Automatic placement
MuseScore's automatic placement (AP) feature ensures that, in most cases, elements are correctly spaced and do not collide or overlap with each other.
Note: When you create an element, AP is automatically enabled, but can be turned off if required (see Disable automatic placement).
Default position
A newly-created element, such as staff text or fingering, assumes a default position on the staff specified by "positional" properties contained in the Style menu. These "positional" properties may include things such as:
- Placement: Whether the element appears above or below the staff.
- Offset: For elements with no "Placement above/below" properties, this specifies the default position. See Offset X/Y.
- Autoplace min distance: Minimum distance from other elements when autoplace is enabled.
For details of the settings available for each element type, see Layout and formatting: Style.
Change the default placement of an element
Use one of the following methods:
- From the menu, select Format→Style; choose an element type and then adjust the placement/position settings.
- Select a relevant element in the score and change the placement/position settings in the Inspector; then press the Set as style" button (S) to update the Style settings.
Manual adjustments
Adjust position of element
Use one of the following methods:
- Select the element and adjust the X and Y offsets in the Inspector (see X and Y offsets).
- Move the element using the arrow buttons. Change to edit mode first, if necessary.
- Drag and drop the element using the mouse. Use this method in preference to the above, if you want to move an element across another one (e.g. fingering across a slur). Once located on the other side you can use the X/Y offsets in the Inspector, or the keyboard arrow keys to fine tune the position.
Place element above/below staff
Elements with a "Placement" property available in the Inspector can be easily moved from above the staff to below it, and vice versa:
- Select one or more elements.
- Use one of the following methods:
- Change the "Placement" setting in the Inspector.
- Press X to toggle between above/below.
Note: When automatic placement is enabled for an element, you cannot position it in a way that causes a collision with other elements.
Disable automatic placement
- Select the element and uncheck the "Automatic placement" box in the Inspector.
The element reverts to its default position. It can be repositioned as desired and is no longer avoided when placing other elements.
Stacking order
To change the value for Stacking order:
- Select the element and change the "Stacking order" value in the Inspector.
In cases where elements are allowed to overlap, Stacking order controls the order in which they are placed on top of each other. The element with the lower value will be placed behind.
Default stacking order values (source)
| Item | Default stacking order value |
|---|---|
| Accidental | 1600 |
| Ambitus | 2200 |
| Arpeggio | 1500 |
| Articulation | 2800 |
| Barline | 1100 |
| Beam | 3200 |
| Bend | 4800 |
| Breathmarks | 2500 |
| Caesura | 2500 |
| Change instrument | 4400 |
| Clef | 2000 |
| crescendo - diminuendo | 5100 |
| D.C. | 3700 |
| D.S. | 3700 |
| Dynamic | 3100 |
| Fall etc. | 3000 |
| Fermata | 2900 |
| Fingering | 3800 |
| Flag | 3300 |
| Fretboard diagram | 4700 |
| Glissando | 6100 |
| Hairpin | 5100 |
| Hook/Flag | 3300 |
| Instrument names | 800 |
| Key signature | 2100 |
| Ledgerlines | 1700 |
| Line | 5700 |
| Minus sign measure | 1099 |
| mf + hairpin | 5100 |
| Note anchored line | 5700 |
| Note dot | 6600 |
| Noteheads | 1900 |
| Ornament | 2800 |
| Ottava's | 5200 |
| Palm mute | 5600 |
| Parenthesis | 500 |
| Pedal lines | 5900 |
| Rehearsal mark | 4300 |
| Repeat measure sign | 2600 |
| Rest | 2400 |
| RH fingering | 2800 |
| Sawtooth | 5500 |
| Segno | 3600 |
| Slide etc. | 3000 |
| Slur | 900 |
| Stafflines | 1200 |
| Staff text | 4100 |
| Stem | 1800 |
| System text | 4200 |
| Tempo | 4000 |
| Text line | 5700 |
| Thumb pos | 2800 |
| Tie | 1000 |
| Time signature | 2300 |
| Title text | 600 |
| Tremolo | 6700 |
| Tremolobar | 4900 |
| Trill lines | 5300 |
| Volta | 5800 |