这本手册告诉您如何使用全球最流行的音乐记谱程序 MuseScore 4,该程序可免费在 Windows、macOS 和基于 Linux 的操作系统上使用。
本手册适用于 MuseScore 4.0 及以上版本。
如果您使用的是程序的其他版本,请查阅相应版本的适用手册:
使用主页上的章节链接来浏览手册中每个章节的内容。
还有一个整个手册的单页视图,可以与您浏览器的搜索功能一起使用(快捷键:Ctrl+F,或 macOS 上的 Cmd+F)。
要搜索手册,请使用每个手册页面右上角的专用搜索字段。
如果您不确定要搜索什么,请尝试浏览 术语表。它有图片帮助您找到无法命名的事物。
您还可以尝试使用以下特殊语法进行网页搜索,以仅包括MuseScore.org的结果:
site:musescore.org 在此输入您的主题
这适用于大多数搜索引擎。例如,在 Bing 上执行搜索 "site:musescore.org 速度标记
"。
如果您仍然找不到所需的信息,请到 支持论坛(英文) 寻求帮助。
该手册已翻译成多种语言,尽管翻译并不总是与英文版本同步更新。每个页面是单独翻译的,因此并非每个页面都提供所有语言版本。
要用其他语言阅读手册,请使用每个手册页面右上方显示的语言下拉菜单,直接位于搜索字段下方。如果下拉菜单中没有特定的语言,这意味着该页面尚未翻译成该语言。
如有疑问,请查阅 英文版手册,或在其中论坛中寻求帮助。如果您使用英语发帖,您可以使用 支持和错误报告论坛,否则请使用您语言的适当论坛。
如果您想将手册复制到您的计算机以便离线阅读,您可以:
如果您需要打印本手册,您最好按照上述步骤创建 PDF,然后在继续使用真实打印机打印之前检查 PDF 的格式是否正确。手册相当长,请仅在确实需要时打印。
该手册由 MuseScore 社区维护和翻译。如果您想帮助撰写内容,请阅读 编辑手册。
如果您想翻译页面,请阅读 如何翻译手册。
想要为 MuseScore 4 手册做贡献吗?太棒了!我们非常高兴您能加入。
本页面包含简要的指南,帮助你开始撰写文章。在编辑手册中的任何内容之前,请仔细阅读本页面。这些信息旨在帮助你,但如果你对任何事情感到疑惑或有任何问题,请加入文档讨论论坛进行讨论。
每页应该相对完整地解释一个单一主题。如果一页面感觉太长,可以尝试将其拆分成单独的页面。
虽然并非每个页面都相同,但牢记以下内容有助于你将页面内容结构化,以便读者易于理解:
在页面开头加上概述有助于在深入细节之前介绍主题。概述通常不需要有章节标题。
思考大多数用户可能想要实现的目标,以及他们可能因为什么原因来手册查找信息。将最常见的任务解决方案放在页面顶部;较不常用的信息可以放在页面底部。
相关概念应该一起讨论。有时,这可能需要将不常用的功能与常用的功能一起讨论,但这没关系。
例如,关于“创建自定义调号”的部分比名为“使用主面板”的部分更好。
请确保为所有手册页面启用“生成目录”选项。
为了确保社区编写的页面风格一致,我们已经为许多页面提供了标题。请在此结构内组织你的内容。对于缺少标题的页面,请自行创建与其他地方相似风格的标题。
出于可访问性的考虑,标题绝不能以常规粗体文本格式化。所有标题都需要以具有语义含义的标签格式化。
所有页面默认都以 Heading 1 开始。因此,你输入的第一个章节标题总是 Heading 2。此外,请不要跳过标题级别(例如,在 Heading 2 后添加 Heading 4)。
标题级别 | 用法和 MarkDown 语法 |
---|---|
Heading 1 | 所有页面标题的默认值(由贡献者编辑) |
Heading 2 | 每个章节的开始使用。MarkDown 语法:## 标题名称 |
Heading 3 | 用于每个子章节的开始,并引入单步说明(即不需要列表的地方)。MarkDown 语法:### 标题名称 |
Heading 4 | 如有需要,可以少量使用用于附加子章节。MarkDown 语法:#### 标题名称 |
最后,请尽量始终以动词开始你的标题。例如,“添加拍号”,而不是“拍号”
MuseScore 手册大致包含两种主要类型的信息:描述性材料和目标导向的说明。
这用于解释程序的不同功能区域。例如,
符号面板是包含可应用于谱的音乐符号的文件夹。MuseScore 的默认符号面板包含一组相关的符号,但你可以自定义符号面板以显示几乎任何类型的符号、线条或文本。
描述性材料往往比目标导向的说明更长,更“丰富”,但我们仍然要求你尽可能使用简单明了的语言。
这些说明如何执行特定任务。说明应该尽可能简短直接,通常采用编号列表的形式。例如,
创建一个新的符号面板
请注意,我们使用粗体文本来表示用户界面的命名组件,包括菜单。键盘快捷键,例如 Ctrl+S,使用<kbd>标签呈现(请参阅Syntax)。
在编写目标导向的说明时,请:
例如,不要写成:
而应写成:
请务必在目标导向的说明中包含键盘选项,如果存在这样的选项。这对于提高程序的可访问性尤为重要。
鼓励使用多模态媒体作为文字描述的补充。这包括:
与截图和视频相比,动画 GIF 在最短的时间内展示完成特定任务所需的操作序列方面具有许多优势。有许多可用于创建 GIF 的工具,但我们建议使用以下工作流程,以确保在保持尽可能小的文件大小的同时保持清晰的图像质量(理想情况下每个 GIF 小于 2MB)。
在手册中链接到其他页面非常有帮助。你可以在提及用户界面的不同部分时这样做,甚至可以在引用以前版本的手册时也这样做。
添加到其他手册页面的链接有特定的流程,可以确保无论阅读的语言版本如何,都可以进行准确的重定向。
[node:******,title="要链接到的页面名称"]
或者,要链接到页面内的特定标题:
[node:******,fragment="标题缩写",title="要链接到的页面名称"]
要找到页面的节点编号:
你将在此编辑屏幕上可见的 URL 地址中找到页面的节点编号(是的,它只会出现在编辑屏幕中)。它看起来可能是这样的:
你可以使用以下代码片段,并将其添加为书签工具到你的书签中。操作方法如下:
或者,你可以在浏览器中添加一个新的书签,并将书签的 URL 替换为代码片段。如果你在手册内的页面上,想要链接到的页面,点击书签栏中的书签,并复制显示的链接。
javascript:void function(){prompt("",`[node:${drupalSettings.path.currentPath.replace("node/","")}${document.querySelector("meta[property=\"og:title\"]").content?`,title="${document.querySelector("meta[property=\"og:title\"]").content}"`:""}${window.location.hash?`,fragment="${decodeURIComponent(window.location.hash).replace("#","")}"`:""}]`)}();
来自 节点,标题,片段书签工具。
手册使用 MarkDown 编写,其中包含几个允许的 HTML 标记。
如果你不熟悉 MarkDown,学习起来并不需要很长时间。首先阅读这个页面(需要 MuseScore 账户才能正确查看该页面的内容,还请注意,你不能再使用 Filtered HTML)。
<kbd><kbd>A</kbd></kbd>
,看起来像 A。(参见下面的编写键盘快捷键)<kbd><kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>A</kbd></kbd>
,看起来像 Shift+A。(参见下面的编写键盘快捷键)<kbd><samp class="button">高级样式属性...</samp></kbd>
,看起来像 高级样式属性...,但在 MuseScore 4 手册中不使用此特定形式(而是使用粗体来表示程序中出现的文本)。__文件→打开
,看起来像 __文件→打开<img src="图片 URL" alt="文件名描述" width="500px"/>
,可以是内联图片的有用替代,需要指定图片宽度使用上面描述的<kbd>语法,并遵循以下准则:
由于无障碍支持原因,请始终使用单词而不是符号来表示所有空白键、箭头键和修改键的名称。
好: Cmd+Space; Win+Return; Shift+Tab
差: ⌘+ ; ⊞+⏎; ⇧+↹
对于代表可打印字符的键,应使用适当的字符(例如,写 $ 而不是 美元)。
使用常见缩写,如 Ctrl、Cmd、Esc、Del、PgDn。不要缩写通常不缩写的键名。
除非必要,否则优先使用 Return 而不是 Enter,以及 Del 而不是 Backspace。
对于组合键,请按照此顺序编写:Win+Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Fn+…(Mac: Ctrl+Cmd+Option+Shift+Fn+…)。
如果有疑问,请参阅默认键盘快捷键,了解编写键名和组合键的规范方式。
最后,每当你对页面进行更改(无论大小!),请留下简明扼要的消息,简要描述你所做的更改。例如,
请在每个页面的编辑视图右侧面板的修订日志消息文本字段中留下这些信息:
MuseScore Studio 完全免费。用户不需要任何 PRO 或 PLUS 账户订阅服务即可使用 MuseScore Studio。MuseScore Studio 4 在 GNU 通用公共许可证第3版下发布,详情请参见 http://www.gnu.org 。“MuseScore Studio”以前被称为“MuseScore”,参见在线公告。
此外,所有人都有权将(未经修改的二进制文件)分发给朋友和学生,“您可以将 musescore.org 上的任意版本的 MuseScore 分享给其他人,或通过服务器内部共享。”详情请访问 https://musescore.org/en/faq#faq-20204。要合法地收取额外的服务费或费用,请阅读 GPLv3 条款。
如果您不知道 Musescore 4 和之前的版本的区别,请参阅 MuseScore, MuseScore 3, MuseScore 4 章节。
一些基本的计算机知识:
MuseScore Studio 4 相关知识:
您可以直接访问[https://musescore.org/en/download]下载 Musescore 4。
Musescore 4 是免费应用,如果您想花钱支持我们,请访问 https://musescore.org/en/donate。
要卸载 Musescore 4,请参阅在 Windows 中卸载或删除应用和程序,您可以随时在 https://musescore.org/en/forum 留言向我们反馈您遇到的问题,以便我们改进。
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另见 故障排除
安装程序的最简单方法是使用一个 AppImage:
步骤 7–8 能确保 MuseScore 出现在系统菜单中,并链接到 AppImage 的新位置 (/home/[用户名]/.local/bin)。同时这也会正确地关联文件。
注意:除了上述步骤 7 和 8,您当然也可以使用绝对文件路径进行安装。即:
提示:如果您将 AppImage 复制并在终端中按下 Ctrl+Shift+V,这将输入刚刚“复制”的文件的绝对文件路径。
卸载已安装的 AppImage 不需要任何正式的步骤。您只需手动删除菜单条目和所有快捷方式,然后删除 App 本体及其链接(这些链接位于 ~/.local/bin 中)。
本章是一个快速入门教程,如果您从来没使用过本软件,那么本章很适合你,因为本章节演示了 Musescore 最基本的工作流程。另外,也有许多类似的在线学习资源,请参阅获取帮助。
在本章中,我们将:
当您打开Musescore时,默认情况下不会创建或打开任何乐谱文件(除非您已更改了偏好设置:通用:程序启动中的设置)。如果您需要创建一个空白乐谱,您首先要考虑使用乐器设置添加空白谱表。最快的方法是应用预定义的模板:
在设置您的乐谱:乐器章节了解更多关于乐器及如何分别添加它们和它们的谱表。
在设置您的乐谱:从模板创建和模板和样式章节了解更多关于模板的内容。
为了简单起见,我们将跳过这些设置,并使用前面列出的默认值,但您在这一步可以添加诸如调号、拍号、速度、弱起小节等信息:
新乐谱会自动填充休止符。默认的音符输入模式基于以下逻辑:当用户添加新音符或休止符时,随后的音符和休止符会自动调整其持续时间(音符值或长度),而不会影响任何小节中的总拍数。在MuseScore中输入新音符和休止符的一种方法是使用计算机键盘。这个设计类似于Microsoft Word等文字处理器:
音符持续时间在输入字母名称之前指定。
您现在正在使用MuseScore排版!在输入音符和休止符章节中了解更多关于此主题的内容。
符号面板面板包含最常用的记谱对象。符号面板面板默认可见,如果不是这种情况,请通过勾选查看→符号面板,或先按键盘快捷键F9打开它。要显示该面板,请单击屏幕左侧的符号面板选项卡。添加符号面板项目的最简单方法是:
在符号面板章节了解更多关于此主题的内容。
Musescore有一套乐谱对象解释器和音频合成器提供音频播放。要播放乐谱,只需按空格,或使用播放工具栏,参见播放控件。
表情记号根据所使用的音色库(Sound Font、Muse Sound或VSTi,请参见MuseScore 3尚未在MuseScore 4中实现的功能:速度控制)影响乐器播放。当一个乐器使用Sound Font,如MS Basic(与默认设置一样,参见混音器章节),并且乐谱上没有添加表情记号时,它的所有音符都像添加了mf(中音强音)一样响亮。
不受任何速度标记影响的乐段的播放速度默认是一分钟内120个四分音符。这个方便的默认值是由 Musescore 程序员决定的,可能与每分钟120(常识音乐)拍不同。
属性面板是其他Musescore版本中的检查器的升级版本。它显示所选对象或文本对象内所选字符的布局和播放属性。当没有选中任何内容时,它显示乐谱的属性。属性面板默认可见,如果不是这种情况,请通过勾选查看→属性,或先按键盘快捷键F8打开它。要显示该面板,请单击屏幕左侧的属性选项卡,参见上面的图像。
要显示和调整乐谱的属性,
要显示和调整元素的属性,
要显示和调整文本对象内所选字符的属性,
在选择元素、属性面板和输入和编辑文本章节了解更多关于此主题的内容。
要插入小节:
要删除小节:
在主章节小节了解更多关于此主题的内容。
在Musescore 文件格式中保存的乐谱会记录其所有的编辑状态,在Musescore中重新打开时可以完全编辑。乐谱可以保存在本地,也可以保存到为每个注册用户免费提供的云存储中。您可以参见发布到musescore.com和在Audio.com上分享章节。保存乐谱的步骤:
在出现的对话框中,选择
填写所需信息,如文件名,然后点击保存或确定。
在主章节打开和保存乐谱了解更多关于此主题的内容。
导出不是存储乐谱的推荐方式,请参见"保存您的乐谱"章节。
导出是将乐谱数据保存在Musescore以外的应用程序可以利用的格式中。这些非本地格式包括PDF、MusicXML、MIDI等。要导出完整乐谱:
在主章节文件导出了解更多关于此主题的内容。
如果你从旧版本更新到 Musescore 4,你会注意到不仅图形界面发生了变化,而且许多熟悉的功能和编辑的方式也发生了变化。这些更改旨在改善用户体验,以及提供更强大的功能。下面是主要变化的概述:
MuseScore 4 拥有更加优美的新界面。为了方便阅读,几乎每一个窗口都经过了完全的重新设计。您可以选择浅色、深色和高对比度的主题,也可以选择你喜欢的主题色。您可以在偏好设置中更改上述选项。
一个新的乐器面板能够使你在不打开新窗口的前提下隐藏,重新排列或自定义你的乐器。
乐器面板和分谱的功能现在被紧密结合到了一起。您可以轻松地使用不同的乐器组合生成不同的分谱。工具栏上还有一个按钮可以使你方便地打开任何一个分谱。
MuseScore早期版本的元素检视器现在被称为属性面板。为了简化操作,面板中的每一个选项都被重新组织了。在没有选中任何元素的情况下,属性面板能够显示多个可用的选项,例如显示或隐藏空白谱表以及其他不可见元素。另外,对于以前需要选中单个类型的元素才能进行的某些操作,现在Musescore能够做到不管选中多少的元素都能分类地显示那些不同操作的选项。
Musescore 4 的最大的改进是播放功能。除了新的音色库(Muse Sounds, 可单独下载)之外,现在 Musescore 还支持VSTi,您可以使用新的混音器将VSTi效果应用到某一乐器上。混合器还可以让您轻松地在VSTi,SoundFonts和 Muse Sounds 之间切换,同时还支持VST效果。不同乐谱的声音设置现在将始终分别保存不同乐谱中,因此在 MuseScore 4 中不再需要旧版本的合成器面板(这在 MuseScore 4 中已被删除)。如果你以前在 MuseScore 3 中使用SFZ文件播放,我们现在建议你使用免费的VST采样器,例如Sfizz,或Sforzando。(两者都支持SFZ回放)
Musescore 4 有许多排版的改进,其中一些会对旧版本创建的文件的外观和布局产生影响。最重要的变化影响到符杠、连奏线、同音连线、垂直间距和页面布局。还有很多更改没有在这里列出来,因此那些有兴趣了解更多新特性的人可以阅读这个详细地解释和说明了所有内容的文档(即将推出)。
当你使用 Musescore 4 中打开一个旧版本创建的文档时,这种排版的改进将会不可避免地会造成乐谱看起来不和旧版本打开它看起来的完全相同。
当你第一次保存一个文档时,系统会问你是想把文件保存到本地还是保存到云端。这个新功能是我们在musescore.com上开发的新服务的一部分。您可以在打开或保存乐谱和保存乐谱到云端中了解更多信息。
当你使用 Musescore 4 时,你会发现许多其他小但重要的变化,这些变化能够使作曲或打谱的过程更加轻松。这些包括:
Musescore 4 分别在以下操作系统中支持这些屏幕阅读器:
大部分时候,基于JAWS的屏幕阅读器能够工作,但是朗读的结果不像使用旁白或NVDA那样完整。
如果屏幕阅读器的语音输出突然停止工作,您可以尝试按Alt+F来选中文件菜单,然后按Esc两次以返回你原来在应用程序中的位置,此时,屏幕阅读器理应能够正常工作。如果你想要先运行 Musescore,再启动屏幕阅读器,您就必须这么做。
在使用 Musescore 4 时,“旁白”的旁白快速导览必须被关闭。您可以通过在“旁白”运行时同时按下左和右箭头键来打开或关闭快速导览,或者你可以从“旁白实用工具>管理”关闭旁白快速导览。
MuseScore 的界面既可以用 Tab 跳转,又可以用“旁白”自己的光标跳转。一般来说,最好使用 Tab,因为这既与其他平台上的界面相匹配,又是大多数文档和教程中讲述的内容。“旁白”的光标可以用来到达应用程序中不能通过 Tab 光标访问的区域。当使用 Tab 时,记得配合使用方向键(参见在用户界面中跳转)。
在 Linux 上,在启动 MuseScore 之前必须启动屏幕阅读器,否则辅助功能将被禁用以节省系统资源。如果您忘记这样做,只需退出 MuseScore 并再次启动它。所有构建在 Qt 框架上的 Linux 应用程序也是如此。
Orca 是 Linux 上功能最齐全的屏幕阅读器。Orca 内置于 GNOME 桌面环境中,因此建议有无障碍需求的 Linux 用户使用基于 GNOME 或其衍生产品的发行版。
MuseScore 4 用户界面(UI)中的键盘跳转既依赖于 Tab 键又依赖于方向键。您可以使用 Tab 键循环遍历每个控件组,然后使用方向键跳转到组内的各个控件。在其他应用程序(包括以前版本的 MuseScore)中通常是用 Tab 键访问每个单独的控件。但是 Musescore 4 的全新的跳转系统允许你用更少的按键跳转到界面中的任何地方。新的跳转系统仍在改进中,欢迎在开发论坛提出反馈意见。
除了方向键和 Tab 键,您可以使用F6键在程序中的不同面板之间切换。下面是如何使用各个快捷键来跳转的方法:
上、下、左、右箭头:将光标从控件组中的一个控件移动到下一个控件(例如在工具栏中的按钮之间切换)。
Tab和Shift+Tab:将光标从一个控件组移到下一个控件组(例如在工具栏之间切换)。
F6和Shift+F6:在面板和其他大块的UI之间移动光标(例如从工具栏切换到符号面板或乐谱中)。
默认情况下,重音符`(有时被称为反撇号)可以用来代替F6来在面板和其他大块的UI之间移动光标。在大部分QWERTY的键盘上,重音符在Tab的上方。如果你的键盘上那个键不是重音符,你可以考虑在偏好设置里把快捷键修改到那个在Tab上方的按键,因为这个位置使得所有的跳转快捷键被排在一起方便使用。
一旦你的光标已经移动到某个控件,在大多数情况下,你可以通过按Spacebar、Enter或Return键进行操作。在列表或其他某些杂项中,空格键通常用于选择项目而不是激活它们。某些项目一旦被选中就会被激活,于是就可以通过按Delete键删除,或可以通过按Tab键移动到其他UI控件来修改。例如,您可以在乐器面板中使用此方法删除之前添加到乐谱中的乐器。
在乐谱中(即在记谱视图中)跳转的方式与 MuseScore 3 基本相同。以下快捷方式可能对无障碍用户特别有用:
快捷键 | 操作 |
---|---|
Alt+右和Alt+左 | 移动到下一个或上一个元素。这些快捷键使您能够访问各种符号元素,而不仅仅是音符和休止符。 |
Alt+上和Alt+下 | 移动到上面或下面的音符。这些快捷键使您可以在和弦中的单个音符之间移动,也可以移动到其他声部和五线谱的音符和休止符中。 |
F2或Alt+Shift+E | 编辑所选元素。这相当于用鼠标双击一个元素。它使您能够编辑文本对象,包括歌词、力度和节奏标记。它还允许您调整线元素的长度,如渐强渐弱记号,连奏线和跳跃号(使用Tab键在左端和右端之间切换)。完成编辑后,您需要按下Esc键以回到正常模式。 |
键盘导航的其他操作在这本手册的各个页面上都有描述。
下面的无障碍教程旨在让您使用键盘和屏幕阅读器启动和运行MuseScore。它们并没有涵盖程序的每一个方面,但它们应该会为你充分理解和运用本手册的其余部分打下一个坚实的基础。
视频 | 描述 |
---|---|
安装 MuseScore | 本视频介绍了 MuseScore 在 Windows 上的安装过程,包括 Muse Hub 和 Muse Sounds。这个过程在 macOS 和 Linux 上是相似的,尽管在 Linux 上你需要分别安装 Muse Hub 和 MuseScore。 |
初始化乐谱 | 本视频介绍了乐谱的初始设置,包括选择乐器和选择键和拍号以及其他设置。 |
输入音符 | 此视频介绍了基本的音符输入。 |
添加标记 | 此视频介绍如何使用符号面板向乐谱添加力度变化等标记。 |
用户界面 | 此视频将介绍程序的各个窗口,您可以从中了解所有不同面板、工具栏和控件的位置,以及如何通过键盘访问它们的方式。 |
在 MuseScore 4 中,菜单栏 包含以下菜单:
在 Windows 和 Linux 上使用键盘的用户可以通过按住 Alt 键并按下特定的字母或数字键(称为 助记访问键 ),该键在您寻找的菜单项名称中显示有下划线来访问这些菜单。例如,按 Alt+F 来访问 文件,然后按 Alt+A 来访问 另存为。在 UI 中,字母 'F' 和 'a' 在按住 Alt 键时会被下划线标出。
在 macOS 上,MuseScore 的菜单是系统范围内的菜单栏的一部分,您可以通过按 Ctrl+F2 导航到该菜单。
在主菜单下方有三个选项卡,第一个是 主页 选项卡。该选项卡包含以下部分:
创建一个新的 MuseScore 账户,或登录到您现有的账户。有了活跃账户,您可以在 musescore.org 的论坛上获得技术支持并报告错误。您也可以将您的文件保存到 musescore.com 上的云端。
该部分允许您设置新乐谱,或打开现有乐谱。了解有关创建新乐谱的信息,请参阅 设置您的乐谱。
此窗口显示可用插件的列表。查看有关管理这些有用附加组件的章节 插件。
这是视频教程的主页。单击任何视频教程都会在 官方 MuseScore YouTube 频道 上打开它。
在 MuseScore 中,这个区域是您进行大部分工作的地方,包括添加音乐符号和听取谱表的播放。工作区由几个区域组成(根据下图中的标签编号):
键盘用户可以使用Tab或F6键来在不同区域之间切换。您可以在每个区域内使用方向键和Tab键切换到不同的元素。
Musescore 4 中几乎所有的面板和工具栏都可以根据您的需求和工作区偏好设置隐藏或修改位置。了解更多信息,请参阅 工作区。
此选项卡允许您查看不带音符输入工具栏或侧边栏面板的谱表。有打印谱表的选项,以及将其导出为各种图像、音频和文档格式的选项。当您完成谱表时,还可以将其发布到 musescore.com。
在应用程序的某些部分,主要是在 乐谱选项卡,提供了具有额外功能的上下文菜单,例如复制、编辑、自定义、删除或查看在您打开菜单时选择的任何项目的属性。
在乐谱中,每一个元素都有一个右键菜单。您可以通过鼠标右键单击某元素,或者按下Shift+F10(有些电脑键盘在右Ctrl键旁边还有一个菜单键)。每种元素的右键菜单里的内容都不尽相同,您可以大胆地尝试,看看不同元素的右键菜单里面有些什么。例如,当您右键单击一个小节的空白部分时,右键菜单会包括谱表/分谱属性和小节属性的选项。目前来说,这是唯一打开这些对话框的方法。
在乐谱之外,“右键菜单”通常是一个有一个齿轮图标或者是三个点图标的按钮。您可以按下按钮打开菜单。有时候按钮会与其他的界面相关联,例如在符号面板中每一个分类都有一个菜单。在这里,除了直接按那个有三个点图标的按钮以外,您可以右键任意一个分类,或者用键盘选中它,然后按Shift+F10或菜单快捷键打开这个菜单。
在乐谱的右侧和底部有两个滚动条。拖动它们可以快速上下或左右移动乐谱。大部分时候滚动条会被隐藏,但您可以通过将鼠标悬停在乐谱的边缘来让它们显示出来。
您还可以使用键盘上的PgUp、PgDn、Home、以及End键来滚动乐谱。如果您的键盘没有这些专门的按键,大部分情况下您可以按住Fn或其他具有类似功能的按键,然后分别按下上、下、左、或右。
注意:按PgUp或PgDn键并不是一次滚动一页,而是一次滚动一个屏幕的宽度。如果您想让屏幕一次滚动一整页,您可以在按下PgUp或PgDn的同时按住Ctrl(Mac:Cmd⌘)键。
当您在乐谱中选中一个元素的时候,您可以像操纵光标一样使用常用的键盘快捷键来更改光标的位置,从而选中其他的元素。
按下左或右键可以在相邻的音符(或休止符)之间切换。如果您想一次跳过一个小节,您可以在按下左或右键的同时按下Ctrl(Mac:Cmd⌘键。
您可以按下Alt+Up或Alt+Down(Mac:Option⌥+Up或Option⌥+Down)键让光标在不同音符,声部,谱表之间纵向移动。
您也可以使用快捷键Alt+左或Alt+右(Mac:Option⌥+左或Option⌥+右)键来选中除了音符和休止符以外的几乎任何其他元素(包括奏法文本、小节线、渐强渐弱记号等)。
另外,您可以按下Ctrl+Home(Mac:Cmd⌘+Home)来选中整个乐谱的第一个元素,或者按下Ctrl+End(Mac:Cmd⌘+End)来选中整个乐谱的最后一个元素。同样地,对于有些没有直接的Home和End键的键盘,大部分系统都可以通过按Fn+Left或Fn+Right来代替。
参阅默认键盘快捷键了解更多信息。
导航视图是一个能够展示乐谱缩略图的面板。您可以点击视图 → 导航面板打开或关闭导航面板。
导航面板里面的蓝色边框代表了当前屏幕显示的乐谱区域。您可以拖动方框来移动乐谱。
时间轴是一个用来显示乐器和乐谱结构的辅助工具。参阅时间轴了解更多。
您可以在状态栏右侧的弹出窗口中切换不同的乐谱视图。
多页视图将乐谱按被打印或导出成 PDF 文件的样子显示(每一页单独显示,且带有页边距)。Musescore 能够根据页面设置和偏好设置中的设置自动应用换行符和分页符。另外,您还可以自己插入换行符和分页符。
单行连续视图将乐谱不间断地显示在屏幕上。即便乐谱的起点不在屏幕中,小节号、乐器名称、谱号、调号和拍号也会被显示在窗口的最左侧。
乐谱被一页一页显示,页面具有页眉,但是没有页边距,并且能够垂直无限延申。Musescore 能够根据页面设置和偏好设置中的设置自动应用换行符和分页符。另外,您还可以自己插入换行符和分页符。
下面列出了一些能够缩放乐谱的方法:
Ctrl++(Mac:Cmd⌘++)
或在按下Ctrl(Mac:Cmd⌘)的同时向上滚动鼠标滚轮。
Ctrl+-(Mac:Cmd⌘+-)
或在按下Ctrl(Mac:Cmd⌘)的同时向下滚动鼠标滚轮。
您可以通过下面方法从状态栏用鼠标放大或缩小您的乐谱:
下面操作能将缩放恢复至默认倍数(100%)。
Ctrl+0(Mac:Cmd⌘+0)
查找/前往面板可以让您在乐谱中快速找到一个特定的小节,排练记号或页码。
您能够按下面操作打开查找/前往面板
您能够按下面操作关闭查找/前往面板
输入小节号(从1开始计数,不包括弱起小节、中断或者手动更改小节号)。
输入页码,格式为pXX(其中XX是页码)。
输入rXX(其中XX是排练记号)。
输入排演记号的名称(搜索不区分大小写)。
高级技巧:最好避免使用单个字母“R”,“r”,“P”,“p”或其中一个字母与另一个整数(例如“R1”或“p3”)来命名排练记号,因为这可能会混淆搜索算法。
时间轴能逐个小节显示乐器和乐谱中主要要素的变化情况。它显示在整个窗口的底部。您可以通过单击任何一个小节或者要素轻松地跳转乐谱到您选择的位置。
时间轴分为四个部分:
要素标签在整个时间轴界面的左上角。每一行都展示了后续对应的要素的名称。
乐器标签在整个时间轴界面的左下角。这些是主网格中每一行的对应的乐器名称。
乐谱中的主要要素的变化可以显示在整个时间轴界面的右上角。它们体现了整个乐谱在不同地方的元数据。
主网格在整个时间轴界面的右下角。每一个网格中的正方形都对应了一个乐谱中某一乐器的某一小节。
要素是指那些虽然不是音符,但是仍然对乐谱有重要作用的元素。例如调号、拍号、速度、排练标记、小节线和反复或跳跃记号。
您可以通过单击某一单元格来选中时间轴中的某一个小节。当小节被选中后,这个单元格周围会出现一个蓝色的框,并且乐谱中的对应小节也会被同时自动选中,屏幕会自动跳转到您选择小节的位置。
要拖动选择多个小节,您可以在按住Shift的同时按住鼠标左键并将鼠标在主网格上拖动。这会创建一个选择区域。松开鼠标后,所有在选择区域范围内的单元格以及对应乐谱中的小节都会被选中。
与在乐谱中的操作类似,如果一个单元格已经被选中,您可以按住Shift的同时单击时间轴上的另一个单元格来将选区延申至那个单元格。
如果当前没有选中任何单元格,按住Ctrl的同时再单击某一个单元格会选中一整列。
您可以通过按下Ctrl的同时单击任意一个网格或要素来清除当前的选区。
在时间轴上选中任意一个要素都会在乐谱中选中对应的要素。
向上或向下滚动鼠标滚轮将分别向上或向下移动网格和乐器标签。要素标签和要素不会移动。
按住Shift后,向上或向下滚动鼠标滚轮将分别向左或向右移动网格和要素。要素标签和乐器标签不会被移动。
按住Alt后,向上或向下滚动鼠标滚轮将分别向左或向右移动网格和要素,且比按下Shift后移动的速度更快。要素标签和乐器标签不会被移动。
按住鼠标左键并移动可以拖动时间轴的内容。
除了小节号之外的所有要素标签都可以以任何方式被重新排列。将鼠标光标移动到某一个要素标签上后,该要素标签右侧将出现小的上下箭头。您可以用鼠标左键单击上箭头将要素标签与上面的要素标签交换,单击下箭头上的鼠标左键将要素标签与下面的要素标签交换。
您可以单击小节号的要素标签将其他所有要素折叠,这不会删除时间轴上的要素。所有其他的要素都会被折叠成一行,不同种类的要素在里面交错排列。您可以再次单击小节号的要素标签将其他所有要素展开。
不论隐藏与否,所有的乐器都会被显示在时间轴上。这个功能只能够将某一乐器从乐谱中隐藏。想要在乐谱上隐藏或显示乐器,您可以将鼠标光标移动到乐器标签上,然后单击出现在乐器标签右侧的小眼睛图标。如果乐谱上这个乐器是可见的,小眼睛图标就是睁着的,如果乐谱上这个乐器是不可见的,小眼睛图标就是闭着的。您可以单击这个小眼睛来在两个状态间切换。
要放大或缩小时间线,您可以按住Ctrl(Mac: Cmd),然后滚动鼠标滚轮。
MuseScore 4.1 added a braille panel that displays the current measure in braille music notation. The content is similar to what you get if you export braille via the File menu, but the braille panel updates live as you navigate through the score.
As of MuseScore 4.2, the braille panel can be used to enter notes and some musical symbols using Perkins-style 6-key braille input.
The contents of the braille panel can be displayed on a braille terminal connected to your computer (e.g. via Bluetooth or USB).
The following limitations apply when using a physical braille display:
Please let us know in the Documentation forum if you discover a way to bypass any of these limitations.
On this page, we refer to MuseScore's ordinary stave notation as "print music". This is the traditional music notation that sighted musicians use on paper or electronic devices, and is displayed in the central region of MuseScore's main window, known as the score view.
Braille can also be used on paper, but it's not printed with ink. Instead, it's embossed as raised dots, which blind musicians read by touch. It is common in accessibility circles to use the word "print" to mean non-braille notation.
The braille panel appears directly below the score in MuseScore’s main window.
With the braille panel open, press the Tab key while the score has focus. A caret (text cursor) will appear in the braille at the position of whatever element was selected in the score. For example, if a note was selected in the score, the text caret will appear on that note in the braille.
Press Shift+Tab at any time to leave the braille panel and return to the score. The braille panel will remain open so you can navigate to it again with Tab.
While the braille panel has focus, you can move the text caret around using the arrow keys. As the caret moves through the braille, the element to the right of the caret becomes selected in the score. If that element is a note, MuseScore will play the sound of the note.
The braille panel only shows one measure at a time, but it shows that measure for all instruments in the score. Each line of braille corresponds to a staff in the print notation, so grand staff instruments like the piano get two lines of braille, and the organ gets three lines.
If a staff has lyrics, these are written on another line of braille immediately below the line corresponding to that staff. If there are multiple lines of lyrics (e.g. for multiple verses), each line of lyrics is written on a separate line in the braille.
The following keyboard shortcuts are available for navigating the braille.
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Go to next braille cell | Right | Right |
Go to previous braille cell | Left | Left |
Go to braille line above | Up | Up |
Go to braille line below | Down | Down |
Go to next measure | Ctrl+Right | Cmd+Right |
Go to previous measure | Ctrl+Left | Cmd+Left |
Go to beginning of score | Ctrl+Home | Cmd+Fn+Left |
Go to end of score | Ctrl+Emd | Cmd+Fn+Right |
Toggle braille input mode on/off | N | N |
Notes and certain musical symbols can be entered in the braille panel using a 6-key method of braille input similar to that of the Perkins Brailler.
While the braille panel has focus, press N to toggle braille input mode on or off.
While in braille input mode, six letter keys on the computer keyboard are used to represent the six braille dots that make up a single braille cell (⠿).
The keys used are F, D, S for dots 1, 2, 3 down the first column of the cell, and J, K, L for dots 4, 5, 6 down the second column. The Space key is used to represent an empty braille cell (⠀), sometimes referred to as dot 0.
Up to six of these keys can be pressed in combination to construct any pattern of raised dots. For example, to enter a quarter note C, which in braille is ⠹ (i.e. dots 1, 4, 5, 6), press and hold F+J+K+L, then release these keys to confirm the pattern. The keys can be pressed and released in any order, providing at least one key is held at all times, until you have completed the pattern.
When the final key is released, MuseScore reads your braille pattern. If your pattern corresponds to a recognized note or musical symbol then this element is entered directly in the score, not in the braille panel, because print notation is the "ground truth" for MuseScore. Once the element is in the score, the braille panel automatically updates to reflect this change.
Sometimes in music braille, the same information can be expressed in multiple ways. For the sake of consistency, MuseScore always picks the same way regardless of how you entered the notation. Therefore, the braille that appears in the braille panel may not exactly match the pattern(s) you entered with the six keys, though it will have the same meaning.
In braille, eighth notes (quavers) and 128th notes are written as:
Note | Braille | Dots | Keys |
---|---|---|---|
C | ⠙ | 1, 4, 5 | F+J+K |
D | ⠑ | 1, 5 | F+K |
E | ⠋ | 1, 2, 4 | F+D+J |
F | ⠛ | 1, 2, 4, 5 | F+D+J+K |
G | ⠓ | 1, 2, 5 | F+D+K |
A | ⠊ | 2, 4 | D+J |
B | ⠚ | 2, 4, 5 | D+J+K |
Additional dots are added to the above sequences to create other durations:
Duration | Braille | Dots added | Keys added |
---|---|---|---|
Quarter (crotchet) and 64th notes | ⠠ | 6 | L |
Half (minim) and 32nd notes | ⠄ | 3 | S |
Whole (semibreve) and 16th notes | ⠤ | 3, 6 | S+L |
Hence a quarter note C is ⠹ (dots 1, 4, 5, 6) and is entered with F+J+K+L. This pattern is also used for a 64th note C.
As mentioned above, 16th notes and smaller use the same dot patterns as larger durations. When reading braille, you can work out whether the shorter or longer duration is being specified by looking at the time signature as well as other notes in the measure. However, when writing braille, you need to tell MuseScore which durations you want to use.
⠤ | ⠄ | ⠠ | ⠀ | Dots to select | Keys to select | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Group 1 | whole | half | quarter | eighth | 0, 1 | Space+F |
Group 2 | 16th | 32nd | 64th | 128th | 0, 2 | Space+D |
By default, MuseScore enters group 1 durations (whole, half, quarter, eighth). To switch to group 2, enter dots 0, 2 (i.e. press Space+D). Nothing will appear in the braille panel, but any notes or rests you write from now on will be in group 2 (16th, 32nd, 64th, 128th). To switch back to group 1 durations, enter dots 0, 1 (i.e. press Space+F).
It's not currently possible to enter durations of 256th and smaller, or breve (double whole) and larger, via the braille panel.
Braille uses ⠄(dot 3) to represent an augmentation dot, which is added in a new braille cell immediately following a note. No other cells are allowed to come between the note and its augmentation dot.
To create a dotted note in the braille panel, first write the main note duration using the rules above, then follow it with dot 3 (i.e. press S).
For example, a dotted quarter note C is ⠹⠄, which can be stated as dot pattern 1456-3, where the dash means to start a new cell. In terms of keys, this is F+J+K+L, S.
It's not currently possible to enter multiple dot 3s to create double and triple dotted notes via the braille panel.
Octave marks in braille serve a similar purpose to clefs in print music. If you see a note in print, you don't know what pitch it is until you look at the preceding clef. In braille, if you see ⠙ (dots 1, 4, 5) then you know the note is a C, but it could be a C in any octave. To determine the octave, you need to look at the preceeding octave mark (and also at any notes between that octave mark and the current note).
A standard 88-key piano has 7 complete octaves. Starting on the lowest C, which is called C1 in braille as well as in scientific pitch notation, the first complete octave of white notes is C1, D1, E1, F1, G1, A1 and B1. After B1 comes C2, which is the start of the second complete octave. This scheme continues up to the final complete octave, which starts with C7 and ends with B7.
In this system, C4 is middle C, and A4 is "concert A" (i.e. the note that the orchestra tunes to at the start of a performance). Enharmonic spelling is important, so B♯3 sounds the same as C4 despite being notated in a different octave, and C♭4 sounds the same as B3.
Even standard 88-key pianos have a few notes outside the range C1 to B7. Braille refers to the C0 octave as the "sub" octave, and the C8 octave as the "super" octave. These simply double the markings used for the first and seventh octaves.
Octave | Marks | Dots | Keys |
---|---|---|---|
0 (sub) | ⠈⠈ | 4-4 | J, J |
1 | ⠈ | 4 | J |
2 | ⠘ | 45 | J+K |
3 | ⠸ | 456 | J+K+L |
4 (middle) | ⠐ | 5 | K |
5 | ⠨ | 46 | J+L |
6 | ⠰ | 56 | K+L |
7 | ⠠ | 6 | L |
8 (super) | ⠠⠠ | 6-6 | L, L |
When specified, octave mark are placed immediately prior to a note. So a middle C quarter note is ⠐⠹, or dots 5-1456, which is entered as K, F+J+K+L. No other cells are allowed to go between the octave mark and the note it belongs to.
Octave marks don't have to be given before every note. Octave marks are only required for the:
本章重点介绍乐器设置和基本乐谱信息设置。您应该已经熟悉了 Musescore 的基本工作流程,该工作流程在快速入门教程创建您的第一个乐谱中有所涵盖。
在 Musescore 中,一个乐器是一个抽象概念,包含了指法谱或五线谱(参见页面布局概念:谱表),记谱风格(谱号、符头等)、音乐行为(移调、演奏范围)以及为 Musescore 合成器创建的播放音频相关的设置。
一个 Musescore 乐器包含可以代表单个或多个真实世界乐器的五线谱,例如在贝多芬的《交响曲第3号,作品55》中,由Cianchettini&Sperati出版,n.d.[1809]伦敦的第三谱表Corni 1 & 2 in Eb代表两个法国号:
要转录此内容,您应该添加一个Musescore乐器“圆号”并选择Eb调,同时将其重命名,命名不影响播放。
Musescore 支持很多真实世界的乐器、乐器组、人声和合唱,有几种方式:
也可以使用从模板创建新的乐谱,您还可以在任何分谱中设置乐器。
MuseScore 包含500多种乐器,请参阅 https://musescore.org/en/instruments。要向我们建议添加缺失的乐器,请参阅 https://musescore.org/en/contribute。
创建新乐谱时,您可以在新建乐谱对话框中单击打开选择乐器选项卡。在"创建乐谱后更改乐器"中提到的某些方法也会打开此窗口。
乐器按左侧乐器族标题下的下拉菜单中显示的类型/流派进行过滤。默认情况下选择“常见”,这会显示您可能需要的一些最常见的乐器或音色。注意:要显示所有可用的乐器,必须选择“全部乐器”。
乐器按其所属的乐器族分组。如果您知道您要查找的乐器/音色,只需在乐器标题下的搜索栏中输入其名称或部分名称即可。按下清除按钮(X)清除选择。
要向您的乐谱添加乐器:
或
乐谱上的谱表按照右侧您的乐谱标题下显示的顺序排列。次序 … 下拉菜单会显示当前使用的谱表顺序预设。
独奏乐器的排序顺序在乐谱上与其他乐器是不一样的。例如,在“管弦乐队”预设中,独奏者位于弦乐之上。独奏并不意味“乐谱上只有一个”。
您可以在您的乐谱标题下的次序 …下拉列表中选择样式。
要将乐器(其所有谱表)重新排列独奏:
要手动更改乐器的顺序:
要从您的乐谱中删除乐器:
或
您还可以通过首先按住Shift并选择多个乐器,然后单击垃圾桶图标一次删除多个乐器。
您也可以用预置好的模板创建乐谱。模板根据音乐风格或编制分为多个类别。模板中有这种编制通常使用的乐器,乐器的顺序和排版也符合惯例。
要从模板创建乐谱:
您还可以在搜索栏中搜索所有可用的模板。
访问Templates and styles了解更多模板信息,包括如何创建自己的模板。
在新建乐谱对话框中单击下一步以指定附加乐谱信息屏幕中的其他信息,例如调号、拍号、速度、起始小节(弱起小节)和小节数。
请注意,这是在创建新乐谱时添加信息的一种方便方法,但不是唯一的方法。您可以随时使用其他方法修改乐谱的附加信息,例如键盘快捷键、使用符号面板、项目属性等。
默认情况下,新的乐谱创建时带有一个不带升降号的调号(C大调)。单击调号下的按钮指定不同的调号。默认显示大调,可以通过选择小调选项卡显示小调。
创建新乐谱时拍号默认为 4/4 拍。单击拍号下的按钮更改此设置。使用文本框中的箭头更改每小节的拍数,右边的下拉菜单选择以几分音符为一拍。您也可以在弹窗中选择 common(C拍号,4/4拍)和cut-common(¢拍号,2/2拍)两种拍号。
默认情况下,新的乐谱将以每分钟120个四分音符的速度播放。新乐谱中不会自动包含速度记号。
要自定义起始播放速度,并在最上面的五线谱上显示速度记号:
在速度记号中了解更多关于速度文本、节拍标记和播放速度的信息。
新的乐谱创建时默认有32个小节且没有弱起。要更改新乐谱的起始小节数:
您可以在这里找到如何在创建乐谱之后增加或删除小节。
若要让乐谱以弱起开始:
您随时可以创建弱起小节。你可以在这里找到如何在创建乐谱之后增加Pickup and non-metered measures。
在新建乐谱对话框底部的文本框中输入文本,MuseScore 将自动以适当的格式将其放置在您的新乐谱中。您可以为乐谱输入文本标签:
此信息也同时成为乐谱的项目属性(文件菜单中)中的数据,您可以随时更改它。
一旦您完成乐谱信息的输入,点击完成将会保存您的输入并创建乐谱。
以下是三种可以在创建乐谱后修改乐器的方法:
本章仅解释了在标准五线谱上的音乐创作,还请参阅指法谱和打击乐谱章节。
通过电脑键盘输入音乐既快捷又容易。要输入音符或休止符,只需选择一个时值,然后键入音名(A - G),或为休止符键入0(零)。您还可以使用鼠标,MIDI 键盘或 MuseScore 自己的虚拟钢琴键盘输入音符(详细信息见下文)。
MuseScore 支持几乎无限的撤销,所以你不必太担心输错。要撤销输入,只需单击工具栏最右边的撤销按钮,或使用标准键盘快捷键Ctrl+Z(Mac: Cmd+Z)。
本页的信息主要涵盖如何在标准五线谱上输入音符。其他类型乐谱的输入请参考指法谱和打击乐谱。
最常见的输入方法,也是本页面所教的方法是每次输入一个音符或休止符。在这里你可以找到其他输入音符的方法.
要在乐谱中添加音符或休止符,首先你应该选择开始添加的位置。你可以使用鼠标或键盘导航指令来选中。
接下来,您可以点击工具栏中的钢笔按钮或使用键盘快捷键N进入音符输入模式。屏幕上将会显示一个光标告诉您哪里将被插入音符。
如果您忘记在进入音符输入模式前选择一个输入起点,音符输入可能会从上一次输入音符的地方继续,或者是从一些其他的地方开始。因此在输入音符前,请确认光标在您预设的位置上。
进入音符输入模式后,您可以从前到后输入音符。首先您应该选择时值,然后输入音高或休止符。当您一个地方输完了音符,想要做一些其他的事情——例如在别的地方输入音符,添加记号,或执行其他操作(如复制或粘贴)——的时候,您可以单击音符输入按钮或者再次按N。您也可以按Esc返回到正常模式。
在音符输入模式下,您可以按照以下几种方法为下一个被输入的音符选择时值:
使用键盘快捷键1–9选择对应的时值
使用键盘快捷键可以高效地选择时值。最常见的时值是八分音符、四分音符、和二分音符,他们对应的键盘快捷键是4、5、6(数字小键盘的中间一行)。较短的时值用较小的数字表示,较长的时值用较大的数字表示。完整快捷键列表如下:
其他时值,例如复附点或一百二十八分音符,可以通过自定义工具栏或修改键盘快捷键输入。
注:如果您设置了对应的按键,您也可以使用 MIDI 键盘选择时值。
在选择了一个时值之后,您可以使用电脑键盘、鼠标、MIDI 键盘或虚拟钢琴键盘输入音符。
这几乎是 Musescore 里最高效的输入音高的方法。
只需在键盘上按下您想要输入的音的音名(A–G),您就可以轻松地输入音符。
使用这种方式输入的音符会替换掉光标处任何已有的音符或休止符。若您想要在现有音符或和弦中添加一个音,您需要在输入音符的时候按住Shift。您可以在下面的输入和弦部分学到更多信息。
当你通过音名输入音符的时候,Musescore 将自动选择最接近前一个音符的音高。如果您想要更大的跨度,您可以按Ctrl+↑或Ctrl+↓ (Mac:Cmd+↑或Cmd+↓)使刚才输入的音符升高或降低一个八度。
要使用鼠标输入音符,您需要将鼠标放置在五线谱中的您想要的线或间上,然后单击。鼠标光标将显示您即将输入的音符的预览,以帮助您准确地放置它。
如果在您输入音符的位置已经有一个存在的音符,新的音符将会添加在已有音符的上方或者下方。如果想要替换现有的音符,您可以在单击鼠标的同时按下Shift。
使用这种方法很难直接输入很高的或者很低的音,因为 Musescore 可能会以为您想要在上面或下面一个谱表输入音符。您可以尝试在高八度或低八度的位置输入对应的音符,然后通过按Ctrl+↑或Ctrl+↓(Mac:Cmd+↑或Cmd+↓)使您刚才输入的音高一个八度或低一个八度。
注:虽然一般情况下,音符是从前到后被输入的,但鼠标输入实际上允许您在现有乐谱中的任何一个位置输入音符。
如果您有一台 MIDI 键盘连接到您的电脑上,您可以通过按下对应的键输入对应的音符。
当您在 MIDI 键盘上输入音符时,如果您在输入下一个音符前完全松开上一个键,音符就会被连续地输入,否则,新的音符将会被添加到原有音符的上方或下方。
使用 MIDI 键盘输入的音符可能会自动使用变音号,但是这些变音号可能不符合您的预期。您可以通过按下J改变变音号的形式。
您也可以通过钢琴键盘窗口输入音符。您可以在视图→钢琴键盘或按下键盘快捷键P打开或关闭这个窗口。
要输入某个音高的音符,只需用鼠标单击对应的钢琴键。
与使用电脑键盘输入音符一样,以这种方式输入的音符会自动替换掉任何现有的音符或休止符。如果您想要创建和弦,请在输入音符的同时按下Shift。
注:如果您想改变虚拟钢琴键盘的大小,您可以先选中虚拟钢琴键盘窗口,然后按住Ctrl(Mac:Cmd)同时向上或向下滚动鼠标滚轮。
在本节中,和弦是指在同一时间开始的多个音符的组合,且这些音符都具有相同的时值且共用一个符干。
如果您希望输入两个音,但是它们的开始时间、持续时间或是结束时间不同,或不共享同一个符干,请参见声部。形如“Dm7”的文本是一个和弦记号,参见和弦记号.
就像输入单个音符一样,和弦可以通过电脑键盘、鼠标、MIDI 键盘或虚拟钢琴键盘被输入。除了在 MIDI 键盘上您可以一次演奏多个音符以外,音符输入仍然是一次一个,你需要以某种方式告诉 MuseScore 将它们组合成一个和弦,而不是按顺序添加它们。
当您使用Shift+A–G往和弦中添加一个音符的时候,该音符将被添加到光标处的任何一个已经存在的音符的上方。您也可以基于音程来输入音符。
休止符可以通过电脑键盘或鼠标被输入。选择休止符的时值的方式与选择音符的时值的方式相同(例如,您可以使用键盘快捷键1–9)。选择时值之后,您不需要像输入音符那样输入音高,而是:
使用鼠标:在乐谱上右键
标准的变音号(还原号、升号、降号、重升号、重降号)既可以在输入音符前被选中,也可以在现有的音符上被添加。
要想指定下一个被输入的音符的变音号,您可以点击乐谱上方的音符输入工具栏中的对应按钮或者使用对应的键盘快捷键。 这步操作既可以在选择时值之前完成,也可以在选择时值之前完成。
默认的键盘快捷键是:
与时值不同,变音号的选择仅对下一个被输入的音符有效。但是通常的记谱规则仍然适用,即如果你给一个音符加了降号,那么你在同一小节中输入的任何相同音高的后续音符也会被降音,即使它们没有明确的写在乐谱上的降号。
当你升高或降低被选中音符的音高时,合适的变音号会被自动添加到乐谱中:
您也可以通过点击符号面板→变音号中的适当图标向现有音符添加一个变音号。符号面板里面还包含了大量的微分音记号或是其他特殊的变音号。
尽管记谱规则确定同一小节内的同一个音共用变音号,下一个小节里的同一个音会回到到原来的音高,但无论如何,添加辅助 变音号可以帮助演奏者更顺畅地识谱。这不会改变音符的音高,所以它们不能够通过键盘快捷键↑和↓被添加。然而,您仍然可以使用前面所说的其他几种方法添加辅助变音号。
虽然辅助变音号不需要括号或者方括号,但是有一部分人仍然习惯给这些记号加一个括号。如果您想向一个变音号外围添加一个圆括号或者方括号,您需要暂时退出音符输入模式,然后在属性面板里面选择您想要的括号类型,或者在符号面板的变音号菜单里面的更多里面找到括号。
注:Musescore 还预装了一些插件,您可以使用它们来根据需要自动添加辅助变音号。
延音线是连接两个具有相同音高音符的曲线,表示了它们要作为一个组合音符被演奏。尽管延音线和圆滑线十分相似,但是您不应该将这两者混淆。圆滑线将不同音高的音符连接在一起,并表示不同的发音。
在 Musescore 里输入延音线十分容易,因为延音线总是出现在具有相同音高的音符之间。所以你不需要输入第二个音符的音高,只需要选择时值并输入延音线,Muesecore 会自动添加一个新的音符。要想创建一个延音线,你应该:
单击工具栏上的延音线按钮或使用键盘快捷键T
延音线会自动添加第二个音符,并直接将这个音符与第一个音符绑定。如果你选中的第一个音符是一个和弦的一部分,延音线会为第二个音符创建完整的一个和弦。和弦里的每个音与前面一个和弦完全相同,且每个对应的音之间用延音线连起来。
连线位置(可选)
在 MuseScore 4.1 版本之前,默认行为是将单个音符的连线绘制到外部(连接音符头部的顶部/底部),将和弦的连线绘制到内部(连接音符头部的右侧和左侧)。从 MuseScore 4.2 开始,单个音符和和弦的连线位置现在可以配置为任何方式;新乐谱的默认设置是所有连线都绘制在外部。除了全局风格设置(在 格式 > 样式 > 圆滑线与延音线 > 延音线 中),还可以为任何特定连线使用设置(通过 属性 > 延音线位置)。
注:尽管延音线通常用来连接相同声部中的两个相邻音符,但是 MuseScore 同样支持连接两个非相邻的音符,以及连接两个不同声部的音符。参见编辑音符和休止符。
MuseScore 的一个 声部 是谱表上的一行音乐,其节奏与同一谱表上的其他音乐独立。其他软件可能将其称为“层”。
“声部”在另一个意义上也可能指代声乐音乐中的音域——女高音、女中音、男高音、男低音等。重要的是不要混淆这两个含义,比如假定 SATB 合唱中的四个“声部”等同于 MuseScore 的“声部” 1–4(见下文);那就是把两者搞混了。
MuseScore 允许在一个谱表中 最多使用四个声部:声部1、声部2、声部3 和声部4。当在谱表上书写音乐时,通常从声部1开始,然后转到声部2。声部3 和声部4 较少使用。
同一谱表上的两个声部通常使用对立的符杆来表示——上声部符杆向上,下声部符杆向下:
在一个标准的 SATB 编配中,你会在上谱表上使用声部1和2,用于女高音和女中音,下谱表上使用声部1和2,用于男高音和男低音:
输入多个声部的第一步是确定你需要将音符作为 一个谱表 中的声部书写,还是将声部分布在 多个谱表 中,比如在钢琴的两个谱表中分布四个声部,或在 多个乐器 中分布四个声部。你应该考虑 MuseScore 的符号功能设计和你的制作需求,不要仅仅基于学术原因做出决定:
如果你决定需要将不同的声部作为不同乐器上的音符来书写,首先创建多个乐器,使用 创建乐谱:修改乐器,然后根据需要编辑谱表上的谱号,然后在 所有这些谱表上都使用声部1进行创作。 一个常见的例子是在四个乐器的声部1上书写四声部的 SATB 乐谱。
如果您需要将不同的谱表合成同一谱表中的不同声部,或者进行相反的操作,请参见 合并或分解谱表。一个常见的例子是 SATB 开放谱 <-> 短谱的转换,
要在一个声部中输入新的音符:
你可以重复这些步骤来将音符输入到其他声部中。
注意:要输入新的音符,请确保在选择所需声部之前处于 音符输入模式,否则你将 改变当前选择元素的声部。
注意:音符工具栏默认只显示声部1和2的图标。你可以使用工具栏上点击齿轮图标时出现的控件来使所有声部图标可见。有关更多信息,请参见 自定义音符输入工具栏 部分。
通常情况下,为了显示小节中的所有节拍,每个声部都包含全部的休止符。然而,这可能会导致乐谱看上去乱糟糟的。Musescore 会自动调整休止符的位置以避免休止符与其他声部中的音符发生冲突。但在某些情况下,您可能想要手动调节休止符的位置。在节拍足够清晰的情况下,您可能希望隐藏或删除一些不必要的休止符。
要隐藏、删除或调整这些休止符的位置以创建更好的布局,请使用以下方法之一:
可通过选择休止符并在 属性 面板中取消选中 可见 复选框,或使用键盘快捷键 V 来隐藏休止符。
声部2-4 中的休止符也可以通过选择它们然后按下 Delete 来删除。然而,这会留下声部中的“空洞”,以后可能很难编辑。要从声部中恢复丢失的休止符,你可以使用 工具→声部 中的命令来交换声部的内容与声部1的内容,这将再次填补空洞。然后您可以使用相同的操作将两个声部对调回去。
注意:为了确保每个小节持续的时间是正确的,第一声部中的休止符可以被隐藏,但是不可以被删除。
即使 MuseScore 会自动避免休止符与其他声部的音符发生冲突,有时候手动调整休止符的上下位置可以使得休止符到底归属于哪个声部变得更清楚。
要垂直移动休止符,您只需在选中那个休止符之后按下 Up 或 Down ,这会使休止符被移动一定的距离。
有关手动定位的更多信息,请参见 改变元素的位置。
你还可以在 格式→样式…→休止符 中将休止符和其他声部元素之间的默认垂直偏移量从1个间隔改为2个间隔。
最初输入到一个声部中的音符可以移到另一个声部中,具体取决于情况。有关更多信息,请参见 在正常模式下更改声部。
在节奏匹配的情况下,原本在多个声部中的音符可以被合并成一个声部中的和弦。有关更多信息,请参见 合并 命令。
将在一个声部中书写的和弦分成不同声部的单独音符时:
除了默认的阶跃时间音符输入模式,Musescore 还提供了几种其他的音符输入模式。
要想进入其他音符输入模式,您可以:
使用键盘的用户可以通过多次按下Shift+Tab或Shift+F6选中音符输入按钮。如果您使用了屏幕阅读器,它会朗读诸如"音符输入工具栏:默认(阶跃时间)"的话。您可以继续按下空格键以展开选择其他音符输入模式的菜单。
您也可以使用指定好的键盘快捷键直接进入这些音符输入模式(不会管理键盘快捷键?请看Keyboard shortcuts)。
请注意,您选中的音符输入模式会被 Musescore 记住。下一次进入音符输入模式的时候,Musescore 仍然会进入上一次您使用的的音符输入模式。所以如果您如果想要暂时使用重调现有音符的音高模式,别忘了在退出音符输入模式前切换回默认(阶跃时间)模式。
节拍编辑(非音高)音符输入模式让你可以在仅按一次键盘的情况下编辑音符的时值。这对于编辑单一音高的无音高打击乐器的乐谱十分有用。另外,在某些情况下,您还可以将节拍编辑模式和重调现有音符的音高模式混合使用以增加您的效率。
默认情况下,音符被输入到五线谱的中线上。你可以使用键盘的上下箭头微调刚才输入的音的音高,每一个新音符的音高跟前一个音符的音高相同。您也可以使用重调现有音符的音高模式快速地在一段已经输入节奏的乐谱上面修改音高。
重调现有音符的音高音符输入模式能让你在保持音符时值不变的情况下方便地改变音符的音高。
重调现有音符的音高模式可以让你非常高效地输入具有重复节奏的音乐片段。您可以直接复制粘贴节奏相同的段落,然后使用重调现有音符的音高模式改变音高。同样的技巧也可以用在一些共享节奏,但是音高不同的多乐器或声乐段落。
实时音符输入模式基本允许您在 MIDI 键盘(或 Musescore 的虚拟钢琴键盘)上演奏乐曲来输入音符。然而,您应该注意这个模式有以下的一些限制:
这些限制意味着 MuseScore 在计算应该如何将输入转换为五线谱时几乎不需要做猜测,这有助于保持产出的乐谱和您预期的相符。
在实时(节拍器)音符输入模式中,您需要听节拍器以一个固定的节拍演奏乐谱。您可以在菜单中改变节拍器的速度:编辑→偏好设置...→音符输入(Mac: MuseScore→偏好设置...→音符输入)。
一旦您松开了键盘,音符输入就停止了。如果您想要在松开键盘的情况下仍然让程序继续输入休止符,您可以使用实时增强快捷键启动或停止节拍器。
在实时(踏板)音符输入模式里,您可以通过按键盘或者踏板的方式自己打节拍。您可以以任何的速度演奏,而且你不需要维持一个恒定的节奏。默认用来打节拍的键(称作“实时增强”)是数字小键盘上的Enter(Mac:Fn+Return)但是我们强烈推荐您把这个快捷键设到 MIDI 键盘上的某个键或者踏板上。(见下方)。
“实时增强”快捷键是用来在实时(节拍器)音符输入模式中启动节拍器,或实时(踏板)音符输入模式插入一个所选时值的休止符。它被称作“实时增强”是因为它能使输入光标在乐谱中的位置向后移。
实时增强的默认按键是数字小键盘上的Enter(Mac:Fn+Return),但是我们强烈推荐您把这个快捷键通过 Musescore 的远程控制设到 MIDI 键盘上的某个键或者踏板上。您可以在下面菜单中找到 Musescore 的远程控制设置:编辑→偏好设置...→MIDI 映射(Mac:MuseScore→偏好设置...→MIDI 映射)。
另外,如果你有一个 USB 脚踏开关或电脑踏板,你可以将他们设置到数字小键盘上的 Enter 键。
插入音符输入模式能使您在两个音符之间插入音符或休止符,这会自动向前或向后移动插入点前后音符的位置。 小节时值会被自动修改。
要插入一个音符,您需要:
输入音符时,新的音符会被放置在用蓝色方框高亮的选中元素之前。被选中的元素和相同小节后续的元素都会自动向后移。您可以使用方向键→或←调整插入点,之后新的插入点将会被高亮显示。
另外,如果您只有一两个音符要被插入,您可以直接在默认的阶跃时间音符输入模式里在用鼠标或键盘(A-G)插入音符时使用键盘快捷键Ctrl+Shift(Mac:Cmd+Shift)。
要插入休止符,您可以首先插入所需时值的音符,然后按Delete。
要清除音符或休止符,您可以使用键盘快捷键Ctrl+Shift+Delete。小节长度会被自动缩短。此快捷键在阶跃时间和插入音符输入模式中均可用。
由于插入音符可能会导致小节时值增加或减少,使小节真正时长与拍号不符,因此当这种情况发生时,小节上方将显示一个小的“+”或“-”符号。
Musescore 允许您使用多种不同的方法插入或删除小节。小节可以被用以下几种方式插入:
您可以通过以下方式插入一个或多个小节:
您还可以通过以下方式插入一个或多个小节:
这个临时弹窗在你点击+按钮后仍然不会自动被关闭,所以你可以继续点击+按钮插入小节。
另外,你还可以通过下面几种方法插入小节:
您可以使用以下方法在您选中的选区之前快速插入一个小节:
您可以多次按下Ins插入多个小节。
您可以使用以下方法在您选中的选区之前插入多个小节:
如果您想要在乐谱末尾插入小节,您可以使用键盘快捷键Ctrl+B(Mac:⌘+B)插入一个小节,或者Alt+Shift+B(Mac:Option+Shift+B)插入多个小节。
您也可以向乐谱中的占位框前后插入小节:
您可以使用下述的键盘快捷键删除一个或多个小节:
或者,您也可以:
您也可以:
要想移除乐谱末尾的空小节,您可以:
一些其他与小节有关的页面:
不要与输入音符和休止符:音符输入模式中讲解的音符输入光标混淆
如果你需要对乐谱上的某些元素进行操作(例如复制),你需要先选中这些元素。在当前的 Musescore 中,乐谱上被选中的元素会用其所属的声部的颜色高亮显示,未选中的元素显示为黑色(译注:有时超过乐器音域的音符会被高亮为黄色或红色)。默认情况下声部1使用蓝色高亮,声部2使用绿色高亮,声部3使用橙色高亮,声部4使用紫色高亮。默认的颜色可以在编辑→偏好设置:高级下更改,详见偏好设置章节。
被选中元素的状态会被简要地显示在左下角的状态栏上,每当用户选择不同的元素时,状态栏会立刻显示新的元素信息。总共有四种选择状态:
许多常见操作,如复制和粘贴都需要进行范围选择。
下面两张图分别展示了“选中单个元素”(上图)和“范围选取”(下图)。
您可以用鼠标单击某个元素选中它。除了单击整个小节以外,单击元素总会只选中这一个元素。如果您在某谱表内单击了某个小节的空白处,Musescore 会自动范围选择该小节内部的多个对象。
要使用键盘选择单个元素,请使用光标键导航到该元素。在普通模式下(按键盘Esc键使用此模式),左右光标键← →只会导航到下一个(或前一个)音符或休止符。您可以使用Alt + 光标键导航到所有元素,包括所有的音符、装饰记号、力度符号和其他标记。
目前该特性无法使用(Musescore 4.2),如果您有能力并且乐意帮助我们,请点这里
当多个对象占据谱表上的相同位置并完全重叠时,例如两个音符具有相同音高但位于不同的声部时,您可以重复按Ctrl + 单击该位置,直到选中所需的元素。
一般来说,选择符头可以控制单个音符的大部分特性,例如改变音符的音高。另外,音符也包括符杆、符旗、符点、变音记号等一系列元素。每个元素都可以被单独选择,以便精调其布局位置。
您可以逐个选择单个和弦的多个音符以创建列表选择,也可以通过选中开始和结束的时间位置以创建范围选择。(参见下文)
许多常用的命令,包括复制和粘贴可以用于单个和弦,但是必须对其进行范围选择(如上图所示)。如果您只想范围选中某一个和弦,除了在创建范围选择部分中描述的方法之外,您也可以使用这个方法:首先确保当前没有选定任何内容(按Esc以确保),然后在和弦的任一音符头上按Shift+单击。
由于范围选择是根据时间位置自动选择的,因此其他声部中的音符可能会被包括,要明确排除它们,请参阅从范围选择中排除元素。
重复选区命令(R)适用于单个和弦,无论是对其的范围选择,还是确切选择的单个音符。请参阅复制和粘贴:重复选区章节。
您可以通过鼠标点击、拖拽选区或使用命令手动创建列表选择。
要将对象添加到列表选择中或将其删除,请按Ctrl(Mac: Cmd) + 单击该对象。这将将选择转换为列表选择。但是,不能使用这一方法选中或删去一整个小节。向范围选择中添加和删除元素也会将其转换为列表选择。
位于任何谱线区域之外并且不与其他元素重叠的元素可以一起使用鼠标拖拽选区进行选择。按Shift + 单击任何空白处(在谱线之外)并拖动鼠标以创建选择框。如果选区不包括任何音符或休止符,则这一操作会创建列表选择,否则会创建一个使用“开始和结束时间位置方法”的范围选择。
要选择整个谱表中或给定谱表中特定类型的所有元素:
要选择两个时间位置之间特定类型的所有元素:
—或—
要创建更复杂的相似元素选择:
对话框中可用的选项取决于您右键单击的元素类型。
与音符特定的选择选项有关的选项是:
除了特定于元素类型的选择选项外,对话框底部还有一些通用于所有元素类型的操作选项。这些控制所选元素的操作,一次只能选择一个:
范围选择能让 Musescore 自动在给定谱表的给定开始和结束时间位置之间选择有用的元素。
当选择范围不超出屏幕范围时,您可以按Shift + 单击任何空白处(在谱线之外)并拖动鼠标以创建选择框。范围选择至少需要包括一个音符或休止符。
适用于跨越多页的选择。
仅使用键盘或主要使用键盘:
可用的命令包括:
MuseScore 也提供一些特殊的命令来进行范围选择:
在执行对范围选择的操作之前,可以通过类型排除元素。例如,在复制音符、休止符等短语时排除歌词;或者在多声部乐段中仅保留声部1中的所有内容。要排除给定类型的元素:
请注意,如果排除声部1,则将无法选择缺少其他声部内容的任何小节。因此,在排除声部1,执行排除声部1的操作之后,请务必将其恢复。例如,如果您只希望复制并粘贴声部2,请进行范围选择,使用选择过滤器排除声部1,在使用编辑→拷贝或Ctrl+C之后,在尝试选择目标以粘贴之前,您必须将声部1的复选框恢复。
本章讨论了编辑乐谱中已有的音符的方法。请确保您已熟悉输入音符和休止符章节中解释的输入新的音符的方法。
要编辑乐谱中的音符(音高、时值、时间位置等)和休止符,可以使用:
在按工具栏中的笔图标或使用快捷键N进入音符输入模式后。屏幕上会显示一个浅蓝色的覆盖整个谱表的音符输入光标。音符输入光标的存在表示 Musescore 当前处于音符输入模式。
在音符输入模式下,使用键盘箭头键← →将音符输入光标移动到当前谱表中的相邻音符或休止符位置。
在音符输入模式下,有两个命令可以编辑现有音符或休止符的时值:
这两个命令首先会尝试添加或移除附点,其次会更改到下一个较大或较小的音符时值。例如,按Shift+W在四分音符上会将其编辑为附点四分音符,再按一次Shift+W会将其编辑为二分音符。
在音符输入模式下编辑选定音符音高的命令是:
在默认输入模式阶跃时间下,音符和休止符是一个一个输入的。阶跃时间模式的逻辑是,当用户添加新音符或休止符时,后续音符和休止符的时值会自动调整,而不影响小节内的总拍数。
一个类比是 Microsoft Word 等文字处理器中的“替换”或“覆盖”模式。要用不同的音符替换一个音符,直接输入新音符即可。新音符会自动覆盖之前的音符,无需先删除旧音符。
要添加新音符并使后续音符不被覆盖,可以:
要用休止符替换音符,直接按Del键。
注意:如果希望将后续音符提前以取代已删除的音符,则无需先删除原音符。直接使用剪切和粘贴移动后续音符即可。
尽管大多数情况下,移动音符到不同时间位置是在正常模式下完成的,但在音符输入模式下也有一对命令可以在某些情况下编辑音符或休止符的时间位置。如果有两个相同时值的音符或休止符,您希望在音符输入模式下交换它们,可以使用Shift+←或Shift+→将音符或休止符与其相邻的相同时值的音符或休止符交换。
您需要退出所有其他模式以进入正常模式。
如果 Musescore 当前处于音符输入模式,要退出音符输入模式,可以按键盘上的Esc键,或点击音符输入按钮,或再次按N键。在此之后,音符输入光标应不可见。请参阅在音符输入模式下进行编辑部分。
如果 Musescore 当前处于编辑模式,要退出编辑模式,请按键盘上的Esc键。请参阅主章节直接调整元素。
除非另有说明,以下方法全部适用于单个选定的音符或休止符、包含多个音符或休止符的列表选择或整个范围选择。有关更多信息,请参阅选择页面。
在正常模式下,将一个或多个选定音符的时值编辑为特定时值,只需点击相应的时值图标或使用快捷键1–9。
要增加选定音符的时值,可以使用命令Shift+W如上所述。如果音符没有附点,这会添加一个附点;如果音符已有附点,则会编辑为下一个更长的时值。例如,八分音符会变成附点八分音符,附点四分音符会变成二分音符。您也可以使用W直接将时值加倍,从而将八分音符直接变成四分音符,或将附点八分音符变成附点四分音符。
命令Shift+Q和Q执行相反的操作,以相同方式减少或减半时值。
所有这些命令仅适用于单个选定的音符。
如果您输入了一个包含八分音符和十六分音符的段落,但希望将所有音符和休止符的时值加倍,从而使段落的时值本身加倍,请参阅粘贴时值减半/加倍命令部分。
在音符输入模式下用于编辑音高的命令在正常模式下也同样适用,包括单个、列表和范围选择。这些命令是:
此外,在正常模式下,您也可以使用音符输入工具栏上的临时记号按钮或相应的快捷键为任何选定的音符切换(添加或移除)临时记号,从而(可能)改变其音高。临时记号面板也可用于为选定音符添加临时记号。
要用休止符替换音符,直接按Del键。
如果选择了多个音符作为列表,按Del键会分别将它们替换为休止符。
如果选择了一个范围,按Del键之后,软件会尝试将整个段落替换为若干个总时值相同的休止符。
通常情况下,您无法删除一个休止符,因为删除它们会使小节的拍数少于应有的拍数。然而,您也可以参考下文的移除选定范围命令部分,了解在需要时如何删除休止符。此外,2至4声部中的休止符可以在保持小节总时长不变的情况下随意地被删除。
完全移除某些音符或休止符会导致小节数量的减少或小节内拍数的减少。要彻底移除选定的音符或休止符,您可以使用工具→移除选定范围或快捷键Ctrl+Del(Mac: Cmd+Del)。
您可以在正常模式下添加连音线,但与在音符输入模式下自动添加音符创建的连音线不同,正常模式下的连音线要求前后两个音符已经存在。
在正常模式下添加连音线的方法:
这种方法也适用于下一个相同音高的音符在不同声部的情况。
如果选择了多个音符,MuseScore会在每个选定音符处开始一个连音线。您可以用这种方法一次性为整个和弦中的所有音符添加连音线。
这个方法还允许您使用连音线连接不相邻的音符,例如在钢琴上的延音琶音。
在条件允许的情况下,输入到一个声部的音符可以被移到另一个声部,或者可以交换两个声部的内容。
要将一个或多个选定音符移到另一声部,按工具栏上的声部按钮或使用快捷键Ctrl+Alt+1–4(Mac: Cmd+Option+1–4)。音符将在不影响目标声部当前内容的情况下尽可能地移动。
如果目标声部在该时间位置为休止符或没有任何内容,音符就会移到新声部。
如果目标声部在该时间位置已经有一个或多个相同时值的音符或和弦,音符会与现有音符或和弦合并。
MuseScore还可以交换任何两声部的内容。这些命令仅适用于完整的小节(或多个小节),不适用于单个音符。
要交换任意两声部的内容,使用工具→声部中的相应命令:
剪切、复制和粘贴命令可用于复制整段音乐,将音乐提前或延后,复制文本或其他标记到不同的谱表之间,交换不同小节中的内容等等。
首先,您必须选择你想要剪切或复制的内容。
如同其他支持剪切、复制和粘贴的程序一样,你可以从编辑菜单、右键菜单(如Ctrl+单击或双指点击)或通过标准键盘快捷键访问这些命令。
命令 | 快捷键(Windows) | 快捷键(Mac) | 右键菜单 | 主菜单 |
---|---|---|---|---|
剪切 | Ctrl+X | Cmd+X | 剪切 | 编辑→剪切 |
复制 | Ctrl+C | Cmd+C | 复制 | 编辑→拷贝 |
粘贴 | Ctrl+V | Cmd+V | 粘贴 | 编辑→粘贴 |
与剪贴板交换 | Ctrl+Shift+X | Cmd+Shift+X | 与剪贴板交换 | 编辑→与剪贴板交换 |
粘贴(时值减半) | Ctrl+Shift+Q | Cmd+Shift+Q | 无 | 编辑→半时值粘贴 |
粘贴(时值加倍) | Ctrl+Shift+W | Cmd+Shift+W | 无 | 编辑→倍时值粘贴 |
注意: 使用右键菜单时,请务必右键点击选中的项目;如果错误地右键点击空白区域,选中的区域会丢失!
如选择元素章节所述,在范围选择中,MuseScore会自动选择给定起始和结束时间位置之间的一组谱表中的有用元素。这些元素包括所有的音符、休止符、MuseScore文本(如力度符号)、MuseScore线条(如延音线)等。系统元素(如速度、拍号、反复记号、版面控制符)不包含在自动选择中,因此不会被复制。
粘贴时,复制的元素将会替换所有原有内容,但是原始小节的节奏结构和系统元素除外。
从菜单中使用粘贴命令或按Ctrl+V(Mac: Cmd+V)。
MuseScore也允许复制单个元素或列表选择的多个歌词、和弦符号、力度、表情记号或其他标记到另一个位置,同时保持目标位置的内容(如音符)不变。但是,您无法复制多个音符的列表选择。
复制和弦符号和力度等文本时,MuseScore会尽可能根据实际音符时值的距离保持标记的相对时间位置,但是小节内部的节奏不会被考虑。粘贴歌词或表情记号时,您必须指定一个有效的音符或休止符作为锚点。
剪切和粘贴命令可以用于:
小节(及其节奏结构)无法移动,但请参见添加和删除小节章节。移动列表选择时,其元素的相对位置会尽可能保留,详见复制列表选择部分。
移动选择内容:
与剪贴板交换命令将两个操作合并为一个:(1)首先用剪贴板内容覆盖选定的乐谱部分,就像粘贴命令一样;(2)然后将被覆盖的乐谱部分转移回剪贴板,就像复制命令一样。
例如,可以用它来交换乐谱中的两个等长段落A和B:
像这里讨论的其他命令一样,你可以从菜单或通过键盘快捷键访问与剪贴板交换命令,此快捷键为Ctrl+Shift+X(Mac: Cmd+Shift+X)。
复制和粘贴的常见用途是将给定段落(包括音符、和弦等)在原位置后重复一遍。使用特殊的重复选择命令可以简化此过程。
此命令不适用于列表选择。它仅适用于单个或范围选择的和弦,且只有该和弦的一个音符被选择时。详见选择元素章节。在音符输入模式下,此命令会重复包含当前音符的整个和弦。这对创建一系列重复的和弦很有用。
如果你想将一段音乐复制到多个谱表——例如,将长笛的音乐复制给双簧管和单簧管——可以使用分解命令:
这会复制原选择内容,假设它仅包含单音符——没有和弦和多声部。如果有和弦或多声部,则这些会分配到其余的谱表,详见分解命令部分。
如果你输入了一段主要使用八分音符的音乐,但希望将其整个变为主要使用十六分音符,或变为四分音符,MuseScore提供了一对特殊命令来完成此操作。你可以修改选择范围的时值,或者创建一个具有修改时值的段落副本。要将段落时值减半或加倍:
单个元素——即使在范围选择中未自动选中的元素,如拍号或反复记号——可以选择后用鼠标复制。
当你释放鼠标按钮时,选定元素会复制到新位置。
您可以使用 符号面板 将音乐符号和文本添加到乐谱中。MuseScore 提供了一个预设的符号面板分类,包含 调号 和 奏法记号 等。默认情况下,符号面板会显示基本的符号,但如果需要,也可以显示更高级或专业的符号。
您可以在符号面板中的任意位置添加、删除、编辑或重新排列元素,还可以创建和自定义自己的符号面板。
本章节将向您展示如何显示符号面板、搜索元素以及如何将符号面板中的符号添加到乐谱中。关于如何自定义符号面板,请参阅自定义符号面板。
符号面板 通常显示在主窗口的左侧边栏。侧边栏顶部显示三个选项卡:符号面板、乐器 和 属性。如果侧边栏中当前显示的是其他选项卡,点击 符号面板 选项卡即可显示符号面板。
您可以通过 视图→符号面板 菜单或使用键盘快捷键 F9 打开和关闭 符号面板。如果关闭了侧边栏中的所有面板,侧边栏本身也会关闭,以腾出更多的乐谱显示空间。
与 MuseScore 中的大多数其他面板一样,符号面板 窗口也可以被 分离,作为一个独立的窗口使用。
要将元素添加到乐谱中,首先您需要在符号面板中打开相应的面板。您可以点击其标题或其左侧的箭头图标打开某面板。面板中的元素将被排列显示。
通常情况下,要将元素添加到乐谱中,您可以先选择乐谱中被添加的目标元素,然后点击符号面板中的元素,或者您也可以将元素从符号面板拖动到目标元素上。有关通过键盘添加元素的信息,请参阅下面的搜索与导航部分。
许多元素——例如,演奏法、力度标记和大多数其他文本——可以应用于单个音符、休止符或其他乐谱元素。如果您使用拖放方式添加这些元素,请确保将元素拖到特定的乐谱元素上,并且在目标元素被高亮显示以表示它可以接受该元素之前不要松手。
然而,通常更有效的方法是先在乐谱中选中目标元素,然后再点击元素。如果您希望将同一个元素添加到多个乐谱元素上,这种方法尤其有效,因为它允许您一次性将一个元素添加到多个乐谱元素上。
要将符号面板中的元素添加到一个或多个乐谱元素上,您需要:
通常,符号面板中的元素会被添加到每个被选中的元素上。但是,当选择了一个范围时,添加表示文本的元素(例如力度标记和速度标记)时,元素将仅添加到范围内的第一个元素中。系统文本(例如速度标记)将被添加到整个谱表的最上方;其他文本将被添加到每个选定谱表的第一个选定元素上。
渐强线、延音线、八度音线和踏板标记等元素需要应用于某个范围而不是单个音符或休止符。添加它们的过程类似:
某些元素,如小节线、拍号、反复记号和布局设置需要应用于整个小节或一组小节,而不是特定的音符或休止符。将它们添加到乐谱中的过程与其他元素相同:
可以通过点击标题栏或标题左侧的图标以展开或折叠某个符号面板。此外,您还可以一次性展开或折叠所有符号面板,或者让 MuseScore 自动关闭符号面板。要使用这些功能,您需要点击符号面板窗口顶部的 ... 按钮以弹出符号面板菜单。
您也可以使用键盘而不是鼠标来搜索和导航符号面板。
要按名称搜索元素,请使用键盘快捷键 Ctrl+F9(Mac:Cmd+F9),或点击 符号面板 顶部的放大镜图标。
这将显示一个搜索框。当您在框中输入字符时,MuseScore 将显示任何匹配的元素。
要关闭搜索框,请点击“X”图标。
符号面板完全可以通过键盘访问。前面描述的搜索功能是您可以用来开始此过程的一种方法,但您也可以使用 Shift+F6 将光标移动到侧边栏,从而将光标对准 符号面板。
一旦光标在符号面板上,您可以使用↑ 和 ↓ 键在各个符号面板之间切换。您可以通过按 Enter 键来打开和关闭某特定的符号面板。要访问符号面板中的元素,请按 → 键访问符号面板,然后按 ↑ 和 ↓ 键在符号面板上的元素之间移动。按 Enter 键将以与点击相同的方式添加元素。
某些符号面板还包含默认情况下未显示的其他元素。要访问这些元素,请点击符号面板右下角的 更多 按钮。
您可以通过简单的拖动将任何这些其他元素添加到符号面板中。有关更多信息,请参阅自定义中符号面板部分。
默认情况下显示的符号面板是大多数用户经常需要的。但 MuseScore 提供了其他符号面板,您可能也会发现这些符号面板很有用。
要访问这些额外的符号面板:
点击 符号面板 顶部的 添加符号面板 按钮。
这将显示您可以添加到 符号面板 的符号面板列表。要添加任意符号面板,请点击符号面板名称旁边的 + 按钮。
添加的符号面板会显示在面板顶部。要重新排序它们,只需将它们拖动到所需位置。
您还可以创建一个空白的自定义符号面板,稍后可以根据需要填充自己的元素。
符号总面板 里包含 MuseScore 支持的所有音乐符号;您还可以使用它创建自定义调号和自定义拍号。
要显示 符号总面板,请使用键盘快捷键 Shift+F9,或从菜单中选择 视图→符号总面板。
符号总面板 窗口按类别划分,这些类别名称与 符号面板 中的默认符号面板(无论是显示还是隐藏)的名称相匹配;事实上,每个小符号面板的内容都取自符号总面板中对应的部分。唯一的例外是 符号总面板 中的符号类别,其中包含 符号面板 中从未出现的元素。
您可以像从符号面板一样从 符号总面板 向乐谱中添加元素;然而,除非你要从 符号 部分添加非常不常见的元素外,通常最好从 符号面板 中进行操作。
符号总面板 窗口中除“符号”外的所有部分中的元素都是会改变乐谱的特性,它们对乐谱具有影响:例如,添加调号和拍号会改变乐谱本身调号和拍号的设置。而 符号 中的元素则不会,它们仅仅只是显示在乐谱上。
另请参阅其他符号章节。
您可以在属性面板中查找或修改选中对象或文本对象内选中字符的布局和播放属性。当没有选中任何内容时,它将显示乐谱的属性。如果您是从 MuseScore 3 升级而来,您可以把属性面板理解为检视器的升级版本,但它同时具有文本工具栏的功能,详见输入和编辑文本章节以及MuseScore 3手册的检视器和文本编辑章节。
MuseScore 4 使用手册的编写风格也与 Musescore 3 手册不同,本章仅讨论面板本身和大部分对象共有的属性。关于其他元素的属性,请查找其最相关的章节。(对于编辑者:如果属性不是多个对象共有的,请随意将内容移动到最相关的章节)
乐谱属性保存在乐谱文件(*.mscz)中。不要与工作区混淆。
当没有选中任何内容时,属性面板显示乐谱的属性。
在显示副标题下,
在乐谱外观副标题下,
当一个或多个对象被选中时,属性面板显示它们共有的布局和播放属性。按下任何对应的按钮将仅显示该对象类型的项目。
一些常见设置:
力度符号的播放功能正在积极开发中,可能会在不同软件版本中发生重大变化。此处提供的信息适用于MuseScore 4.2 beta(2023年11月)。在阅读时可能已过时,请帮助更新本章节。
在播放按钮下,如果选定元素有播放属性,则会显示这些属性。
当文本对象被选中时(对象本身,而不是字符),属性面板显示文本对象的格式设置。编辑这些属性会更改对象,它会被应用于对象内的所有字符。
当文本对象内的字符被选中时,属性面板显示字符的格式设置。编辑这些属性仅更改选定的字符。详见格式化文本章节。
详见主章节模板和样式。
在属性旁边的省略号菜单按钮(三个点菜单按钮)下,有两个按钮:
本章节解释了在乐谱上微调元素精确位置的方法,以实现排版的目的。更常见的音乐编辑方法请参考输入和编辑文本和编辑音符和休止符章节。
要微调乐谱上元素的精确位置,可以通过以下方法实现:
使用编辑模式。
要进入编辑模式,可以通过以下方法:
然后,在编辑模式下,按键盘方向键← → ↑ ↓以0.5 sp为单位移动对象,或者
直接编辑,此方法不适用于音符、休止符以及从符号总面板→符号中添加的元素(详见其他符号章节)。选择乐谱上的元素,按下键盘方向键← → ↑ ↓以小步进(0.1 sp)移动。结合Ctrl(Mac: ⌘),它们可以以大步进(1 sp)移动。
关于单位sp的更多信息,请参阅页面布局概念章节。
注意:
如果希望更改圆滑线或延音线连接的音符范围,建议使用上面描述的键盘快捷键(Shift+←/→)。这是更改圆滑线或延音线所包含的音符范围的最有效方法。
另见主要章节其他线条。
要改变线条的起点和终点:
与圆滑线或延音线一样,建议在使用方向键调整线条长度时使用Shift,以确保播放范围也相应调整。
虽然线条默认是水平的,但可以通过拖动起点或终点的调整手柄,或选择起点/终点手柄并使用上下方向键,将线条设置为任意角度。
要编辑线条对象中的文本(如“系统文本线”、“谱表文本线”和“横按线”,参见输入和编辑文本)的显示文本:
MuseScore 4 automatically creates a separate (default) part for every instrument in your score.
To open all parts at once:
To open an individual part:
You can also select specific parts to open at once. Do this by holding Control (Mac: ⌘) while selecting the parts you’d like to open, then click Open selected. You can also select a range of contiguous parts by clicking the first and holding Shift while clicking the last.
Click the X close button in a part tab to close a part.
Note that changes you make to a part will be saved with that part and retrievable the next time you open it from the Parts dialog.
The Parts dialog is tightly integrated with the new Instruments panel. This integration makes it easy for you to create parts with any combination of instruments from your score.
There are two ways to customize parts in MuseScore 4: using the default (i.e. ready-made) parts to reveal other instruments, and creating entirely new parts.
As we’ve already seen, MuseScore 4 automatically creates a new (default) part for every instrument in your score. All you have to do is open the part from the Parts dialog.
In fact, each default part already contains all of the instruments in your score – they’re simply hidden from view (except, of course, the chosen part instrument).
This means you can “reveal” other instruments within any of the default parts. To do this:
This instrument will now be visible in the chosen part.
This makes creating custom parts an incredibly flexible process. Revealing or hiding other instruments is completely non-destructive, meaning you can customize every instrument in every part, and hide or show only what you want to reveal to different players (or for different musical projects) without having to create entirely new parts each time.
MuseScore 4 does of course give you the option to create a completely "blank" part from scratch, allowing you complete customization control. To do this:
Your new part will now be open in the Score tab, but it will appear to contain no instruments. To add instruments to this part:
Sometimes it will be necessary to create individual parts from staves that contain multiple voices. You might, for example, want to extract separate parts for orchestral players who share a staff in the main score (E.g. Flute I and Flute II). Or you might wish to create individual vocal parts from choral scores where, for example, four voices are notated across two staves.
You'll need to first create (see above) or duplicate (see below) a part. To then select which voices will appear in a part:
Style settings for a wide range of engraving elements can be applied specifically to parts without affecting the main score.
To change style settings for a specific part:
Changes you make in this dialog will affect only the part selected in the Score tab. If you want changes to affect all parts (but not the main score), select Apply to all parts before clicking OK.
Learn more about saving and loading default style settings in Templates and styles.
(This section describes features that are new or considerably enhanced in MuseScore 4.2.)
When you make changes to the content of the score - adding or deleting an item, or changing pitches and durations of notes, for example - these changes are always reflected in the parts, and vice versa.
However, just as you can apply different styles to score and parts, you may want the properties (position, style/appearance) of certain items to differ between score and parts. Therefore:
When an item in a part is desynchronised, its colour when selected changes to orange and, according on which properties have been changed, the toggles which appear in the Properties panel under Score and part synchronisation will switch off:
Position refers to offset, leading space, minimum distance, autoplace, direction (up/down, above/below), alignment, and a few other properties specific to certain types. Style/appearance is, essentially, all other properties.
If you have made changes to an item in the part but wish to resynchronise that item with the score, you can turn these toggles back on to reset those properties to match the score.
Text items have a third toggle, Text, which allows you to control synchronisation of the content and formatting of a text item. Unlike other properties, this must be manually switched off before you make changes to a text item in a part which you do not want to be reflected in the score.
In some cases you may wish certain items to be in the score but not to appear in the parts at all, or to appear in a part but not in the score. This is not the same as simply making the item invisible, as invisible items sometimes affect the layout.
This option is available for frames, clef changes, ottava lines, staff text and system text. In the case of clefs and ottavas, excluding these items from one view will cause the notes there to be repositioned accordingly.
To exclude an item from parts:
To exclude an item from the score:
This all takes place in the Parts dialog (accessible from the Parts button in the toolbar).
Simply click the "three dots" menu icon next to a selected part to reveal its options. Note that only newly created parts (created by clicking the Create new part button) can be deleted. All parts can be duplicated or renamed.
To duplicate any part:
To rename any part:
Note you can also double click on any part in the Parts dialog to rename it.
To delete a newly created part:
When a part is deleted, its tab in the Score tab (if already opened) will be closed. Any customizations made to that part will also be lost. The part will also no longer appear in the Parts dialog.
To export parts:
Parts will be exported in the PDF format by default. To change the export format, select your preferred format from the dropdown menu in Export settings. You can export your parts in a range of image and audio formats, as well as the braille format for compatible printers. For more information, see File Export.
To print parts:
Note that parts can currently only be printed one at a time.
On macOS, make the following substitutions:
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Zoom in | Ctrl+= | Cmd+= |
Zoom out | Ctrl+- | Cmd+- |
Zoom to 100% | Ctrl+0 | Cmd+0 |
Go to first element in score | Ctrl+Home | Cmd+Fn+Left |
Go to last element in score | Ctrl+End | Cmd+Fn+Right |
Jump to next screen | PgDn | Fn+Down |
Jump to previous screen | PgUp | Fn+Up |
Jump to top of first page | Home | Fn+Left |
Jump to bottom of last page | End | Fn+Right |
Jump to next page | Ctrl+PgDn | Cmd+Fn+Down |
Jump to previous page | Ctrl+PgUp | Cmd+Fn+Up |
Find / Go to | Ctrl+F | Cmd+F |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Select next chord | Right | Right |
Select previous chord | Left | Left |
Go to next measure | Ctrl+Right | Cmd+Right |
Go to previous measure | Ctrl+Left | Cmd+Left |
Select next element in score | Alt+Right | Option+Right |
Select previous element in score | Alt+Left | Option+Left |
Select note/rest above | Alt+Up | Option+Up |
Select note/rest below | Alt+Down | Option+Down |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Note input: toggle note input mode | N | N |
Show/hide piano keyboard | P | P |
Use voice 1 | Ctrl+Alt+1 | Cmd+Option+1 |
Use voice 2 | Ctrl+Alt+2 | Cmd+Option+2 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Set duration | 1 – 9 | 1 – 9 |
Set duration: 32nd note | 2 | 2 |
Set duration: 16th note | 3 | 3 |
Set duration: 8th note | 4 | 4 |
Set duration: quarter note | 5 | 5 |
Set duration: half note | 6 | 6 |
Set duration: whole note | 7 | 7 |
Toggle duration dot | . | . |
Enter tuplet | Ctrl+2 – Ctrl+9 | Cmd+2 – Cmd+9 |
Enter tuplet: duplet | Ctrl+2 | Cmd+2 |
Enter tuplet: triplet | Ctrl+3 | Cmd+3 |
Enter tuplet: quadruplet | Ctrl+4 | Cmd+4 |
Add tied note | T | T |
Halve selected duration (includes dotted values) | Shift+Q | Shift+Q |
Double select duration (includes dotted values) | Shift+W | Shift+W |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Enter note | A – G | A – G |
Add note to chord | Shift+A – Shift+G | Shift+A – Shift+G |
Enter interval | Alt+1 – Alt+9 | Option+1 – Option+9 |
Toggle accidental: flat | - | - |
Toggle accidental: natural | = | = |
Toggle accidental: sharp | + | + |
Enter rest | 0 | 0 |
Add grace note: acciaccatura | / | / |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Set duration (TAB) | Shift+0 – Shift+9 | Shift+0 – Shift+9 |
Set duration: 32nd note (TAB) | Shift+2 | Shift+2 |
Set duration: 16th note (TAB) | Shift+3 | Shift+3 |
Set duration: 8th note (TAB) | Shift+4 | Shift+4 |
Set duration: quarter note (TAB) | Shift+5 | Shift+5 |
Set duration: half note (TAB) | Shift+6 | Shift+6 |
Set duration: whole note (TAB) | Shift+7 | Shift+7 |
Enter TAB: fret | 0 – 9 | 0 – 9 |
Enter TAB: fret | A – K | A – K |
Go to string above (TAB) | Up | Up |
Go to string below (TAB) | Down | Down |
Toggle ghost note | Shift+X | Shift+X |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Select all | Ctrl+A | Cmd+A |
Add to selection: previous note/rest | Shift+Left | Shift+Left |
Add to selection: next note/rest | Shift+Right | Shift+Right |
Add to selection: staff above | Shift+Up | Shift+Up |
Add to selection: staff below | Shift+Down | Shift+Down |
Select to beginning of measure | Ctrl+Shift+Left | Cmd+Shift+Left |
Select to end of measure | Ctrl+Shift+Right | Cmd+Shift+Right |
Select to beginning of score | Ctrl+Shift+Home | Cmd+Shift+Fn+Left |
Select to end of score | Ctrl+Shift+End | Cmd+Shift+Fn+Right |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Escape | Esc | Esc |
Undo | Ctrl+Z | Cmd+Z |
Redo | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Cmd+Shift+Z |
Copy | Ctrl+C | Cmd+C |
Cut | Ctrl+X | Cmd+X |
Paste | Ctrl+V | Cmd+V |
Repeat selection | R | R |
Insert one measure before selection | Ins | Ins |
Insert measures before selection | Ctrl+Ins | Cmd+Ins |
Insert one measure at end of score | Ctrl+B | Cmd+B |
Insert measures at end of score | Alt+Shift+B | Option+Shift+B |
Delete | Del | Del |
Delete selected measures | Ctrl+Del | Cmd+Del |
Show/hide properties | F8 | Fn+F8 |
Edit element | F2 | Fn+F2 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Set duration | 1 – 9 | 1 – 9 |
Enter tuplet | Ctrl+2 – Ctrl+9 | Cmd+2 – Cmd+9 |
Add tied note | T | T |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Toggle accidental: flat | - | - |
Toggle accidental: natural | = | = |
Toggle accidental: sharp | + | + |
Move pitch/selection up | Up | Up |
Move pitch/selection down | Down | Down |
Move pitch up an octave | Ctrl+Up | Cmd+Up |
Move pitch down an octave | Ctrl+Down | Cmd+Down |
Change enharmonic spelling (concert and written pitch) | J | J |
Move note to higher string (TAB) | Ctrl+Up | Cmd+Up |
Move note to lower string (TAB) | Ctrl+Down | Cmd+Down |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Flip direction | X | X |
Use voice 1 | Ctrl+Alt+1 | Cmd+Option+1 |
Use voice 2 | Ctrl+Alt+2 | Cmd+Option+2 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Move text left | Left | Left |
Move text right | Right | Right |
Move text left quickly | Ctrl+Left | Cmd+Left |
Move text right quickly | Ctrl+Right | Cmd+Right |
Move selection up | Up | Up |
Move selection down | Down | Down |
Move selection up quickly | Ctrl+Up | Cmd+Up |
Move selection down quickly | Ctrl+Down | Cmd+Down |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Add text: staff text | Ctrl+T | Cmd+T |
Add text: expression text | Ctrl+E | Cmd+E |
Add text: system text | Ctrl+Shift+T | Cmd+Shift+T |
Add text: tempo marking | Alt+Shift+T | Option+Shift+T |
Add text: rehearsal mark | Ctrl+M | Cmd+M |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Format text: bold face | Ctrl+B | Cmd+B |
Format text: italic | Ctrl+I | Cmd+I |
Format text: underline | Ctrl+U | Cmd+U |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Add text: lyrics | Ctrl+L | Cmd+L |
Go to next syllable | Space | Space |
Go to previous syllable | Shift+Space | Shift+Space |
Lyrics: enter hyphen | - | - |
Lyrics: enter melisma | _ | _ |
Add lyric verse | Return | Return |
Go to next lyric verse | Down | Down |
Go to previous lyric verse | Up | Up |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Add text: chord symbol | Ctrl+K | Cmd+K |
Next text element | Space | Space |
Previous text element | Shift+Space | Shift+Space |
Advance cursor: next beat | ; | ; |
Advance cursor: previous beat | Shift+; | Shift+; |
Advance cursor: duration | Ctrl+1 – Ctrl+9 | Cmd+1 – Cmd+9 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Show/hide palettes | F9 | Fn+F9 |
Search palettes | Ctrl+F9 | Cmd+Fn+F9 |
Add slur | S | S |
Add articulation: accent | Shift+V | Shift+V |
Add articulation: marcato | Shift+O | Shift+O |
Add articulation: staccato | Shift+S | Shift+S |
Add articulation: tenuto | Shift+N | Shift+N |
Add hairpin: crescendo | < | < |
Add hairpin: decrescendo | > | > |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Add/remove instruments | I | I |
Open instruments dialog | F7 | Fn+F7 |
Toggle visibility of elements | V | V |
Decrease layout stretch | { | { |
Increase layout stretch | } | } |
Add/remove system break | Return | Return |
Add/remove page break | Ctrl+Return | Cmd+Return |
Reset shapes and positions | Ctrl+R | Cmd+R |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
New | Ctrl+N | Cmd+N |
Open | Ctrl+O | Cmd+O |
Close | Ctrl+W | Cmd+W |
Save | Ctrl+S | Cmd+S |
Ctrl+P | Cmd+P | |
Quit | Ctrl+Q | Cmd+Q |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Play | Space | Space |
Show/hide mixer | F10 | Fn+F10 |
Readers should already know the concept of Musescore instrument, and usage of Add or remove Instrument window explained in Setting up score chapter. This chapter discusses the new Instruments panel feature in MuseScore 4 that manages
Read more about "Full score" and "Part" in Parts chapter.
Open the Instruments panel by clicking on the Instruments tab on the left side of the screen:
Click Add (or just press i). This will open the Instruments dialog (see Choose instruments for more information).
To delete an instrument from the score, select the instrument and click the Trash can icon, or press Delete.
Select any instrument and use the ↑ or ↓ buttons to change its position in the score. Alternatively, you can drag the instrument up/down using the mouse.
To toggle the visibility of one instrument (all of its staves)
Hiding is not deleting. Hiding an instrument disables all its staffs' playback. This feature is useful in combination with Musescore's Part feature, see Parts chapter. This allows for example the creation of alternative instruments or different printing versions for different performers; or isolation of sections of a larger score for orchestra without deleting anything.
To replace an instrument in the Instruments panel:
The Instruments panel can also be used to add staves to an existing instrument and configure some of their basic properties.
Added staves share the same instrument but their notation can be edited independently. Amongst other things, they can be used to create staff/tablature for stringed-instrument players (e.g. guitar, banjo, ukulele etc.).
Certain notational objects on one staff can be made to automatically appear on other staves if they are linked together. Linked staves can be used to create staff/tablature for stringed-instrument players (guitar, banjo, ukulele etc.).
To create a linked staff:
Learn more about staff customization in Staff/part properties.
Hiding is not deleting.
See also "Hiding/showing instruments" section that explains how to hide an instrument, hiding an instrument disables all its staffs' playback.
Note: On score that uses Musescore's Parts feature, deleting a staff deletes it in "Full score" and all "Part" that features it. See also the alternative "hide" commands in "Hiding/showing instruments" and "Hiding a staff but keeping its playback" sections.
To delete an instrument and all of its staffs:
To delete a staff from an instrument:
By default, a score will show all measures of all staves on all pages throughout the score, whether they contain notes or not. However, you may wish to have certain staves appear only on systems where they are needed. You may even wish to have a staff appear or disappear mid-system. MuseScore provides a number of controls for this purpose, this chapter explains them.
To hide certain instrument everywhere on a score, use Choose instruments dialog (shortcut key i), Instruments panel on the left (a new feature in MuseScore 4), and the Parts toolbar button on the top instead.
Omission of empty staves is a common practice found in printed ensemble scores. When a staff along one system (the page layout concept) contains no notations, the staff (all its bars along that system) are hidden.
To configure the current score to automatically hide any of its staves on systems where the staff is empty:
Alternatively, you can enable the Hide empty staves within systems option in Format→Style→Score.
MuseScore will normally continue to show all staves on the first system, in accordance with common convention. If you would like to force MuseScore to hide empty staves on the first system as well, disable the Don't hide empty staves in first system option in the dialog. You can also control whether or not brackets are shown if, for example, only a single instrument from a section is playing, via the Show brackets when spanning a single staff option.
The score-wide setting explained above affects all staffs on a score. There is also an individual setting for each staff (that contains a clef) that overrides the score-wide setting:
In a score where score-wide setting Hide empty staves within systems option is enabled,
The score-wide setting explained above affects all staffs on a score. There is also an individual setting for each staff (that contains a clef) that overrides the score-wide setting:
In a score where all staffs are shown everywhere (score-wide setting Hide empty staves within systems option is disabled), there may nonetheless be one or two special staves that you wish to only show where needed. For example, this might be a solo part in an ensemble score, or a bass staff in a lead sheet. To set one staff to hide when empty without assigning a score-wide staff hiding setting, set its Hide when empty option to Always.
In a score that contains a system where all staffs of all visible instruments are completely empty, the top staff is shown by default. To specify the staff to display:
This setting may be useful when using Musescore Parts function. This setting is unrelated to all other staff hiding settings covered in this chapter.
Film scores and other contemporary scores often use a style of notation where individual measures are hidden when empty. These are sometimes called cutaway scores.
To use this style on one staff in MuseScore:
The Cutaway option alone does not change vertical layout, the staff's vertical space is reserved in all systems as if invisible.
If you wish all staves to be displayed in cutaway score style, you can replace step 3 with score-wide setting explained above. However, you still need to set the Cutaway option for each staff individually. You can speed up this process by using the arrow buttons in the Staff/Part Properties dialog:
An ossia is a special type of cutaway staff in which a given musical passage is notated using a small staff above the normal staff, such as to show an alternate interpretation.
These can be created in MuseScore using a combination of features:
If you wish to hear the ossia playback instead of the normal staff, select the corresponding measures on the normal staff and uncheck the Play setting on the Properties panel. Do the same for the ossia staff if you would rather hear the normal staff playback.
Depending on the look you desire, you might also want to hide the initial or final barline for the passage. To do this, select the barline and press V or uncheck the Visible option in the Properties panel.
You may also wish to decrease the distance between the ossia and the normal staff. To do this, use a Staff spacer fixed down from the Layout palette.
MuseScore also allows you to make individual measures invisible on any given staff, whether empty or not.
To set a measure to be invisible on a given staff:
Note: you cannot make a measure invisible on all staves—it must remain visible on at least one.
The Implode command allows you to do either of the following:
All selected notes in the staff are now displayed in voice 1.
The notation initially in the upper staff will now be in voice 1, that from the staff below in voice 2, and so on.
Explode allows you to do either of the following:
The passage in the top staff is copied to each of the selected staves below.
In this case the chords in a selected passage of music are separated into their constituent notes as follows:
Notes: (1) If the selection is all in voice 1, MuseScore will discard the lowest note(s) of any chord that contains more notes than the number of staves in the selection. (2) If the selection is all in voice 1, and If a given chord has fewer notes than the number of destination staves, then notes will be duplicated as needed so that every staff receives a note. (3) Any existing music in the destination staves is overwritten. (4) If you select a partial measure, the explode command will automatically expand it to a full measure.
When a musician is required to double on a different instrument for a section of a piece, the instruction to switch instruments is generally placed above the staff at the beginning of that section. A return to the primary instrument is handled in the same manner.
In MuseScore, the instruction to change to a different instrument is handled by the Change Instrument text element, which is found in the Text Palette. This text element is different from Staff Text, System Text and Expression Text in that it is linked to playback, allowing for a change in sound to the new instrument.
To add an instrument change:
The instruction to change to the new instrument will appear above the selected insertion point in the score.
To remove an instrument change, click once on a Change instrument text element to select it, and press either Del or Backspace.
You can re-label any Change instrument text element in the score by double-clicking on it and entering new text. This will not affect the playback sound of the new instrument.
Playback sounds for instrument changes are reflected in the Mixer as separate channel strips stacked to the right of the primary instrument channel strip. These instruments are labelled in parentheses. You can change the assigned playback library, apply effects, adjust the volume, and mute, solo, and pan these channel strips just as you would any other instrument channel strip. For more information, see the Mixer.
Changing to a different instrument may necessitate the use of different key signatures, clefs, and even staff type. Learn more about changing staff type in Staff type change.
To change one staff everywhere on a score change Staff type or template instead. Staff types and templates supported by Musescore are covered in Staff/Part properties chapter.
You can change the appearance of a staff starting from certain point on a score by adding a "Staff type change" element to a measure, and adjusting its properties in the Properties panel. This can be used when changing between pitched and unpitched staves or for various experimental notation effects.
Alternatively, you can drag the symbol from the palette to a measure in your score.
When you alter a "Staff type change" property in the Properties panel, the new value takes precedence over the value shown in the global Staff/Part properties dialog. Only those property values in Staff/Part properties that cannot be changed for the "Staff type change" will be valid throughout the score.
The properties that can be altered for the "Staff type change" in the Properties panel are:
Cue size
Use the Small staff size that is defined for the score
Offset
Displace the staff vertically
Scale
Change the size of the staff using a custom percentage
Number of lines
Change the number of lines making up the staff
Line distance
Change the distance between two staff lines
Step offset
Offset the notes on the staff relative
Invisible staff lines
Toggle visibility of the staff lines
Staff line color
Set the color of the staff lines
Notehead scheme
Specify alternate noteheads such as pitch names or shape note
Stemless
Toggle display of note stems
Show barlines
Toggle display of barlines
Show ledger lines
Toggle display of ledger lines
Generate clefs
Toggle display of clefs
Generate time signatures
Toggle display of time signatures
Generate key signatures
Toggle display of key signatures
Warning: the word "Part" mentioned in this chapter and the window heading is is currently a wrong use of wording in Musescore 4 due to be updated (a outdated data from Musescore 3). Inside this chapter, the word means Musescore Instrument, but note that everywhere else inside this handbook and Musescore 4, it means Parts (the feature to create different versions of the same score)
The Staff / Part Properties dialog allows you to change display properties of one Staff and the properties of the Musescore Instrument it belongs to. To open the dialog:
Clicking on Navigation arrows ↑ and ↓ buttons at the bottom left will cancel any unsaved changes and switch to edit the previous or next staff.
There are four different types of staff:
1a. Standard staff I. A pitched staff used for most instruments except fretted, plucked-string ones.
1b. Standard staff II. A pitched staff containing a fretted, plucked-string instrument, with options to set the number of instrument strings and tuning.
2. Tablature staff. A staff containing a fretted, plucked-string instrument, which displays music as a series of fret-marks on strings. Also contains options to set the number of instrument strings and tuning.
3. Percussion staff. A pitched staff for percussion instruments.
four instruments shown above are examples of the four staff types respectively. Download this testing score file MS4-1-1 Staffstypes.mscz
For each type, there are pre-defined Template to choose from in the Advanced Style Properties (Edit Staff Type) window
Replacing an instrument also changes staff types but may create unreasonable result and wrong playback. For example, replacing Piano (a standard staff, type 1a) with Drumset (percussion staff, type 3).
The top section of the dialog allows you to adjust many aspects of the appearance of an individual staff. The following options are common to all types of staves:
First column:
Second column:
Third column:
Clicking on Advanced Style Properties… opens the Edit Staff Type window, the properties available vary depending on staff type.
First row: Lines, Line Distance: duplicated UI for the exact same property as above
Second row: Show clef, Show time signature, Show barlines: duplicated UI for the exact same property as above
At the bottom of the window:
- Template dropbox
Assigning a template changes the number of lines (type 3 percussion staff) or switch staff types altogether (type 1a, type 1b and type 2). To apply a template:
1. Make a selection from the drop-down list labeled “Template”;
2. Press < Reset to Template;
3. Press OK to accept the changes and exit the dialog (or Cancel to cancel the operation).
Third row:
Under Fret Marks tab:
Fret marks are the numbers or letters used to indicate the location of notes on the fingerboard. The following group of properties define the appearance of fret marks:
Under Note Values tab: properties define the appearance of the symbols indicating note values
Warning: The wording "Part" used in the heading is a misnomer as of Musescore 4.1.1
The name of the instrument is shown here. To change the instrument,
Note: To disable out-of-range coloration of notes, from the menu, select Edit→Preferences… (Mac: MuseScore→Preferences…), click on the “Note Input” tab, and uncheck “Color notes outside of usable pitch range.”
Set the octave, and up/down interval to ensure that transposing instruments are notated correctly. This is automatically done by the program for most instruments.
For transposing instruments an additional option is shown: "Prefer sharps or flats for transposed key signatures". There are three options:
In addition to those listed above, staves of fretted, plucked-string instruments (Type 1b and type 2) have a few extra options at the bottom part of the window,
Brackets/braces are used to connect multiple staves of one instrument (e.g. a piano's grand staff) or of a group of instruments (e.g. 2 x violins, viola and cello in string section) within a system. See Page layout concepts : system chapter.
Brackets/braces are automatically applied when a score is created in the New Score dialog. You can easily change them if the default is not what you want (see below).
To add brackets and curly braces, use Brackets palette.
To add a bracket or brace to all systems:
Alternatively:
Nested brackets can also be applied using these methods, applying the innermost first and ending with the outermost. The order can be edited subsequently using the "Column" property (see below)
If you select a bracket/brace, you can edit its properties in the Properties panel (sidebar).
Use one of the following methods:
Brackets/Braces also have a few global properties which can be adjusted from the Style menu:
Time signatures are applied to the score from the "Time Signatures" palette.
This is done from page 2 of the New Score dialog.
Use any of the following methods:
To hide/show time signatures on a particular staff:
To disable/enable all courtesy time signatures (at the end of systems):
To hide or show an individual courtesy time signature:
You can also do the same thing from the Master Palette (Shift+F9).
In certain cases a score may show staves with different time signatures running at the same time. For example, in the following (J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variation no. 26):
The global time signature is 3/4, but the time signature of the upper staff has been set independently to 18/16.
To set a local time signature for just one staff:
To open the Time signature properties dialog use one of the following:
This part of the dialog allows you to adjust the nominal appearance of the signature without affecting its underlying rhythmic value.
Alternatively, you can make a selection from a range of time signature symbols below.
See the Beams chapter.
There are a few global style properties for time signatures (see Format→Style).
MuseScore 按照音乐理论的惯例对齐声部1的音符的符干。相比之下,声部2和声部4的符干默认指向下,而声部3的符干则默认向上。当声部2或声部4添加了音符时,声部1的音符符干会自动向上翻转。
该操作也会翻转任何连接该音符的符杠。
如果要隐藏单个音符的符干,请按如下操作:
如果需要隐藏谱表/分谱中的所有符干:
您可以通过属性面板中音符部分的符干选项卡编辑符干和符尾的特定属性:
如要设置全局的符干粗细与符尾样式,您也可以在 格式→样式→音符中设置这些。
A beam is a line connecting consecutive notes to indicate rhythmic grouping of eighth or shorter notes (Wikipedia). You can change control the presence or absence of beams between notes as well as their appearance.
The default beaming of notes is determined by properties of the time signature. You can edit those defaults and thus affect the beaming of all notes within that time signature, and you can also override the beaming of individual notes to differ from the time signature defaults.
See the main chapter Time signatures
Each time signature has a set of beaming defaults that control the beaming of all notes in that time signature. Since you will normally want the beaming consistent throughout the score, this is usually the place to start when altering the beaming. To edit the defaults for a given time signature, use the Time signature properties dialog.
You can also access this dialog by right-clicking a time signature.
Note: the settings made in this dialog are per score and also per staff. To apply changes to other staves within the same score, you can Ctrl+Shift+drag the time signature to another staff, which acts similarly to adding it from the palette. To make a customized time signature available to other scores, Ctrl+Shift+drag it back to the palette.
To change the beaming of a note of a given duration on a given beat, click the corresponding note in the Beam groups section to toggle the beam into that note on or off. That is, if you click a note that is currently beamed to the previous note, that will break the beam, and if you click a note that is not currently beamed to the previous note, that will join them. You can also drag one of the Beam selector icons to any given note to set its beaming as explained further below.
If you select the Also change shorter notes option, then changes made to any given note will affect notes on the same beat of shorter durations as well.
Click Reset to remove all changes made since this dialog was opened. Note that this button does not reset settings back to the original defaults from the palette. To revert all changes made since the time signature was added, use the palette to replace the time signature.
The time signature properties control the default beaming for notes in your score, but you can override those defaults on a note-by-note basis, such as to have one measure beamed differently from another. This can be useful when writing certain rhythms that might be more readable beamed in a non-standard manner, or in cases where the options available in Time signature properties are insufficient to create the defaults you want. It is also the only way to create beams over rests.
Beam properties are set on the notes themselves. To change the beam between two notes, you will normally start by selecting the second of the two notes, as most of the beam properties control the beam into a note. Note that these properties can be set from the Properties panel or the Beam properties palette, but this discussion will focus on the Properties panel.
To change the beaming of a given note:
Select one of the icons to set the appropriate property
From left to right, the available properties are:
To extend a beam over a rest:
To extend a beam across a barline:
While breaking and joining beams is a function of the individual notes, the actual appearance of the beam can be controlled by selecting either the beam itself or any of the notes it joins. Thus, to set these properties, you can either:
or
Either way, at that point, you will see the options to control the appearance of the beam.
The buttons in the Feather beams section of the Properties panel can be used to indicate gradual slowing down or speeding up of the joined notes (note this is not supported in playback). These options only apply to 16th and shorter durations using multiple beams.
The angle of a beam can be edited directly by selecting it and moving the handles by dragging or using the cursor keys. But you can also use the settings in the Properties panel. You may need to click the More button first to display this section.
The two settings here correspond to the left and right handles on the beam and allow you to set the height of either side of the beam independently.
You can also force a beam to be horizontal by enabling the Force horizontal property.
A few global properties of beams can be set from Format→Style→Beams:
Standard music notation normally follows a set of conventions designed to facilitate the reading of rhythm. The basic idea is to group notes in ways that clarify which notes belong to which beat. Rules include:
A full discussion of this topic is beyond the scope of this Handbook, but for more information, see this handout.
Here is an example of a rhythm written incorrectly and then correctly:
MuseScore can correct many of these cases automatically.
To regroup rhythms according to the common conventions of standard music notation:
The rhythm itself is not changed—only the notation of it.
连音是以一种不同于拍号通常所允许的方式划分节拍的音符组。一拍中由三个八分音符组成的三连音是最常见的连音。
如上图显示,三连音这样的简单连音可在音符输入模式或常规模式下输入。
将自动为您划分音符或休止符,并应用适当的记谱法。
音符或休止符会自动为您划分,并应用适当的记谱法。
若您需要输入一连串的连音,且不想重复连音命令,您可选中首个连音的首音符按照所需次数按下 R键(重复);然后使用键盘箭头来移动后续音符、重新输入或其他音符输入模式。
更复杂的连音组可以创建如下:
连音可嵌套于其他连音内部。
要创建嵌套连音 :
可以选择显示或隐藏连音数字或连音括号及更改其方向或调整括号线条粗细。详请参阅连音属性(下文)。
所选连音的显示可在属性面板的连音栏更改。
方向:决定连音记号出现在谱表的上方还是下方。可用选项有“自动”、“上方”(↑)或“下方(↓)。
数字类型:影响数字显示。选项有“数字”、“比率”、“无”。
括号类型:设置括号显示。选项有“自动”、“括号”、“无”。
线条粗细:可见状态下的连音括号粗细。
参阅模板和样式
"连音样式"的值可在格式→样式→连音中编辑。
"连音内样式"的值可在格式→样式→文本样式→连音中编辑。
"连音样式"包含
设置项包括:
A full range of common barlines is contained in the Barlines palette.
Alternatively, you can drag a barline from the palette onto a barline in the score.
Changes are applied automatically to all barlines at the same point in the score.
Alternatively, you can hold Ctrl and drag a barline from the palette onto a barline in the score.
Only barlines in the one staff are affected.
This will add a "barline" in front of each selected note. The barline is for visual purposes and does not factor into any measure operations.
If you wish to divide a measure, inserting a real barline in the process, see Splitting a measure.
Here we are concerned with the vertical extension of barlines in order to link staves together, or their reduction to create partial barlines.
The barline snaps into place, and all other barlines in that staff follow.
Partial barlines can be easily created by adjusting "Span from" and "Span to" in the Barlines section of the Properties panel.
See Working with Mensurstrich.
You can edit properties specific to barlines in the Barlines section of the Properties panel:
Style: Used to change selected barlines to one in the dropdown list.
Span to next staff: Check this to make selected barlines extend to the staff beneath.
Span from/to: used to set the vertical start and end points of one or more selected barlines.
Set as staff default: Applies the changes made in Span to next staff and Span from/to to all barlines in the staff.
Span presets: Applies the selected preset to one or more selected barlines in the score.
Selected properties for all barlines in the score can be changed in Format→Style→Barlines:
By default, MuseScore shows measure numbers at the start of each system except the first one in a section. Numbering starts at the first complete measure in a section.
if you wish to change measure numbering:
To always show the number of a particular measure, regardless of style settings, open Measure properties and select "Always show" from the Measure number mode dropdown.
To hide all measure numbers, uncheck "Measure numbers" in Format→Style→Measure numbers.
To hide the number of a particular measure, regardless of style settings, open Measure properties and select "Always hide" from the Measure number mode dropdown.
In Measure properties, check "Exclude from measure count" (in the Other pane).
In Measure properties, edit "Add to measure number". Both positive and negative numbers are accepted.
By default, numbering of measures always restarts at the beginning of a new section. To prevent this, and make numbering continuous, select the break and in the Properties panel uncheck "Reset measure numbers for new section".
To adjust the position of all measure numbers, edit the X and Y offsets of "Position above" and "Position below" in Format→Style→Measure numbers.
Note that any changes made to a measure number in the Properties panel may be lost if the layout changes.
Values of the "Style for Measure number" can be edited in Format→Style→Measure number.
Values of the "Style for text inside Measure number" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Measure number.
Other measure-related pages:
A measure rest looks like a whole rest, but is centered within a measure and indicates that the entire measure (or a voice within it) is silent:
It is commonly used in all meters (except 4/2 and 8/4).
Use the following method if all selected measures are "standard"—i.e. with no custom durations:
1 Select a measure, or range of measures.
2. Press Del (Mac: Backspace).
If one or more of the measures contains a custom duration, use the following method instead:
If the voice contains only rests you can select the first rest and invoke the conversion keystroke.
A multimeasure rest is used to indicate a run of empty measures, the number of measures being shown by a figure above/below the staff.
Multimeasure rests can be turned on/off with the shortcut M (prior to 4.4), Ctrl+ShiftM (as of 4.4, Mac: Cmd+Shift+M), or by checking "Multimeasure Rests" in Format→Style…→Rests.
By default, if multimeasure rests are enabled, any sequence of two or more empty measures is automatically converted to multimeasure rests.
To change the minimum number of empty measures needed to trigger multimeasure rests:
Multimeasure rests can be turned on/off independently in the score and instrument parts.
Multimeasure rests are automatically broken at important points, such as double barlines, rehearsal marks, key signature or time signature changes, section breaks etc.
However, you can opt to break a multimeasure rest elsewhere as follows.
You can edit properties specific to multimeasure rests in the Multimeasure rest section of the Properties panel:
Show number: This box is checked by default. Uncheck it to hide the multimeasure number.
Number position: Adjust the vertical position of the multimeasure number, above or below the rest.
Values of the "Style for text inside Multimeasure rest range" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Multimeasure rest range .
Values of the "Style for Measure numbers" can be set in Format→Style…→Measure numbers:
Others from Format→Style…→Rests:
Other measure-related pages:
A pickup measure, also known as an upbeat or anacrusis, is a partial, or incomplete, measure at the beginning of a score or section.
Note: By convention, measure numbering starts at the first complete measure. MuseScore does not do this by default but you can accomplish this manually by checking "Exclude from measure count" in the Measure Properties dialog.
NOTE: When there are notes in your intended pickup measure MuseScore only preserves the leftmost notes, if they fit in the Actual value you designate. For instance, if a 4/4 measure contains six eight notes starting on beat 1, and you set the Actual value to 1 beat (to create a quarter note pickup) MuseScore keeps only the first two eighths. If you set the Actual value to 2 MuseScore will keep the first four eighths. Whereas with a measure pre-populated with two eighth notes, starting at beat 4, and your Nominal value is 1 or 2 or 3, MuseScore will eliminate those notes from the measure, even though they exist in the logical place for such pickup notes. Finally, it should be understood that pickup configurations are accomplished without using the Time Signature palette.
It is accepted musical practice to omit the same duration as the pickup from the final measure of the piece or of the same repeat section. The same method of shortening the measure applies here.
A non-metered measure is one which is less or greater in duration than the indicated time signature.
A measures of less duration than the indicated signature may be created in exactly the same way as a pickup measure (see above).
Other ways of creating non-metered measures are described below:
Extra notes/rests can be inserted in a measure with the help of either a keyboard shortcut, or by using a special mode of entry called Insert mode:
If, at any time, the total duration of the notes and rests within the measure does not match the time signature, a small + or - sign will be shown above the measure.
This command joins selected measures into one measure.
Method A. To join two measures only:
Method B. To join any number of measures:
Notes:
1. If you select measures on only one staff in a score with multiple staves, the same measures will be joined in each staff of the system.
2. Beaming may be automatically modified.
This command inserts a barline before a selected note, splitting the measure into two.
Use one of the following methods:
Other measure-related pages:
The Measure properties dialog allows you to adjust various properties of an individual measure—such as visibility, duration, numbering and width ("Stretch"). To change all measures on the score, use Format → Style window : Score, Page, Measure numbers, and Measure categories. To change all measures of one staff on the whole score, change the staff Staff / Part properties.
To open Measure properties, right-click on a measure and select "Measure properties".
If you only want to adjust one measure, click OK to make the changes permanent. However, if you also want to adjust adjacent measures there is no need to close the dialog; simply click Apply, then use the arrows on the bottom left of the window to move the dialog to the new measure. The new measure number appears both at the top of the dialog and in the status bar.
Visible : Uncheck/check the boxes to hide/show the selected measure.
Stemless: Check/uncheck the box to hide/show stems.
Nominal: This is the time signature set in the score.
Actual: Adjust these figures to increase or decrease the duration of a measure.
Exclude from measure count: Check to make the count skip the selected measure.
Break multimeasure rest: See Breaking multimeasure rest.
Measure number mode: Allows you to display/hide measure number for the selected measure irrespective of style settings.
Add to measure number: Changes numbering from this measure onwards in the score.
Layout stretch: This property is normally adjusted first with a shortcut (see Stretch); use "Measure properties" for fine adjustment.
Play count: This only appears if the measure is before an end repeat barline. It indicates the number of times the repeat section is played.
The play count of the measure with the end repeat barline must be set one higher than the number of times you want the measure to play (this is usually equal to the number of entries in that volta repeat list + 1).
Take the following score:
Measure 4 should have play count set to 4
Measure 6 should have play count set to 3
Other measure-related pages:
Clefs are applied to the score from the "Clefs" palette.
MuseScore automatically applies the most appropriate clef(s) for the instrument when creating a new score. You can easily change this from the score window if needed.
To change a clef at the start of a system, use one of the following:
To add/change a mid-measure clef before a note, use one of the following:
To add/change a mid-measure clef in front of a barline, use one of the following:
Notes: (1) “Mid-staff” clefs are always smaller than the main system clef. (2) Notes after a clef change are automatically repositioned so that they continue to sound at the original pitch.
To delete a clef, just select it and press Del. Note that clefs at the beginning of systems cannot be deleted.
To hide/show clefs at the beginning of all systems except the first:
Mid-measure clefs are unaffected.
To hide/show all clefs on a selected staff:
This affects clefs at the start of a system and mid-measure.
To hide/show courtesy clefs:
If courtesy clefs are enabled, you can still hide an individual courtesy clef as follows:
[To be added]
[To be added]
See Courtesy clefs (above).
Clefs applied to an entire measure or the first note in a measure are shown before the barline.
To move the clef after the barline:
1. Select the clef
2. Open the Properties panel
3. Under Position relative to barline, choose After
To replace the first clef in a score, see Add/Change a start clef.
Tablature users can select the type of TAB clef displayed:
Other style properties are available in Format→Style→Page, namely:
Create clef for all systems
Create courtesy clefs
For details, see Controlling the visibility of clefs (above).
Key signatures are applied to the score from the "Key signatures" palette.
The initial key signature is set from page 2 of the New Score dialog.
Use one of the following methods:
Note: It is also possible, though uncommon, to add a key-signature mid measure by selecting a note then clicking a palette key signature, or dragging the key signature to a note.
If you wish to add a key signature to only one staff, leaving others unchanged, apply one of the following methods:
If you wish to select a key signature for a single staff only, press and hold Ctrl (Mac: Cmd), then click on the key signature.
Use any of the following methods:
To replace the key signature on a single staff only, press and hold Ctrl (Mac: Cmd) before carrying out the above operations.
To show key signatures only at the beginning of a score, and at a key change:
To hide/show all courtesy key signatures (at the end of systems):
To hide/show a particular courtesy key signature:
Care needs to be taken when working in written pitch and applying a key signature directly to a transposing instrument. For example, a Bb clarinet is written a tone higher than it sounds; so, to get the clarinet to display in G major, you need to apply a key signature of F major from the palette. And so on.
Some instruments (e.g. French horn) are conventionally written with no key signature. To achieve this, you need to add an open/atonal local key signature to the staff (this is already done in scores created from templates).
An open/atonal key signature looks similar to a 'C major/A minor' key signature. However, unlike standard key signatures, an open key signature always remains the same, regardless of key changes to the rest of the score.
To create a custom signature:
Drag accidentals onto the staff image as required. Note: Accidentals are horizontally aligned by default. If you want to olace an accidental in a custom position, hold Ctrl (Mac: Cmd) while dragging it.
To remove an accidental select it and press Del. Note: The Clear button deletes all added accidentals.
Note: Custom key signatures are adapted to transposing instruments automatically. If You want transposing instrument to use custom key signature exactly the same, as it is in palette, You need to transpose it back. Select measure where key signature is placed and use Tools→Transpose.
You can edit properties specific to key signatures in the Key signature section of the Properties panel:
Show courtesy key signature on previous system: See Controlling the visibility of key signatures (above).
Mode: You can select a mode for the key signature if required—major, minor, dorian etc. The default is "unknown".
Various style properties affect key signature display.
Create key signature for all systems
Create courtesy signatures
The use of these properties is discussed in Controlling the visibility of key signatures (above).
Here you can change the way accidentals are displayed in key signature changes in the score.
Clef to key signature
Key signature to time signature
Barline to key signature
Key signature to barline
Key signature to first note
These properties control the various distances before and after key signatures in the score.
Transposition is the act of raising or lowering the pitch of a selection of notes by the same interval.
In MuseScore, you can transpose your music using keyboard shortcuts, or via the Transpose dialog.
To transpose with keyboard shortcuts, first select a range of notes (See Selecting elements). Then use one of the following options, depending on how you need to transpose your music:
Press ↑ or ↓ to move the selection up/down in semitone steps
Press Alt+Shift+↑/↓ to move the selection up/down in scale degrees (Mac: ⌥+Shift+↑/↓).
Press Ctrl+↑/↓ to move the selection up/down in octave steps (Mac: ⌘+↑/↓).
The Transpose dialog gives you more control over transposition, with options to transpose to selected keys or by specific intervals.
First select a range of notes you wish to transpose. (See Selecting elements). If no selection is made, the whole score is automatically selected for transposition.
Then open the dialog by selecting Tools → Transpose...
When this is selected, you can choose to transpose to a specific key, or by specified interval.
To transpose selected notes up or down in semitone increments:
Select this to transpose the selection by a specified interval without changing the existing key signature(s). Note: the intervallic relationships between pitches in your selection will change as a result!
Transposing instruments (such as the clarinet, French horn, trumpet etc.) are notated at a different pitch (and key signature) to how they sound. The notated pitch is called the written pitch, while the actual pitch is called concert or sounding pitch.
By default MuseScore displays all staves at written pitch. However, if you wish to view the score at concert pitch go to the Status Bar (located in the bottom right of MuseScore's main window) and check the "Concert pitch" toggle, which includes a tuning fork icon.
When you set up a score in the New Score, or Add or remove instruments dialogs, transposed key signatures are automatically applied to any transposing instruments. However if for any reason you need to set up the staff transposition manually, this is how to do it.
The correct transposed key signature will now appear on the staff.
The enharmonic spelling of the transposed key signature, whether in sharps or flats, is set in Staff/Part properties (see Setting the interval of transposition ).
To change the enharmonic spelling of pitches in the score, see Change spelling.
Octave (Ottava) lines are used to indicate that a section of music is to be played one or more octaves above or below written pitch. 8va alta/bassa lines are particularly common in piano scores, though they are sometimes used in other instrumental music. 15ma alta (2 octaves above) and 15ma bassa (2 octaves below) are also occasionally used. MuseScore creates playback for ottava. The line may be styled as solid or dotted:
8--------┐or 8va--------┐: Play one octave above written pitch.
8--------┘or 8va--------┘: Play one octave below written pitch.
Ottava lines can be found in the Pitch and Lines Palette. To add one to note(s) or measure, and adjust its time range, see Using the palette and Other lines : Apply line chapters. To fine tune layout position, see Adjusting elements directly.
Properties specific to the selected ottava(s) can be adjusted in the Ottava section of the Properties panel, namely:
Type: Specifies whether the Ottava line is 8va, 8vb etc.
Show number only: Hides any text (such as “va”).
Show line: Makes the line visible / invisible. Text is unaffected.
Allow diagonal: Allow line to slope if required.
For other properties in this tab, see Line properties.
This has a similar user interface to general lines (see Line properties), but uses special code to specify the ottava text.
See the main chapter Templates and styles
Values of the "Style for text inside Ottavas" can be edited in Format→Style→Text Style→Ottavas.
This chapter discusses the appearance of noteheads in MuseScore.
One aspect of music notation systems is notehead scheme. A scheme is a set of rules used to decide notehead shape's meaning, some of which are supported in MuseScore. Supported schemes relate notehead meaning to a note's:
The most widely used scheme is very likely the only one known to most musicians. It is referred to as "Normal" in MuseScore and is the default setting for a new staff. Details of the nine schemes available in MuseScore are covered in Custom staff types:Notehead scheme.
Understanding relative pitch notations (shape note solfege, shape note notation) can enhance the reader's comprehension of this chapter. Most of the time, a notehead shape conveys one specific meaning, and that meaning is only associated with one notehead shape. Shape note solfege is like a variant of movable-do solfege that belongs to the exceptions. For example, in one type of "shape note notation", a triangle must be used to notate a relatively pitched "C4", but triangles are also read as relatively pitched "C"s or "F"s only, and triangles must sing "Fa" or a syllable agree upon by singers on-site. The loosely related shape note solfege notates interval perception much better than the "Normal" setting.
Shown above, the diamond notehead can be used for harmonic notes in guitar, violin etc; and slash notehead for guitar strums etc. The cross is also known as crosshead, ghost note, or dead note.
Final display of notehead shape in MuseScore is determined by three factors: the notehead type factor, the pitch factor, and the duration factor (or note-value, rhythm).
Note pitch may affect affect notehead shape, depending on the scheme, but it only happens on note(s) that do not use an overriding Notehead type property. See "Notehead type factor" section. "Normal" notehead scheme does not use pitch to determine notehead shape.
The duration factor is determined by a note's duration. To edit duration see Entering notes and rests and Editing notes and rests chapters. It also can be visually overridden for an individual note, while keeping the real value and playback intact.
Options available for notehead type factor depends on staff type:
Notehead scheme is used to determine notehead shape unless overridden by individual note's Notehead type property. When notehead scheme is not overridden, note pitch may affect notehead shape, depending on the scheme. "Normal" notehead scheme does not use pitch to determine notehead shape. When a note uses an overriding Notehead type property, note pitch information does not affect notehead shape at all.
Notehead type factor
Duration factor
shown above 7 Shape (Aikin), a "shape note notation"
There are six methods to change "pitch".
Most of the time, a note's pitch only affects its staff space / vertical position, to change it:
Tablatures, percussion staffs and some notehead scheme (see Overview) use notehead shape to convey pitch information:
To move notehead(s) horizontally to the other side of stem, use one of the following:
(Note: Contrast this command with X which moves the stem and beam horizontally and vertically to other side of the notehead)
Selecting a note(s) on score, in the Properties panel Note: Head tab :
There are 8 font options (two new options compared to MuseScore 3) for notehead set in Format→Style→Score. Notehead does not use style profiles (Templates and styles).
Noteheads palette is displayed with Bravura font.
When two notes in different voices coincide on the same beat, they can either share a single notehead, or else be offset to allow the display of both noteheads. This is done automatically by MuseScore according to certain rules (see below).
To force two offset noteheads in different voices to share a single notehead, use one of the following methods:
Rules for automatically sharing or offsetting noteheads:
If you are using paired standard and tablature staves you will come across situations where a shared notehead in the standard staff generates two fretmarks in tablature. In this case simply hide one of the fretmarks by making it invisible.
An ambitus indicates the range of notes included within a stave. It is used to indicate the appropriate voice for a particular part. See Wikipedia: Ambitus.
To create an ambitus choose one of the following methods:
The top and bottom notes of the range can be manually adjusted via Properties.
Four different properties of the ambitus can be manually altered:
1. style: vertical or diagonal
2. notehead type
3. notehead duration
4. line thickness of the line joining the two noteheads
To change the enharmonic spelling of a note, or notes, in both written and concert pitch views:
To change the enharmonic spelling in the written pitch view, without affecting the concert pitch view, or vice versa:
Note: If the pitches of selected notes are not all the same, the effect may be unpredictable.
This chapter discusses articulation symbols available in the Articulations palette (accents, staccato, vibrato markings etc).
To add verbal articulation objects available in the Text palette (legato, pizz. , arco, tremolo etc) to a score, see Entering and editing text chapter. Guitar articulation is covered in chapters under Idiomatic notation: Guitar. Brass or woodwind articulation (Fall, Doit, Plop, Scoop) is covered in Arpeggios and glissandi.
To add an articulation with a keyboard shortcut:
Certain articulations (accent, marcato, staccato, and tenuto) can be added from the note input toolbar (above the document pane).
To add an item to a score:
Alternatively, drag and drop an articulation symbol from the palette to a notehead.
Certain articulations affect note playback—such as staccato, staccatissimo, louré (tenuto + staccato), and accents. This is handled automatically by the program.
Editable properties of selected articulation(s) on the score are shown in the Properties Panel.
See the main chapter Templates and styles
Shown below are the result of some options on the score.
Align with stem
Align with notehead
Center between stem and notehead
Always keep together
Prefer closeness to notehead (combined articulations may become separated)
All dynamics symbol objects are in the Dynamics palette. To add a dynamics symbol to the score:
Dynamics can be edited in Properties panel. The following options are available:
To edit the score-wide settings, see the Dynamics style section.
In MuseScore 4.4 onwards, dynamics symbols (including hairpins) can apply independently to individual voices and staves. A dynamic affects its assigned voice(s) from the point at which it appears until playback reaches another dynamic in the same voice or a dynamic that affects all voices.
See the dynamics playback compatibility section to learn how this feature works with different sound technologies.
Watch our video on dynamics and voices
In MuseScore Studio 4.4, dynamics and hairpins can be assigned to either All voices or a specific voice from 1–4 using the Voice assignment property. By default, dynamics are assigned to all voices on the instrument.
For instruments with multiple staves, selecting All displays distinct options for
To assign a dynamic directly to a specific voice when you add it:
To change the voice assignment of an existing dynamic, select it and then either:
*For instruments with multiple staves
Control whether dynamics are assigned to all voices or individual voices by default in Preferences → Note input → Voice assignment.
There are three options available in Format → Style → Dynamics & hairpins → Default positions of dynamics and hairpins which control general dynamics positioning:
If the Based on voice position is chosen, voice assignment will affect position of dynamics as follows:
The position of any dynamic can be explicitly overridden via Properties → Position.
Dynamics on grand staff instruments (e.g. keyboards, keyboard percussion, harp) can be centered vertically between the staves.
By default, dynamics are automatically centered when:
You can also manually center dynamics by setting Center between staves to On and configuring Position based on whether the stave to which you want to center is above or below.
To add a dynamics instruction that combines a dynamics symbol with text, for example poco f:
Alternatively, you can double-click a dynamic symbol and type additional text on either side of it.
When an expression text is combined with a dynamic, the size of the expression text can be independently scaled using the Size property in Properties > Text.
See the main chapter Templates and styles
Format → Style → Dynamics & hairpins contains options for the default positioning, spacing, and size of dynamics and hairpins.
You can select the font used for dynamics in Format → Style → Score → Musical symbols font. The default font is Leland. You can also change the font for dynamics without changing the font used for other musical symbols in Format → Style → Dynamics & hairpins → Override score font.
You can edit expression text style in Format → Style → Text styles → Expression. You can toggle whether expression text automatically snaps to dynamics in Format → Style → Expression text.
Support for voice-specific dynamics varies depending on the sound technology chosen (e.g. SoundFont, VST, or Muse Sounds) and whether the instrument is a single-note-dynamic instrument (i.e. an instrument capable of changing its dynamic on a single note, such as the violin or flute) or a non-single-note-dynamic instrument (e.g. the piano or percussion instruments, where the instrument's dynamic properties begin to recede after a note's initial attack).
In the below table, single-note-dynamic instruments are referred to as SND instruments, while non-single-note-dynamic instruments are referred to as non-SND instruments.
Sound technnology | Support for individual voices/staves |
---|---|
Muse Sounds | Full support for per-voice and per-stave dynamics. |
SoundFont (MS Basic) | Both SND and non-SND instruments will support dynamics on individual voices. Only non-SND instruments will support dynamics on individual staves. |
VST | Only non-SND instruments support per-voice and per-stave dynamics. |
Hairpins are symbols used to indicate gradual changes of volume in the score. There are two kinds: crescendo (getting louder) and decrescendo (getting quieter).
There are also crescendo and diminuendo lines which do the same thing:
All can be found in the Lines or Dynamics palettes.
To enter a hairpin from a palette use one of the following options:
To enter a hairpin using a keyboard shortcut:
To extend or contract the range of a hairpin, see Changing range of a line.
To change the height, select the height adjustment handle (shaded in the image below) …
… then use keyboard arrows, offsets (Properties panel), or dragging, to move the handle into the desired position. (See Basics: Adjusting elements directly.)
Alternatively you can adjust the "Height" in the Hairpin: Style section of the Properties panel.
To allow the hairpin to slope at a diagonal, check the "Allow diagonal" box in Hairpin: Style in the Properties panel. Then move the start/end adjustment handles to get the desired slope.
See Hairpin properties.
You can edit properties specific to hairpins in the Hairpins section of the Properties panel.
Niente circle: Places a small circle at the point of the hairpin.
Allow diagonal: Allows the hairpin to be set at an angle; see Changing appearance of hairpins (above).
Line style: Choose solid, dashed or dotted lines.
Thickness / Height:
Height (new system): Specify the height of subsequent hairpins if the first one spans a system.
Position: Above or Below.
Properties here allow you to specify beginning, end, and continuation texts and their vertical offsets.
See Templates and styles and Dynamics style
A slur is a curved line between notes of different pitches indicating legato phrasing; exact interpretation depends on the instrument.
Slurs should not be confused with (note) ties which connect notes of the same pitch and extend the duration of the first note to encompass the connected notes.
After selecting a note, a slur can be created using any of the following:
The exact method of applications depends on whether you are in note input or normal modes of operation. The keyboard shortcut method will be used as an example.
Using method 2 (above) you can create a slur between notes in the same or different voices. Cross staff slurs can be created in exactly the same way. e.g.
You can also adjust the start/end handles of an existing slur to move the start or end to a note of a different voice:
To adjust the shape of a slur or its range, see Adjusting elements directly.
The following properties specific to slurs can be adjusted in the Properties panel.
Style: Solid, dashed or dotted line.
Position: Above or below.
Some default properties for all slurs in the score can be adjusted in Format→Style→Slurs/Ties:
Breaths and pause symbols may be found in the Breaths & pauses palette.
These symbols also have an adjustable playback effect.
A fermata, or pause appears above/below a note, and extends its written duration, indicating a pause in the music.
It may also be written above a rest, or a barline, indicating the end of a piece or section of music.
A breath mark is placed just above the staff, and tells a wind instrument performer or singer to take a breath here, or other instruments to pause slightly. It may occur between two notes or at the end of a measure.
The caesura also indicates a pause, slightly longer than a breath mark but less so than a fermata. It may occur between two notes or at the end of a measure.
To add a fermata:
Alternatively drag a fermata symbol onto a note.
To add a breath mark or caesura:
Alternatively drag a breath mark/caesura symbol onto a note.
MuseScore automatically places the breath mark/caesura in the correct position, just above the staff and after the selected note.
Pause symbols have a playback effect in the score. To adjust the pause length, click on Playback in the Properties panel and adjust "Time stretch".
The position of selected pauses can be altered by clicking on Appearance in the Properties panel and adjusting the offsets. Alternatively you can drag a symbol, or enter Edit mode and use the keyboard arrows to move it.
In addition you can position a fermata above or below the staff by selecting the desired option in "Placement on staff" in the Fermata section of the Properties panel.
You can specify default positional properties for all fermatas in Format→Style→Fermatas.
Ornaments and ornament lines can be applied from the Ornaments palette.
If the it is not already displayed in the palettes area, see Adding more palettes. Available ornaments include turns, (short) trills, and mordents, are discussed here. See Other lines for ornament lines available including (long) trill lines, upprall, downprall, prallprall.
To add an ornament to the score:
For a trill only, it is possible to use a custom shortcut instead at step 2.
See main chapter of ornament lines Other lines.
The procedure for applying ornament lines is just like any other line, i.e.
If you subsequently need to adjust the ornament's length, see Changing the range of a line.
Ornaments are aware of the key signature and of other accidentals in the bar. By default, trills, turns, mordents and other ornaments will display and play diatonic intervals. Use the Properties panel to change the interval, displaying the appropriate accidentals in the score and changing playback.
To change the interval of an ornament:
Trills can be customized by quality (major, minor, augmented, etc.) and interval number from unison to octave. The appropriate accidental or upper auxiliary note will display in the score above or below the ornament. For intervals larger than a second, consider using a tremolo.
Both the upper and lower interval can be set for turns.
Short trill and mordent intervals can be set to the minor or major second.
Any accidentals introduced only by an ornament must be confirmed or cancelled later in the measure for clarity, meaning it is not possible to delete accidentals where the note:
For example, in a measure starting with a chromatic turn on A as seen below, all Gs and Bs later in the measure will have an accidental, even if it is the same as what appears in the ornament.
While these accidentals cannot be deleted, their visibility can be turned off. To do so:
The following properties of selected ornaments can be edited from the Ornament section of the Properties panel:
Use the placement controls to either let MuseScore automatically choose the standard placement, or manually select above or below.
When selected, accidentals, including those linked to ornaments, have the following options in the Properties panel:
Default sizing and spacing properties for ornaments can be edited in Format→Style…→Articulations, Ornaments.
Ornaments can be individually repositioned by clicking and dragging in the score or via the Appearance dialog in the Properties panel.
Arpeggios, strum arrows, glissandi (slide), portamento (glide), brass or woodwind instrument bends and Guitar techniques: Slide in and slide out can be applied from the Arpeggios & Glissandi palette:
Many have an adjustable playback effect (see below).
To add an arpeggio/strum to a score:
Alternatively you can drag an arpeggio/strum symbol from a palette onto a notehead.
Click on an arpeggio and two adjustment handles will appear at the top and bottom of the symbol. You can move either up or down by dragging, or by selecting a handle and using the up/down keyboard arrows.
Arpeggios only span the voice to which they are input initially, but then can then be adjusted to span multiple voices in the same instrument, even across multiple staves.
To adjust an arpeggio to span multiple voices:
The handle will jump to the next voice above or below that has any notes at that point. This includes voices on staves above or below, in the case of multi-staff instruments.
The arpeggio is considered to 'belong' to the uppermost voice that it spans, and will be coloured accordingly.
(Prior to MuseScore 4.2, only the bottom handle could be used, to extend an arpeggio to a voice of the same numberr in the stave(s) below. Any other adjustments had to be made manually.)
To change the speed of a selected arpeggio, press Playback in the Properties panel, and adjust "Spread delay".
If you want to turn off playback altogether, untick the "Play" box in the General section of the Properties panel.
Default properties for all arpeggios in the score can be adjusted from the style menu at Format→Style→Arpeggios:
To add a slide or "portamento" between two notes, add a glissando symbol and change its appearance and playback setting.
To add a slide or portamento before or after a note before a note (a string instrument or guitar technique), add either one of the four brass or woodwind instrument bends or a Guitar techniques: Slide in and slide out, see also Guitar techniques. Alternative wavy symbols are found in the Symbols category in Master palette, those do not affect playback.
Note: Guitar slides are covered in Guitar techniques.
Alternatively you can drag a glissando symbol from the palette onto a notehead.
Glissandi can cross staves if needs be:
If required, you can change the start or end position of a glissando as follows:
This method can also be used to move the edit handle between voices and across staves.
The line type of a selected glissando—whether straight or wavy—and any text associated with it, can be changed in the Glissando section of the Properties panel. You can also turn off text by unchecking the "Show text" box.
To change the playback effect, click on Playback and select an option from the dropdown list: chromatic, white keys, black keys, diatonic, portamento (this option for glissando symbol creates a portamento between two notes, to add other types see portamento).
You can also choose to turn off the playback effect by unchecking "Play" in the General section of the Properties panel.
The following properties are available in the Glissando section of the Properties panel.
Glissando line: Choose from "Straight" or "wavy".
Show text: Uncheck/Check this box to turn off/on the display of the glissando text.
Text: Specify any text to appear with the glissando.
The default style of all glissando text is determined by the settings of "Glissando" in Format→Style→Text styles.
Not to be confused with Guitar techniques: Bends.
The Arpeggios & glissandi palette also contains bend symbols for brass or woodwind instruments:
These have a playback effect on the score.
Fall:
Doit:
Plop:
Scoop:
if you are not sure what's what, mousing over the palette icon will display the name of the symbol in a tooltip.
Alternatively, drag a bend symbol onto a notehead in the score;
To change the shape of the bend, click on it and four adjustment handles become visible. Drag the handles, or click on them and press the keyboard arrows, until you get the shape you want.
Grace notes can be applied to the score from the Grace notes palette.
For bagpipe players there is a comprehensive range of grace notes in the Bagpipe embellishments palette.
Grace notes are small (cue-size) notes which ornament a previous or following note. They take their value from this parent note but do not themselves count towards the measure duration.
There are several kinds:
Acciaccatura(): Usually written with an oblique stroke through the note flag, or through the beam, if there is a beamed series.
Appoggiatura: A stressed note which takes half the value from the parent note.
Grace note after (trill endings):
Note: For standard staves and tablature, the following instructions for adding grace notes work in both note input and normal modes.
Alternatively, you can drag and drop a grace note from the palette onto a note in the score.
You can add a run of grace notes to a selected note by repeatedly applying any of the following:
To apply a chord of grace notes:
To edit the visual duration, click on the grace note in normal mode, and select a duration from the note input toolbar or by using a keyboard shortcut (see Selecting duration).
Standard staves. To change the pitch of grace notes, use one of the methods described in Editing notes and rests.
Tablature. To change the pitch of grace notes, use one of the methods described in Changing the pitch in normal mode (tablature).
[To be added?]
You can adjust the default size for all grace notes in Format→Styles→Sizes.
A Tremolo is the rapid repetition of one note or chord, or a rapid alternation between two notes or chords. The placement of tremolos is handled automatically by the program.
For stemmed notes, the rhythmic value of the tremolo is indicated by the number of diagonal strokes through the stem. One stroke indicates that the original note is divided into eighth notes. e.g.
Two strokes divides the note into sixteenth notes, and three strokes into thirty-second notes. On whole notes the tremolo symbol is placed above the note.
In traditional two-note or two-chord tremolos, incomplete beams are drawn between the notes to indicate the rhythmic value of the tremolo (to change the style see below). One beam indicates eight notes, two beams sixteenth notes, and three beams thirty-second notes. e.g.
A buzz roll symbol is also available from the Tremolos palette. However, it is notational only and currently has no playback properties.
Tremolo beams appear between the notes/chords and the appearance of the noteheads is adjusted accordingly.
Example: To enter a two-note tremolo with the duration of a half note (minim), enter two normal quarter notes (crotchets). After applying a tremolo symbol to the first note, the note values automatically double to half notes.
Three styles of tremolos between notes/chords are supported in MuseScore. To change the style:
Musescore Line is a type of object capable of attaching (anchoring) to a horizontal continuous range of more than two notes or rests, or vertical collection of notes (chord). A Musescore Line object contains a length of string or arc, and optionally a text. These objects can functionally affect the score, and share similar configurable line properties, text properties, and styles.
Musescore Line objects include these subtypes, follow the hyperlink on text to read their dedicated main chapters, or "jump to section" on this chapter:
These markings contain length of string or arc, but do not belong to Musescore Line objects because they cannot attach (anchor) to a continuous range:
Note: The following description of actions and general behaviors applies to Line objects discussed here (those do not have a dedicated handbook chapter), for Line objects having dedicated handbook chapters, refer to those chapters for more accurate info.
The commonest way to add a new Musescore Line is to use either:
To apply a line to a selected range:
Or
To apply a line to a single note:
To adjust the range of a line, see Changing range of a line.
Plain lines are applied from the Lines palette. They can be purposed to anything you like such as to create guitar fingering/string number lines. They can be adjusted to be diagonal or vertical.
A staff text line, like staff text, is affixed to one staff in a system, and is indicative only for that staff. It appears only in the part featuring that staff.
A system text line, like system text, is affixed to one staff but is indicative for all the staffs in the system. It appears in all instrument parts.
Tempo markings such as rit --- are new in Musescore 4, they affect playback tempo.
Not to be confused with (short) trills Ornaments.
Trill lines are upgraded in Musescore 4, their have lots of new engraving settings such as showing a bracketed small note and accidentals to notate trill note pitch, these settings are explained in Ornaments.
They still create playback with SoundFonts instruments like in previous Musescore versions. If the instrument use Muse Sounds and the sound sample exists, a trill line will utilize the beautifully recorded trill audio for playback, for example in case of a perfect fifth trill line.
The Properties panel allows you to view and edit General, Appearance, and Playback settings.
The name of the section below varies depending on the type of line. But it will have two tabs marked Style and Text:
Clicking on the Style tab allows you to set the properties of the line itself:
Line type: A choice of straight, hooked, angle-hooked, or double-hooked.
Thickness / Hook height:
Style: Choice of solid, dashed or dotted line.
Dash / Gap: Adjust the appearance if "Dashed" is selected.
Clicking on the Text tab allows you to apply and position any text associated with the line:
Beginning text: Enter the text, if any, to appear at the beginning of the line.
Vertical offset: Allows you to move the text vertically in relation to the line (in sp.).
Text when continuing to a new system: If the line spans a system, this is the text that will appear before the line in the next system.
Vertical offset: As above.
Values of the "Style for Text line" can be edited in Format→Style→Text line.
Values of the "Style for System text line" can be edited in Format→Style→System text line.
Values of the "Style for text inside Text line" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Text line
The Symbols palette is a category within the Master palette and houses all symbols and text from all built-in music fonts.
Unlike other categories in the Master palette, items in the Symbols palette are non-functional: they are for display purposes only and have no other effect on the score.
You should find most symbols and text items you need for scoring in the Palettes panel—use of the Symbols palette should be reserved for specialist items not available in the small palettes, or on those occasions when you really do need a non-functional element.
To view the Symbols palette, select View→Master Palette, or use the shortcut Shift+F9.
Selecting “Symbols” in the list of headings reveals all symbols under all subcategories. Selecting one subcategory to focus on a specific set.
You can search for a symbol by entering a term in the Search box at the top of the Symbols section. Specify the musical font you want in the dropdown at the bottom right.
Symbols added from the Symbols palette scale in line with the score (see Staff size), but their font-size is fixed.
If you need a symbol with an adjustable font-size, you should consider adding it instead from the Special characters palette as staff text.
Use one of the following methods:
After adding a symbol, you can, if required, add an additional symbol to the existing one. Use one of the following:
To reposition, you can drag the symbol, or edit the offsets in the Apprearance section of the Properties panel. You can also move the symbol using the keyboard arrows—after selecting it and entering edit mode by pressing Alt+Shift+E or F2.
If two symbols have been joined together (see Add to other symbols, above), moving the first-added symbol moves both. However you can still move the second symbol in relation to the first.
A repeat sign looks like a double barline with a dot above and below the center line of the staff (see image below). It is used to enclose repeated sections of the score.
Place a start repeat barline at the beginning of the repeated section and an end repeat barline at the end.
If the start of the repeat section coincides with the beginning of the piece there is no need for a start repeat barline.
See Voltas, for repeat sections with multiple endings.
To change the number of times the repeat section is played, adjust the Play count of the final measure in the Measure properties dialog.
Ignore Repeat barlines, Jumps, Markers playback by unchecking Play toolbar : Cogwheel → Play repeats, see Playback controls chapter.
Do any of these as required
See the main chapter Templates and styles
Values of the "Style for Barlines" can be edited in Format→Style→Barlines. Specify thickness, distance etc.
Volta brackets are lines above the staff used to mark different endings for a repeat section. Musescore creates correct playback. Shown below is an example, the repeat section is played once through with the ending marked "1", then a second time with the ending marked "2".
To change the time range covered, see Changing range of a line chapter.
The End hook property affects playback.
To change the time range covered, see Changing range of a line chapter.
Ignore Repeat barlines, Jumps, Markers playback by unchecking Play toolbar : Cogwheel → Play repeats, see Playback controls chapter.
Download example mscz file:
Measure 3 should have play count set to 4
Measure 5 should have play count set to 3
This example plays back as: 1-3, 1-2,4-5, 1-3, 1-3, 1-2,4-5, 1-2,6-8
See the main chapter Templates and styles
Values of the "Style for text inside Volta" can be edited in Format→Style→Text Style→Volta.
Jumps and markers are used to create repeated sections in a score.
Jump object that act as a jumping point:
Marker object that act as both a jumping point, and a labelled time position:
Marker object that act as a labelled time position only:
Use one of the following methods
Jumps and markers are Text objects. To edit text see Entering and editing text and Formatting text chapter. Segno, Capo symbols are glyphs that can be added from the special character window. Segno, Capo glyphs use Format → Score : Musical symbols font, see Musescore 3 handbook Fonts chapter.
Ignore Repeat barlines, Jumps, Markers playback by unchecking Play toolbar : Cogwheel → Play repeats, see Playback controls chapter.
See the main chapter Templates and styles
A measure repeat symbol indicates that the previous measure is to be repeated. Two- and four-measure repeat symbols indicate the repetition of the previous two or four measures.
To apply a measure repeat symbol, select a measure in the score and click on the measure repeat icon in the Repeats & Jumps palette. Or drag the symbol on to a measure.
To apply a two- or four-measure repeat symbol, select the first blank measure following the section you want repeated, then click on the applicable measure repeat icon in the Repeats & Jumps palette. Alternatively, drag the repeat icon from the palette onto the same blank measure instead.
Note: You may need to click the More icon in the palette to reveal the two- and four-measure repeat symbols.
In the case of multiple-measure repeats a "Group measures" symbol appears above and between measures. This keeps the measures together on the same system, where possible, in case of any automatic layout changes in the score. This symbol can be deleted if desired.
Number position in the Measure repeat section of the Properties panel, allows you to edit the vertical offset of the number above the measure.
Properties of all measure repeats in the score can be set from Format→Style…→Measure repeats:
By default, repeats are always played. If you want to turn off repeat playback,
For Harp Pedal see Idiomatic notation: Harp instead.
This chapter focuses on the types of piano pedal engraving available, for knowledge of various piano pedals see wikipedia article.
Supported engravings including:
There are three different subtypes:
Type 1 includes:
Visually, the line or symbol only extends horizontally to the notehead attached to the end anchor.
Functionally, if that note is attached to another marking's start anchor, the following marking will automatically connect and make a shape resembling "-^-", which is indicative of the piano technique "pedal released and pressed again without releasing this note".
shown above is the auto connect, their playback are also in line with the piano technique
If the instrument use SoundFonts such as "MS Basic", or when exported as MIDI file, sustain (MIDI CC 64) is created. When consecutive type 1 markings create a "-^-", playback matches the piano technique, the first marking is interpreted by synthesizer as released at the note attached to the end anchor. Single or trailing type 1 markings creates playback like type 2: sustain until the note attached to the end anchor ends.
The last two type 1 markings shown above are single or trailing, they create the same playback as type 2
Type 2 includes:
Visually, the line extends horizontally to an aprpopiate length spanning the full duration of note attached to the end anchor.
Functionally, if the instrument use SoundFonts such as "MS Basic", or when exported as MIDI file, sustain (MIDI CC 64) is created. Type 2 always sustain until the note attached to the end anchor ends.
Type 1 and 2 are interchangable by adjusting properties.
Type 3 includes the sostenuto pedal marking and custom Staff texts, they are for engraving purpose only and are non-functional.
shown above a type 2 marking on score
Add pedal markings from Lines palette, see Other lines:Adding a line to your score.
Adjust with Shift+←/→, switch handle with Tab, see Adjusting elements directly: Changing the range of a line.
Unfortunately, you might need to make compromise with engraving style or not notate at all if you must create a desired playback, because of the functional limitation of Type 1 and Type 2 explained. As of Musescore 4.1.1, pedal marking always create sustain playback only (cannot be turned off), making it impossible to use "add redundant symbol, make it invisible" trick.
To create shape resembling "-^-" with consecutive Type 1 markings, make sure the end anchor is attached correctly, which is usually to the first note of the next measure instead of the last note of the previous measure. This big picture shows the correct end anchor result.
MuseScore 4.1.1 does not offer keyboard shortcut bindings to palette items, the keyboard shortcut key available in Musescore 3 that you can use to re-apply the same (last used) palette item is removed (not reimplemented yet).
Not to be confused with Harp pedal change
Use type 1 markings, explained in "adding marking" section.
For issues related to MusicXML direction import / export, there are upcoming changes in Musescore 4.2, see forum discussion https://musescore.org/en/node/356899 [please feel free to update info here]
Select pedal marking(s), in Properties panel Pedal section, Line properties can be set, the extra option available to pedal marking is "Show line with rosette" checkbox under Style tab, tick it to make the default line visible in printing and exporting.
Values of the "Style for Pedal" can be edited in Format→Style→Pedal.
Values of the "Style for text inside Pedal" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Pedal
See also Line style.
Select a note in the voice that you wish to move up or down to the other staff. e.g.
Press Ctrl+Shift+↓/↑ (Mac: Cmd+Shift+↓/↑), to move the voice up or down to the other staff. Alternatively, you can click on the cross-staff icon in the note input toolbar and choose the same options from the context menu.
Note: This operation works on a voice basis, rather than on individual notes. It follows that if you want to ensure that notes remain on the same staff during the operation, they should be in a different voice to the one selected above. Be aware that notes which have been moved to a different staff still belong logically to the staff of origin. This is why no rest is shown in the place where the moved notes originated.
To adjust the beam angle and height, click on the beam, then click on an adjustment handle and use the keyboard arrows, or drag the handle with a mouse. e.g.
Alternatively you can make more precise adjustments from the beam section of the Properties panel.
[work in progress, please add missing info]
See Accordion notation and playback tutorial.
Fretboard (or Chord) diagrams usually appear above the staff on lead sheets and piano scores:
They are commonly used for guitar chords, but MuseScore allows you to create diagrams for any stringed instrument.
A library of common guitar chord diagrams (major, minor and 7th) is provided in the Fretboard Diagrams palette.
To reveal the chord name of any diagram in the palette, hover the cursor over it.
Use one of the following methods:
When any of the preset diagrams is applied to the score, a chord symbol is automatically placed above it. This linked chord symbol has the same properties as a stand-alone chord symbol and can be edited and moved as such.
The default placement of a chord symbol in relation to its parent diagram is controlled by the “Distance to Fretboard Diagram” property (set in Format→Style…→Chord Symbols→Positioning). This value interacts with the chord symbol Minimum distance (to view, press Appearance in the Properties panel). Adjust the diagram’s position manually if you need to override this.
A linked chord symbol can be deleted independently of its parent diagram. You can also add a new linked chord symbol to a fretboard diagram: see Entering a chord symbol.
Note: Neither fretboard diagrams nor their linked chord symbols are affected by transposition commands.
Note: See also Fretboard diagram properties (below).
The default finger marker is a round black dot, which suffices for standard chord (and scale) diagrams. However a number of other shapes are provided—cross, square and triangle—to enable other notation styles.
Some arrangers and educators have extended the basic form of the fretboard diagram, incorporating finger dots of various shapes, and allowing multiple dots per string. Jazz guitarist Ted Greene and his successors are notable examples.
Multi-dot notation style. With this approach, the chord signified by round dots on the fretboard diagram is played first (see image below). Then, on successive beats marked by chord symbols, the chord fingering is modified to incorporate other shapes on the same diagram; the usual playing order is: dot → X → square → delta, but this can vary.
Optional-note notation style. Another use of multiple dots per string allows other symbols to show optional notes, rather than delayed notes:
Edit the following properties as desired:
When a fretboard diagram is selected, its properties are viewable in the Properties tab of the sidebar as follows:
At the bottom of the Fretboard diagram section of the sidebar is an image of the selected fretboard diagram. Any changes made to this image are automatically applied to the fretboard diagram in the score as well.
Global fretboard diagram properties can be set in Format→Style…→Fretboard Diagrams:
Tremolo bar symbols are available from the Guitar palette (look for the oversized "V") and are applied and adjusted in a similar way to bend symbols (above)—with a similar graphical interface in the "Tremolo" bar section of Properties.
You can choose from a range of presets in "Tremolo bar type", or create your own custom one.
Slides can be found in the Arpeggios and glissandi palette. They are of two types:
By default, slides have a playback effect on the score. You can turn this off by unchecking "Play" in the General section of the Properties panel.
Use one of the following methods:
In the case of in-between slides going from one chord to the next, the program will attempt to link the correct notes where possible. If further adjustment is required, see below.
For in-between slides, the following properties can be adjusted in the Glissando section of the Properties panel.
In-between slides:
To move an end handle vertically or horizontally, from one note to the next:
Slides in/out:
To adjust the position of the end handle:
A Barre lines is a text-line drawn above a guitar staff to indicate that the passage requires a full or half barre. Symbols such as the following are commonly found in guitar music:
Full bar (2nd fret):
Half barre (2nd fret):
The C before the roman numerals can be omitted and other variations in line style and text are possible—according to the publisher.
To apply a barre:
To adjust the length of a line, see Changing range of a line.
Hammer-ons and pull-offs are notated by slurs. If you need text annotations as well, create them using staff text; they can be saved to a palette for future use (see Adding elements from your score).
A natural harmonic can be notated in one of three ways:
An annotation, such as "Nat. Har.", "N.H.", "Har.", is usually attached, as well as string and fret numbers; the notehead may be standard or diamond-shaped, and rendered clear rather than black; fret numbers may be Arabic or Roman, and so on.
Fixing Playback: If harmonics do not play back at the correct pitch, mute them and create a hidden voice containing the harmonics at concert pitch.
See also, How to Read Harmonic Notation on the Classical Guitar (douglasniedt.com).
A natural harmonic in tablature may be rendered simply as a fretmark, or may be followed by a dot, or enclosed in a diamond, or a pair of angled brackets. e.g.
To create a pair of angled brackets:
You should ensure that the staff/tab pairs are not linked, since you need to be able to edit each staff independently of the other.
The types of guitar fingering and how to apply them are explained in Fingering.
Not to be confused with brass or woodwind instrument bends.
This section shows old instructions for using Bends in MuseScore 4.0 to Musescore 4.1. For users of MuseScore 4.2 and above versions, see the Guitar bends chapter.
Bends are created with the Bend Tool located in the Guitar palette. To apply one or more bends to the score, use one of the following options:
A default bend is created in the score. You can modify this bend or choose from a range of alternatives using “Bend type” in the Bends section of the Properties panel.
Bend shape and length can be edited in the graphical display in the Bends section of the Properties panel:
Each red line segment between blue nodes represents one step in the bend, and each step extends horizontally for 1 sp. in the score. The slope of any line shows whether it is an up-bend, a down-bend or a hold. So the above graph describes an up bend, then a hold—total length 2sp.
The vertical axis of the graph represents the amount by which the pitch is bent up or down: one unit (the side of a small square) equals a quarter-tone, 2 units a semitone, 4 units a whole-tone, and so on.
To add another step to a bend
To delete a bend step
The height of the bend is automatically adjusted so that any text appears just above the staff. This height can be adjusted, if necessary, with a workaround:
Bends can be freely repositioned using the methods shown in Changing position of elements.
Music for fretted, stringed instruments is commonly notated using tablature (often abbreviated as tab); this gives a visual representation of the strings and fret numbers. Tablature is frequently found in combination with traditional staff notation.
A variety of tablature templates for common instruments are supplied. If this isn't quite what you're looking for, you can easily change the template (see Changing tablature staff type), and/or customize the staff (see Tablature: customization).
There are three possibilities:
To create tablature as part of a new score:
To create a tablature staff in an existing score:
Music for the guitar (and other plucked-string instruments) is often notated using paired standard and tablature staves. In MuseScore, the staves can be either linked or unlinked.
Linked: Any change you make to the notation in one staff automatically updates the other.
Unlinked: Each staff is edited independently. To update the other staff, copy and paste the relevant music notation.
Note : In both cases, the staff/tablature pair shares the same instrument.
There are two ways to do this when creating a new score (A or B):
A. For linked staves only:
B. For linked or unlinked staves:
Use this method when you want to add to an existing score:
Note: If you already have one staff of a standard/tab pair in your score, you can simply add the missing staff from the Instruments panel. See Adding and configuring staves.
Note for period instrument tablature: A to K (skipping I) can also be used to enter numbers 0 to 9. In French tablature the corresponding letters appear instead; for L, M, N, you need to type respectively 10, 11, 12.
See also, Editing notes and rests" (below).
See also, Editing notes and rests" (below).
Whether you are using a keyboard or mouse, you can set note duration using one of the following:
Note: This applies to note input mode only. If you want to change the duration of a selected note in normal mode see Changing duration in normal mode.
MuseScore also supports tablature notation for period instruments such as the renaissance and baroque lutes, Theorbo etc. There are a number of notation systems in use (French, Italian, German, Spanish), but the most common is French.
French tablature features 6 lines representing the top 6 courses. Instead of numbers, fretmarks are indicated by letters—as explained above. Any notes on bass courses below the 6th string (fretted or unfretted) are represented by symbols in the space underneath the 6th line of tablature.
To enter symbols below the 6th course:
Cue mark | Number of course | Fretmark entered automatically for unstopped course |
---|---|---|
no cue | 7 | a |
/ | 8 | /a |
// | 9 | //a |
/// | 10 | ///a |
4 | 11 | 4 |
5 | 12 | 5 |
6 | 13 | 6 |
7 | 14 | 7 |
Conversely you can return to a higher course by pressing ↑, and the cue mark changes accordingly.
2. If the selected course is fretted simply enter a fretmark in note input mode (as shown above). If the selected course is unstopped press any note key in note input mode and MuseScore will automatically enter the correct zero fretmark (see table above).
In note input mode:
In normal mode:
Note: The fret mark cannot be higher than the “Number of frets” value set in the Edit String Data dialog.
To move the fret mark to an adjacent string without changing the pitch:
In note input mode:
In normal mode:
Use one of the following methods:
Note: This operation can only proceed if the relevant string is free and can produce that note.
See Changing duration in normal mode.
To change a fret mark to a crosshead/ghost note:
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.
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.
Note: After deleting a tablature string you will also need to adjust the number of lines in Staff/Part properties→Advanced style properties.
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:
See also Period tablature notation.
This property defines the maximum fret number which can be entered on a tablature staff.
MuseScore provides a range of common tablature types. If you want to change the tablature type, choose one of two options:
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:
This gives you access to a full range of tablature customization options. See Staff properties: Tablature options.
Global settings are set in Format→Style→Tablature styles.
A capo is a device that can be clamped onto the fretboard of a fretted stringed instrument, such as the guitar. The capo effectively shortens the strings, which makes the instrument play in a higher key than it normally would.
MuseScore allows you to emulate this effect by adding a Capo marking to an instrument staff (or staves). This automatically transposes playback to the desired pitch while keeping the notes, or fretmarks, unchanged. Partial capos, where only some strings are shortened, are also possible (see below).
The capo element is available in the Guitar palette, which is hidden by default.
To find the capo element:
Alternatively, to permanently reveal the Guitar palette:
Note: The Add palettes dialog is not currently accessible to screen readers, so blind users must use the first method (via search).
The Capo settings popup dialog appears when you add a new capo marking or select an existing capo marking in the score.
Note: Keyboard users can press Tab to focus the Capo settings popup after it has appeared, and then use the arrow keys to navigate the available settings. If you press Tab a second time the popup will disappear. To get it back, simply deselect the capo marking with Alt+Left, reselect it with Alt+Right, and then press Tab to focus the popup.
By default, if you select Off the text in the score will change to read "No capo".
The number in the Fret spinner refers to the fret where the capo should be applied. For example, fret 1 transposes the key up by a semitone, fret 2 by a whole tone, and so on. The text label in the score will update automatically.
For example, if you choose fret 4, the text in the score will say "Capo 4".
Note: Keyboard focus can get stuck in the fret edit control. If this happens, press Up and Down to change the value of the spinner, then press Right to move to the Apply to string checkboxes below.
The checkbox switches in the Apply to section let you specify that a capo should be applied only on certain strings. When at least one string is turned off, the text in the score will change to indicate a partial capo.
For example, if you choose fret 4 and then turn off strings 1 and 2, the text in the score would say "Partial capo: Fret 4 on strings 3, 4, 5, 6".
To change the wording of the Capo text:
Using the steps above, you can, if desired, vary the capo setting at different points in the score. Each capo instance will affect the transposition of all music that follows it, up until the next capo mark.
Note: It is not possible to apply more than one capo at the same time. This feature is planned for a later release.
This page describes features added in MuseScore 4.2. For string tuning in older versions of MuseScore 4, see Customizing a tablature staff.
To apply a string tuning instruction to a stave:
A tuning fork icon will appear above your stave.
Alternatively, first select a measure, then select the String tunings element in the Guitar palette.
String tuning instructions are added to measures, and affect only the stave to which they have been applied (including any linked staves). You can apply multiple string tunings at different measures in your score. Each string tuning will apply from the start of the measure to which it has been added, up until the next string tuning element.
Once you've added a string tuning element to a stave, you can specify the tuning you want for your instrument.
The tuning fork icon will be replaced with the conventional tuning text instruction, comprising encircled numbers for each of the instrument's strings, and text designations showing the new pitch of each string.
You can customise the string tuning text to display any number of strings, as well as any pitch you like:
Note that the 'eye' icons merely show or hide the text instruction on the score. The actual tuning of each string, insofar as it affects playback and tablature fret positions (see more below), is determined by the pitch indicated in the text field alongside each string – regardless of whether that string's tuning instruction is shown or hidden in the score.
When an alternate tuning element is applied to a stave, the pitch specified for each string will be shown as an open position ("0") in the tablature stave.
During playback, the pitch of all fret positions along each string remains relative to the pitch of the open string: For example,
The notation on any linked standard stave remains unaffected by the presence of alternate string tunings. This allows the player to continue reading the sounding pitches of each string.
Sometimes, especially in cases where every string on the instrument has been uniformly tuned down, it will be preferable for the player to read the standard notation at the ‘regular‘ (i.e. pre-tuned) pitch rather than the sounding pitch. In order to achieve this, the standard stave can be transposed.
A common example is to want to tune the guitar down a half-step without affecting the standard notation. To achieve this:
Both the standard stave and any linked tablature stave (where applicable) will show the fret positions and standard notation at the standard playing pitch (as if no alternate tuning had been specified). Playback will, however, reflect the alternate tuning.
Toggling on Concert pitch will show the sounding pitches notated on the standard stave.
[Draft only: more content forthcoming]
This page describes features added in MuseScore 4.2. For older versions of MuseScore 4, see Guitar techniques.
For other types of bends, see brass or woodwind instrument bends.
From MuseScore 4.2 onwards, four types of guitar bends can be added to your score:
These bends can be found in the Guitar palette
In general, bends in MuseScore connect two notes together: a ‘starting note’ and an ‘arrival note’.
Bends are contextual, meaning if the arrival note is higher than the starting note, an upward bend will be created. Conversely, if the arrival note is lower than the starting note, a release will be drawn.
Whenever a bend is added to a tablature stave, both the starting and arrival notes will be entered as a fret positions. The arrival note, however, will be hidden by default. This allows you to create sequences of multiple bends (such as bend-release combinations) using only the tablature stave, without needing to input notes in the standard stave. If you're working mainly in the standard stave, you may find it more convenient to hide these fret positions via the Invisible setting in the Properties panel.
In all cases, the bend amount, being the intervallic distance between the starting and arrival notes, is reflected by the notated pitches on the standard stave, allowing you to see the shape of a melodic line, as it is affected by the presence of bent notes. On the tablature stave, the bend amount is given by a numerical indicator: "1" for a whole tone, "1/2" for a half-tone (semitone), "1/4" for a quarter-tone, etc.
To apply any type of bend to your score:
Windows Alt+B | macOS ⌥+B
A standard bend connects two notes together: a ‘starting note’ and an ‘arrival note’. Standard bends are mostly used when it is desired to clearly specify the rhythm of the bend pattern.
When a bend is added to a note, it will automatically be drawn to the next note in the score (the arrival note). If a rest follows the starting note, MuseScore will replace the rest so that the bend has an arrival note to connect to.
Windows Ctrl+Alt+B | macOS ⌘+⌥+B
Grace note bends can be used to indicate bends that don’t have a defined rhythmic duration; they are generally played quite quickly before the beat.
When you apply a grace note bend to a note, it will automatically be entered one diatonic step lower than the note it precedes.
No default keyboard shortcut: set your own shortcut in Preferences
Pre-bends indicate a string that has been bent prior to being struck. On the standard stave, it is represented as a stemless, parenthesised grace note. On the tablature stave, it is illustrated with a straight, rather than curved arrow.
No default keyboard shortcut: set your own shortcut in Preferences
Slight bends are the only bend type in MuseScore that do not connect to an arrival note.
They are always set to a pre-defined amount of a ¼ of a tone, and always bend upwards from the starting note.
A hold is indicated by a dashed horizontal line between two bends. It is only ever shown in the tablature stave.
Hold lines are drawn automatically where a bent note is subsequently tied to one or more notes.
In addition, you can manually show or hide hold lines where it makes sense to do so.
Both the intervallic amount and playback speed of bends can be adjusted in MuseScore, either by modifying the pitch of bent notes on the standard stave, or adjusting the bend curve in the Properties panel.
To change the bend amount of a standard bend, grace note bend, or pre-bend in the standard stave, simply raise or lower the pitch of either the starting or arrival note in your score. The fractional indicator in any linked tablature stave will be adjusted automatically.
Both the bend amount and its playback speed can be adjusted via the Properties panel.
To adjust the bend amount:
The left-most point of the bend curve corresponds to the starting note in a bend. The right-most point corresponds to the arrival note.
Dragging the right-most (end point) of the curve upwards raises the arrival note in ¼-tone steps. In the same way, dragging the end point downwards lowers the pitch of the arrival note. The fractional indicator in the tablature stave, and the notated pitch in the standard stave, will be updated accordingly.
To adjust the playback speed of a bend:
Dragging a curve point horizontally changes only its playback speed, including the duration for which the starting and arrival notes are held (indicated with a horizontal line). It does not affect rhythmic notation in your score.
MuseScore also makes it possible to apply bends to chords, and to create unison bends.
To apply bends to chords:
To create a unison bend:
In the case of unison bends, it can be helpful to apply the bend in the tablature stave, where it can be easier to see which string exactly is being bent.
To customize the appearance of bends across an entire score:
In this dialog, you can modify:
Harps typically have seven strings per octave, with one string per pitch-class from C to B. Modern harps also have seven pedals, each of which has three positions: middle (natural), highest (flattened), and lowest (sharpened). Raising the pedal from middle position loosens the tension of one pitch-class of strings in every octave, lowering the notes by a half step, and lowering the pedal results in notes a half step higher. For example, moving the C pedal to the lowest position will make all C strings play C#.
In notated music for pedal harps, diagrams or text markings in the score indicate when to change pedal positions to change playable notes.
As of MuseScore 4.1 the harp pedal diagram element is available in the Harp notation palette.
Notes that cannot be played with the selected pedal configuration will turn red.
The diagram view shows every pedal, while the text view shows only the notes that need to change since the last pedal marking.
By default, diagrams appear above the staves and text markings appear between them.
To change a diagram, select it in the score to reopen the popup dialog.
The diagram corresponds visually to the seven harp pedals. The three to the left of the vertical line are the left foot pedals; the four on the right correspond to the right foot. From left to right, the notes the pedals control are:
A bar on the line indicates the middle position, which plays a natural note. A bar above the line tells the player to raise the pedal, flattening the note, and a bar below indicates lowering the pedal, sharpening the note.
For example, the playable notes indicated by the diagram below are C#, D, E, F#, G#, A, and B.
The upper line of notes refers to the pedals controlled by the right foot, and the bottom line to the left foot pedals.
The first instance of a harp pedal text diagram in the score will always show the positions of all seven pedals. The text view shows only the notes that need to change since the last pedal marking.
Text diagrams appear between the staves by default, but can be manually repositioned.
[This chapter (Oct 2023) does not contain the latest info on the topic. Please refer to the handbook 3's Entering and editing percussion notation chapter (May 2024). Feel free to port and improve, pls note that "major percussion overhaul" is upcoming soon https://musescore.org/en/node/354177 ]
In percussion notation, the lines and spaces of the music staff are allocated to different instruments—rather than different pitches—and a range of different notehead shapes is used.
The example below shows a simple drumkit beat on a five-line music staff. By convention, the bass drum rhythm is written on the lowest space of the staff, the snare drum on the third space, and the closed hihat, using crosshead notes, on the space above the staff.
Stem direction usually describes whether an instrument is hit with a hand-stick or with a foot-pedal. Musescore use the Musescore Voices feature to help create notes that have different stem direction.
Percussion music is usually written on a 5-line, 3-line, or 1-line staff—depending on the instrument. When a percussion instrument is created using the New Score dialog, MuseScore automatically chooses the most appropriate staff type. This can be changed later, if necessary, using the "Staff type" column in the Instruments panel. You can also create a Custom staff types.
See Setting up your score and/or Instruments panel.
There are several ways of entering music on a percussion staff:
After each note or rest is entered, the cursor automatically advances so that it is in the correct position for subsequent entry.
This method is suitable for adding instruments which have a keyboard shortcut displayed in the Drum Input palette.
Note: Shortcuts can be changed in the Edit drumset dialog.
To add notes to a percussion staff from a MIDI keyboard:
Note: Refer to a GM2 drum map for details about which MIDI keyboard key corresponds to which percussion instrument.
To add notes to a percussion staff from the virtual Piano Keyboard:
Note: Refer to a GM2 drum map for details about which piano key corresponds to which percussion instrument.
You can customize the notation of instruments inside the "drumset" Musescore Instrument using the Edit drumset dialog and
To customize percussion staff, see Staff/Part properties and chapters under Idiomatic notation: Percussion.
Edit drumset dialog can be opened in note input mode from the Drum input palette by clicking on the Edit drumset button (bottom left of the program window). Alternatively, in normal mode, right-click on the percussion staff and select Edit drumset...
On the left is a list of available percussion instruments. You can put these in MIDI number order by clicking on the "No." heading; this automatically shows them in note order as well. Clicking again puts the list in reverse order.
The right of the dialog shows you how the selected instrument is displayed on the percussion staff: its name, position, notehead type and note-stem direction.
Any changes made here are automatically saved in the parent MuseScore file (after pressing OK). You can also save the drumset independently as a drumset file.
[the following is a work in progress, "major percussion overhaul" is upcoming https://musescore.org/en/node/354177 , in the meantime see Musescore 3 handbook Drum notation, feature is still identical in Musescore 4.1.1 ]
Diddles can be added by using an eighth-note Tremolo.
To add a vibraphone pedal line, see Pedal.
To add a drumroll to your score, see Tremolo.
To enter sticking symbols (R, L):
To apply mensural signs to a score you need to add a conventional time signature first, then modify its display by substituting with the appropriate mensural symbol in the Time signature properties dialog. Note that these signs are for show only; it is not possible to modify the duration ratio between different note values, and the actual underlying time signature remains unchanged.
[To be added]
Early music, such as renaissance choral music, may be written without barlines or a time signature. This can be achieved in MuseScore as follows:
Note: In step 4 you can make the barlines invisible instead by selecting all and pressing V.
Note that the score still behaves as if measures are present. Measure properties can be applied if required.
Mensurstrich is a form of modern notation of early music in which barlines are drawn between staves rather than across them:
In jazz and popular music, passages are often notated with slash noteheads that indicate no specific pitch. The notation can either include stems to indicate specifc rhythms, or the notation can be stemless and just indicate the beat.
Beat slashes have no stems and thus show no rhythm; just the beat itself. Depending on the content, this might indicate an improvised solo, and accompaniment pattern to be devised by the player, or a suggestion to continue in the style of previously notated passage. These slashes are often accompanied by chord symbols, which can also be added in the usual way.
To fill a range with slashes:
From the menu, select Tools→Fill with slashes
These slashes do not play, but the chord symbols do.
To notate a specific rhythm, use rhythmic slash notation. By default, these slashes do not play, but you can override that if you wish to enter specific notes or chord voicings you want to hear even though they will be turned into pitchless slashes in the notation.
If you wish to hear the playback of the notes you entered, select the applicable range of chords and check “Play” in the Properties: General panel.
To enter rhythms above the staff, use the same process, but enter the rhythm into voice 3. Use voice 4 for a rhythm below the staff.
Musescore has four staff types, each of them has different build-in templates, see Staff/Part properties.
To create a custom staff used on whole score :
To create a custom staff to be used on one section of score:
Modified Stave Notation (MSN) is a formatting common used in large print. To use MSN see MuseScore 3 tutorial page Creating Modified Stave Notation in MuseScore, it works similarly inside Musescore 4.
[this section is a work in progress, please add missing info]
[this section is a work in progress, please add missing info]
Download this testing score file MS4 Noteheadschemes.mscz
'Notehead schemes' are used by musicians to designate notehead shape meaning. In Musescore 4.1.1, schemes for a staff is named "Notehead Scheme", same options for a note is named "Notehead System", see Noteheads.
Musescore has nine of them. Five of them are directly fully supported, notes written create correct playback. Four "shape note notations" are supported in terms of notehead engraving, users need to take advantage of 'Transposing instruments' feature to create desired playback, see Noteheads.
To create custom "shape note notations", see Noteheads.
The nine supported by Musescore are:
4 solfege related notations:
4 shape note notations, need further config if you wish to create desired playback:
See Overview
[this section is a work in progress, please add missing info]
For Notehead scheme:
Musescore has different text editing functionalities. This chapter and other chapters under handbook Text section focus on the Musescore Text objects, individual objects that can be placed on a score, and objects containing it. There are also score settings that add text onto pages automatically.
A Musescore Text object is an object on a score that contains individual characters that can be entered and removed by using (typing on) a computer keyboard. It is usually attached to a note or a rest, some of them attach to another object.
Different types of Text object are not interchangeable. They have distinct property fields that affect how Musescore functions. For example, a Staff Text object styled as a metronome mark can never be configured to change playback tempo inside Musescore. The Tempo object should be used to change playback tempo inside Musescore.
To check the object type, select an object on a score, its type is displayed on the status bar.
Text object type | Uses |
---|---|
Staff Text | General purpose text for one MuseScore instrument. Can be configured to apply swing playback or sound flags. See Setting up your score and Staff Text, System Text and Expression Text chapter. |
System Text | Similar to Staff Text, but for all instruments in the system (page layout concept). See Page layout concepts and Staff Text, System Text and Expression Text chapter. |
Expression Text | The expression item in the Text Palette. A new type introduced in Musescore 4. Does not affect Musescore playback as of Musescore 4.2. See Staff Text, System Text and Expression Text chapter. |
Instrument change | The Change instr. item in the Text Palette. Change the Musescore Instrument after the anchored note or rest. See Setting up your score and Mid-score instrument changes chapters. |
Dynamic | Such as p and mf, are Text that affects Musescore playback dynamics. See Dynamics chapter. |
Hairpin | Such as crese. and dim., are Text line that affects Musescore playback dynamics. See Hairpins chapter. |
Playing technique annotation | The legato. pizz. etc items in the Text Palette. [This info is a work in progress, the software function is under active dev, pls see and update Staff Text, System Text and Expression Text, and Dynamics, and Mixer, and Glossary and Articulations chapters] |
Tempo | Numerical metronome mark, verbal direction. A Text type that specifies Musescore playback tempo. See Tempo marks chapter. |
Gradual Tempo Change | Such as accel.. A new Text line type introduced in Musescore 4 that affects Musescore playback tempo. See Tempo marks chapter. |
Swing and Straight item in the Tempo Palette | A pre-configured System Text. See Swing playback and Staff Text, System Text and Expression Text chapters. |
Lyrics | Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut breaks up words stored in clipboard, paste and then jump to next anchor conveniently. See Lyrics chapter. |
Jump | Such as "D.C."(Da Capo), "D.S. al Coda" etc found in the Repeats & Jumps Palette. See Jumps and markers chapter. |
Marker | The Capo symbol, Segno symbol, "Fine", "To Coda" etc found in the Repeats & Jumps Palette. See Jumps and markers chapter. |
Rehearsal mark | The boxed B1 item in the Text Palette. Facilitate rehearsals, divide score into sections, bookmark passages etc. See Rehearsal marks chapter. |
Chord symbol | Has playback, notes automatically decided. See Chord symbol chapter. |
Nashville number | Has playback, similar to Chord symbol. See Chord symbol:NNS chapter. |
Roman Numeral | No playback. See Chord symbol:RNA chapter. |
Figured bass | A period keyboard notation. No playback. See Figured bass chapter. |
Sticking | Letters (L and R) attached to (drum) notes showing which hand or foot to use. See Sticking chapter. |
Fingering | Numbers or letters attached to notes showing which fingers to use. See Fingering chapter. |
Title, Subtitle, Composer, Lyricist, and Text (text block type) | They are Text types designed to be added into a frame. See Text blocks and Frame chapters. They are not the placeholder text used in the header and footer, see "Score setting" section. |
Text line, including Volta, Pedal etc types | Volta etc found in Repeats & Jumps Palette. Pedal found in Keyboard Palette. Ottava (8--, 8ve, 8va, 15--) etc found in Pitch Palette. Guitar Barre lines etc. See Other lines chapter. |
Long and short name of Musescore Instrument (see Setting up your score chapter) is automatically added to the left of staff in each system (page layout concept, see Page layout concepts chapter). Names can be changed direcly on a score using text edit mode, or using Staff/Part property window, see Staff/Part properties chapter. They are, by default, only added when there are more than one instrument. To change this default behavior, change the setting under Format → Style → Score.
Measure numbers can be added automatically. Configure it at Format → Style → Measure nubmers, see Measure numbering chapter.
Musescore's header and footer functionality adds text to every pages automatically. Configure it at Format → Style → Header & footer. Placeholder text (special symbols) can be used to add information like the current page number, copyright claim etc. Placeholder text is also used to add metadata tags, the digital data of a score file, onto the score dynamically. See Header and footer chapter.
Different types of Text object are not interchangeable, decide on the suitable object type before adding it. Use the chart under "Musescore Text object" section. For general engraving or visual display purpose, it is recommended to use a Staff text or System text.
The following explains how to add text to a note or a rest or a valid anchor outside frames. Adding text to a frame is covered in the Text blocks chapter.
To add a text element to your score from a Palette, either select one or more notes/rests and click on the desired palette item; or drag the text from the palette onto a note/rest. e.g.
If the text object is associated with a staff you can add it by selecting a note, then choosing a text option from Add→Text.
Many text types can be entered using keyboard shortcuts. Shortcuts are shown to the right of items in Add→Text.
To create a text object, select a note, then enter the required shortcut.
To edit *text automatically added by score settings*, see "Score setting" section.
To delete object(s) on a score, select the objects then press Delete.
To edit *text automatically added by score settings*, see "Score setting" section.
Text and text line objects are edited with two different methods, depending on the object type:
To enter text edit mode use one of the following methods:
To leave text edit mode either press Escape or click on a part of the score outside the edit area.
The following keyboard shortcuts are available in text edit mode:
Function | Windows & Linux | Mac |
---|---|---|
Bold (toggle) | Ctrl+B | Cmd+B |
Italic (toggle) | Ctrl+I | Cmd+I |
Underline (toggle) | Ctrl+U | Cmd+U |
Move cursor | Home, End, ←, →, ↑, ↓ | (Alt+) ←, →, ↑, ↓ |
Remove character to the left of the cursor | Backspace | Delete |
Remove character to the right of the cursor | Del | → Delete or Fn+Del |
Start new line | ↵ | return |
Insert special characters (see below) | Shift+F2 | Fn+F2 |
Characters not available from the standard keyboard may be accessed using the Special Characters window.
To open Special Characters, in text edit mode (see "Editing text object content" section), press Shift+F2; or click on Insert special characters in the Text section of the Properties panel.
The dialog is divided into 3 tabs: Common symbols, musical symbols and unicode symbols. The musical and unicode tabs are further subdivided into alphabetically-arranged categories. It is preferable to use items in Common symbols tab as they are functional, see Musescore 3 handbook Fonts chapter.
Clicking an item in the Special Characters dialog immediately adds it to the text where the cursor is positioned. Multiple items can be applied without closing the dialog box, and the user can even continue to type normally, delete characters, enter numerical character codes etc., with it open.
In text edit mode, the following keyboard shortcuts add a functional version of special characters (whenever possible) into the current Text object, see Musescore 3 handbook Fonts chapter.
Character | Windows & Linux | Mac | Note |
---|---|---|---|
Sharp ♯ | Ctrl+Shift+# | Cmd+Shift+# | May not work on some keyboard layouts |
Flat ♭ | Ctrl+Shift+B | Cmd+Shift+B | |
Natural ♮ | Ctrl+Shift+H | Cmd+Shift+H | |
Piano p | Ctrl+Shift+P | Cmd+Shift+P | |
Forte f | Ctrl+Shift+F | Cmd+Shift+F | |
Mezzo m | Ctrl+Shift+M | Cmd+Shift+M | |
Rinforzando r | Ctrl+Shift+R | Cmd+Shift+R | |
Sforzando s | Ctrl+Shift+S | Cmd+Shift+S | |
Niente n | Ctrl+Shift+N | Cmd+Shift+N | |
Z z | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Cmd+Shift+Z | |
Elision ‿ | Ctrl+Alt+- | Cmd+Alt+- |
Layout and formatting in Musescore has 2 main levels, read Templates and styles first. Text objects have finer levels:
The final visual and function of most object in a score file is determined by:
Options in Properties panel behave differently depending on the current selection.
"Font", "Style", "Size", "Subscript and superscript" are both object properties, and individual character formatting options. When you change an object using the Properties panel, incompatible formatting on individual characters are removed.
"Alignment", "Frame", "Text style" are object properties. When you select individual characters and change these options in the Properties panel, the object properties are changed instead.
To edit text content, see Entering and editing text instead.
Use the Properties panel to change formatting of individual characters. Musescore 4 updated the Inspector present in Musescore 2 and Musescore 3 and integrated the function of Text Toolbar (Text editing) into the Properties panel.
Click More to see:
To edit text content, see Entering and editing text instead.
Use the Properties panel to change formatting of the Text object, which may change all of the characters inside:
Options are self-explanatory, these special settings are shown after clicking More:
Match staff size: whether text size changes proportionally, see Page layout concepts.
Text style : Changes which style a text object on a score uses, see below
Position : Above or below the staff, see below
In the Properties panel, use Text style property under More. Concept of formatting is explained in the overview. Only the "style for text inside certain type of object" a text object on a score uses can be changed, they includes the "User-1" ... "User-12", see below. See Templates and styles.
The Properties panel is used for assigning formatting to the Text object(s). When a Text object is changed, all of the characters inside it may change. The Properties panel also is used for assigning formatting to individual characters inside a Text object, when characters are selected.
It is important to know that, even when characters inside a Text object are selected, some properties shown on the Properties panel are still the Text object's setting, but not the character property. They includes the Position property.
In the Properties panel, Use Position property under More to change layout of the Text object. If a overriding option exists for this type of object, is in "style for certain type of object", but not in "style for text inside certain type of object", see "Changing the values inside a style" section below. See also the main chapter Templates and styles.
Concept of formatting is explained in the overview.
Understand Templates and styles first. To change values inside a style, use the "Style" window: Format→Style.
To assign visual settings values to a custom style: "User-1" to "User-12", use the "Style" window: Format→Style > Text Style > User-1 ... User-12
Staff Text objects and System Text objects are for indicative purposes listed right below. They can optionally affect Musescore playback, only the section after the attached note or rest is affected.
Expression text objects indicate musical expressions and performance indications. They do not affect Musescore playback. To indicate dynamics and create playback at the same time, use Dynamics symbol object. To indicate and affect tempo at the same time, use Tempo markings.
Staff Text and System Text are similar in behavior and function.
Alternatively, drag the "Staff Text" icon onto a note in the score before entering the desired text.
Alternatively, drag the "Expression text" icon onto a note in the score before entering the desired text.
Alternatively, drag the "System Text" icon onto a note in the score before entering the desired text.
New System Text is positioned above the top staff of each system (layout concept). If you need a similar indication on a lower staff, add it to that staff using Staff Text.
Some templates have an additional feature. When you create a System Text, it is automatically duplicated and shown just above another lower staff. If either instance of the object is edited the content of both is updated. If either one is removed, both are removed. These templates includes:
Edit properties of selected Staff Text, System Text, and Expression Text object(s) in the Properties panel. Text related settings are covered in Formatting text chapter.
Staff Text and System Text can optionally affect playback. Playback related settings are edited in "Staff Text properties" and "System Text properties" window. When a Staff Text or System Text is duplicated, or reused through customized palette, the playback settings are reused.
An Expression Text can be added to a note that already has a Dynamics symbol attached. Doing so snaps it to the dynamics symbols, this behavior and the Properties : Expression: Snap to dynamic property is explained in Dynamics chapter.
Staff Text properties, for swing and capo settings, can be accessed as follows:
"System Text properties" window only has one tab, the Swing settings.
See main chapter Templates and styles.
"Style for text inside Staff Text" is special, see Formatting text.
Values of the "Style for text inside Expression" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Expression
The musical terminology tempo means the speed or pace of a composition. Musicians use tempo markings/marks to indicate tempo. Supported tempo markings include:
Musescore's synthesizer paces based on two settings:
Musicians use tempo markings to indicate the value of one beat, but Musescore does not use the beat information inside tempo markings. Beat information is obtained from Time signatures only.
Tempo markings are Musescore Text, except tempo change lines are Musescore Line that contains Text, see Text and Other lines chapter.
The Properties palette and Playback panel use a special unit "BPM". "BPM" is the amount of quarter notes would have been within one minute in decimal number. It is not related to the musical beat. It is not the whole number used in metronome marks conventionally, or on the score.
Playback follows written content by default only when note and augmentation dot professional glyphs are used. User can also use an overriding setting.
The tempo changes along the object's anchored range, see Other lines chapter.
Musescore does not understand the written content. These items have pre-defined tempo setting. In Musescore 4.2 beta's Tempo palette, by default:
The setting is changable, see "Changing playback" section.
Musescore does not understand the written content. In Musescore 4.2 beta's Tempo palette, by default:
All of these settings are changable, see "Changing playback" section.
All markings are found in the Tempo palette, see Using the palettes chapter.
Tempo markings affect playback of all staffs on a score.
New Tempo change line is positioned on top of a staff, like Staff Text does. It only appears in the "FullScore" and the "Part" that features the staff. All other new tempo markings are positioned on top of system, like System Text does. System is a layout term, see Page layout concepts chapter).
To add a Metronome mark, Verbal tempo indication, or Metric modulation onto the score, use one of the following methods:
To add a Metronome mark that use a suitable note value by using the beat information from the time signature:
To add a Tempo change line, use the methods explained in the Other lines: apply line chapter. One common method is to add it to a selected range:
Playback can be configured to follow written content of Metronome mark and Metric modulation. Musescore only understand note and augmentation dot professional glyphs. Do not copy or use unicode characters from other programs or the internet. The augmentation dot is not a "Full stop / period" on the computer keyboard.
Other characters and numbers are plain characters, entered using (typing on) a computer keyboard. They have different formatting behaviors, for example changing the Properties panel:Font does not affect glyphs, see musescore 3 handbook Fonts chapter. See also Entering and editing text chapter.
Tempo change lines are Musescore Line. To change appearence of the dashed line, see Other lines: line properties and Adjusting elements directly: Changing the range of a line chapters.
To change the predefined tempo setting:
To assign a manual / overriding tempo setting:
To change the manual tempo setting:
Tempo change lines are Musescore Line. The tempo changes along the object's anchored range. To change the range, see Other lines: line properties and Adjusting elements directly: Changing the range of a line chapters.
A tempo marking's layout and default positioning depends on how it is added, see "Adding tempo marks to your score" section.
For tempo markings that behave like "System Text" or "System Text Line", there is a special method to mirror the object, see Staff Text, System Text and Expression Text: Repeating System Text on other staves chapter.
Selected tempo markings(s) on a score can be edited with Properties panel, settings are already covered in other sections of this chapter. The Properties panel: Font property affects plain characters, but not the professional glyphs. Professional glyphs use "Musical symbols font", see "Tempo style" section. Text related settings are covered in Formatting text chapter. Line related settings are covered in Other lines chapter.
To edit the score-wide settings, see "Tempo style" section.
See main chapter Templates and styles
Values of the "Style for text Metronome" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Metronome. No object uses this profile by default, its purpose is for styling Tempo markings which have both a verbal indication part and a metronome mark part. Often the metronome mark part is non-bold and a little smaller. Source: https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/13377#issuecomment-147399…
Lyrics are a form of text associated with melody lines on staves. e.g.
As you can see in the example above, lyrics are entered syllable by syllable, those within words being connected by hyphens. Underscore lines or hyphens (depending on the context) are used to indicate melismas, where a syllable extends over several notes (see below).
Lyrics are organized into verses, with verse 1 at the top and subsequent verses in order below.
In order to enter new lyrics, or to edit/format existing ones, you need to be in lyrics mode.
There are two ways to enter lyrics mode:
A melisma is a syllable that extends over more than one note.
If the melisma is at the end of a word it should be notated by an underscore line:
If a melisma occurs in the middle of a word it may be notated by hyphens instead:
To enter subsequent verses, simply repeat the steps shown under Entering syllables. Lyrics entry automatically starts in the space beneath the last entered verse.
In lyrics mode you can move up and down between verses using the keyboard arrows, ↑ and ↓.
By default, the cursor skips over rests in lyrics mode. However, It is possible to enter a syllable on a rest by selecting the rest, (re-)entering lyrics mode and typing the syllable. Then you can continue entering lyrics as above.
Characters not available from the computer keyboard may be entered in lyrics mode using the Special characters palette. A special case is highlighted below:
An Elision slur (lyric slur or synalepha) is a symbol used to join two syllables together under one note.
For example, to create the lyrics text below, starting with the syllable text "te":
For the most part, lyrics can be edited like normal text. However, as noted above, keys like - (hyphen) and _ (underscore) have a special meaning during lyrics entry. If you want to enter one of these characters as itself then an escape modifier (i.e. a shortcut) must be pressed to avoid triggering the special meaning.
Character | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Space ( ) | Ctrl+Space | Alt+Space |
Hyphen (-) | Ctrl+- | Alt+- |
Underscore (_) | Ctrl+Shift+_ | Alt+Shift+_ |
Line feed (↵) | Ctrl+Return (or Enter on the numeric keypad) | Alt+Return (or Enter on the numeric keypad) |
To make additions or changes to existing lyrics, click on a syllable and use a text edit mode shortcut to enter lyrics mode.
Lyrics are automatically deleted with their parent notes. You can also delete lyrics while leaving the notes intact, by selecting the lyrics and pressing Delete.
If you wish to position all lyrics above, instead of below, the staff:
You can of course do the same thing by selecting all lyrics in the score and changing Position to "Above" in the text section of the Properties panel.
Each verse attached to the staff is allocated a verse number—with the lowest positioned at the top and highest at the bottom. (You can of course prepend a number to the beginning of each verse, but this is a visual indication only.)
To change the verse number, select the verse and adjust "Set to verse" in the Lyrics section of the Properties panel.
Lyrics are automatically copied with their parent notes, but you can also copy lyrics on their own without the notes.
Note that the destination range should be clear of existing lyrics, otherwise the clipboard contents will be pasted on top of them.
All lyrics attached to staves can be copied to the clipboard from the menu using Tools→Copy lyrics to clipboard.
See Changing verse number of lyrics.
Values of the "Style for Lyrics" can be edited in Format→Style→Lyrics.
Values of the "Style for text inside Lyrics odd lines" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Lyrics odd lines
Values of the "Style for text inside Lyrics even lines" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Lyrics even lines
Here you will find a number pf properties which allow you to control how hyphens between syllables are displayed:
Fingering symbols for various instruments are found in the Fingerings palette; some of these are duplicated in the Guitar palette.
Mouse over the palette icons to reveal the names of the symbols.
The different types of fingerings are as follows:
Note: If you want fingering to be displayed in tablature, right-click on the TAB, and select Staff/Part Properties…→Advanced Style Properties; then check the box labelled "Show fingering in tablature"
To add fingering to a selection of notes:
Alternatively, you can drag and drop a fingering symbol from a palette onto a single note.
When fingering is added to a note, the focus immediately shifts to the symbol, so you can adjust it right away.
To edit fingering position, see Changing position of elements.
Some fingerings can be flipped to the other side of the staff using the X shortcut, or the Flip direction icon on the note input toolbar.
The text formatting of fingering elements can be adjusted in the Text section of the Properties panel. See Formatting text for details.
General and text properties for fingering can be edited from the Properties panel.
For General properties see General settings.
For Text properties, see Formatting text.
Each of the different classes of fingering have their own text style. These can be viewed and edited from the menu: Format→Style→Text styles.
A chord symbol is an abbreviated way of representing a musical chord and its harmony.
MuseScore supports the following notations:
Am
,6m
,vi
.After you exit Edit Mode, any characters entered are automatically converted to the correct format. A root note typed in lower case turns into upper case (for alternative options, see Automatic Capitalization). And characters entered for accidentals are automatically converted into professional glyphs. For example, a "#" (hash character) automatically becomes a sharp sign (♯). Don't input, or copy and paste, unicode characters, such as U+266F (sharp sign, ♯), or U+266D (flat sign, ♭) etc, as MuseScore will not render them correctly in chord notation.
The following is a summary of keyboard shortcuts used to move the cursor in chord symbol entry mode:
Action | Command (Windows) | Command (macOS) |
---|---|---|
Move cursor to next note, rest, or beat | Space | Space |
Move cursor to next beat | ; (semicolon) | ; |
Move cursor to previous note, rest, or beat | Shift+Space | |
Move cursor to previous beat | : (colon) | : |
Move cursor to next measure | Ctrl+→ | Cmd+→ |
Move cursor to previous measure | Ctrl+← | Cmd+← |
Move cursor by duration number | Ctrl+1-9 | Cmd+1-9 |
Exit chord symbol entry | Esc | Esc |
MuseScore understands most of the abbreviations used in chord symbols:
Chord symbols are Text. Double-click on a chord symbol to enter Edit Mode, see Text editing. Use methods described above to create special characters. After you exit Edit Mode, they are automatically converted to the correct formatting.
Not to be confused with Figured bass.
RNA input offers the same keyboard shortcuts for navigation as in chord symbols (see above ).
Upon each computer keyboard input, characters are automatically converted to the correct format. MuseScore uses a specialist font, Campania, to provide the correct formatting for RNA.
Type this:
To get:
The Nashville Number System (NNS), is a shorthand way of representing chords based on scale degrees rather than chord letters. This allows an accompaniment to be played in any key from the same chord chart.
To start entering Nashville notation:
Just as with standard chord symbols, you can type Nashville notation normally and MuseScore will do its best to recognize and format the symbols appropriately. The same shortcuts used for navigation when entering standard chord symbols (e.g. Space, see above) are available for Nashville notation as well.
See also the main chapter Templates and styles.
The final visual and function of a chord symbol, Nashville Number, or Roman Numeral Analysis in a score file is determined by:
See main chapter Formatting text, also "Appearance and function" section above.
The default vertical alignment of all Chord Symbols, NNS and RNA are defined in "Style for Chord symbols" Format→ Style→Chord Symbol: Positioning.
The default alignment of objects also depends on the profile used, see "Chord symbol style" section. Effect of values in style profiles are cumulative.
To align object(s):
Upon switching "concert pitch" score viewing mode, chord symbols of transposing instrument adjust themselves automatically. When chord symbols are copied and pasted, they are transposed accordingly. See also Transposition chapter.
Chords associated with guitar fretboard diagrams are not transposed automatically, see Fretboard diagrams chapter.
The Transpose dialog transposes all selected objects except NNS and RNA, see Transposition: Using Transpose dialog chapter. To disable transposing selected chord symbols, uncheck Transpose chord symbols.
Musescore can be configured to create an extra bracketed chord symbol with capo next to each chord symbol (not NNS or RNA) on the score automatically. The bracketed symbol, when played using that capo, sounds identical to the unbracketed one. To enable this feature:
For chord symbols only (not NNS or RNA).
MuseScore uses letter names (A-G) by default, but you can switch the spelling system. MuseScore also automatically capitalizes, regardless of whether you entered them in upper or lower case, you can change this behavior.
From the main menu, choose Format→ Style→Chord symbols. Then choose one of the following radio buttons in the spelling section:
From the main menu, choose Format→ Style→Chord symbols. Then choose from of the following options:
You can also turn off the automatic capitalization completely, in which case note names are simply rendered the way you type them.
Shown below are results of different Font face and Rendering style settings. In the third exmaple, individual objects' Font property are ignored because the Jazz rendering style is used.
Font (font face, typeface, or font family) is not to be confused with Rendering style. See also Fonts.
To assign font and formatting to individual symbol on a score, use Properties panel. To assign default font, use global style profiles "style for text inside certain type". For chord symbols and NNS (but not RNA), individual object's Font property is ignored when the Jazz rendering style is used.
Rendering style is not to be confused with Font option.
Rendering style is the MuseScore feature that uses extra formatting to improve engraving. It is defined in the global style profile "Style for Chord Symbol" in Format → Style → Chord Symbols . All Chord symbols are affected by the chosen rendering style, there is no individual property option. An appropriate default setting is used automatically, based on the template selected to create the score. For Jazz templates the Jazz rendering style is used, for other templates the Standard rendering style is used. The three options available are:
Musescore uses the following terminology:
Extension part and modifier part can use extra formatting:
Only chord symbols and NNS create playback, RNA does not create playback.
To disable/enable playback of these objects of the Musescore program:
To disable/enable playback of selected object(s) on score:
To edit selected chord symbols edit settings under Properties panel: Chord symbol section. To edit the global settings for all chord symbols and NNS (but not RNA) in a score, edit settings under Format→ Style→Chord symbols : Playback section.
Note: The triangle symbol Δ in Musescore creates a Major triad only.
MuseScore allows you to generate notes from selected chord symbols and NNS (but not RNA) . The voicing depends on the playback settings explained.
To realize a selection of chord symbols:
Note: The triangle symbol Δ in Musescore creates a Major triad only. To change chord quality afterwards, see "External links" section.
Chord symbol(s) on a score can be edited with Properties panel. Text related settings are covered in Text. Playback related settings are covered in Changing Playback of Chord Symbols section above.
See main chapter Templates and styles, and Appearance and function section above.
Values of the "Style for chord symbols" can be edited in Format→Style→Chord symbols.
Values of the "Style for text inside Chord Symbol" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Chord Symbol
Values of the "Style for text inside Chord Symbol (Alternate)" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Chord Symbol (Alternate).
Values of the "Style for text inside Nashville Number" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Nashville Number
Values of the "Style for text inside Roman Numeral Analysis" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Roman Numeral Analysis
To change chord quality after Generating chord voicings onto a staff, use a plugin such as:
To identify harmony or chord, use a plugin such as:
Chord symbols style file (*.xml):
Figured bass is a shorthand notation for representing chords on a continuo instrument (such as a keyboard), using a series of numbers and other symbols written underneath the notes of the bass line.
For the relevant substitutions and shape combinations to take effect and for proper alignment, the figured bass mechanism expects input texts to follow some rules (which are in any case, the rules for a syntactical figured bass indication):
If a text entered does not follow these rules, it will not be processed: it will be stored and displayed as it is, without any layout.
Digits are entered directly. Groups of several digits stacked one above the other are also entered directly in a single text, stacking them with Enter:
Accidentals can be entered using regular keys:
To enter: | type: |
---|---|
double flat | bb |
flat | b |
natural | h |
sharp | # |
double sharp | ## |
These characters will automatically turn into the proper signs when you leave the editor. Accidentals can be entered before, or after a digit (and of course, in place of a digit, for altered thirds), according to the required style; both styles are properly aligned, with the accidental 'hanging' at the left, or the right.
Slashed digits or digits with a cross can be entered by adding \, / or + after the digit (combining suffixes); the proper combined shape will be substituted when leaving the editor:
The built-in font can manage combination equivalence, favoring the more common substitution:
1+, 2+, 3+, 4+ result in (or )
and 5\, 6\, 7\, 8\, 9\ result in (or )
Please remember that / can only by combined with 5; any other 'slashed' figure is rendered with a question mark.
+ can also be used before a digit; in this case it is not combined, but it is properly aligned ('+' hanging at the left side).
Open and closed parentheses, both round: '(', ')' and square: '[', ']', can be inserted before and after accidentals, before and after a digit, before and after a continuation line; added parentheses will not disturb the proper alignment of the main character.
Notes: (1) The editor does not check that parentheses, open and closed, round or square, are properly balanced. (2) Several parentheses in a row are non-syntactical and prevent proper recognition of the entered text. (3) A parenthesis between a digit and a combining suffix ('+', '\', '/') is accepted, but prevents shape combination.
To edit a figured bass indication already entered use one of the following options:
The usual text editor box will open with the text converted back to plain characters ('b', '#' and 'h' for accidentals, separate combining suffixes, underscores, etc.) for simpler editing.
Once done, press Space to move to a next note, or click outside the editor box to exit it, as for newly created figured basses.
The duration of a Figured Bass indication often lasts until the next bass note or the end of a bar. Such Figured Bass can be entered consecutively using the keyboard. (To move to a point in between, or to extend a figured bass group for a longer duration, see Duration).
Each figured bass group has a duration, which is indicated by a light gray line above it (of course, this line is for information only and it is not printed or exported to PDF).
Initially, a group has the same duration of the note to which it is attached. A different duration may be required to fit several groups under a single note or to extend a group to span several notes.
To achieve this, each key combination in the table below can be used to (1) advance the editing box by the indicated duration, and (2) set the duration of the previous group up to the new editing box position.
Pressing several of them in sequence without entering any figured bass text repeatedly extends the previous group.
Type: | to get: |
---|---|
Ctrl+1 | 1/64 |
Ctrl+2 | 1/32 |
Ctrl+3 | 1/16 |
Ctrl+4 | 1/8 (quaver) |
Ctrl+5 | 1/4 (crochet) |
Ctrl+6 | half note (minim) |
Ctrl+7 | whole note (semibreve) |
Ctrl+8 | 2 whole notes (breve) |
(The digits are the same as are used to set the note durations)
Setting the exact figured bass group duration is only mandatory in two cases:
However, it is a good practice to always set the duration to the intended value for the purposes of plugins and MusicXML.
Continuation lines are input by adding an '_' (underscore) at the end of the line, then pressing the keyboard combination for the required duration of the continuation line to exit the editing box. Each digit of a group can have its own continuation line. To write the continuation lines in the following example:
Continuation lines are drawn for the whole duration of the figured bass group.
'Extended' continuation lines
Occasionally, a continuation line has to connect with the continuation line of a following group, when a chord degree has to be kept across two groups. Examples (both from J. Boismortier, Pièces de viole, op. 31, Paris 1730):
In the# first case, each group has its own continuation line; in the second, the continuation line of the first group is carried 'into' the second.
This can be obtained by entering several (two or more) underscores "__" at the end of the text line of the first group.
The text formatting of figured bass symbols is handled automatically by the program, based on style settings (see below). Only General and Appearance properties can be adjusted from the Properties panel..
Properties of all figured bass symbols in the score can be set from Format→Style…→Figured Bass.
Line Height: The distance between the base line of each figured bass line, as a percentage of font size.
The following picture visualizes each numeric parameter:
Alignment: Select the vertical alignment: with Top, the top line of each group is aligned with the main vertical position and the group 'hangs' from it (this is normally used with figured bass notation and is the default); with Bottom, the bottom line is aligned with the main vertical position and the group 'sits' on it (this is sometimes used in some kinds of harmonic analysis notations):
Style: Choose between "Modern" or "Historic." The difference between the two styles is shown below:
Type: | to get: |
---|---|
Ctrl+G | Adds a new figured bass group to the selected note. |
Space | Advances the editing box to the next note. |
Shift+Space | Moves the editing box to the previous note. |
Tab | Advances the editing box to the next measure. |
Shift+Tab | Moves the editing box to the previous measure. |
Ctrl+1 | Advances the editing box by 1/64, setting the duration of the previous group. |
Ctrl+2 | Advances the editing box by 1/32, setting the duration of the previous group. |
Ctrl+3 | Advances the editing box by 1/16, setting the duration of the previous group. |
Ctrl+4 | Advances the editing box by 1/8 (quaver), setting the duration of the previous group. |
Ctrl+5 | Advances the editing box by 1/4 (crochet), setting the duration of the previous group. |
Ctrl+6 | Advances the editing box by a half note (minim), setting the duration of the previous group. |
Ctrl+7 | Advances the editing box by a whole note (semibreve), setting the duration of the previous group. |
Ctrl+8 | Advances the editing box by two whole notes (breve), setting the duration of the previous group. |
Ctrl+Space | Enters an actual space; useful when figure appears "on the second line" (e.g., 5 4 -> 3). |
BB | Enters a double flat. |
B | Enters a flat. |
H | Enters a natural. |
# | Enters a sharp. |
## | Enters a double sharp. |
_ | Enters a continuation line. |
__ | Enters an extended continuation line. |
Note: For Mac commands, Ctrl is replaced with Cmd.
Rehearsal marks (sometimes called Rehearsal Letters) can be used in a number of ways. e.g.
Rehearsal marks are a type of system text. In a full score they show only above the top staff of a system, but appear in all instrument parts.
Rehearsal marks can be added to the score in two ways: (1) manually, allowing you to name them as you wish, or (2) automatically, which ensures that they are named in sequence
To create a rehearsal mark manually and give it a name of your own choosing:
MuseScore can name the Rehearsal Marks automatically. Do either:
Notes: (1) By default, marks are added in the sequence, A, B, C etc. (2) To change the format of subsequently-added marks (to lower case letters, or numbers), edit the previous rehearsal mark accordingly. (3) Marks added between existing rehearsal marks append a number or letter to the previous mark: it is a good idea to apply the Resequence command afterwards (see below).
If you want the rehearsal marks to be displayed as measure numbers:
MuseScore allows the user to automatically re-order a series of rehearsal marks if they have got out of sequence for any reason. Use the following method:
MuseScore automatically detects the sequence based on the first rehearsal mark in the selection—all rehearsal marks in the selection are then altered accordingly. The following sequences are possible:
See Find / Go to (Navigating your score).
In most full scores any Rehearsal marks are shown only above the topmost staff of a system, but appear in all the generated instrument parts. If duplicate marks are required on lower staves they should be added as staff text.
Some templates have an additional feature, e.g. Symphony Orchestra or Classical Orchestra, see the list of templates in Staff Text and System Text chapter. On a new score created using either of the two templates listed abve, when you create a rehearsal mark above the top staff, an identical one is automatically added just above the string section. If either instance of the mark is edited the content of both is updated. If either one is removed, both are removed.
By default, rehearsal marks appear in a large bold font, enclosed in frames, and aligned to the center of the start barline of the measure. You can edit the default text properties from Format→Style→Text style.
The properties of selected rehearsal marks can be changed in the Properties Panel.
See Templates and styles.
Values of the "Style for Rehearsal marks" can be edited in Format→Style→Rehearsal marks.
Values of the "Style for text inside Rehearsal mark" can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Rehearsal mark
Not to be confused with the top vertical frame and text added to the first page, when a new score is created from certain templates, see Create your first score and Using frames for additional content chapters.
The header and footer are text automatically added to the top and the bottom area of each page respectively. To add text to certain page(s) only, use frame and Musescore Text objects instead, see Entering and editing text chapter.
Note: To create a header or footer for a Part, open and view that Part first.
Part name placeholder text is only available in a Part, but not the "Full Score". Its placeholder text is $I, $i, or $:partName: . To rename a Part's name, see Parts: Renaming chapter.
Metadata are digital information, or tags, assigned in File→Project properties, use $:[metadata tag]:
syntax to add them to header and footer. See the example in "Entering information" section, and the main chapter Project properties.
Header and footer respect page margins configured in Format→Page Settings (see the main chapter Score size and spacing). Page margins are always left blank, Musescore resizes the staffs area to show content of header and footer. Additional margin can be achieved by adjusting the Offset in style profiles, font options are also available there, see "Header and footer Style" section.
Header and footer are not Musescore Text objects, it is not possible to select and use Properties panel to change properties of a header or footer on a particular page separately. To settings for all headers and footers, change values in the style profiles, see "Header and footer Style" section below.
To add text to certain page(s) only, use frame and Musescore Text objects instead, see Entering and editing text chapter.
See the main chapter Templates and styles
$p
or $P
symbols, will use the Page number text style, which can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Page numbers$c
or $C
symbols, will use the Copyright text style, which can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→CopyrightAll other text in the footer fields will use the Footer style, which can be edited in Format→Style→Text styles→Footer
Not to be confused with header, see Header and footer chapter.
A text block is a Text object in frame. Used together with a vertical frame that spans whole width of a page, they are designed to elegantly:
Score created from certain template contains a top vertical frame with Text objects on the first page. They are automatically assigned with information provided by user in the New Score dialog, see Setting up score : Additional score information . They are not header, header is the functionality to add text to every pages, see Header and footer chapter.
Add an appropriate frame first if there is none, see Using frames for additional content.
To add a text block to a frame, either:
Every option explained above adds a blank object, regardless of information provided in New Score dialog or metadata tags (see Project properties chapter. Content entered into the said object also does not change the metadata tags. The main difference between these options is the default alignment positioning and font size, see "Text block text style" section.
To save settings into a style profile, click on the ellipsis (three dots) icon to the right of a property and select “”Save as default style for this score”, see Templates and styles chapter.
The text properties of a selected text block can be changed in the Text section of the Properties panel.
Alternatively you may wish to choose a different text style altogether from the dropdown list under “Text style” (in Properties: Text→More)
See the main chapter Templates and styles
MuseScore generally does an excellent job of arranging music and text on the page, but there are situations where you may need to adjust things—to make music larger or smaller, to add space between staves, to change the number of measures on a page, to move text closer to or further away from the staff, etc. In order to make these types of changes, it helps to understand how MuseScore works with respect to page layout.
There are a number of terms used throughout this chapter that you will need to be familiar with.
The size of everything on a score, such as staff, note heads, note stems, accidentals, clefs etc., uses a basic unit of measurement called "staff space" or "sp." to maintains correct proportions.
One sp is defined as the standard vertical distance between the midpoints of two lines of a music staff (or one quarter of vertical dimension of a full five-line staff, assuming a hypothetical staff line thickness of 0).
When you create a new score, MuseScore tries to adjust the staff space automatically so that the staves all fit on the page initially.
This usually leads to 1 sp = 1.75 mm, which results in a staff height of around 7 mm (more details explained in "Final absolute staff height" section), which is a good staff height for most solo music, choral music, small ensemble scores, and individual parts. Lead sheets and children's music may benefit from a larger staff size. Large ensemble scores may often require a smaller staff size in order to fit all instruments on the page.
You may need to adjust this value further as you add music, if auto-place results in additional space being added between staves in order to avoid collisions.
Modify the definition of "staff space" itself in the "Page settings" window. See Score size and spacing chapter, the overriding options are also explained there.
Not to be confused with concept of Musescore instrument.
A staff is the set of lines and spaces on which notes are written. When the term is used in MuseScore, it refers to that set of lines and spaces for a given instrument throughout an entire score. In the following score for voice and piano, everything marked in yellow constitutes a single staff—the staff for the voice:
Staff line thickness is set in Format→Style...→Measure. Its default value is 0.11sp, and the default value of sp is 1.75mm, so the default staff line thickness 0.1925mm. The 'absolute' height of default 5-line stave, measuring from the top edge of the top line to the bottom edge of the bottom line, is 0.5x0.11sp + 4sp + 0.5x0.11sp = 0.5x0.1925mm + 4x1.75mm + 0.5x0.1925mm = 7.1925mm. source: https://musescore.org/en/node/362733
In music for piano and certain other instruments, two staves are used—one primarily for the right hand, the other for the left. This set of two staves is normally connected by curly braces and is referred to as a grand staff. In the following excerpt, the portion marked in yellow is a grand staff:
Like text, music is read left to right, top to bottom. Each line of music read across the page is called a system, and it contains the staves and grand staves for all instruments. In the following example, the yellow highlighted region represents a single system:
Even if a score has only a single staff for a single instrument, we still refer to a line of music read across the page as a system. In the following lead sheet, there is only a single staff but three systems:
Most text in notated music is associated with specific notes or measures. However, you may also need to place text that is not associated with a specific note or measure—the title at the beginning of a score, lyric verses placed at the end of a score, explanatory information placed between systems or even between measures. MuseScore uses elements called frames for this. There are vertical, text, and horizontal frames—each optimized for a particular type of use. Horizontal frames can also be used to create separation between measures on a system, with or without associated text.
A margin is an area in which MuseScore will not normally place music or other elements. The page margin is the area around all four edges of the page where no elements are placed. The music margin is the area between the top and bottom margin and the first and last staff. The staves themselves will not be placed in those margins, but notes and other markings above or below the staves may be.
MuseScore places elements in your score automatically according to a set of rules and style settings. These are designed to produce excellent results by default in most cases‐elements positioned according to standard engraving practices while avoiding collisions between elements. MuseScore also provides the ability to customize these defaults and also to override the defaults for any given element.
Most elements in MuseScore have a default position that is determined by a style setting that can be customized via the Properties panel or the Format→Style dialog. For elements that are placed above the staff, the position is specified as an offset from the top line of the staff; for elements that are placed below the staff, the position is specified as an offset from the bottom line of the staff. These offsets, like most measurements in MuseScore, are expressed in staff spaces—abbreviated sp. For many element types, you can specify an offset to be used when placed above as well as a separate offset to be used when placed below, and also which of these placements should be applied by default.
For more info, see Templates and styles chapter.
For example, for dynamics, the default placement is below the staff, and the default offset below the bottom staff line is 2.5 sp. If you flip a dynamic marking above the staff, it defaults to 1.5 sp above the top staff line staff (expressed as a negative offset: -1.5 sp). These settings are all found in Format→Style→Dynamics.
Note that the default offset is larger for dynamics placed below the staff than above only because the offset is measured from the baseline of the text.
Auto-place is the term MuseScore uses for a set of algorithms used to avoid collisions as well as to align certain elements automatically. A basic understanding of how auto-place works can be useful when making adjustments.
For most elements placed above or below the staff, collision avoidance works vertically. When an element is being positioned, MuseScore first tries to place it according to the default offset for that element type. If that would result in a collision with another element, then one of the two elements will be moved further from the staff to avoid the overlap. MuseScore follows standard engraving rules in determining which elements to move. For example, tempo markings will be moved further above the staff to trill lines, rather than vice versa.
The Minimum distance style setting found determines how much distance MuseScore places between elements when avoiding collisions in this manner. The corresponding setting in the Properties panel allows you to override this for individual elements where necessary. But MuseScore adjusts this value automatically when positioning elements manually, as seen below in the section on manual adjustment.
For certain elements such as lyrics or chord symbols, MuseScore will widen measures to avoid collisions rather than displace these elements vertically.
MuseScore will also try to align certain elements vertically, so that if one element of that type needs to be adjusted vertically to avoid a collision, other elements of that same type on the same system will automatically be adjusted as well. Elements that are always aligned vertically include lyrics and pedal markings. Dynamics and hairpins will be aligned if they are directly adjacent, as will pedal markings.
Chord symbols can also be aligned vertically if you enable this in the chord symbol style settings, by setting a Maximum shift value. See Chord symbols for more information.
Auto-place normally does a good job of avoiding collisions and of aligning elements. And in cases where you wish to position an element manually, you can normally do so directly, without the need to disable auto-place (see manual adjustment below). However, there can be some situations in which you may still wish to disable auto-place. For example, rehearsal markings default to displaying above voltas, but you may wish to reverse this for some specific case where the volta was already displaced higher and there is then room for the rehearsal mark underneath.
In this case, disabling auto-place for the rehearsal mark allows it to display underneath the volta, while still allowing the volta to automatically avoid collisions with the notes.
To disable auto-place for an element, select it and then disable the Auto-place setting in the Properties panel.
The element will be returned to its default position (as determined by its style settings) and it will not be included in the detection of collisions with other elements. Disabling auto-place for an element also causes it to be excluded from any vertical alignment that would otherwise have applied.
Whether auto-place has displayed an element from its default or not, the position of elements can be adjusted manually, such as by dragging, using the cursor keys, or the Offset fields in the Properties panel. See Adjusting elements directly for more information.
MuseScore even allows you to perform manual adjustments that would result in collisions. In the example above, if you drag the rehearsal letter below the volta, MuseScore will allow this and will automatically set the Minimum distance for that element to a negative value, thus effectively allowing the collision without disabling auto-place.
Elements of the same type will normally be aligned by default simply because they have the same style settings and therefore the same offset. However, auto-place can result in some of the elements being moved further from the staff than others. As described above under Vertical alignment, MuseScore will automatically align some types of elements. For other elements types, you can align them manually by assigning them the same vertical offset.
To do this, simply select the elements you wish to align (e.g., click the first, Shift+click the last), then gradually increase or decrease the vertical offset in the Properties panel. For example, to align a series of tempo markings above the staff, you will need to set their vertical offsets to the same value. To make sure they are aligned and also avoid the collisions that cause auto-place to display one or more of them to begin with, you will need to set the offset to a sufficiently large negative value.
MuseScore provides a number of score-wide settings to control the overall size and spacing of music.
Below we will cover these settings and Musescore's algorithm. These settings are in the "Page settings" window, and in the items around the top of "Style" window left pane: Format → Style → Score, Page, Size, System, Bars etc.
There are also a variety of ways to override these defaults to change the horizontal or vertical spacing of individual systems pages, and these are covered in Systems and horizontal spacing and Pages and vertical spacing chapters.
See also Templates and styles if you are using Musescore Part feature.
The settings that control the overall size of your music are found in Format→Page Settings.
Note that units in this dialog default to millimeters, but you can change to inches using the control provided.
The default page size is Letter in North and Central America, and A4 in most of the rest of the world.
The margins default to 15 mm regardless of the page size. If Two sided is not enabled, then only the Odd Page Margins settings are applicable.
Staff space (sp) : changes the definition of staff space (sp) itself. See Page layout concepts chapter.
See overview above for info on other overall size and spacing options and the two chapters detailing individual systems pages specific options.
Overriding options for individual object on a score are available:
In addition to the standard OK and Cancel buttons, this dialog also contains:
Note that in large ensemble scores where MuseScore has automatically reduced the staff size in order to fit all instruments on a single page, resetting page settings will revert to the standard staff space default of 1.75 mm.
The horizontal spacing of notes and the vertical spacing of staves and systems are controlled by style settings.
This section contains overview, see Systems and horizontal spacing for details.
MuseScore determines an initial width for each measure based on the music it contains, then calculates how many measures can fit on each system, and then stretches those measures out so that all systems (except the last if desired) are filled to the right margin, similar to the "justified" option in word processor software. You cannot change this behavior, but see overriding options in Systems and horizontal spacing.
The initial width for a measure is determined by the music within it as well as a group of style settings that control the spacing between notes and other symbols. Most of the settings affecting the horizontal spacing for a score are found in Format→Style→Bars. The most important are:
The default spacing ratio of 1.5 means that each note value takes 1.5 times as much space as the next shorter value. So, a half note takes 1.5 times as much space as a quarter note, etc. The minimum note distance specifies the smallest distance MuseScore will allow between two notes, and this sets the initial distance for the shortest note values. Longer note values will always receive more space as per the spacing ratio, and by the time measures are stretched to fill the page width, it is likely that even the shortest notes will not actually be as close as the minimum. The minimum note distance and spacing ratio settings together determine how tight or loose the spacing is.
At one extreme, the top staff above uses a Spacing ratio of 1.0, which results in all notes taking equal space regardless of note duration. At the other extreme, the bottom staff uses a ratio of 2.0, which results in notes spaced proportionally to their relative duration, such that a half note gets twice as much space as a quarter note. This is useful if measures of equal width are desired. Values closer to the default of 1.5 are best for most cases. A slightly smaller value allows for tighter spacing, while a slightly higher value allows for looser spacing. Decreasing or increasing the minimum note distance also results in tighter or looser spacing.
If the spacing calculation results in some measures (those containing relatively few notes) working out to less than the minimum measure width, extra space is added to enforce the minimum.
There are also many individual settings in this same dialog to control specific details such as the padding from Clef to time signature or Barline to grace note. More such settings are added over time, and these are meant to be self-explanatory.
Additional relevant style settings can be found in :
This section contains overview, see Pages and vertical spacing for details.
MuseScore provides a choice of two different vertical spacing algorithms.
In both algorithms, MuseScore fills pages with systems in a similar manner to how it fills systems with measures. First, it determines an initial size for each system, then it determines how many systems can fit on each page, and then it spreads those systems out so that all pages are filled well. Depending on your style settings, MuseScore may literally fill each page to the bottom margin, or it may leave additional space on the bottom of some pages if trying to fill the page completely would spread things out too widely.
The difference between the two algorithms has to do with how the spreading to fill the page occurs.
If you select Disable vertical justification of staves, the distance between the staves within a system is fixed, unless that would result in collisions. In this algorithm, if MuseScore needs to spread systems to fill a page, it will always do so by adding space between systems rather than within systems. This yields consistent spacing between staves from one system to the next, but it can result in spacing between systems being much larger than spacing within them, and it will usually result in ragged bottom margins on pages with only a single system (since the staves within the system won't be spread to fill the page).
The default, however, is to Enable vertical justification of staves. With this method selected, the distance between staves within systems is also subject to spreading. This results in more even spacing overall—the spacing between systems will still be larger than the spacing within them but not to the same extreme—and it mostly avoids ragged bottom margins on pages with only a single system (since the staves within the system can be spread to fill the page).
Most of the settings controlling the vertical spacing for a score are found in Format→Style→Page. There is, however, one relevant setting in Format→Style→Score.
Regardless of whether vertical justification is enabled or disabled, MuseScore will add space above the top staff and below the bottom staff of each page:
If you select DIsable vertical justification of staves, then there are two settings that control spacing within systems:
Note: even with DIsable vertical justification of staves selected, MuseScore will still add more space between staves as necessary to avoid collisions. To force a completely consistent distance between staves (and accept the resulting collisions), set the Minimum vertical distance to a large negative number.
If you select Enable vertical justification within staves, then there is not a single setting for staff or grand staff distance. Instead, you select a range of acceptable distances and values that control how much of the available space MuseScore will fill by spreading systems versus spreading staves (and how much extra space to add between bracketed and braced groups of staves). The relevant settings include:
Whether vertical justifications of staves is enabled or disabled, you specify the distance between systems as a range:
In addition, if you select Enable vertical justification of staves, there are two more settings:
See Staff/Part properties main chapter.
There are also a couple of staff-specific settings that affect size and spacing. To access these, right-click (Ctrl+click) a staff and then select Staff/Part properties. The relevant settings are:
The horizontal spacing algorithm in MuseScore determines the width of each measure, which in turn determines how many measures will fit on each system. While this will produce good results in many cases, there are also situations where you may wish to override this and have fewer or more measures on a system, or to have them spaced differently within the system.
The main tools used to control systems and horizontal spacing are described below.
A system break causes MuseScore to end a system after a specific measure or horizontal frame, even if more measures would fit. To add a system break, select a measure (or any element within it) or a frame, and then click the System break icon in the Layout palette:
You can also use the keyboard shortcut Enter. Both methods of adding breaks also work while in note input mode.
After adding a break, the icon will appear above the measure you added it to:
As with other formatting elements, system breaks appear in gray and will not print, and their on-screen display can be disabled via the Properties panel.
You can increase or decrease the width of measures, and their contents will stretch accordingly. The calculated width of a measure is multiplied by a layout stretch factor that you can set numerically for selected measures, but you can also use commands to increase or decrease the stretch of selected measures directly without needing to set a specific number.
To change the layout stretch directly, you can select one or more measures, then use one of the commands in Format→Stretch:
To set the layout stretch value numerically, you can select one or more measures and then set the Measure width in the Appearance section of the Properties panel.
As you can see if you watch this setting, each press of } or { increments or decrements this value by 0.1.
You can also set this value for a single measure by right-clicking it, selecting Measure properties, and setting Layout stretch in the resulting dialog.
A horizontal frame is a container for empty space, text, or images, that can be placed between measures in a score. Although you can place text or images within horizontal frames (see Using frames for additional content), one of their main purposes is to create empty space within systems, as shown below.
To add a horizontal frame to your score, select a measure and then click the Insert horizontal frame icon in the Layout palette:
The frame will be inserted in front of the selected measure. If the measure is at the beginning of a system, the frame may actually appear at the end of the previous system, if there is room.
You can also use the commands in the Add→Frames menu.
You can then change the width of the frame using the Width setting in the Properties panel, or by selecting the frame and dragging its handle or using the Left and Right cursor keys to change the width. Keyboard adjustment occurs in steps of 0.5 sp, or 1.0 sp if you hold Ctrl (Cmd on Mac).
To keep measures together for the purpose of determining if they fit on a given system or not, you can select them and then click the Keep measures on the same system icon on the Layout palette:
When MuseScore is deciding how measures to place on a given system, and it encounters such a group and determines that they do not all fit, MuseScore will move the entire group to the next system.
These features can be used in a variety of ways, but there are a handful of tasks that are especially common.
It is always possible to get fewer measures on a system than what MuseScore places by default. To end a system on a particular measure or horizontal frame, select it and add a system break.
While it is not always physically possible to fit more measures onto a given system at the current page and staff size and spacing settings—there may simply be “too many notes” to fit without overlapping—you can reduce the widths of selected measures.
To place more measures on a system:
Depending on how close it was to fitting before, it might take multiple Decrease layout stretch operations before the stretch is reduced enough for them all to fit. But it may also be the case that it just is not possible without reducing your overall page or staff size, or spacing settings. See Score size and spacing for more information.
The default spacing is designed to make sure that all notes of a given duration on the same system take the same amount of space, unless more space is required to make room for markings between specific notes. But there can be cases where it might make sense to increase the spacing in one or more measures, thus correspondingly decreasing the spacing in the others (or vice versa).
To change the spacing in one or more measure, simply select them and increase or decrease the layout stretch as described above.
To create space between two measures, select the second measure, then insert and adjust a horizontal frame as described above.
To create extra space at the beginning or end of an individual system, add horizontal frame. For the first system of a score, the First system indent style setting (in Format→Style→Score) automatically creates space. See Score size and spacing for more information. You may want to create separate sections with a "Section Break" instead, when you think of extra space at the end of an individual system, see Using sections for multiple movements or songs chapter.
To add space at the beginning of a system, select the first measure of the system then insert and adjust a horizontal frame as described above. You may also need to place a system break on the last measure of the previous system to ensure that the horizontal frame does not appear there instead.
To add space at the end of a system, first make sure there is no system break on the last measure, then select the next measure and insert a horizontal frame. Then add a system break to the horizontal frame itself if needed.
The last system of a score will normally be right-justified (stretched to fill the width of the page) if its default width exceeds the Last system fill threshold as set in Format→Style→Page. See Score size and spacing for more information. This normally produces good results, but there may be cases where the last system is filled but would look better if it were not, or vice versa.
For cases where the system is filled but you would prefer it not to be, you can increase the threshold. A value of 100% will mean the last system is never filled (since its width will never exceed that threshold). Conversely, if the last system is not filled but you want it to be, then decrease the threshold. A value of 0% will mean the last system will always stretch (because its width will always exceed that threshold).
Normally, however, you should select a threshold value that will accommodate future changes to the score that might result in more or fewer measures ending up on the last system. For instance, if your last system currently has several measures and you force it to be filled by setting the threshold to 0%, this might look bad if the layout changes in the future and the last system has only one measure. Or if the last system has only one measure and you force it not to be filled by setting the threshold to 100%, this might look bad if the layout changes in the future and the last system ends up with several measures. This is why a more middle-of-the-road value usually makes sense.
It is usually even better, however, to plan system breaks to avoid having the last system being less full than others.
As discussed in Score size and spacing, MuseScore normally fits as many measures as it can on each system. This can sometimes result in two or more musically-related measures being split across a system break, when it might be easier to read if they were kept together on the next system. While you could add a system break to the measure before the group, this could easily turn out to be counterproductive if the layout changes later and all the measures could have fitted on that system. What you really want is to be able to specify that a group of measures should be kept together if possible, whether that means keeping them on the original system or moving them all together to the next.
In a word processor, a “non-breaking space” character can be used to keep two words together. If the words both fit on the current line, then the non-breaking space acts like a regular space. But if the two words cannot both fit on a line, word wrap will move them both together to the next line rather than split them apart at the non-breaking space.
In MuseScore, you can use the Keep measures on the same system icon in the Layout palette to group selected measures in the same way. These measures will be treated as a single block for the purpose of deciding whether to place them on one system or the next.
Note that this will not allow you to fit more measures on a system than your current settings would normally allow. It simply tells MuseScore that it should keep them all together if possible.
As described in Vertical spacing, MuseScore fills each page with as many systems as can fit given the current score settings, and then adjusts the spacing within each page according to one of two different algorithms. You can also adjust the number of systems on a page, or the spacing between specific staves or systems, manually.
A page break causes MuseScore to end a page after a given system, even if more systems would fit. To add a page break, select a measure or frame and then either press Ctrl+Enter (Cmd+Enter on Mac) or click the Page break icon in the Layout palette:
A spacer is a formatting element you can add to a measure to control the amount of space above or below that particular staff. Spacers can work to either add or remove space, and they can operate either within or between systems.
To add a spacer to your score, select a measure and then click the appropriate icon in the Layout palette:
You can also drag and drop a spacer from the palette to a measure in your score.
Once you have added a spacer, you can adjust its height by selecting it and dragging its handle, or by using the Height setting in the Properties panel. There are three different types of spacers, and the height setting affects the score differently according to the spacer type:
In all cases, the spacer works within a system when added between staves of a system. In addition, a Staff spacer down or Staff spacer fixed down works between systems when added to the bottom staff of a system, and a Staff spacer up works between systems when added to the top staff of a system.
A vertical frame is a container for empty space, text, or images, that can be placed between systems in a score. Although vertical frames can be left empty and thus function in a manner similar to spacers, the primary purpose of vertical frames is to add text or images. For more information, see Using frames for additional content.
In ensemble music in which multiple systems fit on a single page of music, it is common to use a pair of diagonal strokes to help clarify the division between the systems.
MuseScore can add these automatically via the settings in Format→Style→System. You can enable Left and Right dividers independently. For each, you can customize a number of settings:
The feature listed above can be used to achieve a number of common tasks.
To place fewer systems on a page, simply add a page break to the system or frame you wish to appear last on the page.
As with horizontal spacing, in some cases it might not be possible to fit more systems onto a page than your current settings permit. So you may also want to consider a smaller staff size, or reducing the minimum system distance score-wide, or other style changes. However, in some cases you may be able to fit more systems on a page by manually reducing the distance between specific systems.
To reduce the distance between two specific systems, add a Staff spacer fixed down to the bottom staff of the upper system, then set its height as desired. If this reduction allows another system to fit on the page, then it will happen automatically.
MuseScore normally spreads systems and staves out to fill a page (see Vertical spacing for more information). Whether you enable or disable vertical justification, however, pages that are especially sparse may still look awkward. This is especially common for the last page of a score, where it is possible more systems could have fit.
In many cases, the best results would be obtained by planning the system and/or page breaks throughout the score to avoid these overly sparse pages. But in cases where this is unavoidable, you will need to decide where you want the extra space—all at the bottom of the page, equally divided between the top and bottom, dispersed between systems, or dispersed between staves within systems as well as between systems.
To force all extra space to the bottom of the page, once solution is to add a Staff spacer down below the last system, and adjust its height as appropriate to take the space you wish to leave below. Another is to reduce either the Maximum system distance or Maximum page fill distance (see Vertical spacing). These settings may affect other pages as well, but in most cases, they will only be relevant for especially sparse pages.
To force some space at the top of the page, you can add a Staff spacer up above the first system.
To change the distribution of space between systems and staves within systems, be sure Enable vertical justification of staves is enabled in Format→Style→Page, then adjust Factor for distance between systems. A value of 1.0 means that space is equally distributed within and between systems. Larger values mean that more of the available space will be allocated between systems as opposed to within them.
To add space between two specific systems, add a Staff spacer down to the bottom staff of the upper system, or a Staff spacer up to the top staff of the lower system.
To add space between specific staves within a single system, add a Staff spacer down to the upper staff, or a Staff spacer up to the lower staff.
To add space between specific staves across all systems—such as to separate piano accompaniment from the vocal staves in a choral score—right-click the lower staff, select Staff/Part properties, and increase the Extra distance above staff setting.
A frame is a rectangular space in the score into which one or more text objects or images may be inserted. In the score window the sides of the frame are marked by dotted lines (these do not show up in the printed score).
A frame may be one of three types:
Note: Although you can use frames to create extra space between systems, it is best to use spacers for this purpose.
Frames may be used to
and so on.
A text frame is a full-width rectangle placed either before the first system or after the last one, or between systems. One text block (only) may be added to the frame. The height of the frame is automatically adjusted to the height of any text block contained within it.
If the measure selected is the first one in the system, the frame will simply be inserted above the system. If the selected measure is any one but the first, it will start a new system and the frame will appear above it.
To add a text block to the text frame:
The text has the “Frame” style by default but you can change this using “Text style” in the Text tab of the Properties panel. You can also apply character formatting in the usual way.
A vertical frame is a full-width rectangle placed either before the first system or after the last one, or between systems. Several text blocks and/or images may be added to the frame.
If the measure selected is the first one in the system, the frame will simply be inserted above the system. If the selected measure is any one but the first, it will start a new system and the frame will appear above it.
To add a text block to the vertical frame apply one of the following methods:
The height of the vertical frame is automatically adjusted to the height of any text block contained within it. But you can override this using “Height” in the Vertical frame tab of the Properties toolbar.
The position of a text object which abuts directly onto the border of a vertical/text frame can be altered by adjusting the relevant margin (Top/Bottom/Left/Right) in the Vertical frame tab of the Properties panel.
For example, a left- and top-aligned text object will be pushed away from the respective border by increasing the “Left margin” and/or “Top margin”, and so on.
In the Vertical frame or Text frame tab of the Properties panel, adjust “Gap above” and “Gap below” to create extra space above/below the frame.
A horizontal frame is used to create space between the measures of a particular system with optional text and/or image content.
The frame is inserted between the selected measure and the following one.
To add a text block to a horizontal frame, right-click on the frame and select Add→Text.
You can adjust the width of the frame in the Horizontal frame tab of the Properties panel.
You can adjust the space on either side of the horizontal frame using “Left gap” and “Right gap” in the Horizontal frame tab of the Properties panel.
Images may be inserted into scores by attaching them to score objects or to frames.
The supported image formats are SVG (*.svg), PNG (*.png), JPEG (*.jpg and *.jpeg).
In addition, images saved in the Bitmap (*.bmp), and TIFF (*.tif and *.tiff) formats work but are not fully supported. It's best to convert these images to PNG or JPEG before importing into MuseScore Studio.
Other formats such as GIF (*.gif), WebP (*.webp) and X PixMap (*.xpm) are not supported. These images must be converted to PNG or JPEG before importing in MuseScore Studio.
This method doesn't work with Bitmap (*.bmp) or TIFF (*.tif and *.tiff) images.
Use this method for small images associated with staves, such as musical symbols, or for image formats not supported by the above method (e.g. Bitmap, TIFF).
To save an imported image to a palette, see Adding elements from the score.
Once an image has been imported into the score it can be copied/cut and pasted to another location, such as a frame, note or rest, using the standard commands and procedure (see Copy and paste).
Select the image and use either of the following methods:
As long as the padlock symbol is active (colored blue in Properties: Image) the aspect ratio (height/width) of the image will be maintained throughout. If you want to adjust a side independently of the other, click on the padlock to break it (colored grey).
To scale an image to the height of the containing frame:
As long as “Scale to frame size” remains checked the image size will follow the frame height.
The image can be repositioned by dragging, or adjusting the horizontal/vertical offsets in the Appearance section of the Properties panel. Ctrl+R restores the image to its default position.
The image properties of a selected image can be adjusted in the Image section of the Properties panel.
Use staff space units: When checked (the default setting), the image automatically scales proportionally with the Scaling setting in Format→Page Settings, and uses the staff space unit, sp. If unchecked, the image uses mm and does not scale proportionally. See Page layout concepts.
This symbol is 4sp in height so it fits perfectly into the space between the top and bottom line of a 5-line staff. Its "Use staff space units" option is checked so it scales proportionally.
A section break is used to divide a score into separate sections, such as might be required in a musical suite, for example.
In the following score example, there is a section break at the end of the first system, followed by a text frame providing the title of the next movement.
A section break has the following features:
These options are detailed in Section break properties (below).
If the beginning of a new section is accompanied by a change of time or key signatures, there will be no courtesy signature at the end of the previous section.
To add a section break, select a measure, barline (or any element within the measure), then click the Section break icon in the Layout palette. You can substitute the latter action with a custom shortcut if desired (see Preferences: Shortcuts).
The following properties of section breaks are adjustable from the Section break part of the Properties panel:
To adjust the playback pause after a section break: select the break and edit “Pause before new section starts”.
To display the long intrument names on the first system after a section break: select the break and make sure that “Start new section with long instrument names” is checked.
To restart measure numbering after a section break: select the break and make sure that “Reset bar numbers for new section” is checked.
Additional settings for measure number display are available in the Measure properties dialog.
Basic playback functions are accessed from the Play toolbar at the top right of the program window, the icons from left to right, the icons are:
Undock the toolbar to reveal the Playback Panel for additional controls. See "Playback position and monitoring tempo" section.
Notes: (1) If no selection is made before activating Play, playback returns to the place it stopped at previously; or, if no previous playback, to the start of the score. (2) The Play button changes to a "stop" icon while music is playing.
To rewind playback click on the Rewind icon on the Play toolbar. Rewind returns the playback to the beginning of the score or, if a loop is set, to the beginning of the loop.
To loop playback over a section of music:
In the example below, playback will cycle over the selected two bars of Violin 2 and Viola, the region marked by the blue flags. Use the "Loop playback" button to toggle the loop on or off.
To automatically add metronome ticks sound to playback, use the metronome button.
The number of ticks added onto each measure is determined by
The following logic is used,
For compound meters (6/8, 9/8, etc), the top number of the time signature divided by three, is the number of beats in each measure. 6 = duple, 9 = triple, 12 = quadruple. A tick is added to each beat. Two additional ticks per beat are added to passages where the resultant Monitoring tempo of the measure is below 60 beats per minute. The 60 is not referring to Play Toolbar / Play Panel's top right corner metronome symbol.
Shown above is a demo of compound meters metronome handling, the demo score file is available under the External links section. To a measure using 9/8 where there is a written tempo marking dotted crotchet ♩ . = 59, and the monitoring tempo slider is at 100%, nine ticks are added. Using a quaver ♪ = 179 marking creates identical result. Whereas, to a measure using 9/8 where there is a written tempo marking dotted crotchet ♩ . = 60, and the monitoring tempo slider is at 100%, three ticks are added. Using a quaver ♪ = 180 marking creates identical result. Lowering the monitoring tempo slider to 90% creates nine ticks in that measure.
The default Metronome uses MS Basic. It has two tick sound clips, a high pitched ticks (T1) and a low pitched ticks (T2). T1 is used on the very first tick of each measure, T2 is used on all other places. Alternative sound source can be selected in the Mixer, T1 play note E5, and T2 play note F5.
These ticks are added to any exported audio files. For more control of the ticks in the audio file, or during playback, try these:
The current playback position is shown by two counters to the right of the playback controls. One shows the position in terms of time elapsed, the other in measures and beats (see image in overview). To jump to a timestamp or measure or beat manually, click a counter and enter a number.
The item at the very right end is monitoring tempo. It shows the tempo would have been in the unit of crotchet (quarter notes) within one minute at the current cursor position. It is not exact mirror appearance of any particular written tempo marking on the score. Its crotchet is not related to the musical beat of the score.
To reveal additional controls, undock the toolbar. Click and hold down the "6 dots", then drag away from the top right of the MuseScore screen and release, see Toolbars and windows:Docking and undocking panels chapter. Undocked toolbar automatically expands into a small Playback Panel that has two sliders. The slider on top shows the current playback position . the slider below shows monitoring tempo . Monitoring tempo overrides score tempo temporarily, the setting of each written tempo markings on the score remains unchanged. Returning the slider to default position, 100%, restores tempo to that as written on score.
In the example screen capture shown above. The knob on the top current playback position slider is at one third from the left, suggesting it is currently about one third of the way through the score. The knob on the lower monitoring tempo slider is adjusted slightly to the right of the default position. It reads 130%, suggesting the tempo of playback is currently speeded up to 130% of written tempo. The written tempo is crotchet = 60, it is designated by a Tempo marking not shown in the picture. The top right corner metronome symbol shows crotchet = 78, meaning there would have been 78 crotchet (quarter notes) within one minute at the current cursor position.
To change the playback tempo temporarily, either:
Edit the Playback tempo. It can be adjusted in 1% increments. In the image below the tempo will playback at 96% of the current metronome speed
Click the settings button (cogged gear) on the Play toolbar to show the following controls:
You can uncheck or check these options as desired.
Enable MIDI input to write music to your score with a linked MIDI device (such as a keyboard or drum machine) during playback. See Working with Midi for details.
Uncheck this option if you want playback to ignore any repeat indications in the score.
Uncheck this option if you want playback to ignore chord symbols in the score.
When checked, this option pans the score during playback; uncheck if you want the view to remain stationary.
Metronome tick demo score file https://musescore.org/en/node/357722#comment-1220561
The mixer allows you to
adjust volume and panning, and make other adjustments to the playback for each stave.
The mixer is divided into a number of color-coded channel strips:
You can display/hide the mixer by:
Note: If the instrument channel strips are not in the same order as the instruments in the score, try closing and reopening the Mixer again.
A channel strip contains the following controls (from top to bottom):
Click the three dot icon in the upper right corner of the Mixer panel to show / hide a control. For example, you can hide the Volume faders to save up vertical screen space for score viewing.
The row labelled Sound shows the virtual instrument set used in each track. This can be either a SoundFont (.sf2,.sf3) such as MS Basic, a VST instruments (VSTi), or a Muse Sound. If you have selected a particular sound from within that instrument set then the sound's name will be displayed instead of the set's name.
Note: This changes the instrument's sound, but has no effect on instrument's notation. If you want the staff to be updated as well, say, with correct transposition and clef changes, see Choose instruments.
Starting with MuseScore 4.2, it is now possible to use this method to choose individual sound from within a SoundFont. If you're using an older version of MuseScore 4, use the workaround detailed in SoundFonts.
SFZ files are supported but only by using a VST sampler; see SoundFonts.
Each row (slot) under the Audio FX allows you to add an extra VST effect or Muse Reverb (a native effect). Audio is processed through the Audio FX from top to bottom.
This deactivates the plugin without removing it from the mixer.
Muse Reverb is MuseScore’s native reverb unit. A fixed amount of reverb is added by default to each instrument—you can adjust the amount for each channel using the Aux send knobs next to the blue buttons labelled "Reverb". The effect can be toggled on/off for each channel by clicking on the same buttons. You can also adjust the Muse Reverb output volume using the Aux 1 fader.
Each row (slot) under the Aux sends adjusts how much of a corresponding Aux channel effect(s) is added to the audio created for an instrument.
There are two Aux sends, corresponding to the two aux channels:
Aux channels are special channels to simplify audio FX application. You can set up audio FX(s) in one Aux channel and then apply them to multiple instruments.
There are up to two Aux channels in each score:
By default, aux channels are hidden. To show/hide a aux channel:
The process is the same as adding Audio FX(s) to an instrument channel, see To add an Audio FX.
If there is only one Audio FXin an Aux Channel, the channel strip and its corresponding aux send are labelled by the name of the Audio FX. If there is more than one, they are labelled Aux 1 and Aux 2. You may need to save and reopen the score to see the labels update.
Aux channel strips have volume faders. This changes the volume of the effect across all channel strips with the corresponding aux send turned on. Think of this as setting the maximum volume of the effect(s) that an instrument channel can receive.
To adjust how much effect of an Aux channel come through on each instrument, use the knob in the corresponding Aux sends row (slot) on that instrument channel strip, see Aux Sends.
MuseScore uses virtual instruments to create audio for playback. SoundFont files (.sf2, .sf3) are one of the supported formats . An sf2 or sf3 file contains all the audio data for one or more virtual instruments.
MuseScore comes packaged with its own native SoundFont, MS Basic, which contains most of the instrument sounds you need for score playback.
You can also add and use custom SoundFonts—many are available free online. See also the list in SoundFonts and SFZ files (MS3 handbook).
Once you’ve downloaded a SoundFont to your computer, there are two ways to install a SoundFont in MuseScore 4:
A dialog should appear offering to install the SoundFont file to the correct location.
It's also possible to manually install SoundFont files to the correct location. By default, this location is ~/Documents/MuseScore4/SoundFonts, where ~ (tilde) represents your home directory. The full path to this location is:
C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\MuseScore4\SoundFonts
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/MuseScore4/SoundFonts
/home/USERNAME/Documents/MuseScore4/SoundFonts
SoundFont files placed in this folder will automatically become available for use in MuseScore.
It's also possible to specify alternate location(s) to store SoundFont files instead of—or in addition to—the default location mentioned above. SoundFont files placed at any specified location will be available in MuseScore.
To specify an alternate SoundFont location:
Once a SoundFont is installed, here's how to use it in MuseScore:
As of MuseScore 4.2, it possible to choose a specific sound within the SoundFont. The default setting Choose automatically instructs MuseScore to use sound(s) that matches the instrument in the score.
On some instruments (such as Violin) using MS Basic, verbal articulation text items (such as legato, pizz. arco) create proper playback only if Choose automatically is selected, see musescore at github. Therefore it is preferable to change the Musescore Instrument, see Setting up your score : Changing instruments after score creation chapter. Choose automatically only works with SoundFonts that obey the General MIDI standard, see Musescore 3 handbook SoundFonts and SFZ files: soundfonts chapter.
Shown below is soundfont selection in MuseScore 4.1.1.
As mentioned above, MuseScore 4.2 reintroduced the ability to choose individual sounds within a SoundFont.
Prior to MuseScore 4.2, you had to make do with the automatic choice, or employ a workaround where each individual sound was packaged into a separate SoundFont file. A special version of MS Basic was created for this purpose. For other SoundFonts, you could split them into individual sound files using a free tool such as sf2-split or SF2 Splitter. For VSTs you could use a VST sampler such as Sforzando, FluidSynthVST, or juicysfplugin.
This is possible using 3rd party software such as Polyphone. For more information, see also Soundfont, MIDI velocity and instruments.xml (Developer’s Handbook).
To uninstall a SoundFont, simply open the folder where its file is installed and delete it.
Users of MuseScore 3.6 and earlier may be accustomed to using the Zerberus player, which supports the .sfz file format. In building a new system that now supports VST instruments, changes were required that necessitated the removal of the Zerberus player, as well as the 合成器 found in previous versions of MuseScore. Consequently, some functionality has been lost in this process, including the ability to map specific instrument sounds like pizzicato and tremolo to specific MIDI channels. Our highest priority in future releases of MuseScore 4 is to again support this functionality for VST, SoundFont and the Muse Sounds libraries. Users who rely extensively on mapping .sfz sounds to specific performance directions are advised to continue using earlier versions of MuseScore until we re-enable this capability in MuseScore 4. It is worth mentioning that the new systems we are planning will be much more flexible, easy to use and powerful than those found in MuseScore 3.
For those who wish to still use SFZ sounds in MuseScore 4, good alternatives for Windows and macOs would be the open source VST samplers Sfizz or Sforzando, both of which support SFZ playback. Currently, the use of SFZ is not possible in MuseScore4 for Linux.
Alternatives to soundfonts:
Muse Sounds is a library of sophisticated plugins that provide realistic playback for MuseScore Studio.
On Windows and macOS, Muse Sounds are installed via the Muse Hub utility, which can also be used to install MuseScore Studio. If you don't have Muse Hub yet you can download it for free from musehub.com.
Once installed, Muse Hub is found in the Windows system tray (shortcut Win+B to focus), or the macOS menu bar (press VO+M twice to focus while VoiceOver is running).
When Muse Hub is open, click Get under any sound you’d like to have in your library, and it will begin downloading and installing right away.
Muse Hub also contains a range of effects plugins. Download and install these from the Effects tab.
Once a plugin is fully downloaded, it will appear in the Mixer the next time you launch MuseScore Studio.
On Linux, Muse Sounds are installed via Muse Sounds Manager, which you can download from musescore.org as a DEB or RPM package for 64-bit Intel/AMD architectures (not ARM currently).
When Muse Sounds Manager is open, click Get under any sound you’d like to have in your library, and it will begin downloading and installing right away.
Once a plugin is fully downloaded, it will appear in the Mixer the next time you launch MuseScore Studio.
Any Muse Sounds plugins you’ve downloaded will be automatically assigned to the appropriate instruments in your score.
You can tell MuseScore Studio to always use available Muse Sounds plugins via the Playback Setup dialog.
The Muse Sounds playback profile will ensure that all Muse Sounds plugins will be assigned to every available instrument in your score. You can also manually assign a Muse Sounds plugin to a single instrument via the Mixer. This can be helpful for scores with more than one instrument, where you may wish to combine Muse Sounds plugins with other VSTs or Soundfonts.
Muse Sounds currently supports the following instruments:
Any instruments not supported by Muse Sounds will remain assigned to MS Basic by default.
Sound flags are available starting in MuseScore Studio 4.3
Sound flags can be added to staff text to access additional sounds and playing techniques on Muse Sounds instruments. You can download all the free Muse Sounds instruments (and soon, more sounds from the world’s best audio developers) via the Muse Hub.
When you add a sound flag (pictured below), it affects playback on the entire instrument from that point forward in the score until it reaches another sound flag.
Using sound flags, you can:
Sound flag buttons that appear in the score will never be visible when exporting, printing, or publishing your score to MuseScore.com.
Sound flags must always be attached to a staff text element. If you wish to hide the text:
Selecting the sound flag button and pressing Del will remove it and leave the staff text in place.
Deleting the staff text will also remove the associated sound flag.
The sound flag buttons will be hidden. They can still be edited by clicking the associated staff text to reveal its sound flag button.
The first options in the Modify sound and/or Playing techniques sections of the sound flag popup are the default sounds. If you wish to quickly reset a sound flag to these sounds:
You may wish to combine more than one sound option to play at the same time. If a sound flag has the Modify sound section, you can do the following:
By default, sound flags affect all staves on an instrument, but this can be changed.
Not all Muse Sounds instruments have sound flag options. If we haven’t included any sound flag options yet, you’ll see this in the sound flag popup:
This page shows you how to apply Capo markings in MuseScore versions prior to MuseScore 4.1. See Applying capos for the new method of applying capos in MuseScore 4.1 and above.
MuseScore allows you to transpose the playback of a staff without changing the music notation (written pitch). This simulates the effect of a capo on a guitar (or other stringed instrument).
Use one of the following:
Note: Any capo playback settings apply until overridden by a subsequent Staff text with “Capo Settings” enabled.
Music in “straight” time is performed strictly as written in the score. By contrast, music in swing time interpets straight eigth and sixteenth notes as triplet pairs, with the first of the pair being roughly twice as long as the second. This gives the rhythm a characteristic bouncy feel—often asssociated with Jazz music. e.g.
Swung eighths:
Swung sixteenths:
Rather than notate swung music exactly as performed, it is accepted convention to write it in straight time and simply provide the written indications “Swing and “Straight” at appropriate points in the score.
Swing markings have a playback effect on the score. The default swing ratio is 60% (3:2) but you can vary this to suit the feel of the piece if required.
Alternatively, you can drag and drop the Swing text from the palette onto the note or rest in question.
You can, if desired, add a visual swing marking as well.
Note that the above markings are a form of System text and therefore the playback effect is applied to all staves in the system. If you want swing to apply to only one staff you can use Staff text instead: see below.
In the Swing settings tab edit the “Swing” and “Swing ratio” as required.
Note: Swing settings are found in both system and staff text.
If you want swing to apply to only one staff in the system, use staff text instead:
This section needs to be organized / written by someone with an understanding of how to use MIDI input/output in MuseScore 4. If JACK is still supported, it could be discussed here too, or in a new page.
Virtual Studio Technology (VST) is an audio plug-in software interface licensed under Steinberg that integrates software synthesizers and effects units into digital audio workstations. Most VST plugins are either instruments (VSTi) or effects (VSTfx); VSTi includes software simulation emulations of well-known hardware synthesizers and samplers.
In MuseScore 4, any compatible VST plugins installed on a Windows or MacOS computer will automatically be made available in the Mixer, where you can easily configure playback settings for all instruments in a score. Note that Linux is not yet supported (but see Linux VST3).
After installing new VSTs on your computer, you may have to restart Musescore 4 to make them visible in the mixer. If this doesn't work, you can force a re-scan of VSTs by deleting previous cache settings before restarting. On Windows 10 the relevant file can be found at
C:\Users\ [your user] \AppData\Local\MuseScore\MuseScore4\known_audio_plugins.json
MuseScore 4 directly supports VST3 plugins only (not VST1 or VST2) because of licensing restrictions. If you are using VST1 or VST2, see How to use older, non-VST3 plugins in MuseScore 4.
Note: Sound settings in the Mixer are saved with the score, but not to the program.
See Mixer: Sounds and Audio FX.
Alternatives to VST instruments:
You can store your files either locally on your computer, or online (“in the cloud”) to your musescore.com account. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one for free here.
In the case of scores saved online, MuseScore also keeps local copies on your computer, so you can work on them even without an active internet connection. Every time you save a "Cloud Score", the online copy at musescore.com is also updated. This system protects both the integrity of your local cloud scores while offering all the advantages of online storage, including backup, viewing and playback across multiple devices, ease of sharing, commenting, and much more.
Please note that, if you download one of your cloud scores from musescore.com and open it in MuseScore, the file you download and open will be a new, locally-stored file, separate from the file in the cloud.
There are a few ways to open a score in MuseScore 4.
This triggers your file browser, allowing you to select and open scores stored on your computer or storage device (dialog will vary according to operating system).
Windows/Linux: Ctrl+O. MacOS: Cmd+O
This option allows you to choose from a list of recently-opened scores.
This window displays your most recently modified scores. Double-click on any score thumbnail to open it. You can also click Open other… to access locally-stored scores from your file browser.
Scores that have been saved to the cloud are indicated with a cloud icon. Unlike local scores, it is not possible to rename or otherwise modify a cloud file from your computer’s file browser. You can, however, do this from the score manager on musescore.com. Go directly to your score manager by clicking the Score manager (online) button in the Scores window.
It is possible to open multiple scores simultaneously. In this case, MuseScore opens each score in a separate window.
Apart from its native format files (*.mscz and *.mscx), MuseScore can also open MusicXML, compressed MusicXML and MIDI files, as well as a variety of files in other formats. You can customize various import settings by going to Preferences → Import.
To save a score:
1. Go to File
2. Choose any of the following options:
Option | What it does | Shortcut |
---|---|---|
Save | Saves current score to new file, or saves changes to a previously saved file | Windows/Linux: Ctrl+S, MacOS: Cmd+S |
Save As... | Saves current score to new file | Windows/Linux: Shift+Ctrl+S, MacOS: Shift+Cmd+S |
Save a copy... | Saves current score to new file, but allows you to continue editing the original file | None |
Save selection... | Saves selected measures to new file | None |
Save to cloud... | Saves score as a new file on musescore.com | None |
The first time you use any of the above save options, a dialog opens asking you “How would you like to save”, then offering you the options of “Save to the cloud” or “Save to computer”.
To disable this window, click Don't show again to ensure you only see your operating system's native save dialog for future saves.
The Save to computer option triggers your operating system’s “Save” dialog, allowing you to save the score as a (compressed) MuseScore file, .mscx.
There is also an option in your “Save” dialog to save files in an uncompressed format (“Uncompressed MuseScore folder”). This option creates a new folder on your computer that contains a MuseScore (.mscx) file, as well as a thumbnail image file (.png) and any relevant .json, .mss, and .xml files.
Scores saved online (to the cloud) appear in the program’s Home: Scores tab with a cloud symbol at the corner of the file icon. A local copy is also automatically saved on your computer.
To save a score to the cloud, choose Save to the cloud. This triggers a dialog with the following options:
This is the name under which your score will be identifiable on musescore.com
When you’re ready, click Save. The first time you do this, MuseScore will ask whether you also want to upload your audio to musescore.com. You can choose from the following options:
Each time you press Save, only the score itself will be uploaded to musescore.com. Online playback will use the MS Basic soundfont.
Each time you press Save, MuseScore will generate an .mp3 file to upload together with your score. Score playback on musescore.com will sound the same as it does in your desktop app (including audio from the Muse Sounds library, if installed, or any VST instruments and effects you’ve added)
MuseScore will only generate and upload an .mp3 file at a save interval you specify.
These settings only affect your private cloud scores. You will only be asked to specify this setting once, however you can change this setting at any time by going to Preferences → Cloud. Once you click OK, MuseScore will confirm your score has been saved. Your file will be accessible from both the Home tab as well as the score manager on musescore.com.
This chapter covers the saving of MuseScore scores in formats other than the native ones (*.mscz and *.mscx), such as MusicXML, MIDI, MEI, MP3, PDF, PNG etc.
To export a score:
Portable Document Format (PDF) is a universal format for text, pictures, music and so on. Use this format when you want to generate music scores for other musicians to read.
Virtually every computer will have a dedicated PDF reader; if not a PDF can also be opened using web browsers such as Firefox etc. PDF scores can also be printed to hard copy if desired.
Like PDF, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) enables you to zoom in and enlarge the image without loss of quality. Use SVG when you want to embed extracts of music inside another document or webpage.
All modern web browsers support SVG. However, many websites and apps do not support it, so if you try to use SVG somewhere and it doesn't work, try using PDF or PNG instead.
Portable Network Graphics (PNG) is a compressed graphical format suitable for editing or embedding in all kinds of documents. However, PNGs become pixelated if you zoom in or enlarge the image, so consider using PDF or SVG instead if your software supports it.
OGG files commonly contain lossy Vorbis-compressed audio, which offers higher quality than MP3 at the same file size. Use this format for personal listening, if your device supports it.
Most Android devices support OGG audio, but Windows, macOS, and iOS devices require third-party software in order to read these files. You may find MP3 easier to use.
MP3 is a lossy compression format that is universally supported. Use this format to share audio with other people for listening purposes (not for editing).
FLAC is a lossless compression format that fully preserves audio quality, but produces larger file size than the lossy compression formats. Use FLAC when sending audio for someone else to edit, but only if you can't send them the actual MuseScore file (e.g. because they don't have the necessary instrument sounds or audio plugins installed for it to sound the way you intended).
WAV is an uncompressed format. It offers full audio quality but its files are extremely large. Use this format for audio that you plan to edit yourself in another program, such as Audacity.
If you need audio in a format not mentioned above (e.g. Opus or AAC), this requires using an external audio conversion tool. Audacity is a free program that can be used for this purpose. It's developed by Muse Group, the same company that makes MuseScore.
Simply export your score from MuseScore as a WAV file, then open this file in Audacity, or whichever audio program you choose to do the conversion. Using WAV as the transition format ensures the highest quality after conversion and avoids wasting time compressing the file in MuseScore only to decompress it immediately in the other program.
Alternatively, you could use a website to do the conversion. In this case it's better to use FLAC as the transition format, as this will reduce the size of the upload while retaining maximum quality. Make sure you research any third-party software or web service carefully before using it. Some websites retain files after you have uploaded them, and some will even make the files available to other users.
Once the file has been converted to the desired format, you should listen to it to ensure the quality is acceptable and the entire file was converted.
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is a well-established music industry standard for encoding all the notes and instruments in a score, but none of the visual formatting. MIDI files can be played in some media players, but only if the right software (or hardware) instruments are available to realize it. The files can be edited in a sequencer or other music notation software.
You should be aware that the sound generated by a MIDI file is dependent on the virtual instruments used to play it back, so it's likely to sound different when played outside of MuseScore. Also MIDI does not preserve visual formatting, so the file will look very different when opened in any notation program, including MuseScore, compared to the original score.
MusicXML is a universal standard which aims to preserve as much of the original score formatting as possible. It can be opened in any modern score writer. MuseScore 4 uses MusicXML 4.0, although some features have yet to be implemented.
Braille Ready Format (BRF) is a plain text format that can store written text or music documents intended for use by people who are blind. These files can be opened in third-party software for reading with an electronic braille display or embossing onto paper as raised dots.
MuseScore's braille files use bar-over-bar formatting, which means there is a separate line of braille for each staff, and measures are vertically aligned between staves like in the print music. (An alternative would be bar-by-bar or section-by-section formatting, where one or more measures are written for the first staff, followed by those same measures for the next staff, and so on, all on a single line of braille. MuseScore does not support these types of formatting currently.) MuseScore's braille files use ASCII rather than Unicode character encoding, so sighted users who open these files in a text editor will just see random letters and punctuation characters; you would need to install a special braille font in order to see the braille as dots.
MuseScore's braille conforms to the Braille Authority of North America's Music Braille Code 2015, but many of its features have yet to be implemented. At present, you may get better results if you export scores as MusicXML, and then use a third-party MusicXML to braille conversion tool, such as the free web-based tool SM Music Braille.
Music Encoding Initiative (MEI) is an open XML format that represents the semantic structure of music notation documents and is developed as a community-driven effort. The MEI support in MuseScore focuses on MEI Basic, a subset of MEI that facilitates the use of MEI for data exchange and improves interoperability. The MEI support in MuseScore is available as of version 4.2 and is documented here.
[To be added]
MusicXML is a universal file format that allows music scores to be shared between different music notation programs. For example, you can convert a MuseScore .mscz file to a MusicXML file and it will open in Sibelius, Finale, or any other compatible scorewriter; and vice versa.
MusicXML faithfully reproduces the notes and instrumentation, but, nevertheless, it is usually necessary to do some clean-up work to make the transferred score look exactly the same as the original.
When a MusicXML file is first opened in MuseScore, the positions and custom properties of text objects are preserved as far as possible. There may also be other customizations visible in the score which you may or may not wish to keep.
These options can be found in Edit→Preferences→Import.
To reset the stems of all notes to their default positions and orientations:
To reset the leading space of all notes to the score default:
To remove all breaks—system, page and section:
1. Right-click on a break and choose Select→Similar
2. Press Delete.
To remove just system breaks (leaving section and page breaks in place):
To reset all text objects in the score, and in frames, to their default styles:
See Format→Style→Text styles to view the list of styles, and property values.
To reset the positions of all text objects in frames:
You can apply the same method for text objects in the score, as for frames. However you will need to repeat this for each individual class of object—all tempo texts, all staff texts and so on.
To export a score as a MusicXML file see File export.
When exporting a score to MusicXML, you can choose from a compressed (the default option) or uncompressed format; and whether to export all breaks or not, or to allow only manually-added breaks to appear in the file.
[To be added:
The Project Properties dialog contains metadata tags, editable descriptive digital data of the file. Every score created with Musescore 4 contains the following predefined metadata tags. Some of them are automatically assigned with information provided by user in the New Score dialog, see Setting up your score chapter.
Property | Details |
---|---|
Work title | Assigned with "Title" provided in New Score dialog. |
Subtitle | Assigned with "Subtitle" provided in New Score dialog. |
Composer | Assigned with "Composer" provided in New Score dialog. |
Arranger | |
Lyricist | Assigned with "Lyricist" provided in New Score dialog. |
Translator | |
Copyright | Assigned with "Copyright" provided in New Score dialog. Feel free to copy and use this copyright symbol literally: © |
Work number | |
Movement title | |
Movement number | |
Creation Date | Date of the score creation. This could be empty, if the score was saved in test mode (see Command line usage). Edit manually if you are Beethoven's ghost. |
Platform | The computing platform the score was created on. This might be empty if the score was saved in test mode. |
Source | May contain a URL if the score was downloaded from or Publish to MuseScore.com. |
Audio.com URL | |
Musescore Version | Not editable. The version of MuseScore the score was last saved with |
File Path | Not editable. The score file's location on the Computer. |
Note:
To change a Project property (metadata tag),
To add a new custom metadata tag, click on the New button. Fill in the "New tag name" field and press OK;
To delete a tag click on the trashcan symbol. Predefined metadata tags cannot be deleted.
The only place to add project properties (metadata tags) on to a score is by referring them in header or footer, see Header and footer chapter.
Understand that these are separate entities before we begin this chapter:
You can publish to musescore.com either directly, or from within Musescore, but note that musescore.org volunteers are not capable of handling any issues related to musescore.com such as payment, refund, ownership, copyright, licensing, piracy etc, see How and where to ask for support.
You may elect to keep your scores private or to allow others to read or download them. To use its service you need to open a musescore.com account, which can be either free or subscription (see also Opening and saving scores).
musescore.com seems to prioritize providing virtually free of charge score hosting service, rather than helping self-publishers generate income. Nevertheless, it has generous terms on how hosted scores are used. The platform has not been openly, directly working with or sharing revenue with self publishers / individual composers yet. It has begun collaborating with publishers in response to complaints about copyright protection. For musicians aiming for profit, try alternative methods such as listed on https://music.stackexchange.com/questions/696/sites-with-a-good-selecti…
Respect copyright. Just as you own the copyright for music you create, others own the copyright for music they create. You may transcribe other people’s copyrighted music using Musescore, but you do not necessarily own the copyright for the resulting Sheet music.
A broad definition of "publish" is used in this chapter to avoid confusion only - the act of uploading/saving content to an online server is considered "publishing". You should pay attention to the definition of "publish" used in any legally binding licenses. From https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq-definitions.html ... Publication is the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public ... A score can be uploaded "unlisted", meaning it is not publicly searchable or shown inside a public systematic catalog, but the said score may arguably still be considered public.
From the forum post Copyright Infringement
... for a cover song you'd need the copyright holder's permission (maybe the author, the publisher, the heirs, etc) ...
... you cannot upload a piece even with a licence from the original author, unless said licence also includes the specific rights grant to MuseScore BVBA which the ToS require, but which are not necessary to obtain if (also) another suitable licence, such as any and all Open Source / Open Knowledge licences, are present. The ToS also (part of the same bug) require the uploader to waive certain moral rights of the artist ...
From the forum post Would somebody tell me what is original music?
... If you haven't deliberately based your score on another composition then upload it as an original. If it turns out to be similar to a known composition then someone will point it out. If it's close to a copyrighted score then it may get taken down, (made private), but without causing you any trouble ...
From https://bernardgreenberg.com/MuseScore.html (by Bernie/BSG, a long time volunteer music mentor on musescore.org and musescore.com) 29 June 2021
... the CPO (Chief Product Officer) of MuseScore.com, David Mandelstam, posted, in public discussion with me, that the site (musescore.com) is the world's largest free sheet music catalog. It is not a social media, and not a score hosting site ...
Last but not least, from https://musescore.com/community-guidelines
... Treat people the way you would like to be treated ...
The first time you save a score you will be asked if you want to publish the score to Musescore.com.
If you are not already logged in to Musescore.com, or you do not have an account, you will need to login.
You will be asked if the score should be Public, Unlisted, or Private.
If you’re publishing a score that you’ve already published at least once, you can choose to replace the existing online score or to publish as a new online score.
You will be asked whether you also want to upload your audio to musescore.com. See Managing publishing preferences
Musescore will tell you when it is ready. Large scores may take some time to generate the MP3 file.
Scores saved on your computer can also be published at Musescore.com but are not automatically updated.
To publish a score at Musescore.com
Scores published only at Musescore.com are marked with a "cloud" symbol in the Musescore score manager.
MuseScore also keeps local copies on your computer, so you can work on them even without an active internet connection.
When saving online Musescore creates an MP3 file of the audio of your score. Depending on the score length, and number of instruments in the score, this might take a long time. To control when this happens:
Under "Generate MP3 audio for private cloud scores" choose Never, Always, or Every (X saves)
Each time you press Save, only the score itself will be uploaded to musescore.com. Online playback will use the MS Basic soundfont.
Each time you press Save, MuseScore will generate an .mp3 file to upload together with your score. Score playback on musescore.com will sound the same as it does in your desktop app (including audio from the Muse Sounds library, if installed, or any VST instruments and effects you’ve added)
MuseScore will only generate and upload an .mp3 file at a save interval you specify.
In addition to publishing your score on MuseScore.com, you can share the MP3 audio generated by MuseScore to Audio.com, a free service from Muse Group. On Audio.com, you can share your tracks publicly, make them available to download, and upload unlisted audio.
MuseScore 4.1 and above
MuseScore 4.2 and above
The first time you publish a score, you will be prompted to share on Audio.com. You can choose to be prompted every time you publish, and this can be controlled in Preferences.
MuseScore works with your "System" language (the one used for most programs, and generally depending on your country and the language settings of the PC, or account).
In the General tab, select the desired language from the drop-down list in the Language section:
To update translation(s):
A message which displayed if the version of your language is already up to date, if not then the update will be downloaded.
To complete this step, a restart of the application is required.
To change the appearance of MuseScore
In the Appearance tab, select the desired option described below.
The following options are available to change the colors of MuseScore. The display changes immediately so options can be tested without closing the dialog. The changes apply to all open instances of MuseScore (see Windows)
To change the font face and text size for Menu and Palette elements:
This does not affect and text elements in the score.
Windows, toolbars and panels within MuseScore can be repositioned, and you can choose which elements you want to see displayed in them.
The default appearance of MuseScore is shown below:
To show or hide the playback controls, note input toolbar, or the status bar:
To change the position of either the note input or playback toolbars, click on and hold the six dots at the left of the toolbar, then drag and drop it to the desired location. The toolbar can be left free floating, but in the case of the note input toolbar, you can also drag and drop it either to the left or the bottom edge of the program window—a blue rectange then appears to show you that you can drop the toolbar at that location to redock it. The playback toolbar can only be redocked in its default position.
To select the icons that you want on view in the note input or playback toolbars, click on the gear icon to the right of the toolbar:
In the case of the note input toolbar, this reveals a dropdown list from which you can hide or display the various icons by clicking on the eye symbol to the left of each one (closed=hidden, open=displayed).
In the case of the playback toolbar, uncheck or check the various options in the gear menu to hide or display the corresponding elements.
To undock and move one of the side panels (Palette, Instruments, Properties, or Selection filter), click on the three dots on the tab, select the Undock option, then drag the undocked panel to the desired position.
You can leave the panel free-standing but there are also dock positions at the top and right hand edges of the document window—a blue rectangle appears to show that you can drop the panel to redock it at that location.
In a similar way, you can redock the free panel back to the sidebar:
You can also redock the free panel in its original position by clicking on the three dots on the tab, and selecting Dock.
Panels such as the Mixer or virtual Piano can be undocked if desired, by dragging them into position or clicking on the three dots icon and selecting Undock. To redock, click on the three dots icon and select Dock.
The undocked mixer can be resized by dragging the edges inwards or outwards.
To choose which elements to display within the mixer or the virtual Piano, click on the three dots, select View and uncheck or check the applicable options.
To customize the palettes area, see Customization: Palettes.
This chapter contains incomplete information and does not reflect the current status of Musescore 4. Please consult third party professionals listed on Getting help instead.
useful info for editing:
TODO testing
Styles in Musescore are profiles that contains settings, rather than being the settings themselves. The visual setting for text and musical symbol in musescore some users mistaken for style is called Font.
All styles are built-in, they contain visual and functional settings default values. Each object type, eg Chord Symbol object, Accidental object, has a corresponding style of the same name built-in: "Style for Chord Symbols", "Style for Accidentals". Each Text object, eg Chord Symbol object, Lyrics object, also has one or more corresponding style(s) built-in: "Style for text inside Chord Symbols", "Style for text inside Chord Symbols (Alternative)", "Style for text inside Lyrics Even Lines", "Style for text inside Lyrics Odd Lines". Style is not the object type.
You cannot create a new style, but you can edit the settings values in each style. Use the "Style" window: Format → Style , or Properties panel: 'three dots' button : Save as default style for this score.
After you created an object, you cannot change its object type. The same is almost true for style: an accidental object on a score must use values in "Style for Accidentals", it cannot use values in "Style for Staff Text" or "Style for Chord Symbols". You cannot change which style (the named profile) an object on a score uses unless the object is a Text object or it contains a Text object within. A Lyrics object on a score, if desired, can use the compatible values in "Style for text inside Chord symbols" or "Style for text inside Staff Text" rather than the values in "Style for text inside Lyrics Odd Lines" or "Style for text inside Lyrics Even Lines", for more see Formatting text chapter.
Read on to see the final visual and function of objects are determined.
Layout and formatting in Musescore consists of two main levels, Text objects and objects containing them have more levels, see Formatting text. The final visual and function of most object in a score file is determined by:
Every score file has a "Full Score" layout. It also contains "Parts" when you use Musescore Part feature to generate different versions of the same score. Each "Part" and the "Full Score" has their own separate complete set of layout and formatting information.
Visit https://musescore.org/en/node/355981 for .mss files shared by other musicians.
The concepts and layout logic are explained in the overview. .mss file contains "level 2 information" and can be stored in any folder, Musescore does not automatically use any specific folder. The default folder for easier file management can be set-up in Edit → Preferences.
Open Preferences → Score tab
Not to be confused with Staff/Part properties: staff type template.
Usage of template is covered in chapters Create your first score, and Setting up your score. Score template can be used to quickly set up a new score. A template contains:
[This item list is a work in progress, please add missing info, see TODO above, and
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/instruments-staff-setup-and-templat…
- itemX
- itemY
- itemZ
]
A template file is a score file under certain directory that Musescore uses. You can create a score from scratch and save it as template, or copy any existing .mscz file to that directory to use it as template. There are two kinds of templates:
Click File → Save as and save the score file as .mscz format into the template directory Musescore uses. Content of the last added Title text is used as the template name (not the content of File → Project Properties → Work Title field; also not the file name as Musescore 3).
This chapter shows you how to customize the palettes and their contents; the application of palette items is already covered in Using the palettes (Basics).
To add a preset or a custom palette, see Using the palettes: Adding more palettes.
To hide a preset palette, right click on it and select Hide palette. The palette is returned to the Add Palettes list (see above). Note that preset palettes cannot be deleted.
To hide or delete a custom palette you have created earlier, right click on it and select Hide/Delete palette. Then follow the instructions in the dialog.
To change the order of a palette simply drag it up or down and drop it onto the desired position in the palettes list.
Palettes can be populated with items from the Master Palette (Shift+F9 or View→Master palette), or from an opened score.
Score items, when added to a palette, are saved with their custom properties.
To enable/disable editing for a particular palette:
To add a symbol from the Master Palette to a palette in the Palettes panel:
If you have created a custom palette, there is another way to access the Master Palette:
To add score elements to a palette:
Symbols can be moved from one open palette to another simply by dragging and dropping them.
To delete an element in a palette, right-click on it and select Delete. In the case of preset palettes, the element will be moved to the More section. For custom palettes you are offered a choice of Hide (send element to the More section) or Delete permanently.
To reset a palette to its default state, right-click on the palette name, or click on the ellipsis symbol (three dots) to the right of the palette name; then select Reset palette.
Note: A custom palette will be reset to an empty palette when this function is applied.
To save a palette, right-click on the palette name, or click on the ellipsis symbol (three dots) to the right of the palette name; then select Save palette.
To load a previously-saved palette, right-click on a palette name, or click on the ellipsis symbol (three dots) to the right of the palette name; then select Load palette and navigate to the desired palette, select it and click Open.
To access display options for the palettes area, click on the ellipsis symbol (three dots) to the right of the Palettes title at the top of the palettes area.
To access Palette properties for individual palettes, right-click on the palette name, or click on the ellipsis symbol (three dots) to the right of the palette name; then select Palette properties.
This allows you to rename the palette, create a visible grid to separate elements, adjust width and height of cells, and change the scale and offset of the symbols.
Workspace is the visual settings, also known as graphical user interface (GUI), of the Musescore program itself. An analogy to the position of the pen, ruler etc on a composer's desk. It includes the content, docked/undocked status and positions of palettes, toolbars and assorted open panels. Changes made to the current workspace are automatically saved, no further action is required. You can create custom workspaces to quickly change all these settings with a mouse click.
Note that the following settings do not count as workspace. View→Show→ Show visible, Show Invisible, Show formatting, Show Frames, Show Page Margins, Mark irregular measures, and status bar's Concert Pitch, Zoom level, and Page View/Continuous View option. These settings, covered in The user interface chapter, are score data. They are saved to and loaded from each score file. Templates contain these settings and will be used when you create a new score from a template, see Setting up your score.
To create a new workspace:
To customize the palettes display and contents, see palettes.
To customize the display of toolbars and panels, see Toolbars and panels.
Alternatively
MuseScore commands can be accessed via the main menus, toolbars, Properties panel or context menus, or by using keyboard shortcuts.
Pre-existing keyboard shortcut are shown alongside the commands in the main menus or context (right-click) menus, or by hovering the mouse pointer over an icon in a toolbar.
Alternatively, you can view a list of commands and their shortcuts in Edit→Preferences→Shortcuts. This is also the place where you can create a shortcut or change an existing one. To locate a command in the list either scroll down the alphabetical order, or enter an appropriate keyword in the “Search shortcut” box.
To define a new shortcut, or change an existing one:
Note: You can select more than one shortcut if needed. Press the Shift key to establish a continuous range, or the Ctrl key for a list.
To save the existing shortcuts or import a list of your own:
To edit Preferences (the appearance and general behavior of MuseScore), go to Edit→Preferences.
These are divided logically into sections (see below); notice also the three buttons at the bottom of the window:
You can specify your language, and autosave interval in “General”. See also Language.
“Program start” allow you to choose what, if any, score you want displayed in the edit window after launching.
“Folders” allows you to customize locations for any user folders (though it’s a good idea to leave them at default to start with if you are a new user).
Choose between light and dark options, and specify the accent color; there is also a high contrast option for visually impaired users.
The system font is also the default for the MuseScore UI, but you can alter this if desired—and the font-size.
You can set the score paper/color option and the background. For visually impaired there is an “Invert score” option which inverts the score colors (white to black and vice versa)
Specify the default zoom level of the score, and the mouse zoom precision. Also how you want your score pages to scroll, and the degree of precision of mouse selection.
Specify the autosave duration and options relating to generating and publishing audio on musescore.com and audio.com.
Here you can specify whether to advance to the next note on key release (in MIDI input), whether to color notes outside of an instrument's usable range, whether to play notes when editing (and for how long), and customise how voice assignment for dynamics works.
Customize the default order of instruments for new scores, and default styles for scores and parts.
Specify audio device, buffer size and sample rate, MIDI input and output devices, and customize mixer behaviour.
Here you can map certain keys of your external MIDI keyboard to certain actions, for example to start or stop score playback, set note-entry duration, and so on.
Here you can specify a custom style file to use for imported files (MIDI and MusicXML), set the character set for imported binary files, customise MusicXML import, set the shortest note value to use in imported MIDI files, and choose whether to import the layout in MEI files.
For details of the MusicXML options, see Working with MusicXML files.
See Keyboard shortcuts for more information.
By default MuseScore automatically checks for updates when online. You can turn this off by unchecking the box.
Specify the default folders for scores, style files, templates, plugins and soundfonts.
A number of specialized options can be accessed here, such as voice color, and palette behavior.
Enable or disable the braille panel, and customize its behavior.
Not to be confused with VST and VSTi.
A MuseScore plugin is a small piece of software that adds extra functionality to the program. A plugin need to be enabled first, and then executed by using the Plugins menu. Some plugins come pre-installed, they are disabled by default. There are also plugins created and shared by other musicians, anyone can download and use them.
Updating works the same way as installing, but remember to remove the files from the previous version to avoid duplicate plugins!
To assign a keyboard shortcut a plugin, use Home: Plugins or Plugins: Manage plugins....
[work in progress, please provide missing info, write brief info on each]
See https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/tree/master/share/plugins
The plugin system of Musescore 4 is currently being redesigned and reimplemented.
As of October 2023, Musescore 4.1.1 plugin system is mostly a somewhat restricted version of the Musescore 3 plugin system. Visit Developers' Handbook Plugins for 3.x Chapter for fundamentals, and Plugins for 4.x Chapter for info on the new parameters and porting a Musescore 3 plugin to MuseScore 4.
官方将最新支持信息发布于https://musescore.org/support(英文)。 敬请优先访问并阅读该页面。
在MuseScore内部推广的教程材料以外, MuseGroup——MuseScore项目的管理公司还维护着一个在线服务器 https://musescore.org免费提供音乐家社区 。 社区志愿者合作维护手册及一系列帮助页面。 要寻求帮助,请使用https://musescore.org/zh-hans/forum。
每个人都被邀请加入社区,并鼓励大家做出贡献,请移步https://musescore.org/zh-hans/donate和 https://musescore.org/en/contribute。 在 https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues 报告Musescore 4的Windows、 macOS和Linux软件错误。
还有其他质量良好的第三方教程材料、视频流和社区,适用于不同级别的Musescore在线用户。
前往https://musescore.org/zh-hans/forum以阅读新闻和动态并参与讨论。
访问 https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues 以发布并跟踪问题。
本项目可在 https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore 获得。
还有其他质量非常好的第三方教程材料、视频流和社区,适用于不同级别的Musescore在线用户,最引人注目的是Marc Sabatella先生创建的https://school.masteringmusescore.com/。虽然Marc Sabatella为MuseScore代码库和官方教程材料做出大量贡献已有累时,并孜孜不倦地帮助社区,但其网站与Muse集团或其任何子公司没有关联。
Browse the How-to's first
The most useful pages from How to:
若您的应用程序偏好设置错乱, 则可能需要重置Musescore 应用程序偏好设置。这将删除自定符号面板和自定快捷键,并清除文件菜单与主标签页:乐谱下的的最近打开乐谱, 但不会删除任何乐谱文件。
在重置前, 请尽管在MuseScore中文论坛咨询志愿者。请自己决定是否继续重置,Muse集团和在线社区不对任何数据丢失负责。
如果MuseScore没有启动, 您须通过命令行来运行本进程.
来源: https://musescore.org/en/node/342982
C:\Program Files\MuseScore 4\bin\MuseScore4.exe
或
%ProgramFiles%\MuseScore 4\bin\MuseScore4.exe
对于 Windows 应用商店版本 (Windows 10),它隐藏得很好,请通过 Windows 资源管理器搜索它
几秒钟后, MuseScore应该会启动,所有设置都会恢复为“出厂设置”。
对于高级用户,
主偏好设置文件位于:
C:\用户\[用户名]\AppData\Roaming\MuseScore\MuseScore4.ini
或
%APPDATA%\MuseScore\MuseScore4.ini
最近打开文件的列表位于:
C:\用户\[用户名]\AppData\Local\MuseScore\MuseScore4\recent_files.json
或
%LOCALAPPDATA%\MuseScore\MuseScore4\recent_files.json
其他偏好设置(符号面板、会话、快捷方式、工作区、日志等)位于:
C:\用户\[用户名]\AppData\Local\MuseScore\MuseScore4\
或
%LOCALAPPDATA%\MuseScore\MuseScore4\
对于 Windows 应用商店版本 (Windows 10),这些都隐藏得很好,请通过 Windows 资源管理器搜索它们。
本节 (macOS) 所编写的说明 **未经测试,且尚未在线上找到 Musescore 4 特定的 macOS 测试结果 (截至 2023 年 10 月)。 以下内容改编自 Musescore 3 https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/revert-factory-settings。请测试它,纠正错误,并删除本段落.
/Applications/MuseScore\ 4.app/Contents/MacOS/mscore -F
这会将所有 MuseScore 偏好设置重置为出厂设置,并立即启动 MuseScore。请注意,如果不退出 MuseScore,则无法退出终端。您可以安全地退出 MuseScore,退出终端,然后以正常方式重新打开MuseScore,继续使用。
For advanced users, the main MuseScore preference file is located at ~/Library/Preferences/org.musescore.MuseScore4.plist
. Often, deleting this file has no effect: macOS stores a cached copy of the settings in some unknown location. The correct way to delete this file, is by running the following command in the Terminal app:
defaults delete org.musescore.MuseScore4
The other preferences (palettes, session, shortcuts, workspaces, logs,...) (Those are not cached by macOS.) are in
~/Library/Application\ Support/MuseScore/MuseScore4/
source : https://musescore.org/en/node/345932
The following is true for Ubuntu, and most likely all other Linux distributions and UNIX-style operating systems.
mscore -F
Or
musescore -F
Or
mscore4portable -F
Or, if you are using the AppImage version, use the cd
command to change directory to wherever you saved the AppImage. For example, if you saved it to your Desktop (and there is only one):
cd ~/Desktop
./MuseScore*.AppImage -F
This resets all MuseScore preferences to factory settings and immediately launches the MuseScore application. You can now quit Terminal, and continue using MuseScore.
For advanced users,
the main MuseScore preference file is located at
${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-~/.config}/MuseScore/MuseScore4.ini
The other preferences (palettes, session, shortcuts, workspaces,logs, …) are in
${XDG_DATA_HOME:-~/.local/share}/MuseScore/MuseScore4/
PLEASE NOTE: This page was copied from the equivalent page in the MuseScore 3 Handbook. If you find an option that no longer works in MuseScore 4, please report it on GitHub and add a note next to that option on this page. If the option was intentionally removed from MuseScore 4 then please delete it from this page.
MSCORE(1) — General Commands Manual Page
mscore, MuseScore4 — MuseScore 4 sheet music editor
You can launch MuseScore from the command line by typing
[options] and [filename] are optional. For this to work the MuseScore executable must be in %PATH%
(Windows) resp. $PATH
(Mac and Linux). If it is not, see Revert to factory settings for detailed instructions on how and where to find and execute the MuseScore executable from the command line on the various supported platforms.
A more detailed synopsis follows:
mscore [-deFfhIiLmnOPRstvw]
[-b | --bitrate bitrate]
[-c | --config-folder pathname]
[-D | --monitor-resolution DPI]
[-d | --debug]
[-E | --install-extension extension file]
[-e | --experimental]
[-F | --factory-settings]
[-f | --force]
[-h | -? | --help]
[-I | --dump-midi-in]
[-i | --load-icons]
[-j | --job file.json]
[-L | --layout-debug]
[-M | --midi-operations file]
[-m | --no-midi]
[-n | --new-score]
[-O | --dump-midi-out]
[-o | --export-to file]
[-P | --export-score-parts]
[-p | --plugin name]
[-R | --revert-settings]
[-r | --image-resolution DPI]
[-S | --style style]
[-s | --no-synthesizer]
[-T | --trim-image margin]
[-t | --test-mode]
[-v | --version]
[-w | --no-webview]
[-x | --gui-scaling factor]
[--diff]
[--long-version]
[--no-fallback-font]
[--raw-diff]
[--run-test-script]
[--score-media]
[--score-meta]
[--highlight-config]
[--score-parts]
[--score-parts-pdf]
[--score-transpose]
[--sound-profile]
[--source-update]
[--template-mode]
[file ...]
MuseScore is a Free and Open Source WYSIWYG cross-platform multi-lingual music composition and notation software, released under the GNU General Public Licence (GPLv3).
Running mscore without any extra options launches the full graphical MuseScore program and opens any files specified on the command line.
The options are as follows:
Set MP3 output bitrate in kbit/s
Override configuration and settings directory
Specify monitor resolution (override autodetection)
Start MuseScore in debug mode
Install an extension file; soundfonts are loaded by default unless -e is also specified
Enable experimental features, such as layers
Use only the standard built-in presets (“factory settings”) and delete user preferences; compare with the -R option (see also Revert to factory settings)
Ignore score corruption and version mismatch warnings in “converter mode”
Display an overview of invocation instructions (doesn’t work on Windows)
Display all MIDI input on the console
Load icons from the filesystem; useful if you want to edit the MuseScore icons and preview the changes
Process a conversion job (see EXAMPLES below)
Start MuseScore in layout debug mode
Specify MIDI import operations file (see EXAMPLES below)
Disable MIDI input
Start with the New Score wizard regardless whether it’s enabled or disabled in the user preferences
Display all MIDI output on the console
Export the given (or currently opened) file to the specified output file. The file type depends on the extension of the filename given. This option switches to “converter mode” and avoids the graphical user interface.
When converting to PDF with the -o option, append each part’s pages to the created PDF file. If the score has no parts, all default parts will temporarily be generated automatically.
Execute the named plugin
Use only the standard built-in presets (“factory settings”) but do not delete user preferences; compare with the -F option
Set image resolution for conversion to PNG files. Default: 300 DPI (actually, the value of “Resolution” of the PNG option group in the Export tab of the preferences)
Load a style file first; useful for use with the -o option
Disable the integrated software synthesizer
Trim exported PNG and SVG images to remove whitespace surrounding the score. The specified margin, in pixels, will be retained (use 0
for a tightly cropped image). When exporting to SVG, this option only works with single-page scores.
Set test mode flag for all files, includes --template-mode
Display the name and version of the application without starting the graphical user interface (doesn’t work on Windows)
Disable the web view component in the Start Center
Scale the score display and other GUI elements by the specified factor; intended for use with high-resolution displays
Print a conditioned diff between the given scores
Display the full name, version and git revision of the application without starting the graphical user interface (doesn’t work on Windows)
Don’t use Bravura as fallback musical font
Print a raw diff between the given scores
Run script tests listed in the command line arguments
Export all media (except MP3) for a given score as a single JSON document to stdout
Set highlight to svg, generated from a given score
Export score metadata to JSON document and print it to stdout
Generate parts data for the given score and save them to separate mscz files
Generate parts data for the given score and export it as a single JSON document to stdout
Transpose the given score and export the data to a single JSON file, print it to stdout
Use with '-o .mp3' or with '-j ', override the sound profile in the given score(s).
Possible values: "MuseScore Basic", "Muse Sounds"
Update the source in the given score
Save files in template mode (e.g. without page sizes)
MuseScore also supports the automatic Qt command line options.
The argument to the -j option must be the pathname of a file comprised of a valid JSON document honoring the following specification:
The top-level element must be a JSONArray, which may be empty.
Each array element must be a JSONObject with the following keys:
in
: Value is the name of the input file (score to convert), as JSONString.plugin
: Value is the filename of a plugin (with the .qml
extension), which will be read from either the global or per-user plugin path and executed before the conversion output happens, as JSONString. Optional, but at least one of plugin
and out
must be given.out
: Value is the conversion output target, as defined below. Optional, but at least one of plugin
and out
must be given.The conversion output target may be a filename (with extension, which decided the format to convert to), as JSONString.
The conversion output target may be a JSONArray of filenames as JSONString, as above, which will cause the score to be written to multiple output files (in multiple output formats) sequentially, without being closed, re-opened and re-processed in between.
If the conversion output target is a JSONArray, one or more of its elements may also be, each, a JSONArray of two JSONStrings (called first and second half in the following description). This will cause part extraction: for each such two-tuple, all extant parts of the score will be saved individually, with filenames being composed by concatenating the first half, the name (title) of the part, and the second half. The resulting string must be a valid filename (with extension, determining the output format). If a score has no parts (excerpts) defined, this will be silently ignored without error.
Valid file extensions for output are:
flac
metajson
mid
midi
mlog
mp3
mpos
mscx
mscz
musicxml
mxl
ogg
pdf
png
spos
svg
wav
xml
See below for an example.
SKIP_LIBJACK
XDG_CONFIG_HOME
~/.config
if unset.XDG_DATA_HOME
~/.local/share
if unset.Note that MuseScore also supports the normal Qt environment variables such as QT_QPA_GENERIC_PLUGINS
, QT_QPA_PLATFORM
, QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME
, QT_QPA_PLATFORM_PLUGIN_PATH
, QT_STYLE_OVERRIDE
, DISPLAY
, etc.
/usr/share/mscore-4.0/
contains the application support data (demos, instruments, localization, system-wide plugins, soundfonts, styles, chords, templates and wallpapers). In the Debian packages, system-wide soundfonts are installed into /usr/share/sounds/sf2/
, /usr/share/sounds/sf3/
or /usr/share/sounds/sfz/
, respectively, instead.
The per-user data (extensions, plugins, soundfonts, styles, templates) and files (images, scores) are normally installed into subdirectories under ~/MuseScore4/
but may be changed in the configuration. Note that snapshot, alpha and beta versions use MuseScore4Development
instead of MuseScore4
in all of these paths.
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/MuseScore/MuseScore4.ini
contains the user preferences, list of recently used files and their locations, window sizes and positions, etc. See above for development version paths.
$XDG_DATA_HOME/data/MuseScore/MuseScore4/
contains updated localization files downloaded from within the program, plugin information, cached scores, credentials for the musescore.com community site, session information, synthesizer settings, custom key and time signatures and shortcuts. See above for development version paths.
mscore -o 'My Score.pdf' 'My Score.mscz'
mscore -j job.json
This requires assumes a file job.json
exists in the current working directory with content similar to the following:
[
{
"in": "MyScore1.mscz",
"out": "MyScore1.pdf"
},
{
"in": "MyScore2.mscz",
"plugin": "colornotes.qml",
"out": [
"MyScore2-notecolors.pdf",
"MyScore2-notecolors.svg"
]
},
{
"in": "MyScore3.mscz",
"out": [
"MyScore3.pdf",
"MyScore3.musicxml",
"MyScore3.mid",
[
"MyScore3 (",
" part).pdf"
]
]
}
]
If MyScore3.mscz
contains excerpts (instrumental parts) then the syntax above would cause files like “MyScore3 (Violin part).pdf
” to be generated alongside the conductor’s PDF and MusicXML files, as well as a MIDI file with the full orchestral sound. If MyScore3.mscz
has no excerpts defined then only the conductor’s PDF, MusicXML, and orchestral MIDI files will be generated, while the request for part PDFs is silently ignored.
The attached midi_import_options.xml
is a sample MIDI import operations file for the -M option.
The mscore utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.
fluidsynth(1), midicsv(1), timidity(1), qtoptions(7)
Online Handbook, full user manual
Support Forum
Reverting to factory settings (troubleshooting)
Project Issue Tracker — Please check first to if the bug you’re encountering has already been reported. If you just need help with something, then please use the support forum instead.
Documentation of automatic Qt command line options
MuseScore attempts to implement the following standards:
MuseScore was split off the MusE sequencer in 2002 and has since become the foremost Open Source notation software.
MuseScore is developed by MuseScore BVBA and others.
This manual page was written by mirabilos <tg@debian.org>.
The automatic Qt command line options are removed from the argument vector before the application has a chance at option processing; this means that an invocation like mscore -S -reverse
has no chance at working because the -reverse
is removed by Qt first.
MuseScore Studio does not honor /etc/papersize.
Probably some more; check the project’s bug tracker (cf. SEE ALSO).
On macOS, make the following substitutions:
Click on image for full resolution. Or use this Print Friendly PDF version
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Zoom in | Ctrl+= | Cmd+= |
Zoom out | Ctrl+- | Cmd+- |
Zoom to 100% | Ctrl+0 | Cmd+0 |
Go to first element in score | Ctrl+Home | Cmd+Fn+Left |
Go to last element in score | Ctrl+End | Cmd+Fn+Right |
Jump to next screen | PgUp | Fn+Up |
Jump to previous screen | PgDn | Fn+Down |
Jump to top of first page | Home | Fn+Left |
Jump to bottom of last page | End | Fn+Right |
Jump to next page | Ctrl+PgUp | Cmd+Fn+Up |
Jump to previous page | Ctrl+PgDn | Cmd+Fn+Down |
Find / Go to | Ctrl+F | Cmd+F |
Accessibility: get location | Shift+L | Shift+L |
Show/hide timeline | F12 | Fn+F12 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Select next chord | Right | Right |
Select previous chord | Left | Left |
Go to next measure | Ctrl+Right | Cmd+Right |
Go to previous measure | Ctrl+Left | Cmd+Left |
Select next element in score | Alt+Right | Option+Right |
Select previous element in score | Alt+Left | Option+Left |
Select next in-staff element | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Right | Cmd+Option+Shift+Right |
Select previous in-staff element | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Left | Cmd+Option+Shift+Left |
Select note/rest above | Alt+Up | Option+Up |
Select note/rest below | Alt+Down | Option+Down |
Select top note in chord | Ctrl+Alt+Up | Cmd+Option+Up |
Select bottom note in chord | Ctrl+Alt+Down | Cmd+Option+Down |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Note input: toggle note input mode | N | N |
Note input: toggle 're-pitch existing notes' mode | Ctrl+Shift+I | Cmd+Shift+I |
Note input: toggle 'insert' mode | Ctrl+I | Cmd+I |
Show/hide piano keyboard | P | P |
Use voice 1 | Ctrl+Alt+1 | Cmd+Option+1 |
Use voice 2 | Ctrl+Alt+2 | Cmd+Option+2 |
Use voice 3 | Ctrl+Alt+3 | Cmd+Option+3 |
Use voice 4 | Ctrl+Alt+4 | Cmd+Option+4 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Set duration | 1 – 9 | 1 – 9 |
Set duration: 64th note | 1 | 1 |
Set duration: 32nd note | 2 | 2 |
Set duration: 16th note | 3 | 3 |
Set duration: 8th note | 4 | 4 |
Set duration: quarter note | 5 | 5 |
Set duration: half note | 6 | 6 |
Set duration: whole note | 7 | 7 |
Set duration: double whole note | 8 | 8 |
Set duration: longa | 9 | 9 |
Toggle duration dot | . | . |
Enter tuplet | Ctrl+2 – Ctrl+9 | Cmd+2 – Cmd+9 |
Enter tuplet: duplet | Ctrl+2 | Cmd+2 |
Enter tuplet: triplet | Ctrl+3 | Cmd+3 |
Enter tuplet: quadruplet | Ctrl+4 | Cmd+4 |
Enter tuplet: quintuplet | Ctrl+5 | Cmd+5 |
Enter tuplet: sextuplet | Ctrl+6 | Cmd+6 |
Enter tuplet: septuplet | Ctrl+7 | Cmd+7 |
Enter tuplet: octuplet | Ctrl+8 | Cmd+8 |
Enter tuplet: nonuplet | Ctrl+9 | Cmd+9 |
Add tied note | T | T |
Halve selected duration | Q | Q |
Double selected duration | W | W |
Halve selected duration (includes dotted values) | Shift+Q | Shift+Q |
Double select duration (includes dotted values) | Shift+W | Shift+W |
Insert full measure rest | Ctrl+Shift+Del | Cmd+Shift+Del |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Enter note | A – G | A – G |
Enter note A | A | A |
Enter note B | B | B |
Enter note C | C | C |
Enter note D | D | D |
Enter note E | E | E |
Enter note F | F | F |
Enter note G | G | G |
Add note to chord | Shift+A – Shift+G | Shift+A – Shift+G |
Add note A to chord | Shift+A | Shift+A |
Add note B to chord | Shift+B | Shift+B |
Add note C to chord | Shift+C | Shift+C |
Add note D to chord | Shift+D | Shift+D |
Add note E to chord | Shift+E | Shift+E |
Add note F to chord | Shift+F | Shift+F |
Add note G to chord | Shift+G | Shift+G |
Enter interval | Alt+1 – Alt+9 | Option+1 – Option+9 |
Enter interval: unison | Alt+1 | Option+1 |
Enter interval: second above | Alt+2 | Option+2 |
Enter interval: third above | Alt+3 | Option+3 |
Enter interval: fourth above | Alt+4 | Option+4 |
Enter interval: fifth above | Alt+5 | Option+5 |
Enter interval: sixth above | Alt+6 | Option+6 |
Enter interval: seventh above | Alt+7 | Option+7 |
Enter interval: octave above | Alt+8 | Option+8 |
Enter interval: ninth above | Alt+9 | Option+9 |
Toggle accidental: flat | - | - |
Toggle accidental: natural | = | = |
Toggle accidental: sharp | + | + |
Enter rest | 0 | 0 |
Add grace note: acciaccatura | / | / |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Set duration (TAB) | Shift+0 – Shift+9 | Shift+0 – Shift+9 |
Set duration: 128th note (TAB) | Shift+0 | Shift+0 |
Set duration: 64th note (TAB) | Shift+1 | Shift+1 |
Set duration: 32nd note (TAB) | Shift+2 | Shift+2 |
Set duration: 16th note (TAB) | Shift+3 | Shift+3 |
Set duration: 8th note (TAB) | Shift+4 | Shift+4 |
Set duration: quarter note (TAB) | Shift+5 | Shift+5 |
Set duration: half note (TAB) | Shift+6 | Shift+6 |
Set duration: whole note (TAB) | Shift+7 | Shift+7 |
Enter TAB: fret | 0 – 9 | 0 – 9 |
Enter TAB: fret | A – K | A – K |
Enter TAB: fret 0 | 0 | 0 |
Enter TAB: fret 1 | 1 | 1 |
Enter TAB: fret 2 | 2 | 2 |
Enter TAB: fret 3 | 3 | 3 |
Enter TAB: fret 4 | 4 | 4 |
Enter TAB: fret 5 | 5 | 5 |
Enter TAB: fret 6 | 6 | 6 |
Enter TAB: fret 7 | 7 | 7 |
Enter TAB: fret 8 | 8 | 8 |
Enter TAB: fret 9 | 9 | 9 |
Enter TAB: fret 0 | A | A |
Enter TAB: fret 1 | B | B |
Enter TAB: fret 2 | C | C |
Enter TAB: fret 3 | D | D |
Enter TAB: fret 4 | E | E |
Enter TAB: fret 5 | F | F |
Enter TAB: fret 6 | G | G |
Enter TAB: fret 7 | H | H |
Enter TAB: fret 8 | J | J |
Enter TAB: fret 9 | K | K |
Go to string above (TAB) | Up | Up |
Go to string below (TAB) | Down | Down |
Toggle ghost note | Shift+X | Shift+X |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Select all | Ctrl+A | Cmd+A |
Add to selection: previous note/rest | Shift+Left | Shift+Left |
Add to selection: next note/rest | Shift+Right | Shift+Right |
Add to selection: staff above | Shift+Up | Shift+Up |
Add to selection: staff below | Shift+Down | Shift+Down |
Select to beginning of measure | Ctrl+Shift+Left | Cmd+Shift+Left |
Select to end of measure | Ctrl+Shift+Right | Cmd+Shift+Right |
Select to beginning of line | Shift+Home | Shift+Fn+Left |
Select to end of line | Shift+End | Shift+Fn+Right |
Select to beginning of score | Ctrl+Shift+Home | Cmd+Shift+Fn+Left |
Select to end of score | Ctrl+Shift+End | Cmd+Shift+Fn+Right |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Escape | Esc | Esc |
Undo | Ctrl+Z | Cmd+Z |
Redo | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Cmd+Shift+Z |
Copy | Ctrl+C | Cmd+C |
Cut | Ctrl+X | Cmd+X |
Paste | Ctrl+V | Cmd+V |
Copy/paste: swap with clipboard | Ctrl+Shift+X | Cmd+Shift+X |
Repeat selection | R | R |
Insert one measure before selection | Ins | Ins |
Insert measures before selection | Ctrl+Ins | Cmd+Ins |
Insert one measure at end of score | Ctrl+B | Cmd+B |
Insert measures at end of score | Alt+Shift+B | Option+Shift+B |
Delete | Del | Del |
Delete selected measures | Ctrl+Del | Cmd+Del |
Show/hide properties | F8 | Fn+F8 |
Edit element | F2 | Fn+F2 |
Move chord/rest left | Shift+Left | Shift+Left |
Move chord/rest right | Shift+Right | Shift+Right |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Set duration | 1 – 9 | 1 – 9 |
Enter tuplet | Ctrl+2 – Ctrl+9 | Cmd+2 – Cmd+9 |
Add tied note | T | T |
Halve selected duration | Q | Q |
Double select duration | W | W |
Halve selected duration (includes dotted values) | Shift+Q | Shift+Q |
Double selected duration (includes dotted values) | Shift+W | Shift+W |
Paste half duration | Ctrl+Shift+Q | Cmd+Shift+Q (prior to 4.2) Ctrl+Shift+Q (as of 4.2) |
Paste double duration | Ctrl+Shift+W | Crrl+Shift+W (prior to 4.2) Crrl+Shift+W (as of 4.2) |
Insert full measure rest | Ctrl+Shift+Del | Cmd+Shift+Del |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Toggle accidental: flat | - | - |
Toggle accidental: natural | = | = |
Toggle accidental: sharp | + | + |
Move pitch/selection up | Up | Up |
Move pitch/selection down | Down | Down |
Move pitch up an octave | Ctrl+Up | Cmd+Up |
Move pitch down an octave | Ctrl+Down | Cmd+Down |
Move pitch up diatonically | Alt+Shift+Up | Option+Shift+Up |
Move pitch down diatonically | Alt+Shift+Down | Option+Shift+Down |
Change enharmonic spelling (concert and written pitch) | J | J |
Change enharmonic spelling (current pitch only) | Ctrl+J | Cmd+J |
Move note to higher string (TAB) | Ctrl+Up | Cmd+Up |
Move note to lower string (TAB) | Ctrl+Down | Cmd+Down |
Toggle ghost note (TAB) | Shift+X | Shift+X |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Flip direction | X | X |
Mirror notehead | Shift+X | Shift+X |
Use voice 1 | Ctrl+Alt+1 | Cmd+Option+1 |
Use voice 2 | Ctrl+Alt+2 | Cmd+Option+2 |
Use voice 3 | Ctrl+Alt+3 | Cmd+Option+3 |
Use voice 4 | Ctrl+Alt+4 | Cmd+Option+4 |
Move selected note/rest to staff above | Ctrl+Shift+Up | Cmd+Shift+Up |
Move selected note/rest to staff below | Ctrl+Shift+Down | Cmd+Shift+Down |
Toggle multimeasure rest (prior to 4.4) | M | M |
Toggle multimeasure rest (as of 4.4) | Ctrl+Shift+M | Cmd+Shift+M |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Move text left | Left | Left |
Move text right | Right | Right |
Move text left quickly | Ctrl+Left | Cmd+Left |
Move text right quickly | Ctrl+Right | Cmd+Right |
Move selection up | Up | Up |
Move selection down | Down | Down |
Move selection up quickly | Ctrl+Up | Cmd+Up |
Move selection down quickly | Ctrl+Down | Cmd+Down |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Add text: staff text | Ctrl+T | Cmd+T |
Add text: expression text | Ctrl+E | Cmd+E |
Add text: system text | Ctrl+Shift+T | Cmd+Shift+T |
Add text: tempo marking | Alt+Shift+T | Option+Shift+T |
Add text: rehearsal mark | Ctrl+M | Cmd+M |
Insert special characters | Shift+F2 | Shift+Fn+F2 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Format text: bold face | Ctrl+B | Cmd+B |
Format text: italic | Ctrl+I | Cmd+I |
Format text: underline | Ctrl+U | Cmd+U |
Insert flat | Ctrl+Shift+B | Cmd+Shift+B |
Insert natural | Ctrl+Shift+H | Cmd+Shift+H |
Insert sharp | Ctrl+Shift+# | Cmd+Shift+# |
Insert dynamics p | Ctrl+Shift+P | Cmd+Shift+P |
Insert dynamics m | Ctrl+Shift+M | Cmd+Shift+M |
Insert dynamics f | Ctrl+Shift+F | Cmd+Shift+F |
Insert dynamics n | Ctrl+Shift+N | Cmd+Shift+N |
Insert dynamics r | Ctrl+Shift+R | Cmd+Shift+R |
Insert dynamics s | Ctrl+Shift+S | Cmd+Shift+S |
Insert dynamics z | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Cmd+Shift+Z |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Add text: lyrics | Ctrl+L | Cmd+L |
Go to next syllable | Space | Space |
Go to previous syllable | Shift+Space | Shift+Space |
Lyrics: enter hyphen | - | - |
Lyrics: enter melisma | _ | _ |
Add lyric verse | Return | Return |
Go to next lyric verse | Down | Down |
Go to previous lyric verse | Up | Up |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Add text: chord symbol | Ctrl+K | Cmd+K |
Add text: figured bass | Ctrl+G | Cmd+G |
Next text element | Space | Space |
Previous text element | Shift+Space | Shift+Space |
Advance cursor: next beat | ; | ; |
Advance cursor: previous beat | Shift+; | Shift+; |
Advance cursor: duration | Ctrl+1 – Ctrl+9 | Cmd+1 – Cmd+9 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Show/hide palettes | F9 | Fn+F9 |
Search palettes | Ctrl+F9 | Cmd+Fn+F9 |
Open master palette | Shift+F9 | Shift+Fn+F9 |
Add slur | S | S |
Add articulation: accent | Shift+V | Shift+V |
Add articulation: marcato | Shift+O | Shift+O |
Add articulation: staccato | Shift+S | Shift+S |
Add articulation: tenuto | Shift+N | Shift+N |
Add hairpin: crescendo | < | < |
Add hairpin: decrescendo | > | > |
Add parentheses to element | ( | ( |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Add/remove instruments | I | I |
Open instruments dialog | F7 | Fn+F7 |
Toggle visibility of elements | V | V |
Decrease layout stretch | { | { |
Increase layout stretch | } | } |
Add/remove system break | Return | Return |
Add/remove page break | Ctrl+Return | Cmd+Return |
Reset shapes and positions | Ctrl+R | Cmd+R |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
New | Ctrl+N | Cmd+N |
Open | Ctrl+O | Cmd+O |
Close | Ctrl+W | Cmd+W |
Save | Ctrl+S | Cmd+S |
Save as | Ctrl+Shift+S | Cmd+Shift+S |
Ctrl+P | Cmd+P | |
Quit | Ctrl+Q | Cmd+Q |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Play | Space | Space |
Show/hide mixer | F10 | Fn+F10 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Next UI group | Tab | Tab |
Previous UI group | Shift+Tab | Shift+Tab |
Next UI pane/window | F6 | Fn+F6 |
Previous UI pane/window | Shift+F6 | Shift+Fn+F6 |
Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
---|---|---|
Multiinstances | Ctrl+F3 | Cmd+Fn+F3 |
Full screen | F11 | Fn+F11 |
Muse Drumline (MDL2) is a free Muse Sounds library available for MuseScore Studio. It’s the successor to MuseScore Drumline (MDL1), an optional extension for MuseScore 3.
If you open a MuseScore 3 score in MuseScore Studio, a dialog appears informing you about changes to the appearance of your score. Starting in MuseScore Studio 4.4, this dialog now includes a checkbox to enable our new notation and sound mapping for MDL percussion.
This checkbox must be checked in order for marching percussion instruments from MDL1 to sound correct during playback with MS Basic and Muse Sounds. The checkbox has no effect on other instruments besides the ones from MDL1.
MDL2 and MS Basic use a particular set of MIDI pitches to represent percussion sounds. This means scores created with MDL2 are compatible with MS Basic, and vice versa.
However, MDL1 used a different set of MIDI pitches to represent percussion sounds, so when opening a score that contains notes for MDL1 instruments, it’s necessary to convert these to the MDL2 pitches, otherwise playback would sound wrong (you might hear a rimshot instead of a roll, for example).
Some sounds from MDL1 don’t have an exact match in MDL2. In a few cases, multiple MDL1 pitches are mapped to a single pitch in MDL2. This means some percussion notes that looked and sounded different in MuseScore 3 might now look and sound the same as each other in MuseScore Studio.
Conversion to the new pitch mapping is a one-way process, and it must be done when you first open the score in MuseScore 4. As always, if you’re not ready to fully commit to the new version, we recommend that you save the score as a new file, leaving the original file from MuseScore 3 unmodified.
In addition to some previously distinct notes now looking the same as each other, the conversion process also applies a new drumset definition to MDL1 percussion instruments. This further alters the notation of these instruments, changing the shapes of some noteheads and making them appear lower or higher on the staff.
Unlike the pitch mapping, which is fixed, the drumset notation changes can be freely altered via the Edit Drumset dialog after the score is loaded.
See All keyboard shortcuts for MuseScore 4. Here are the common ones that have changed or are entirely new:
Action | MuseScore 3 | MuseScore 4 |
---|---|---|
Add tied note | + | T |
Next Measure (Chord Symbol Entry) | Tab | Ctrl/Cmd+→ |
Previous Measure (Chord Symbol Entry) | Shift+Tab | Ctrl/Cmd+← |
Toggle accidental: flat | None | - |
Toggle accidental: natural | None | = |
Toggle accidental: sharp | None | + |
Edit element | Alt+Shift+E | F2 or Alt+Shift+E |
Insert special characters... | F2 | Shift+F2 |
Jump to next UI pane | None | F6 or ` (backtick / grave accent) |
Jump to previous UI pane | None | Shift+F6 or Shift+` |
Show / hide selection filter | F6 | None |
Due to the nature of the upgrade some features previously present in MuseScore 3 have not (yet) been included. See this page in the developers' handbook for a listing of those items.
Listed below are technicial terms and musical terms, which are frequently used in MuseScore or in the Handbook. Links to relevant handbook chapter are provided. To help musicians who are capable of reading a notation but do not know its proper name, image is provided. This chapter does not aim to be a dictionary of all musical notations, see External links.
The differences between American English and British English are marked with "(AE)" and "(BE)", respectively. Editors and translators of this chapter should add the individual entry for each term.
A curved line between two adjacent notes of the same pitch to indicate a single note of combined duration. See Tie chapter. A tie is not a slur.
The act of moving the pitches of one or more notes up or down by a constant interval. See Transposition chapter. There may be several reasons for transposing a piece, for example: