MuseScore engraving work well with Microsoft Surface?

• Jan 22, 2024 - 17:50

Hi, I have gathered bits and pieces across different discussions dating back several years, but I would love someone to confirm: does MuseScore have full engraving capabilities with a Microsoft Surface? Which models? I need a lightweight tablet/laptop that I can travel with but I use MuseScore every day for work, so it has to be compatible and to be able to export to XML. Not opposed to another tablet/laptop thing (Lenovo?) but it just has to be able to handle MuseScore engraving and to open PDFs.
Thank you!


Comments

I have MU4 on a Surface Go. It does everything That the software does on any other platform. Why wouldn't it? Of course you want one that matches the needed specs. Or at least close.

In reply to by Joy664

As I understand it Chromebooks will open a PDF. Either in the onboard "View" app or by downloading Acrobat (just like Windows).
Some of the Surface models come in "S" mode. Which is a stripped down version of Windows. It is worth putting it in full Windows. S mode only works with app from the Microsoft Store.

Yes. I have replaced my traditional laptop with a Surface pro 2 months ago and MuseScore (3.6.2, I haven't tried 4) works perfectly. Note that editing a score without the physical keyboard connected is doable, but a bit tedious.

Revisiting this because I got discouraged at Best Buy... I was literally just about to purchase this laptop and the employee helping me told me not to because it only has an i5 processer and that will make it too slow? I wanted to see what other people who actually use this say? I literally just need to be able to open email, pdf's, MuseScore 3, and MuseScore 4. I have a decent personal laptop that is a 17 inch screen, so a little less portable.
If you don't want to follow the link it is the Microsoft Go 3, 8gb memory
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/microsoft-surface-laptop-go-3-12-4-touch-s…

In reply to by Joy664

MS3 works no problem on my 12 year old, intel dual-core, 4GB RAM PC but MS4 struggles only a bit so I would've thought that a modern i5 processesor would have no trouble with MS4, (especially with 16 GB RAM), so maybe you don't really need to buy a more expensive processor.

Hopefully other i5/i7 users can give some feedback here.

In reply to by yonah_ag

" I literally just need to be able to open email, pdf's, MuseScore 3, and MuseScore 4."

MU4 requires more power than the other things on this list. The listed minimum specs are important. But there are also various computer settings that are important.

In reply to by yonah_ag

You just never know. I have an old desktop with a dual core, 4 GB ram and an SSD that won't run Muse sounds. And an old laptop with an i5, 8 GB ram and an SSD that only studders after I stop playback. Playback itself is good. My computer with an i3 is a bit less happy. My newer i7 with all the recommended specs works fine. Some people with high specs still have problems. It's just a matter of finding the right settings.

In reply to by bobjp

Actually, I take some of that back. Just for fun I dug out that old (12 to 15 years old) desk top. It has a core 2 duo cpu, an addon nvidia gpu, 4 GB ram an even older Sound Blaster audio card, and a more recent SSD. I updated MU4 and all Muse Sounds. I was prepared for the worst. Actually, I was surprised. I loaded a 16 staff score with some very loud parts and all instruments playing. Playback was good. There was some stuttering after stopping playback. Some very slight delay on clicking a note. But all and all much better than I expected. Every system is different.

In reply to by bobjp

>There was some stuttering after stopping playback.
I use an old windows ten computer which crashed recently with a power outage. I powered it back up, reinstalled everything, and muse sounds worked 10+ times better than before. I changed the buffer size to make up for the rest of the clipping-like noise and lag. Now, nearly every time I edit a note or stop playback, I hear that note irritatingly repeated back to me. lol

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