Your favorite workflow
Hello colleagues. Please share your experience of working quickly in the musescore program. Which way do you prefer to enter notes: with a mouse, using a computer keyboard or a midi keyboard? How can I make edits faster? Etc?
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If you're asking this question, it's because you're not satisfied or completely satisfied with the way you enter the notes? :)
So what's your current way of doing things?
In reply to If you're asking this… by cadiz1
I am currently typing notes using a computer keyboard. however, I cannot say that this is an easy way. mouse input is also quite time-consuming from my point of view. Maybe a midi keyboard is the solution? but what about switching the durations of the entered notes? will it still have to be done using a computer? I mean the step-by-step input of notes, not the real-time playing.
In reply to I am currently typing notes… by kovalev_ev_
" using a computer keyboard. however, I cannot say that this is an easy way"
It is indeed the fastest way.
Why do you say it's not an easy way? What's bothering you, or seems difficult, or slows you down?
In reply to " using a computer keyboard… by cadiz1
Left hand on letter keys to select pitch. Right hand on num keypad to select duration. It is possible to enter notes by touch typing with a little practice.
Back to the start to enter dynamics, text and articulations on a second pass or perhaps do that in two passes. One for dynamics and text, one for articulations.
In reply to Left hand on letter keys to… by SteveBlower
I do it with opposite hands: left hand on numbers (at top of typewriter keyboard), right hand on letters. But otherwise the same. Basically touch typing the notes and then one or two passes for the rest.
In reply to I do it with opposite hands:… by TheHutch
There is no separate numeric keypad on my keyboard on the right, just numbers on top of the letters. So I enter notes and switch durations with one hand. I'll try to do it with two hands. Thanks!
In reply to There is no separate numeric… by kovalev_ev_
Here's an example: Measures 35-36 of Beethoven's 4th Piano Sonata (op. 7), 1st movement (Allegro molto con brio)
Set time signature to 6/8, key to Eb, grand staff (begin in the treble).
5 = A 4 C
Ctrl+Up arrow
5 F
Ctrl+Down arrow
4 A 5 B 4 - D 5 F
Ctrl+Down arrow
4 B
Ctrl+Left arrow
Ctrl+Left arrow
Alt+Down arrow
5 F 4 C 5 F 4 C 5 - D 4 B 5 D 4 = E
Ctrl+Left arrow
Ctrl+Left arrow
Ctrl+Alt+2
6 . F T
Each character in the unbolded lines is a single keypress. Two - characters set the next note (the Ds) to have a flat sign; the two = set the next note (an A and an E) to have natural signs; the . sets the previous duration to have a dot. The T ties the dotted half note from the first measure to another dotted half note in the second measure.
The bolded lines are key combinations. For example
Ctrl+Down arrow = move this note one octave down
Ctrl+Left arrow = move the cursor to the beginning of the current/previous measure
Alt+Down arrow = move the cursor to the next staff (in this case, to the bass clef)
Ctrl+Alt+2 = switch to Voice 2
In reply to Here's an example: Measures… by TheHutch
Thanks TheHutch.
This is a great example.
Would you mind posting the key strokes for V3 (where you must add/remove flat signs after you enter the notes).
And a screen capture of the result would be lovely.
Thanks.
(You just need to add some triplets in there to be a complete guide ;-) )
In reply to Thanks TheHutch. This is a… by frfancha
If you mean "Voice 3" when you say "V3", it's simply Ctrl+Alt+3. (And Voices 1 and 4 are parallel as well.)
The +, =, and - keys (for sharp, natural, and flat signs, respectively) are toggles. Press one and it "turns on" the appropriate accidental sign. Press the same one to simply turn it off. That switch only stays toggled for a single note. So if you need to write the chord Gb, Bb, Db with explicit accidentals, you would type ...
- G - B - D
Type this in note input mode and after each character look at the toolbar with the accidentals (probably across the top, unless you have removed it). Each time you press the -, you'll see the flat sign be highlighted. Then, when you press the letter, you'll see that it is no longer highlighted, so for the next flat, you must press it again.
A triplet is a tiny bit more complicated. First set the duration to the total length of the desired triplet, then Ctrl+3 divides that total length into three. So in 4/4, three eighth-note triplets, two quarter notes, then three eighth-note triplets on a C major scale would be ...
5
Ctrl+3
C D E 5 F G
Ctrl+3
A B C
FYI: Other tuplets are similar to the triplet: set the duration to the total length desired, then press Ctrl+number as the key combination for tuplets up to nontuplet (nine-let?). For example, ...
6
Ctrl+7
C D E F G A B
... makes an eighth-note septuplet lasting two beats (the "6" is the number for a half-note). Complex tuplets, or tuplets more than nine-lets, require using the menu option of Add / Tuplets / Other.
The best way to learn these is to simply play with them. When you find that you don't know the keyboard shortcut for a specific note or rhythm or articulation or whatever, go to the MuseScore 4 Handbook and find it out. Then use it repeatedly. (This is, in fact, the best way to learn ANYTHING. :-)
In reply to If you mean "Voice 3" when… by TheHutch
No I mean version 3
In reply to No I mean version 3 by frfancha
Oh, I haven't used version 3 for a year or two, so I'm not sure, but to the best of my recollection, the note entry shortcuts were identical to the ones I just provided. Or very, very close.
In reply to I do it with opposite hands:… by TheHutch
I set up a keyboard shortcut to allow me to input rests without it being difficult.
In reply to I set up a keyboard shortcut… by beniegenie
Since the default shortcut for a rest is simply a 0 (a numeral zero), it's hardly worth the effort to set up another.
In reply to Since the default shortcut… by TheHutch
Really? I checked the shortcuts and couldn't find it. That would have been nice to know.
In reply to Really? I checked the… by beniegenie
It is in the handbook too
In reply to It is in the handbook too by Jojo-Schmitz
I have never actually gone to that.
In reply to I have never actually gone… by beniegenie
That's a bad mistake, really
In reply to That's a bad mistake, really by Jojo-Schmitz
+++++
I strongly recommend taking an hour or so to read through the entire MuseScore 4 Handbook. Don't try to learn it all, just skim through the entire thing. That way, when you have a question, you're much more likely to know that there is an answer in the MuseScore 4 Handbook and you'll likely be able to find it quickly.
In reply to " using a computer keyboard… by cadiz1
"Why do you say it's not an easy way? What's bothering you, or seems difficult, or slows you down?"
This method seems slow to me, especially with a large amount of musical material. But the problem for me is the constant change of note durations. I tried to enter the pitch separately, the duration separately, switching the input modes. But this eventually gives the same result as regular input.
In reply to This method seems slow to me… by kovalev_ev_
"There is no separate numeric keypad on my keyboard on the right, just numbers on top of the letters. So I enter notes and switch durations with one hand"
Have you considered using an external keypad? It's inexpensive and would allow you to divide the work of both hands more efficiently.
In reply to Have you considered using an… by cadiz1
Yes, thanks. I think this is the best option. and much cheaper than a midi keyboard.
In reply to Have you considered using an… by cadiz1
Maybe you could change the shortcut keys for the numeric functions into letters instead.
See https://musescore.org/en/handbook/4/keyboard-shortcuts
In reply to This method seems slow to me… by kovalev_ev_
I don’t know if it is possible in MS4, but on MS3 I enter the rhythms first, using the number pad, then repitch with either the on-screen piano keyboard or a small, 2-octave Akai MIDI keyboard. So long as I do just short sections at a time (so that I don’t get lost) I find this by far the fastest method. See https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/note-input#note-input-modes
Hello! I prefer the computer keyboard, and an enhancement to computer keyboard note input would be my feature request at https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/24883.
In reply to Hello! I prefer the computer… by Magnus Johansson
"Hello! I prefer the computer keyboard, and an enhancement to computer keyboard
note input would be my feature request at https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/24883."
an interesting idea. I have seen this way of entering notes in other applications. however, the arrangement of the notes on the keyboard will be completely different and will take up a lot of space. this will result in the need to change other existing keyboard shortcuts. in my opinion, these are quite radical changes. developers are unlikely to do this.
In reply to "Hello! I prefer the… by kovalev_ev_
In what applications have you seen this beside Finale (that by the way does not correspond exactly to my proposal)?
Yes, it is radical, and the interest in it is not very big, but the number of shortcuts that has to be changed isn't overwhelming. However, my proposal in its extension would likely need a computer keyboard with more modifier keys, almost like the LISP programming keyboards of yesterday: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_layout#/media/File:Space-cadet.j…
In reply to In what applications have… by Magnus Johansson
I've seen this input method in the vcvrack modular synthesizer emulator and in some kind of DAW (I don't remember which one anymore). Of the sheet music editors, I used only musescore, so I can't compare
In reply to I've seen this input method… by kovalev_ev_
OK, but in synth emulators and DAW's the key layout imitates a piano keyboard with its black and white keys, right? In my proposal there are keys only for the white keys on a piano.
strange... I connected an external keyboard with a separate numeric keypad on the right. but pressing the numeric keys does not switch the duration of the entered notes. at the same time, the + and - symbols work on this keyboard (include sharps and flats). in other applications on my computer, the numeric keypad works fine. I don't understand what the reason might be. maybe someone has encountered such behavior? I have windows 10 and musescore 4.4.2 installed
In reply to strange... I connected an… by kovalev_ev_
Do you have Num Lock on?
In reply to Do you have Num Lock on? by Magnus Johansson
This ^. I regularly think it isn’t working properly then realise the Number Lock is set incorrectly.
In reply to Do you have Num Lock on? by Magnus Johansson
"Do you have Num Lock on?"
That's what I thought too. but regardless of whether this key is pressed or not, the result is the same. musescore reacts only to pressing the + and -
In reply to "Do you have Num Lock on?"… by kovalev_ev_
OK, so you can't even use the arrow keys (2, 4, 6, 8) on the numeric keypad?
In reply to OK, so you can't even use… by Magnus Johansson
Thank you, you prompted me to solve the problem. the fact is that the arrows on the numeric keypad worked. I also found out that entering numbers inside the text frame from the numeric keypad also works.
decision: I went to the settings with keyboard shortcuts tab and clicked "reset to default values" for switch durations. Everything is working now
In reply to Thank you, you prompted me… by kovalev_ev_
Great! You're welcome.
In reply to Great! You're welcome. by Magnus Johansson
Glad you’ve cracked it!