also useful. :-)
In reply to I think that the different… by Marius Munthe-Kaas
For grading papers, I regularly use ordinary staff text (well, ordinary except I created a custom version in red). For circling things I'd rather have an actual circle than rely on freehand drawing tools, but I do also have a 4sp-tall yellow line I have also added to my custom palette, so I can easily create highlights of any length. See https://school.masteringmusescore.com/courses/educational-partnership/l…
In reply to For grading papers, I… by Marc Sabatella
Hey, cool, I might just download those! Thanks!
Well then, maybe add a few well chosen elements like that to the default MS? In a "annotation" category? Would be handy for a lot of us!
In reply to Well, you don’t need to… by Marc Sabatella
I would like to draw some symbols and having a freehand drawing tool will mean that anyone can draw any symbol that one can imagine.
In reply to I would like to draw some… by _Marcin
If they are symbols you plan to use more than once, then it's definitely far better to simply do it once (e.g., with an external drawing tool) and then add to your palette for easy reuse - you shouldn't need to keep drawing them again and again and again. So whatever price you pay to need to switch programs, at least you only need to do it once, not every time you want that symbol.
Also be aware there are literally thousands of existing symbols you don't see in the default palettes - press "Z" to display the full Symbols palette. Any of these can also be added to your own palette for easy reuse. So you may find the symbol you thought you needed to draw freehand, already exists. Can you describe what you re looking for?
Anyhow, again, not that drawing tools wouldn't be nice someday, but I think you will find that most likely, what you want to do is actually easily done already, and I'm trying to help you do that.
In reply to If they are symbols you plan… by Marc Sabatella
How can I send you a private message?
In reply to How can I send you a private… by _Marcin
You can't. Marc has that disabled apparently, like you did too BTW, so even if Marc had it not disabled he would not be able to reply
In reply to You can't. Marc has that… by Jojo-Schmitz
I think I have it enabled, but I changed username to _Marcin, maybe that is why. However, under the contact settings there is the information: "Allow other users to contact you via a personal contact form which keeps your email address hidden. Note that some privileged users such as site administrators are still able to contact you even if you choose to disable this feature."
In reply to I think I have it enabled,… by _Marcin
No contact button at https://musescore.org/en/user/2797660. But there indeed is for https://musescore.com/user/33340328. Similar for Marc...
In reply to No contact button at https:/… by Jojo-Schmitz
I was looking for a way to send a message through Marc's page: https://outsideshore.com/, but there is no contact form. Let's wait for Marc to answer.
In reply to How can I send you a private… by _Marcin
As an open source project, we generally prefer to discuss these things publicly.
In reply to As an open source project,… by Marc Sabatella
Ok, I understand. Thank you Marc for your advice regarding importing images and that you are trying to be very helpful. I appreciate it. I wanted to send you a picture as it's hard to describe what symbols I'm using. Maybe I will try using those imported images as you suggested.
In reply to Ok, I understand. Thank you… by _Marcin
You can attach images here
In reply to You can attach images here by Jojo-Schmitz
Yes, I know. I just started using MuseScore, so maybe I will find some way of including my symbols. I need to spend more time with the software. Thanks.