Clefs

Updated 1 year ago

    Clefs are applied to the score from the "Clefs" palette.

    Setting the initial clef for a staff

    MuseScore automatically applies the most appropriate clef(s) for the instrument when creating a new score. You can easily change this from the score window if needed.

    Adding or changing a clef

    Add/Change a start clef

    To change a clef at the start of a system, use one of the following:

    • Select the first measure in the system and click a clef symbol in the palette.
    • Drag a clef from the palette onto the first system measure.
    • Select the clef and click a clef in the palette.
    • Drag a new clef from the palette onto the clef.

    Add/Change a mid-measure clef

    To add/change a mid-measure clef before a note, use one of the following:

    • Click on the note, then click a clef in the palette.
    • Drag a clef from a palette onto the note

    To add/change a mid-measure clef in front of a barline, use one of the following:

    • Select the following measure and click a palette clef.
    • Drag a clef from a palette onto the following measure.

    Notes: (1) “Mid-staff” clefs are always smaller than the main system clef. (2) Notes after a clef change are automatically repositioned so that they continue to sound at the original pitch.

    Delete

    To delete a clef, just select it and press Del. Note that clefs at the beginning of systems cannot be deleted.

    Controlling the visibility of clefs

    Standard clefs

    To hide/show clefs at the beginning of all systems except the first:

    1. From the menu bar, select FormatStylePage;
    2. Uncheck/check Create clef for all systems.

    Mid-measure clefs are unaffected.

    To hide/show all clefs on a selected staff:

    1. Right-click on a measure;
    2. Choose "Staff/Part properties";
    3. In the dialog, uncheck "Show clef".

    This affects clefs at the start of a system and mid-measure.

    Courtesy clefs

    To hide/show courtesy clefs:

    1. From the menu bar, select FormatStylePage;
    2. Uncheck/Check the Create courtesy clefs.

    If courtesy clefs are enabled, you can still hide an individual courtesy clef as follows:

    1. Select the relevant standard clef;
    2. In the Properties panel, uncheck/check Show courtesy clef on previous system.

    Clefs and transposition

    Using octave clefs

    [To be added]

    Using different clefs for transposed and concert pitch

    [To be added]

    Clef properties

    See Courtesy clefs (above).

    Clefs applied to an entire measure or the first note in a measure are shown before the barline.

    To move the clef after the barline:
    1. Select the clef
    2. Open the Properties panel
    3. Under Position relative to barline, choose After

    To replace the first clef in a score, see Add/Change a start clef.

    Clef style

    Tablature users can select the type of TAB clef displayed:

    1. From the menu, select FormatStyleClefs
    2. Set the default TAB clef to "Standard" or "Serif" as required.

    Other style properties are available in FormatStylePage, namely:

    Create clef for all systems
    Create courtesy clefs

    For details, see Controlling the visibility of clefs (above).