Text basics

This chapter describes Musescore Text. See also the Notation types chapter and the Text types chapters.

Adding a text

To add a Musescore Text, either use,

• Keyboard shortcut: For example, press Ctrl+Tto enter Staff text , Ctrl+L to enter Lyrics, and so on.
• Palette (Workspace):
  • Select a note and click an icon in one of the palettes (double-click in versions prior to 3.4); or,
  • Drag a symbol from a palette onto the staff. E.g. Swing text, Tempo text etc.
• Menu command: Add→Text, or
• Plugin: such as Expression Dictionary

Basic formatting

The basic formatting options recommended for beginners are:

• edit object properties with the Inspector, and
• edit individual character's formatting with Text Toolbar, see Text editing chapter.

Options in the Inspector:

• Font: The name of the font (e.g. Times New Roman, Arial etc.), also see Fonts.
• Size and Font style icons: Font style includes e.g. Italic, Bold or Underline.
• Line Spacing and Follow staff size: "Follow staff size" option determines whether text size changes proportionally, see Layout and formatting chapter.
• Alignment icons: Horizontal (left, center, right) and Vertical.
• Frame: Choose to have a circular or square frame around the text.
• Remove Custom Formatting: Removes all individual characters' formatting previously applied with Text toolbar, see level of formatting in Text styles and properties chapter.

To revert changes press the "Reset to style default" (the circular shape) button on the right.

See Text styles and properties for everything on text formatting.

Adjust position of text objects

To position a text object, use any of the following methods:

• Drag the object.
• Select the object and adjust the X or Y offset values in the Inspector.
• Select the object and apply any of the following keyboard shortcuts:
  • ←: Move text left 0.1 staff space.
  • →: Move text right 0.1 staff space.
  • ↑: Move text up 0.1 staff space.
  • ↓: Move text down 0.1 staff space.
  • Ctrl+← (Mac: Cmd+←): Move text left one staff space.
  • Ctrl+→ (Mac: Cmd+→): Move text right one staff space.
  • Ctrl+↑ (Mac: Cmd+↑): Move text up one staff space.
  • Ctrl+↓ (Mac: Cmd+↓): Moves text down one staff space.