No Instruments panel, adding instrument not intuitive
Not sure if this is a documentation issue or bug, I'd say it's a bug. The documentation e.g. https://musescore.org/en/handbook/4/working-instruments#Overview says the "Instruments" panel is a new feature of Musescore 4. There is no instruments panel that I can find. On the left side, all I had was "Palettes". when I chose View > Restore default layout, a "Layout" panel appeared. (And under View, I see there is a Layout option, which I never would have thought was related to... Instruments). The Layout panel lists instruments. I believe this used to be View > Instruments. View > Layout is not somewhere I would expect to go to add an instrument. Layout is logically related to things like margins, spacing, page size etc.
I would also request that a button for Instruments be added with the "Parts" and "Mixer" buttons, there is lots of room there and adding instruments is a common function and one that I can never figure out how to do because it's so hidden.
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Comments
The former Instruments panel is now the Layout panel
In reply to The former Instruments panel… by Jojo-Schmitz
I would venture that this makes no sense, especially for new users. This means that there is literally no reference to the word "instruments" in any menu, on any button, or anywhere in the UI. And since the help for v4 specifically says otherwise, and includes multiple screen shots and videos of the "Instruments" panel, I'd say someone arbitrarily changed this and it qualifies as a bug. Other support for changing it back to "Instruments":
- the keyboard shortcut "I" mentally connects to "Instruments", not "Layout"
- when you press I, the dialog that opens is "Add instruments", not "Change layout" or anything related to layout
- the keyboard shortcut is not mentioned on the help page, nor in any menu, so there is no way for a user to find it
Possible solutions:
- change panel to "Instruments" for consistency with all the help documentation, images and videos at https://musescore.org/en/handbook/4/working-instruments#Accessing_the_p… and for usability/findability (preferred option)
- change the menu item to View > Instruments / Layout - so that at least the word Instruments appears somewhere in a menu so it's possible to find it
- in the Add menu, there should be an "Instrument" menu item, with the "I" shortcut indicated, which opens the "Add or remove instruments" dialog. Currently the "Add instrument" function is not accessible from any menu, and obfuscated under View > Layout > Add. This Add button doesn't even have the word "Instrument" on it
- change the help to reflect the actual application and the illogical "Layout" panel (not ideal - requires all translated versions of the help to be updated as well e.g. https://musescore.org/fr/handbook/4/travailler-avec-les-instruments which refers to the "Instruments" panel, I assume all other languages do as well).
I agree. "Layout" is an odd label. Don't forget that you can just use the shortcut "I" to bring up the add instruments window.
In reply to I agree. "Layout" is an odd… by bobjp
Unfortunately this is not mentioned in the help either on the "Working with instruments" page. Really buries this option for new users. I've been using MuseScore for years and I couldn't find it, and the Help was no... help. It was the "Instruments" panel per the help, at some point. Someone made an executive decision to change it, but didn't update any of the help. Funny for a music application to not have the word "instruments" or the option "add or edit instruments" in any menu, button or any part of the UI other than a dialog that can only be accessed by a keyboard shortcut that is poorly documented, or an "add" button hidden on a "Layout" panel. Would love to see the usability testing or user feedback that suggested changing the panel from "Instruments" to "Layout" was an evidence-based decision. :)