Voltas

Updated 1 month ago

    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".

    1st and 2nd ending

    Adding voltas to your score

    1. Make sure that repeat barlines are in the correct position;
    2. To apply the Volta bracket use one of the following:
      • Select a measure and click on the desired line in the Lines palette, or
      • Drag a line from a palette onto a measure

    Changing appearance of voltas

    1. Selected a volta in the score
    2. Under Properties panel Volta section,
    3. Open the Style tab, edit the line appearance, see Other lines : Line properties chapter.
    4. Open the Text tab, edit the text appearance, see Entering and editing text and Formatting text chapters. Text is for indication only and does not affect playback.

    To change the time range covered, see Changing range of a line chapter.

    Changing playback of voltas

    1. Selected a volta in the score
    2. Under Properties panel Volta section, open the Style tab, enable playback of music passage under this volta by editing Repeat list.
      For example, enter "1" to enable playback of this music passage only for the first time, it is skipped during the repeat; enter "2" to enable playback of this music passage only for the repeat.
      A series of numbers joined with commas can be used, such as "1,2,3" .
    3. Remember to edit Measure properties : Play count accordingly. Measure with the end repeat barline must have a Play count value that is equal to, the total number of times of playback of this measure + 1 or more. The total number of times of playback of a measure is usually the amount of Repeat list entries. See example below. For example, if Repeat list is "1,7,9", then Play count should be "4".

    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.

    Example of a complex Volta setting

    Download example mscz file:
    |: m1 | m2 | (volta 1,3,4) m3 :| (volta 2,5) m4 | m5 :| (volta 6) m6 | m7 | m8 ||
    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

    Volta properties

    1. Selected a volta in the score
    2. Under Properties panel Volta section, there are two tabs, Style tab and Text tab, their usage are covered in the sections above. The End hook property affects playback.

    Voltas style

    See the main chapter Templates and styles

    • Values of the "Style for Volta" can be edited in Format→Style→Voltat.
    • Values of the "Style for text inside Volta" can be edited in Format→Style→Text Style→Volta.

      Volta style settings