Can't input notes on 3 line staff

• May 10, 2021 - 15:56

I'm trying to make percussion sheet music on a 3 line staff. When I create a score and select the 3 line staff I cannot input any notes on it. What step am I missing?

OS: Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS, Arch.: x86_64, MuseScore version (64-bit): 3.6.2.548021370, revision: 3224f34


Comments

I don't know how useful my sample score will be because it's empty. The instrument doesn't matter much because I am trying to produce handouts for my class. I followed your link but I'm still unclear about how that would help me. When I engage note entry mode, I am unable to place notes anywhere.

Thank you for your help.

Attachment Size
3 lines.mscz 4.34 KB

In reply to by aclavette

The instrument you used is Claves, that normally has only one line, and, more importantly, only one sound. that is why it does make a differences which instrument you used. ActuallyI don't fine any that used 3 lines.

And note entry for percussion staves works differently than for normal staves, that is why the handbook page I linked to is relevant.

Here you'd need to look at https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/drum-notation#edit-drumset too, to make sense out of the 3 line staff

In reply to by aclavette

I think you are still misunderstanding something. percussion input is designed to be simple if you actually use standard conventions, and its designed to be customizable if you choose to use alternate ones. Claves, as mentioned, would never normally be notated on three lines - it makes no sense. So that's why it doesn't work that way by default. Why did you change it from the default of one line to three lines instead? If you start with being able to explain the circumstances that cause you to want to notate on three lines, then we can help you select a more appropriate configuration. Again, once you pick the correct instrument, it's very simple, just enter notes left to write using the palette or shortcuts and all the details of lines and stems and voices are handled automatically.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

I definitely don't understand why percussion notation is different than "normal". I'm trying to create music for my elementary music class. It's pretty common (at least in Orff Schulwerk) to notate basic percussion on 2, 3, or 4 line staves. In my project, I wanted to have drums on the bottom line, tambourine in the middle, and triangles on top.

I didn't choose claves because I thought it was the best choice, it was just the last of several instruments tried. I don't care how the instrument sounds in this situation because I don't intend to use the playback function.

In reply to by aclavette

Percussion notation is different from standard notation because unpitched percussion instruments are different from standard pitched ones, So over the centuries, different methods of notation were developed. MuseScore can't change the past, only do its best to allow you to enter percussion as easily as possible given that rather unusual way percussion notation developed over the centuries.

So, it sounds like you want a three line staff using triangle, tambourine, and some type of "drum" (snare, maybe?)

If this is a common arrangement, probably someone else has already created a template for it you could use. But based on your description, I created this one. Just save it to your Templates folder. Now every time you create a new score, just select this in the wizard in the "Custom templates" section. Now you can easily enter notes left to write using A & B for the triangle mute & open, C for tambourine, E for snare. To customize further use Edit Drumset. The idea is, do the set up once, then enjoy lightning-fast note input after that!

Attachment Size
Orff Percussion.mscz 4.15 KB

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