Text basics

Add text

To add a text-based element to the score, use one of the following general methods:

• Keyboard shortcut: For example, press Ctrl+Tto enter Staff text , Ctrl+L to enter Lyrics, and so on.
• Menu command: Add→Text allows you to choose from a range of text-based elements.
• Workspace: Select a note and double-click an icon in one of the palettes; or, alternatively, drag a symbol from a palette onto the staff. E.g. Swing text, Tempo text etc.

Notes: (1) The exact method depends on the type of text you are adding (see Text). (2) For general-purpose text boxes attached to staves, see Staff and system text.

Text formatting

When a text object is created in MuseScore, it assumes the corresponding Text Style: all staff text, for example, has a unique Text Style, as have tempo markings, dynamics, chord symbols etc. Each Text Style consists of a number of text properties (font-face, font-size, font-style etc.), which can be viewed, mainly, in the Text Styles dialog (Format→Style…→Text Styles).

A newly-created text object starts off with identical text properties to the Text Style. These can be viewed in the Inspector:

However, these text properties are not limited to those of the default Text Style: if need be, you can edit them in the Inspector independently of Text Style.

Finally, if you want to apply formatting to specific characters in a text object (font-face, font-size, Bold, Italic, Underline, superscript, subscript), you can do so in text edit mode.

Adjust position of text objects

To position a text object, use any of the following methods:

• Drag the object.
• Select the object and adjust the X or Y offset values in the Inspector.
• Select the object and apply any of the following keyboard shortcuts:
  • ←: Move text left 0.1 staff space.
  • →: Move text right 0.1 staff space.
  • ↑: Move text up 0.1 staff space.
  • ↓: Move text down 0.1 staff space.
  • Ctrl+← (Mac: Cmd+←): Move text left one staff space.
  • Ctrl+→ (Mac: Cmd+→): Move text right one staff space.
  • Ctrl+↑ (Mac: Cmd+↑): Move text up one staff space.
  • Ctrl+↓ (Mac: Cmd+↓): Moves text down one staff space.

Text anchors

When you apply a text element to the score, its anchor position will depend on the type:

• Title, Subtitle, Composer, Poet: Anchored to a frame.
• Fingering: Anchored to note heads.
• Lyrics: Anchored to a time position (a note/chord, but not a rest).
• Chord symbol: Anchored to a time position.
• Staff text: Anchored to a time position.
• System text: Anchored to a time position.
• Sticking: Anchored to a time position.