Installation

MuseScore works on many different computer systems including, Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.

Windows

You can get the Windows installer from the Download page of the MuseScore website. Click on the link to start the download. Your Internet browser will confirm that you want to download this file. Click "Save File".

When the download finishes double click on the file to start the installation. Windows may open a security window and ask you to confirm before running the software. Click "Run" to continue.

The installer recommends that you close all other applications before continuing. After you close the other applications click "Next" to continue.

The setup wizard displays the terms of the free software license which you may review. Click "I Agree" to continue.

Next it confirms the location for installing MuseScore. If you are installing a newer version of MuseScore but still want to keep the old version on your computer then you should change the folder. Otherwise click "Next" to continue.

Next it confirms the name for the MuseScore folder that appears in the Windows Start menu list of programs. Click "Install" to continue.

Give the setup wizard a few minutes to install the necessary files and configurations. When it is done click "Finish" to exit the installer. If you wish, you may now delete the installer file you downloaded.

Start MuseScore

To start MuseScore choose Start → All Programs → MuseScore → MuseScore.

After several seconds MuseScore will open up to the demo score. Feel free to experiment with the demo score and get the feel of the program. Next you may want to create your own score.

Advanced users: Silent or unattended install

You can install MuseScore silently with the following command
MuseScore-1.0.exe /S /D=C:\Program Files\MuseScore
You can uninstall with
cd C:\Program Files\MuseScore
Uninstall.exe /S

Mac OS X

Install

You will find the Mac dmg file on the Download page of the MuseScore website. Click on the link to start the download. When download is finished, the dmg file is automatically mounted on your desktop as "MuseScore-0.9.6" and the installer appears.

Drag the MuseScore icon and drop it to the Applications folder icon. If you are not logged in as an administrator, Mac OS X will ask for a password: click "Authenticate" and enter your password to let Mac OS X copy MuseScore into your Application folder.
You can now launch MuseScore from Applications or SpotLight.

Uninstall

Just delete MuseScore from Applications folder.

Linux

Please see the Download page for instructions pertaining to MuseScore on Linux. Packages are provided for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora and PCLinuxOS. Other distributions will require you to build the application from source. For instructions specific to Fedora see below.

Fedora

1. Import the GPG key:
   

   su
   rpm --import http://prereleases.musescore.org/linux/Fedora/RPM-GPG-KEY-Seve

2. Go to the download page of the MuseScore website. Click on the link for the stable Fedora download and choose the correct rpm package for your architecture
3. Depending on your architecture, use one of the two sets of commands to install MuseScore
   • if for arch i386
     

     su
     yum localinstall musescore-0.9.4-1.fc10.i386.rpm

   • or if for arch x86_64
     

     su
     yum localinstall musescore-0.9.4-1.fc10.x86_64.rpm

If you have difficulty with sound, see Fedora 11 and sound.

Note entry

Adding notes and rests to a staff requires four basic steps:

1. Select your starting position for note entry
2. Select Note entry mode IMPORTANT! (This is where most mistakes occur)
3. Select the duration of the note (or rest) you want to enter
4. Enter the pitch (or rest) using keyboard shortcut, mouse or a MIDI keyboard

To add notes of different durations that play at the same time, see Voices.

Step 1: Starting position

First select a note or rest on the score as your starting position for note entry. Note entry in MuseScore replaces the existing notes or rests in a measure with your new notes (i.e. overwrites rather than inserts). However you can insert new measures at any point (see measure operations, "Insert") or use copy and paste to move a passage of notes.

Step 2: Note entry mode

The "N" button on the Note Entry toolbar indicates whether you are in note entry mode or not. Besides clicking the button you can using the following keyboard shortcuts.

• N: Enter Note entry mode
• N or Escape: Leave Note entry mode

Step 3: Duration of the note

After entering Note entry mode select the duration of the note you need from the Note Entry toolbar or use the corresponding keyboard shortcut.

The keyboard shortcuts for selecting the note duration are:

• 1: 64th note (hemidemisemiquaver)
• 2: 32nd note (demisemiquaver)
• 3: 16th note (semiquaver)
• 4: Eighth note (quaver)
• 5: Quarter note (crotchet)
• 6: Half note (minim)
• 7: Whole note (semibreve)
• 8: Double whole note (breve)
• 9: Longa
• .: A period (dot) changes the selected duration into a dotted note

Step 4: Enter pitch

For all instruments (except unpitched percussion) you can add note pitches using the mouse by clicking directly on the staff. (For instructions specific to percussion see Drum notation). However you may find it quicker to use a MIDI keyboard (see below) or your alphabetical keyboard. The following examples use a standard computer keyboard.

Enter pitches by typing the corresponding letter on your keyboard:
C D E F G A B C

0 (Zero) creates a rest: for example C D 0 E. Notice that the duration you select for the notes (quarter/crotchet notes in this example) also determines the duration of the rest (quarter/crotchet rest)

Please note that in versions 0.9.6 and earlier, Space creates a rest. In the latest versions of MuseScore Space starts playback.

During note entry MuseScore automatically advances in the score. If you want to add a chord note to your previous entry, hold Shift and enter a note name: C D Shift+F Shift+A E F

To create chords with notes of different durations see voices.

If you want to create a dotted note, press .. For example 5 . C 4 D E F G A

When you type a note on the keyboard MuseScore chooses the octave closest to the previous note to entered. To shift your note up or down by an octave use the following keyboard shortcuts:

• Ctrl+↑ (Mac: ⌘+↑): Increase the pitch of a note by one octave.
• Ctrl+↓ (Mac: ⌘+↓): Decrease the pitch of a note by one octave.

Other useful editing keyboard shortcuts available in Note Entry Mode:

• ↑ (Up): Increase the pitch of a note by a semitone (uses sharps).
• ↓ (Down): Decrease the pitch of a note by a semitone (uses flats).
• R: Duplicate the last entered note
• Q: Halve the duration of the last entered note
• W: Double the duration of the last entered note
• Backspace: Undo last entered note
• X: Flip direction of note stem
• Shift+X: Move note head to opposite side of stem

MIDI keyboard

You can also insert pitches using a MIDI keyboard in MuseScore version 0.9.6 or later.

1. Connect your MIDI keyboard to the computer and switch your keyboard on
2. Start MuseScore
3. Create a new score
4. Click to select the rest in measure 1 to indicate where you want note entry to begin
5. Press N to begin note entry mode
6. Select a note duration such as 5 for quarter notes (crotchets), as described above
7. Press a note on your MIDI keyboard, and notice that the pitch is added to your score

Note: the MIDI keyboard enters one note or chord at a time. This mode of note entry (often called "step-time entry") is fast and reliable. Some notation software tries to interpret "real-time entry" where the musician plays a passage and the software tries to create the notation. However the results are frequently unreliable even when played by a skilled musician using expensive software. MuseScore's focus is on more reliable forms of note entry.

If you have multiple MIDI devices connected to your computer you may need to tell MuseScore which one is the MIDI keyboard. Using version 0.9.6 or later go to Edit → Preferences... (Mac: MuseScore → Preferences...). In the preferences dialog click on the I/O tab and select your device under the section labeled "Choose PortMidi input device".

Coloring of notes out of playable range

MuseScore colors out-of-range notes as yellow or red in versions 0.9.5 or later. Notes above or below the comfortable range of an amateur appear yellow, note beyond the comfortable range of a professional appear red. The colors are informational and appear on the computer screen but do not appear on printed copies of your scores. To disable note colors in versions 0.9.6 or later choose Edit → Preferences... (Mac: MuseScore → Preferences...), click on the Note Entry tab, and unmark "Color notes outside of usable pitch range".

See also

• Drum notation

External links

• Video tutorial: Note entry basics

Copy and paste

Copy and paste is useful tool for repetitious music or for shifting a section of music by a beat or two.

Copy

1. Click on the first note of your selection
2. Shift+click on the last note of your selection. A blue rectangle should highlight the region you selected.
3. From the menu choose Edit → Copy

Paste

1. Click on the note or measure that you want your pasted selection to begin
2. From the menu choose Edit → Paste

Edit mode

Many elements in the score can be edited in Edit Mode :

• Double Click: Starts Edit Mode
• Escape: Ends Edit Mode

Some elements show handles in edit mode which can be moved by mouse dragging or keyboard commands.

Slur in Edit Mode:

Available keyboard commands:

• ←: Moves handle left one Space
• →: Moves handle right one Space
• ↑: Moves handle up one Space
• ↓: Moves handle down one Space
• Ctrl+← (Mac: ⌘+←): Moves handle left 0.1 Space
• Ctrl+→ (Mac: ⌘+→): Moves handle right 0.1 Space
• Ctrl+↑ (Mac: ⌘+↑): Moves handle up 0.1 Space
• Ctrl+↓ (Mac: ⌘+↓): Moves handle down 0.1 Space
• Shift+←: Moves handle's tick anchor left
• Shift+→: Moves handle's tick anchor right
• Tab: Goes to next handle

Sometimes you may manually need to move horizontally a note or even a sharp/flat . If that is the case, just double-click it and then use the arrow keys left/right.

See also: Text editing, Slur, Bracket, Line

Measure operations

Append

To add a measure to the end of the piece press Ctrl+B (Mac: ⌘+B), or from the menu choose Create → Measures → Append Measure. To add multiple measures press Ctrl+Shift+B (Mac: ⌘+Shift+B) or use the menu Create → Measures → Append Measures....

Insert

First select a measure then press Ins or use the menu Create → Measures → Insert Measure to insert a new empty measure before the selected one. To insert multiple measures press Ctrl+Ins (Mac: ⌘+Ins) or use the menu Create → Measures → Insert Measures....

Delete

First select the measure then press Ctrl+Del (Mac: ⌘+Fn+Backspace).
For 0.9.5 and earlier, it's different. Press Ctrl (Mac: ⌘) on the keyboard as you click on an empty part of the measure with the mouse. The measure is marked with a dotted line indicating that you selected a "piece of time". Press Ctrl+Click (Mac: ⌘+Click) to extend the selection. Pressing Del (Mac: Fn+Backspace) removes the selected measures.

Properties

To edit the properties of a measure right click on an empty part of the measure and select Measure Properties....

Staves

The Visible property allows you to show or hide the notes and staff lines for the current measure. The Stemless property allows you to show or hide all note stems for the current measure. Notes that normally have a stem such as half notes (minums) and quarter notes (crotchets) only show the note head when marked as stemless.

Duration

The Nominal duration is the time signature that is displayed on the score. You can change the Actual duration of a measure to anything regardless of the time signature displayed on the score. Normally the nominal and actual duration of a measure is identical. However a pickup (upbeat) measure for example can have a shorter actual duration.

In the figure below the quarter note (crotchet) pickup has a nominal measure duration of 4/4 but an actual duration of 1/4. The measures in the middle have both nominal and actual durations of 4/4. The complimentary measure with only a dotted half note (dotted minim) at the end has an actual duration of 3/4.

Irregular

An "irregular" measure is not counted in the measure numbering. Normally a pickup measure is marked as "irregular". If you are using version 0.9.4 or earlier and mark a measure as irregular then you may need to save and reload the score before the measure numbers show the change.

Add to measure number

You can also use the "add to measure no." option to influence the measure numbering. You can enter positive or negative numbers here. Please note that this affects subsequent measures. A value of "-1" has the same effect as marking a measure irregular.

Layout stretch

You can increase or decrease horrizontal space between notes with this option.

Repeat count

If the measure is the end of a repeat you can define how often the repeat should be played.

Break multi-measure rests

This property separates a multi-measure rest at the current measure. This option should be checked before you turn on the "Create multi-measure rests" option in Style → Edit General Style.

Versions 0.9.6 and later automatically break multi-measures at important breaks such as rehearsal marks, time changes, double bar lines, etc.

Numbering

MuseScore automatically numbers the first measure of each system but more numbering options are possible. From the main menu choose Style → Edit Style. In the left pane choose "Numbers". In the bottom half of the right pane is the "Measure Numbers" ("Bar Numbers") section.

Mark the checkbox next to the "Measure Numbers" ("Bar Numbers") to turn on automatic measure numbers.
Mark "show first" if you want the first measure numbered.
Mark "all staffs" if you want numbers on all staffs, otherwise only the top staff of each system shows measure numbers.
Choose to show numbers on "every system" which numbers the first measure of each line, or show numbers by "interval" and specify the size of the interval. For example, an interval of 1 numbers every measure; an interval of 5 numbers every fifth measure.

Palette

You can show or hide the palette using the menu Display → Palette.

You can drag-and-drop palette symbols onto score elements.

Double clicking a palette symbol is equivalent to drag-and-dropping this symbol to each of the selected elements on the score.

For example you can quickly add tenuto marks to a group of notes:

1. Select notes
2. In the Articulations/Ornaments palette, double click on the tenuto symbol

Undo and redo

MuseScore has unlimited undo/redo functions.

The standard shortcuts are:

• Undo Ctrl+Z (Mac: ⌘+Z)
• Redo Ctrl+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Y (Mac: ⌘+Shift+Z)

Or use the toolbar buttons:

File format

MuseScore supports a wide variety of file formats, which allows you to share and publish scores in the format that best meets your needs. You can import files via File → Open... and export via File → Save As.... In addition to the formats detailed below, you can save and share your scores on the web at MuseScore.com File → Save Online....

MuseScore native format

Compressed MuseScore format (*.mscz)

MSCZ is the standard MuseScore file format and recommended for most uses. A score saved in this format takes up very little disk space but preserves all the necessary information. The format is a ZIP-compressed version of .mscx files and includes images.

MuseScore format (*.mscx)

MSCX is the uncompressed version of the MuseScore file format used in version 0.9.5 or later. A score saved in this format will not lose any information except images and is recommended if you need to manually edit the file format using a text editor. Previous versions of MuseScore used the MSC file extension. However MSC conflicts with a file extension used by Microsoft Windows and is blocked by some email providers. The new MSCX file extension supersedes the old MSC file extension due to the problems outlined above.

Note about fonts: MuseScore does not embed fonts in the file. If you want to share a MuseScore file with other parties choose a font for your text that the other parties have installed. When a computer does not have the fonts specified in the file, MuseScore uses a fallback font instead. Of course the fallback font will look different.

MuseScore backup files

MuseScore Backup File (.*.mscz, or .*.mscx,)

Backup files are created automatically and are saved in the same file folder as your normal MuseScore file. The backup file adds a period to the beginning of the file name (.) and a comma (,) to the end (for example if your normal file is called "untitled.mscz", then the backup copy is called ".untitled.mscz,"). The backup copy contains the previously saved version of the MuseScore file and it can be important if your normal copy becomes corrupted or you need to look at a slightly older version version of your score. To open a MuseScore backup file you need to rename the file by removing the period and comma. Since it is stored in the same folder as your normal MuseScore file you also need to give it a unique name (for example you might change the file name ".untitled.mscz," to "untitled-backup1.mscz").

If you are using Linux then you will need to you need to change your view settings to "show hidden files" in order to see the MuseScore backup files.

Print and read (Export only)

PDF (*.pdf)

Portable Document Format (PDF) is ideal for sharing your sheet music with others who do not need to edit the music. Most computer users already have a PDF viewer on their computer so they will not need to install any extra software to see your score.

PostScript (*.ps)

PostScript (PS) is popular as a page description language used in professional printing.

PNG (*.png)

Portable Network Graphics (PNG) is a bitmap image format widely supported by software on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. The image format is particularly popular on the web. Multi-page scores export a PNG file for every page. MuseScore creates images as they would appear on the printed page. If you want to create images that show screen-only items such as frame boxes, invisible notes, and out-of-range note colors then go to Edit → Preferences... (Mac: MuseScore → Preferences...) click on the Export tab and mark "Screen shot function" check box.

SVG (*.svg)

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) can be opened by most web browsers (except Internet Explorer) and most vector graphics software. However most SVG software does not support embedded fonts so the appropriate MuseScore fonts must be installed to view these files correctly.

Listen (Export only)

WAV Audio (*.wav)

WAV (Waveform Audio Format) is an uncompressed sound format developed by Microsoft and IBM but widely supported by software for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. This is an ideal format for creating CDs since no sound quality is lost in the process of saving the file. However the large file sizes make it difficult to share via email or the web. This export option is available in version 0.9.5 or later.

FLAC Audio (*.flac)

Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) is compressed audio format. FLAC files are approximately half the size of uncompressed audio and just as good quality. Windows and Mac OS do not have built-in support for FLAC but software such as VLC media player can play FLAC files on any operating system. This export option is available in version 0.9.5 or later.

Ogg Vorbis (*.ogg)

Ogg Vorbis is intended as a patent-free replacement for the popular MP3 audio format. Like MP3, Ogg Vorbis files are relatively small (often a tenth of uncompressed audio) but some sound quality is lost. Windows and Mac OS do not have built-in support for Ogg Vorbis. However software such as VLC media player and Firefox 3.5 or later can play Ogg files on any operating system. This export option is available in version 0.9.5 or later.

Share with other music software

MusicXML (*.xml)

MusicXML is the universal standard for sheet music and can be used by most of the currently available scorewriters including Sibelius, Finale, and more than 100 others. It is the recommended format for sharing your sheet music between different scorewriters.

Compressed MusicXML (*.mxl)

Compressed MusicXML creates smaller files than regular MusicXML. Compressed MusicXML is a newer standard and not as widely supported by other scorewriters at this time.

MIDI (*.mid, *.midi, *.kar)

Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is a format widely supported by sequencers and music notation software. However MIDI files are designed for playback not score layout so they do not contain information about formatting, pitch spelling, voicing, ornaments, articulations, repeats, or key signatures, among other things. To share files between different music notation software use MusicXML. If all you care about is playback then use MIDI.

LilyPond (*.ly) (Export only)

LY files can be opened by Lilypond, a free scorewriter. However LilyPond export is incomplete and experimental in the current versions of MuseScore.

MuseData (*.md) (Import only)

MuseData is a format developed by Walter B. Hewlett beginning in 1983 as an early means of sharing music notation between software. It has since been eclipsed by MusicXML but several thousand scores in this format are still available on the web.

Capella (*.cap) (Import only)

CAP files are created by the scorewriter, Capella. MuseScore imports these files fairly accurately.

Bagpipe Music Writer (*.bww) (Import only)

BWW files are created by the niche scorewriter, Bagpipe Music Writer. This import option is available in versions 1.0 and later.

BB (*.mgu, *.sgu) (Import only)

BB files are created by the music arranging software, Band-in-a-Box. MuseScore includes experimental support for BB import.

Overture (*.ove) (Import only)

OVE files are created by the scorewriter, Overture. This experimental import option is available in versions 0.9.6 and later.

Share scores online

You can save and share your scores online at MuseScore.com. You can choose to save a score privately for personal access from any computer, or choose to share the score publicly for friends and band members to view or download. MuseScore.com lets you view and playback scores in your web browser and even lets you synchronize your score with a YouTube video. For use outside of the web browser you can download the score in a variety of formats (including PDF, MIDI, MP3, MusicXML, and the original MuseScore file).

Create an account

1. Visit MuseScore.com and click on Create new account
2. Pick a username and enter a valid email and press "Create New Account"
3. Wait a few minutes for an email from MuseScore.com support. If no email arrived, check your spam folder
4. Click the link in the email and visit your user profile to change your password

Share a score directly from MuseScore

You can directly save a score online from File → Save Online.... If it's the first time you are using this feature, you'll have to authenticate.

First time authentication

1. Go to File → Save Online...
2. MuseScore asks you to click OK to open your browser and gives permission to MuseScore on MuseScore.com.
   
3. Click OK and your browser opens on MuseScore.com. If you are not logged in, enter your username and password and
4. Click "Allow Access"
5. Go back to MuseScore, and press "OK". If your browser didn't open you can copy paste the URL into your browser address bar.
   
6. MuseScore is now linked to your account on MuseScore.com

Save online

After your first authentication or when you go to File → Save Online..., MuseScore asks you some information about your scores

1. The title is the title of the score. You can change it
2. The description will end up next to your scores. You can describe it, say why you wrote it etc...
3. You can choose to make your score public and everybody on MuseScore.com will see it or private and only you will be able to see the score.
4. Choose a license. By using a Creative Commons licence, you let people using your scores under some restrictions.
5. You can add tags to help finding your scores on MuseScore.com. Don't forget to use a comma to separate the tags

Upload a score on MuseScore.com

You can also upload a score directly on MuseScore.com.

1. Click the Upload link on MuseScore.com
2. You have the same options as with the Save Online menu
3. You have also access to more information such as Genre

Edit a score on MuseScore.com

If you want to make changes to one of your scores on MuseScore.com, edit the MuseScore file on your own computer and then follow the steps below.

1. Go to the score page on MuseScore.com
2. Click the edit link
3. In the form, you can change the score file, you can also change all the score info such as title, description etc...

Accidental

Accidentals can be set or changed by dragging an accidental symbol from the accidental palette to a note in the score.

If you only want to change the pitch of a note you can also select the note and press:

• Up: Increase the pitch of a note by one semitone (favors sharps).
• Down: Decrease the pitch of a note by one semitone (favors flats).
• Ctrl+Up: Increase the pitch of a note by one octave.
• Ctrl+Down: Decrease the pitch of a note by one octave.

In version 0.9.6 or later you can change an existing accidental into a cautionary accidental (enclosed in parentheses), drag the parentheses from the accidental palette onto to the existing accidental (not the note head). To remove parentheses select the accidental and press Delete.

If you later change the pitch with cursor keys, manual settings to the accidental are removed.

The menu function Notes → Pitch spell tries to guess the right accidentals for the whole score.

Arpeggio and Glissando

Arpeggios are set by dragging an arpeggio symbol from the Arpeggio & Glissando palette to a note of a chord.

In version 0.9.5 or later you can edit the length of the arpeggio by double clicking on it and dragging the handle up or down.

Glissandos are set by dragging a glissando symbol from the Arpeggio & Glissando palette to the first note of two consecutive notes on the same staff.

Bar line

Change bar line type

Bar lines are changed by dragging a bar line symbol from the bar line palette to a bar line in the score.

To hide a bar line entirely right-click on the line and choose Set Invisible.

Create grand staff

To extend bar lines over multiple staves double click on a bar line to edit it (see Edit mode).

Click and drag the blue square down to the next staff.
Display of all staff bar lines updates when you leave edit mode.

See also: Measure operations

Beam

Beams are set automatically but the automatic setting can be overridden manually. Drag a beam symbol from the beam palette to a note in order to change its beam behavior.

You can also first select a note and then double click the appropriate symbol in the beam palette.
Start a beam at this note.
Do not end a beam at this note.
Do not beam this note.
Start a second level beam at this note (not yet implemented in current versions of MuseScore).

See also

• Cross staff beaming

Bracket

Delete

Select the bracket and press Del

Add

Drag a bracket symbol from the bracket palette to an empty space in the first measure of a system.

Change

Drag a bracket symbol from the bracket palette to an bracket in the score.

Edit

Double click on a bracket to enter edit mode. In edit mode you can drag the height of a bracket to span arbitrary staves of a system.

Horizontal offset

If you need to move a bracket further left or right then double click the bracket to enter edit mode, and press Shift+Left or Shift+Right.

Breath and pause

To place a breath symbol drag it from the breath palette to a note in the score. The breath symbol is placed after the note. In versions 0.9.5 and earlier the breath symbol appears before the note it was dragged to.

Breath symbol in score:

Caesura (informally called tram lines or railroad tracks) work the same way and are available in versions 0.9.6 or later.

Clef

Clefs are created or changed by dragging a clef symbol from the clef palette to a measure or another clef. Use F9 (Mac: ⌥+⌘+K) to show or hide the palette sidebar.

Add

Drag a clef from the palette onto an empty part of a measure. This creates a clef at the beginning of the measure. Drag a clef to a particular note to create a mid-measure clef. If the measure is not the first measure in the staff it is drawn smaller.

Remove

Select a clef and press Del.

Note that changing a clef does not change the pitch of any note. Instead the notes move to preserve pitch.

Drum notation

Example drum notation:

Notation for drumsets often include upstem and downstem notes happening simultaneously. If are unfamiliar with editing multiple voices in a single staff then see voices for an overview. See below for instructions specific to percussion notation.

MIDI keyboard

The easiest way to add drum notation to your score is via MIDI keyboard. Most MIDI keyboard have percussion markings above each key. If you press the key for high hat then MuseScore will add the correct notation to the score. MuseScore automatically takes care of the stem direction and type of note head.

Computer keyboard

Only a few drum-instruments are mapped to shortcut by default. You can add more with right click on the staff → Edit drumset...

• c for Bass-Drum
• d for Ride

Mouse

Note entry for unpitched percussion works differently than for other instruments, so here are the special steps:

1. Select a note or rest in the percussion staff. Please note that the Drum palette will remain empty until you have completed this step
2. Press "N" to begin note entry
3. Select a note duration from the Note Input toolbar
4. Select a type of note (such as bass drum or snare) from the drum palette
5. Click on the percussion staff to add the note to the score

External links

• Drum Parts [video]

Grace note

Short grace notes (Acciaccatura) appear as small notes with a stroke through the stem. Long grace notes (Appoggiatura) have no stroke. Both are placed before the normal-sized main note.

Instructions

Create a grace note by dragging a grace note symbol from the Grace Notes palette (In versions 0.9.5 and earlier the palette is simply called Notes) to a regular note on the score. It's also possible to create a grace note by selecting a notehead and double clicking a grace note symbol from the Grace Notes palette.

To add more than one grace note, drag successive grace notes on the notehead.

To add a chord of grace notes, enter the first one and select it, then use Shift+ note names (C, D, E etc...)

If you want to change the duration of a previously created grace note, select it and choose a duration from the toolbar or enter with one of the keys 1 ... 9 (see Note Entry).

External links

• Grace note, Appoggiatura, and Acciaccatura at en.wikipedia.org

Hairpin

Hairpins are line objects. To create a hairpin first select a note to mark the start point.

• H: Creates a crescendo hairpin
• Shift+H: Creates a diminuendo hairpin (decrescendo)

You can also create hairpins by dragging a hairpin symbol from the line palette to a note head.

1. H creates a crescendo hairpin:
   
2. Double click switches to edit mode:
   
3. Shift+Right moves end anchor:
   
4. Right moves end point:
   

Key signature

Key signatures are created or changed by dragging a key symbol from the key palette to a measure or existing key signature.

F9 (Mac: ⌥+⌘+K) toggles the palette window.

Change

Drag a key from the palette onto a key in the score.

Add

Drag a key from the palette onto an empty part of a measure. This creates a key at the beginning of the measure.

Remove

Select a key and press Del.

Line

The lines palette like other palettes works via "drag-and-drop". Use the mouse to drag the item from the palette and drop it onto the score.

Change length

If you change the length of a line using the mouse then the anchor positions (the notes or measures they apply to) do not change. Therefore the following method is recommended for adjusting the start or end points of a line.

1. If you are in note entry mode then press N to leave note entry
2. Double click the line that you want to change
3. Move the handles using the following shortcuts
   • Shift+Right to move the anchor right by one note (or measure)
   • Shift+Left to move the anchor left by one note (or measure)
4. If you need to change the length visually without changing the notes or measures that the line is anchored to then use the following shortcuts
   • Right to move the handle right by one unit
   • Left to move the anchor left by one unit

See also: Hairpin, Volta (1st and 2nd endings)

Measure rests

Full-measure rest

When an entire measure is devoid of notes, a full-measure (full-bar) rest is used.

To create a one-bar rest select a measure and press Del. All notes and rests on this measure are then replaced by a one-bar rest.

Multi-measure rest

Multi-measure (multi-bar) rests indicate a long duration of silence for an instrument and are frequently used in ensemble sheet music.

Instructions

1. From the menu choose Style → Edit General Style (in versions 0.9.5 and earlier it is called Style → Edit Style)
2. Click on the "Score" tab if it is not already selected
3. Add a check mark next to "Create Multi Measure Rests"

Limitations

The style option automatically creates multi-measure rests throughout the score. Therefore it is recommended that you enter all your notes first and then turn on multi-measure rests afterward.

Versions 0.9.5 and earlier do not automatically break multi-measure rests at important points such as double bar lines, key signatures, rehearsal marks. This is fixed for the latest versions of MuseScore. As a workaround for earlier versions see the "Break multi-measure rests" heading of measure operations.

Repeat

The start and end of simple repeats can be defined by setting appropriate bar lines. For instructions on first and second ending measures see volta.

Playback

To hear repeats during playback make sure the "Play Repeats" button on the toolbar is selected. Likewise you can turn off repeats during playback by deselecting the button.

In the last measure of a repeat you can set the property "Repeat Count" to define the number of played repeats.

Repeat Symbols and Text

Text and symbols related to repeats are located in the Repeats palette:

To add an object from the Repeats palette, drag it onto (not above) the measure where you want it to occur. The object then appears above that measure in your score.

Slur

A slur is a curved line between two or more notes that indicates they are to be played without separation. If you mean to join two notes of the same pitch, see Tie

Instructions

1. Leave note entry mode and select the first note:
   
2. S creates a slur:
   
3. Shift+Right moves the slur end to the next note:
   
4. X flips the slur direction:
   
5. Escape ends Slur Edit mode:
   

Adjustments

The boxes or handles (displayed in the images for steps 2-4 above) can be adjusted with the mouse. The two outer handles adjust the start and end of the slur. The two inner handles adjust the contour of the slur.

A slur can span several systems and pages. The start and end of a slur is anchored to a note/chord or rest. If the notes are repositioned due to changes in the layout, stretch or style, the slur also moves and adjusts in size.

This example shows a slur that spans from the bass to the treble clef. Using the mouse, select the first note of the slur, hold down the Ctrl key and select the last note for the slur, and press S to add the slur.

Note: It is not possible to change the start and end anchor notes using the mouse. Use Shift + left or right arrow keys to adjust the start and end points of a slur.

Dotted line

Dotted slurs are sometimes used in songs where the presence of a slur varies between stanzas. Dotted slurs are also used to indicate an editor's suggestion (as opposed to the composers original markings). To change an existing slur into a dotted slur right-click on it and choose Slur Properties.... From the Slur Properties dialog you can choose whether you want a solid or a dotted slur.

See also: Tie, Edit mode.

Tie

A tie is a curved line between two notes of the same pitch. If you want a curved line that spans multiple pitches see Slur.

First method

Select first note:

+ creates a tie:

Second method

To create ties during note entry press + after the first note of the tie.

Time signature

Time signatures are available in the main palette sidebar. You can drag and drop the times signatures onto the score (see palette for general information on working with palettes in MuseScore).

If you need a time signature not found in the sidebar palette then go to Create → Time... to create your own. You can edit the upper and lower numbers in the Create Time Signature pane.

In most cases you'll only need to edit the first of the upper numbers. The additional upper numbers are for additive meters which contain multiple upper numbers separated by a plus sign.

Pickup measures

There are occasions when the actual duration of a measure is different from the duration specified by the time signature. Pickup measures are a common example. To change the actual duration of a measure without displaying a different time signature see the Properties section of measure operations.

Tremolo

Tremolo is the rapid repetition of one note or a rapid alternation between two or more notes. It is indicated by strokes through the stems of the notes. If the tremolo is between two or more notes, the bars are drawn between them.

The tremolo palette contains separate symbols for one note tremolos (shown with stems below) and for two note tremolos (shown with no stem below).

In a two note tremolo every note has the value of the whole tremolo duration. To enter a tremolo with the duration of a half note (minim) first enter two normal quarter notes (crotchets). After dragging a tremolo symbol to the first note the note values automatically double to half notes.

Tuplet

Tuplets are used to write rhythms beyond the beat divisions usually permitted by the time signature. For example, triplet eighth notes (quavers) in a 4-4 time signature divide the quarter note (crotchet) beat into three instead of two.

Instructions

To create a triplet first select a note on the score that specifies the full duration of the triplet group. For example, a group of triplet eighth notes (quavers) has a "full duration" of one quarter note (crotchet).

From the main menu choose Notes → Tuplets → Triplet. This creates a triplet by dividing the full duration into three equal parts,

which can be further edited.

Note entry mode

Tuplet entry works a little differently in note entry mode than the method outlined above. In version 0.9.5 or later you must select duration first then enter the pitches afterward. Below are step-by-step instructions for making triplet eighth notes.

1. Switch to note entry mode by pressing N
2. Make sure the note entry marker is in the place that you want to start the tuplet (use the right and left arrow keys if necessary)
3. Choose the duration for the whole tuplet group from the note entry toolbar. For this example click on the quarter note (or press 5 on the keyboard)
4. From the main menu choose Notes → Tuplets → Triplet, or press Ctrl+3 (Mac: ⌘+3)
5. Notice that an eighth note duration is automatically selected. Click on the staff to add pitches

Properties

To change the display properties of a tuplet right click on the tuplet number and choose Tuplet Properties....

The number section of the properties dialog allows you to show one integer, a ratio of two integers, or no number at all.

In the bracket section the "bracket" and "nothing" allow you to explicitly show or hide the bracket. The "auto bracket" option hides the bracket for beamed notes and shows the bracket if the tuplet includes unbeamed notes or rests.

External links

• Tuplet at Wikipedia
• How To Create Triplets in MuseScore [video]

Voices

Voices allow you to have notes on a single staff which start at the same time yet have different durations. Voices are sometimes called 'layers' in other notation software.

Instructions

1. First start by entering the top voice (all the up-stem notes). When you enter the notes some may have down-stems. You do not need to worry about the stem direction at this point because they will flip automatically when you add the second voice.
   
2. If you are using a computer or MIDI keyboard to enter notes (instead of the mouse), use the Left arrow key to move your cursor back to the beginning.
3. Click on "Voice 2" button
4. Enter all the bottom voice notes (all the down-stem notes). When you are done it should look like this:
   

When to use voices

• If you need stems pointing in opposite directions within a chord on a single staff
• If you need notes of different durations within a single staff, played simultaneously

Hidden spacer rests

To hide a rest right-click on the rest and select Set Invisible. If you have Display → Show Invisible marked then the rest still shows in gray on your screen. The hidden rest does not appear when you print.

Volta

Volta brackets or first and second ending brackets are used to mark different endings for a repeat.

To place a volta bracket on the score drag-and-drop the item from the lines palette.

The brackets can span more than one measure. Double click the volta to enter edit mode and then move the handles with:

• one measure right Shift+Right
• one measure left Shift+Left

These commands move the "logical" start or end of the volta bracket which determines playback in MuseScore and layout over multiple systems. Moving the handles using the left or right arrows keys only or using the mouse allows finer adjustments but does not change how the repeat is played.

If you move the handles, a dashed line from the logical position to the actual position is shown

Text

You can change the text and many other properties of a volta bracket using the Line Properties dialog. Right-click on a volta bracket and choose Line Properties.... The figure below shows the volta text as "1.-5."

You can also right-click on the Volta and bring up the Volta Properties dialog. From here you can change both the displayed Volta text (the same from the Line Properties above) and the Repeat List. If you want one volta to be played only on certain repeats and another volta on other repeats, enter the repeat times in a comma separated list. In the example below, this volta will be played during repeat 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7. Another volta will have the other ending, like 3, 6 and possibly other higher numbers like 8, 9, etc.

Playback

Sometimes a repeat plays for more than two times. In the figure above the volta text indicates that it should play five times before it continues. If you want to change the number of times MuseScore plays a repeat then go to the measure containing the repeat bar line and change its Repeat Count (see Measure operations for details).

Issues with multi-part scores

In version 0.9.4 or earlier you can only place voltas on the top staff of a multi-part score. Otherwise you may encounter bugs such as the MuseScore crashing when you create parts (see bug report) or the anchor position moving when you reload the score.

External links

• Screencast: Add alternative repeats with MuseScore 0.9.5

Play mode

MuseScore has an integrated sequencer and synthesizer to play your score.
By pressing the Play button you enter Play mode. In Play mode the following commands are available:

• Seek to previous chord Left
• Seek to next chord Right
• Seek to previous measure Ctrl+Left (Mac: Left)
• Seek to next measure Ctrl+Right (Mac: Right)
• Rewind to start of score Home (Mac: ⌘+Home)
• Toggle show play panel F11 (Mac: ⌥+⌘+P)

Press the play button again to stop and exit Play mode.

MuseScore starts playback from the place it last left off. If you select a note then MuseScore starts from the newly selected note instead. The toolbar also has rewind button to quickly return to the beginning of the score for playback.

Play Panel

The Play Panel offers more controls over playback including tempo, starting position, and general volume. From the main menu choose Display → Play Panel to open the Play Panel.

Troubleshooting

Piano only

Version 0.9.5 or earlier: If you want to play instruments other than piano you have to change the MuseScore integrated SoundFont with a more capable one in Edit → Preferences... → I/O tab. See SoundFont for instructions.

Sound on Ubuntu

If you are having difficulty with sound on Ubuntu then it is recommended to upgrade to version 0.9.5 or later. Instructions for obtaining the latest release are on the download page of the website. If you have further problems feel free to use the forums.

SoundFont

MuseScore comes with a special type of file called a SoundFont that tells MuseScore how to play each instrument sound. Some SoundFonts are custom designed for classical music others for jazz or pop, others are large and take up a lot of memory, still others are very small and light-weight. The latest versions of MuseScore (version 0.9.6 or higher) come with a relatively light-weight, general-purpose SoundFont called, "TimGM6mb.sf2".

Overview

A SoundFont file can store any number of instrument sounds. Many SoundFonts are available on the web. Look for one that covers the 128 sounds of General MIDI (GM). If you use a SoundFont that does not conform to the General MIDI standard then others may not hear the correct instruments when you share the score or save as MIDI.

The file size and sound quality of SoundFonts available on the web varies. Larger SoundFonts often sound better but may be too large to run on your computer. If you find MuseScore runs slowly after installing a large SoundFont or your computer can't keep up during play back then look for a smaller SoundFont. Below are three popular GM SoundFonts of different sizes.

• FluidR3_GM.sf2 (141 MB uncompressed)
  Download Fluid-soundfont.tar.gz
• GeneralUser_GS_1.43-MuseScore.sf2 (29.8 MB uncompressed)
  Download GeneralUser_GS_1.43-MuseScore.zip (Courtesy of S. Christian Collins)
• TimGM6mb.sf2 (5.7 MB uncompressed)
  Download modified TimGM6mb.sf2 (Courtesy of Tim Brechbill)

Compression

Since SoundFont files are large they often are compressed into a variety of formats including .zip, .sfArk, and .tar.gz. You need to decompress these files before they can be used.

• ZIP is standard compression format supported by most operating systems.
• sfArk is a compression format designed especially for compressing SoundFont files. Use the special sfArk software to decompress it.
• .tar.gz is a popular compression format for Linux. Windows users can use 7-zip which supports a wide variety of compression formats. Note that you need apply decompression twice: once for GZip and once for TAR.

MuseScore settings

After finding and decompressing a SoundFont do not double click to open it since this does not set up MuseScore. Instead move the file to a folder of your choosing, start MuseScore, and follow the instructions below.

Go to Display → Synthesizer. The initial SoundFont setting depends on which operating system you are using.

• Windows: C:/Program Files/MuseScore//sound/TimGM6mb.sf2
• Windows (64-bit): C:/Program Files (x86)/MuseScore//sound/TimGM6mb.sf2
• Mac OS X: /Applications/MuseScore.app/Contents/Resources/sound/TimGM6mb.sf2
• Linux (Ubuntu): /usr/share/sounds/sf2/TimGM6mb.sf2

Click on the Open icon next to the SoundFont location and browse for your new SoundFont (.sf2) file. In the open dialog browse and select your file; then press Open.

Instructions for 0.9.5 or earlier

If you are using version 0.9.5 or earlier then go to Edit → Preferences... → I/O tab.

The initial SoundFont setting is :/data/piano1.sf2. Replace this with the location of your new SoundFont (.sf2) file. Click on the Open icon to browse for the file and open it .

Click OK to apply changes and exit the preferences panel. Quit and and reopen MuseScore for the changes to take affect.

Troubleshooting

If the toolbar play panel is greyed out or not visible follow the instructions below to get your sound working again:

1. Make sure there is a check mark next to the Display → Transport menu item. You can add or remove the check mark by clicking on the corresponding menu item. If this step does not solve your problem continue with the next step below
2. If the play panel disappears after changing the SoundFont go to Edit → Preferences... → I/O tab and click OK without making any changes, After restarting MuseScore the play panel should reappear. This is a known bug with versions 0.9.3 or earlier.

If you are setting up a SoundFont for the first time please use one of the recommended SoundFonts listed above.

If playback stutters then you computer is not able to handle the SoundFont you are using. Two solutions:

1. Reduce the amount of RAM (memory) used by MuseScore by using a smaller SoundFont. See list above for suggestions
2. Increase the amount of RAM available for MuseScore by quitting all applications except MuseScore. If you still have problems and a large SoundFont is important to you then consider purchasing more RAM for your computer

Tempo

Play back tempo can be changed via the play panel or via tempo text in the score.

Play panel

• Display the play panel: Display → Play Panel
• Change the Beats per Minute (bpm) using the Tempo (Tmp) slider

Tempo text

• Select a note to indicate where the tempo text should be created
• From the main menu: Create → Text... → Tempo...
• Press OK to finish

Existing tempo text can be changed by double clicking the text to enter edit mode. You can use Text Symbols to add a quarter note or another duration for a metronome mark in the tempo text.

Beats per minute (BPM) on existing tempo text can be adjusted by right clicking on the text and selecting Tempo Properties...

Note: Playback of tempo text may be faster or slower than the specified BPM if the tempo setting in the play panel is not set to 100 percent.

Change and adjust sounds

Mixer

The mixer allows you to change instrument sounds and adjust the volume, panning, reverberation, and chorus for each staff. From the main menu choose Display → Mixer to show the mixer.

Mute and Solo

Use the Mute check box to quickly silence certain staves. Alternatively use the Solo check box to silence all staves except the staff you mark as "solo".

Dials

To turn a dials clockwise click and drag upwards. To turn a dial counter-clockwise (anti-clockwise) click and drag downwards.

Sound

The sound drop-down menu lists every instrument supported by your current SoundFont. This feature is not implemented in version 0.9.4 or earlier for Windows, but fixed in version 0.9.5.

Change instrument

Although you can change the instrument sound, staff name, and staff transposition separately, versions 0.9.6 or later allow you to change all of these properties at once.

1. Right click on an empty part of the measure and choose Staff Properties...
2. Click on Change Instrument
3. Choose your new instrument and click OK to return to the Staff Properties dialog
4. Click OK again to return to the score

Mid-staff change

In MuseScore some instruments can change sounds midway through a piece. For example strings can switch to pizzicato or tremolo and trumpet can switch to muted trumpet. The following instructions use muted trumpet as an example but the same principles apply to pizzicato or tremolo strings.

1. Select the first note of the muted section
2. From the main menu choose Create → Text → Staff Text
3. Type Mute (or an equivalent indication such as Con Sordino). At this point the staff text is for humans and does not affect playback in MuseScore
4. Right-click on the staff text and select Staff Text Properties...
5. In the Staff Text Properties dialog mark the Channel checkbox
6. In the Staff Text Properties dialog select mute
7. Click OK to return to the score

Every note after the staff text you added now sounds muted. To return to an unmuted sound later in the piece follow the same guidelines as above except type Open in step 3 and select normal in step 6.

Dynamics

Playback volume can be changed for the entire piece by the play panel, or locally by Dynamics text in the score.

Play panel

• Display the play panel: Display → Play Panel
• Change the Volume using the slider

Dynamics text

From the Dynamics palette, click and drag a Dynamics text to a measure in the score.

Adjusting playback volume for a Dynamics text

• Right click on the Dynamics text to open the menu.
• Select "MIDI Properties".
• Adjust the "Velocity" number, higher for louder, lower for softer.

Text editing

Double click on text to enter edit mode:

In text edit mode the following commands are available:

• Ctrl+B (Mac: ⌘+B) toggles bold face
• Ctrl+I (Mac: ⌘+I) toggles italic
• Ctrl+U (Mac: ⌘+U) toggles underline
• move cursor: Home End Left Right
• Backspace remove character to the left of the cursor
• Delete remove character to the right of the cursor
• Return start new line
• F2 Insert text symbol (see below)

Symbols and special characters

You can use Text Symbols to insert quarter notes, fractions, and other special symbols or characters into your text. In the text toolbar click on the keyboard icon to open the Text Symbols palette

See also: Chord name, Lyrics, Frame, Edit mode

Text style

Each text type has a basic style. For example, title text is centered and uses a large font size, Composer text is smaller and aligned to the right. To edit text styles go to Style → Edit Text Style....

During text editing, you can make changes that depart from basic style. For details see "Formatting existing text" below.

Text properties:

• Font: name of the font such as "Times New Roman" or "Arial"
• Size: the size of the font in points
• Italic, Bold, Underline: font properties
• Anchor: page, time, notehead, system, staff
• Alignment: horizontal: left, right, center; vertical: top, bottom, center
• Offset: an offset to the normal anchor position
• Offset Type: mm, space, or percent of page size

Text types:

• Title, Subtitle, Composer, Poet: anchored to page
• Fingering: Fingerings are anchored to note heads.
• Lyrics: Lyrics are anchored to a time position.
• Chord name: Chord names are also anchored to a time position.
• System: Applies to all staves in a system.* Anchored to a time position.
• Staff: Applies to a single staff in a system.* Anchored to a time position.

* The distinction between System and Staff text matters for ensemble scores. System text will extract to all parts. Staff text will only extract to the part to which it is anchored.

Formatting existing text

In MuseScore 1.0 and earlier, text style changes apply to new text but do not consistently change existing text. However, you can change the formatting of existing text by right-clicking and choosing "Text properties". To apply your changes to all text of the same type, check the box "apply to all elements of the same type".

Chord name

Chord names can be entered by first selecting a note and then pressing Ctrl+K (Mac: ⌘+K). This creates a chord name text object for the selected chord.

• Type Space to move to the next chord (or beat in versions 1.1 and later)
• Shift+Space moves to the previous chord (or beat in versions 1.1 and later)
• Type Tab to move to the next measure (versions 1.1 and later).
• Shift+Tab moves to the previous measure (versions 1.1 and later)

Chord names can be edited as normal text. To add a sharp type # and to add a flat type b. These characters will automatically turn into proper sharp or flat signs when you move to the next chord.

MuseJazz font

If you prefer a more handwritten appearance to the chord names in your score, then versions 0.9.5 and later include a font option called "MuseJazz".

To use this font in version 1.1 or later:

1. From the main menu choose Style → Load Style...
2. Navigate to the styles folder if necessary
3. Select MuseJazz.mss

This will set up your score to use "MuseJazz" for most text, including chord names. If you prefer to use "MuseJazz" for chord names only, or if you are using version 1.0 or earlier, use the following procedure:

1. From the main menu choose Style → Edit General Style...
2. From the left pane select Chordnames
3. In the right pane replace the text stdchords.xml with jazzchords.xml or one of the following files.

In 1.1 and later, MuseScore provides several new alternatives for chord name style in addition to jazzchords.xml that can be selected using the above procedure. Here are the available styles:

• cchords_muse.xml (the default when using MuseJazz.mss):
• cchords_nrb.xml:
• cchords_rb.xml:
• cchords_sym.xml:

Fingering

Fingering can be added to notes by dragging a fingering character from the fingering palette to a note head in the score. When a note head is selected first, the fingering character can be added using a double click. Fingerings are normal text which can be edited like any other text.

Lyrics

1. First enter notes
2. Select first note
3. From the main menu choose Create → Text → Lyrics and type the syllable for the first note
4. Type Space at end of a word to go to the next note
5. Type an hyphen - at end of syllable to go to next note. The syllables are connected with a dash
6. Shift+Space moves to the previous syllable
7. Enter (Mac: Return) moves down to the next lyric line

Syllables can be extended by an underline:

Entered with: soul, _ _ _ To Esc.

Special characters

Lyrics can be edited as normal text with the exception of a few characters. If you want to add a space, hyphen or underscore to a single syllable then use the following shortcuts.

• Ctrl+Space (Mac: ⌥+Space) enters a space into the lyrics text
• Ctrl+- (Mac: ⌥+-) enters a hyphen (-) into the lyrics text
• Mac only: ⌥+_ enters an underscore (_) into the lyrics text

See also: Text, Chord name.

Break or spacer

Page breaks or line breaks (system breaks) are applied by dragging the corresponding symbol from the breaks palette to an empty space of a measure in the score. The break happens after the marked measure. The green break symbols are visible on the screen but do not appear on printouts.

Mid-measure system breaks are sometimes needed (especially for strophic hymns or lieder). For example, if you want three beats on one system and a one beat pickup on the next system, then you need to create two measures with a shortened duration. For details see Measure operations, "Duration" and "Irregular" sections.

Spacers are used to increase the space between two adjacent staves. Drag and drop a spacer to a measure above the area that needs more vertical space. Double click on the spacer and drag the handle using the mouse to adjust the height of the spacer.

If you want to adjust the space between staves score-wide then use the style settings. Spacers are designed for local adjustments.

Frame

Frames provide empty space outside of normal measures. They can also contain text or pictures. MuseScore has two kinds of frames:

Horizontal

Horizontal frames break a system. The width is adjustable and the height equals the system height. Horizontal frames can be used to separate a coda.

Vertical

Vertical frames provide empty space between or before systems. The height is adjustable and the width equals the system width. Vertical frames are used to place title, subtitle or composer. If you create a title, a vertical frame is placed before the first measure automatically if it is not there already.

Create a frame

First select a measure. The command to insert a frame is found in the menu Create → Measures . The frame is inserted before the selected measure.

Delete a frame

Select the frame and press Del.

Edit frame

Double click the frame to enter edit mode. A handle appears which can be used to drag the size of the frame.

Title frame in edit mode:

Image

You can use images to illustrate scores or add symbols that are not included in the standard palettes.

To add an image drag-and-drop an image file onto the score. MuseScore supports PNG and JPEG files and simple SVG files. MuseScore does not support SVG shading, blurring, clipping or masking.

Cross staff beaming

In piano scores it is common to use both staves (bass and treble clef) to write a musical phrase.
This can be entered in MuseScore as follows:

First enter all notes in one staff:

Ctrl+Shift+Down moves the selected note or chord to the next staff (Mac: ⌘+Shift+Down.)

See also: Bar line for cross-staff bar lines (i.e. grand staff).

Part extraction

If you have written a full ensemble score, MuseScore can create sheet music that shows only the individual part for each musician in the ensemble.

In current versions of MuseScore, the process of extracting parts from a full score involves two main steps:

1. Specifying which instruments are included in each part ("Defining the parts")
2. Actually creating the part

Defining the parts

You can define the parts at any point after creating a new score. You only need to define the parts once for each score, but of course you can come back and make changes if needed. The following instructions use a string quartet as an example but the same principles apply for any other ensemble.

1. From the main menu choose File → Parts...

   

2. In the Parts window click New to create a "part definition"

   

3. In the right pane, type the words you want to use for the "File Name" and "Part Title"
   

   File Name

   The initial name used when you save the part on your computer (required)

   Part Title

   The text printed on the first page of your part, top left corner (optional)

4. Pick the instrument that you want to appear in your part by marking the relevant box in the right-hand pane. Usually you only want one instrument per part, but sometimes you might need a part that includes more than one instrument (such as multiple percussion staves). MuseScore lets you mark as many instruments per part as you need.

   

5. Repeat steps two through four (above) for each part as needed

   

6. Once you done, press Close to dismiss the Parts window

You have now finished defining the parts. You do not need to do this again unless you add or remove an instrument from your full score. In current versions of MuseScore it is not possible to split a single staff (that contains two or more voices) into separate parts. So, any instrument that you want to print out a separate part for also needs to have its own staff in the full score. This may require some planning.

Creating the parts

You can create your parts at any time to see how they look, but it is only necessary to do it after you have finished the full score and want to print out the individual parts:

1. From the main menu choose File → Parts... to return to the Parts window.
2. In the left pane, click to select a part that you want to create and view
3. Press Create Part and a new tab is added to the main MuseScore window containing your newly created part

Repeat steps two and three for each part that you want to view or print. If you make any changes to the full score you can re-create a part at any time in order to show the new changes in the part.

Saving

In current versions of MuseScore changes on a score are not linked to parts that have already been created, so any change you make on the score will also need to be made on the individual part either manually or by recreating the part from the steps above. Also, parts are created as not-yet-saved files, so each part you just created needs to be saved as an individual file (via File → Save...) or it will be lost when closing the tab. Usually you may want to review it before saving to check for proper formatting.

Plugins

Plugins are small piece of code that add a particular feature to MuseScore. By adding a plugin, a new menu will be appended to the Plugins menu in MuseScore to accomplish a given action on the score or a part of it. Plugins are a way to let users with minimal programming skills add features to the software. To develop plugins, checkout the documentation.

Some plugins are already delivered with MuseScore. You can find more plugins in the plugin repository.

Installation

Note that some plugins may require the installation of other components (fonts...) to work . Read the plugin documentation for more information.

Windows

MuseScore looks for plugins in C:\Program Files\MuseScore\Plugins and in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\MusE\MuseScore\plugins on Vista and Seven or C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\MusE\MuseScore\plugins on Windows XP.
Download the plugin zip file and uncompress it to one of these directories.

MacOS X

On MacOS X, MuseScore looks for plugins in the MuseScore bundle in /Applications/MuseScore.app/Contents/Resources/plugins and in ~/Library/Application Support/MusE/MuseScore/plugins. Download an unzip the plugin file in one of these directories.
To be able to move files in the app bundle, right click on MuseScore.app and choose "Show package contents" to reveal the Contents directory.

Linux

Download and unzip the plugin in /usr/local/share/mscore-1.0/plugins or in~/.local/share/data/MusE/MuseScore/plugins

Plugin installed by default

ABC import

This plugin used a webservice (http://abc2xml.appspot.com/) to open an ABC file in MuseScore. It supports ABC 1.6. The ABC file is sent to the webservice, and a MusicXML file is returned. The plugin then display the score as a new score.

Chord chart

This plugin creates a new score with all the chordnames supported by MuseScore in Jazz style.

Color notes

This plugin colors the notehead of all notes in all staves and voices according to the BoomWhackers convention. Each pitch has a different color. C and C# have a different color. C# and Db have the same color.
To color all the notes in black, right click on a notehead -> Select -> All similar elements. Right click again on the notehead -> Color -> Pick black.

Create scores

This plugin creates a new piano score with 4 quarters C D E F. It's a good start to learn how to make a new score and add notes from a plugin.

Note names

This plugin displays the english name of each note of voice 1 close to the notehead.

Test

This plugin is just a test and display a dialog box "Hello MuseScore". It's a good base to start learning plugin development.

How to report bug or ask for support

Before posting your support request in the forum:

• PLEASE, look for a solution in the user handbook.
• Use the search function of the website to see if someone has already encountered the same problem on the forums.
• If you are posting an error report, first try to reproduce the problem with the latest prerelease. You may also view the version history to check whether it has been fixed already.

When posting your request for support or bug report, please include as much of the following information as you know:

• Version of MuseScore you are using (e.g. version 1.0) or the revision number if you are using a prerelease (e.g. revision 3996)
• Operating system you are running it on (e.g. Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS 10.6 or Ubuntu 10.10)
• If you are reporting a bug, please describe the precise steps that lead to the problem (where do you click, what keys do you press, what do you see, etc.). If you are not able to reproduce the problem with the steps, it is probably not worth reporting it as the developers will not be able to reproduce it (and solve) either.
• Limit your reports in the issue tracker to one bug per report
• Remember that the goal of a bug report is not only to show the bug but to allow others to reproduce the bug easily

Known incompatibilities

Hardware incompatibilities

The following software is known to crash MuseScore on startup :

• Samson USB Microphone, driver name "Samson ASIO Driver", samsonasiodriver.dll. More info
• Digidesign MME Refresh Service. More info

Software incompatibilities

• Maple virtual cable is known to prevent MuseScore to close properly.
• KDE (Linux) window settings can cause the whole window to move when dragging a note. Changing the window settings of the operating system avoids the problem.

Font problem on Mac OS X

MuseScore is known to display notes as square when some fonts are damaged on MacOS X.
To troubleshoot this issue :

1. On your Mac, go to Applications -> Font Book
2. Select a font and press ⌘+A to select them all
3. Go to File -> Validate Fonts
4. If any font is reported as damaged or with minor problems, select it and delete it
5. Restart MuseScore if necessary

Font problem on Linux

If the default desktop environment application font is set to bold, MuseScore will not display the notes properly.
To troubleshoot this issue (gnome users):

1. Right-click on your desktop and select Change Desktop background
2. Click on Fonts tab
3. Set Regular style for Application font
4. Restart MuseScore if necessary

Save As dialog empty on Linux

Some users reported that the Save As dialog is empty on Debian 6.0 and Lubuntu 10.10.
To troubleshoot this issue :

1. Type the following in a terminal
   which mscore
2. The command will answer with the path of mscore. Edit it with your prefered text editor and add the following line at the beginning
   export QT_NO_GLIB=1

Launch MuseScore and the problem should be solved.

Revert to factory settings

Recent versions of MuseScore have the option to revert back to the standard built-in presets or "factory-settings". Sometimes this is helpful if your settings are corrupted. This is not a normal occurrence so it is best to consult the forums first since there maybe a way to solve your problem without resetting everything.

Warning: reverting to "factory settings" removes any changes you have made to the preferences, palettes, or window settings.

Instructions for Windows

1. If you have MuseScore open then you need to close it first (File → Quit)
2. Type Windows key+R to open the Run dialog. (The Windows key is the one with the logo for Microsoft Windows.)
3. Click Browse...
4. Look for mscore.exe on your computer. The location may vary depending on your installation but it is probably something similar to My Computer > Local Disk > Program Files > MuseScore > bin > mscore.exe
5. Click Open to leave the Browse dialog and return to the Run dialog. The following text (or something similar) should display in the Run dialog: "C:\Program Files\MuseScore\bin\mscore.exe"
6. Click after the quote and add a space followed by a hyphen and a capital F: -F
7. Press OK

After a few seconds MuseScore should start and all the settings reverted to "factory settings".

For advanced users, the main preference file is located at:

• Windows Vista or later: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\MusE\MuseScore.ini
• Windows XP or earlier: C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\MusE\MuseScore.ini

The other preferences (palette, session...) are in:

• Windows Vista or later: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\MusE\MuseScore\
• Windows XP or earlier: C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\MusE\

Instructions for Mac OS X

1. If you have MuseScore open then you need to quit the application first (File → Quit)
2. From the Open Applications/Utilities/Terminal and a Terminal session window should appear
3. Type, (or copy/paste) the following command into your terminal line (include the '/' at the front):

   /Applications/MuseScore.app/Contents/MacOS/mscore -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 preference file is located in ~/.config/muse.org/MuseScore.ini.
The other preferences (palette, session...) are in ~/Library/Application Support/MusE/MuseScore/

Instructions for Linux (please adapt for flavors other than Ubuntu)

1. If you have MuseScore open then you need to quit the application first (File → Quit)
2. From the Ubuntu main menu choose Applications → Accessories → Terminal. A Terminal session window should appear
3. Type, (or just copy/paste) the following command into your terminal line:

   mscore -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 ~/.config/MusE/MuseScore.ini
The other preferences (palette, session...) are in ~/.local/share/data/MusE/MuseScore/

Glossary

The glossary is a work in progress, please help if you can. You can discuss about this page on the documentation forum
The list below is a glossary of frequently used terms in MuseScore as well as their meaning. Translators of this page, should be adding the translation for each term.

Acciaccatura

A short grace note. See →grace note

Accidental

Accidentals appear in front of notes and shift their pitch.
Accidentals are used to alter the pitch of a note within a piece. The same symbols as in the →key signature are used, but they are placed before a particular note. Accidentals are for example sharps, flats and naturals. Accidentals affect all notes on the same staff position for the remainder of the measure in which they occur, but they can be canceled by another accidental.

Anacrusis (Pickup Measure)

Incomplete first measure of a piece or a section of a piece of music.
See →Create new score, Time Signature...

Appoggiatura

A long grace note. See →grace note

Bar Lines

Vertical line through a staff or the system that separates measures .

Beam

Notes with a duration of an eighth or smaller either carry a flag or a beam. Beams are used for grouping notes.

BPM

See →metronome mark

Breve

A double whole note or breve is a note that has the duration of two whole notes.

Chord

The minimal definition of a chord is a minimum of two different notes played together. Chords are based on the choices made by a composer between harmonics of one, two or three (and more) fundamental sounds. Ex. In the chord of C, G is the second harmonic, E the fourth of the fundamental C. Now in C7, the B flat is the 6th harmonic of C and in C Maj7 B is the second harmonic of E and the fourth harmonic of G...

Clef

Sign at the beginning of the Staff, used to tell which are the musical notes on the lines and between the lines.
There are 2 F Clefs, 4 C Clefs and 2 G Clefs: F third, F fourth, C first, C second, C third, C fourth, G first, G second (known as treble key too).
G first and F fourth are equivalent.
Clefs are very useful for transposition.

Crotchet

A crotchet is the British English term for what is called a quarter note in American English. It's a quarter of the duration of a whole note (semibreve).

Demisemiquaver

Thirty-second note

Duplet (engl.)

See →tuplet

Eighth note

A note whose duration is an eighth of a whole note (semibreve). Same as British quaver.

Flag

See →beam.

Flat

Sign that indicates that the pitch of a note has to be lowered one semitone.

Grace note

Grace notes appear as small notes in front of a normal-sized main note. A short grace note (acciaccatura) has a stroke through the stem; a long grace note (appoggiatura) does not.

Half Note

A note whose duration is half of a whole note (semibreve). Same as British minim.

Hemidemisemiquaver

Sixty-fourth note

Key Signature

Set of sharps or flats at the beginning of the staves. It gives an idea about the tonality and avoids repeating those signs all along the staff.
A key signature with B flat means F major or D minor tonality.

Koron

An Iranian accidental which means lower in pitch and it lowers a note by a quarter tone (In comparison to the flat which lowers a note by a semitone). It is possible to use this accidental in a key signature.
See also →sori.

Longa

A longa is a quadruple whole note.

Metronome mark

Metronome marks are usually given by a note length equaling a certain playback speed in bpm. Beats per minute (BPM) is the unit for measuring tempo. In MuseScore, metronome marks are used in tempo texts.

Minim

A minim is the British term for a half note. It has half the duration of a whole note (semibreve).

Natural

A natural is a sign that cancels a previous alteration on notes of the same pitch.

Part

Music to be played or sang by one or a group of musicians. In a string quartet, 1st part = Violin 1, 2nd part = Violin 2, 3rd part = Alto, 4th part = Cello.

Quaver

The British quaver is what is called in American eighth note. It has an eighth the duration of a whole note.

Quadruplet

See →tuplet

Quintuplet

See →tuplet

Rests

Interval of silence of a specified duration.

Semibreve

A semibreve is the British term for a whole note. It lasts a whole measure in 4/4 time.

Semiquaver

Sixteenth note

Semihemidemisemiquaver (Quasihemidemisemiquaver)

Hundred twenty-eighth note.

Sextuplet

See →tuplet

Sharp

Sign that indicates that the pitch of a note has to be raised one semitone.

Slur

Tie and Slur are two words used to describe a curved line between two or more notes. Slur means that the notes will be played without attack ( legato ). Tie is used between two or three ( rare ) of the same notes to indicate its duration:
Quarter note + Tie + Quarter note = Half note,
Quarter note + Tie + Eighth note = Dotted Quarter note
Quarter note + Tie + Eighth note + Tie + 16th note = Double Dotted Quarter note

Sori

An Iranian accidental which means higher in pitch and it raises a note by a quarter tone (In comparison to the sharp which raises a note by a semitone). It is possible to use this accidental in a key signature.
See →koron.

Staff (Staves)

Group of one to five horizontal lines used to lay on musical signs. In ancient music notation (before 11th century) the staff may have any number of lines.

System

System: Set of staves to be read simultaneously in a score.
Operating System (OS): Set of programs written in the aim to set up a computer from a lot of electronic components. Popular OS are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and GNU/Linux.

Tie

See →slur.

Triplet (engl.)

See →tuplet.

Transposition

The tonality is quite meaningless: a tune can be played in any tonality. The slight difference will be a darker or a more brilliant sound. But there are many technical reasons to change the tonality of a score:

• The tune is too low or too high for a singer.
• The score is written for a C instrument and has to be played by a B Flat one.
• The score is written for an orchestra and you want to imagine what the horn, the flute and the clarinet are playing.

- In the first case all the orchestra will have to transpose: it's quite a impossible to do it without professional musicians but Musescore can do it very easily for you.
- In the second case the musician must play D when a C is written. If the score is written with a G 2nd Clef, he'll have to think that the staff begins with a C 3rd Clef.
- In the third case the conductor has to transpose all the staves which are not written for C instruments...
- In all cases the key signature must be mentally changed...
Now, you must know that on some instruments (Horns and Tubas for instance) the musicians transpose using alternative fingerings.

Tuplet

A tuplet divides it's next higher note value by a number of notes other than given by the time signature. For example a triplet divides the next higher note value into three parts, rather than two. Tuplets may be: triplets, duplets, quintuplet, and other.

Velocity

The velocity property of a note controls how loudly the note is played. This usage of the term comes from MIDI syntheiszers. On a keyboard instrument, it is the speed with which a key is pressed that controls its volume. The usual scale for velocity is 0 (silent) to 127 (maximum).

Voice

Polyphonic instruments like Keyboards, Violins, or Drums need to write notes of different duration at the same time on the same Staff. To write such things each horizontal succession of notes has to be written on the staff independently.

Volta

In a repeated section of music, it is common for the last few measures of the section to differ. Markings called voltas are used to indicate how the section is to be ended each time. These markings are often referred to simply as endings.

Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can be customized via Edit → Preferences... → Shortcuts tab (Mac: MuseScore → Preferences... → Shortcuts tab). Below is a list of of the initial shortcut settings.

Navigation

Beginning of score: Home
Last page of score: End

Next page: Pg Dn
Previous page: Pg Up

Next measure: Ctrl+Right (Mac: ⌘+Right)
Previous measure: Ctrl+Left (Mac: ⌘+Left)

Next note: Right
Previous note: Left

Note below (within a chord or on lower staff): Alt+Down
Note above (within a chord or on higher staff): Alt+Up

Top note in chord: Ctrl+Alt+Up (Ubuntu uses this shortcut for Workspaces instead)
Bottom note in chord: Ctrl+Alt+Down (Ubuntu uses this shortcut for Workspaces instead)

Note entry

Begin note entry mode: N
Leave note entry mode: N or Esc

Duration

For a list of shortcuts for each duration (such as quarter note, eighth note, etc.) see note entry.

Half duration of previous note: Q
Double duration of previous note: W

Voices

Voice 1: Ctrl+I Ctrl+1 (Mac: TBC)
Voice 2: Ctrl+I Ctrl+2 (Mac: TBC)
Voice 3: Ctrl+I Ctrl+3 (Mac: TBC)
Voice 4: Ctrl+I Ctrl+4 (Mac: TBC)

Pitch

Pitches can be entered by letter name or MIDI keyboard. See note entry for full details.

Repeat previous note: R

Raise pitch by octave: Ctrl+Up (Mac: ⌘+Up)
Lower pitch by octave: Ctrl+Down (Mac: ⌘+Down)

Raise pitch by semi-tone: Up
Lower pitch by semi-tone: Down

Add sharp to note: (undefined due to conflicts with zooming)
Add flat to note: -

Rest: 0 (zero). In versions 0.9.6 and earlier, Rest: Space

Interval

Add interval above current note: Alt+[Number]
Add interval below current note: Shift+[Number]

Direction

Flip direction (stem, slur, tie, tuplet bracket, etc): X
Mirror note head: Shift+X

Articulations

Tie: +
Slur: S
Staccato: Shift+.
Crescendo: H
Decrescendo: Shift+H

Lyric entry

Previous lyric syllable: Ctrl+Left
Next lyric syllable: Ctrl+Right

Up to previous stanza: Ctrl+Up (Mac: ⌘+Up)
Down to next stanza: Ctrl+Down (Mac: ⌘+Down)

For more lyric shortcuts see lyrics

Display

Navigator: F12 (Mac: ⌥+⌘+N)
Play Panel: F11 (Mac: ⌥+⌘+P)
Palette: F9 (Mac: ⌥+⌘+K)
Mixer: F10 (Mac: M)