MuseScore 3.1 Release
Today we are pleased to announce a significant update, MuseScore 3.1. In addition to hundreds of bug fixes, it introduces some new features (including single-note dynamics) and significant improvements related to playback, automatic placement and layout, fretboard diagrams, and performance.
Download MuseScore 3.1 Release
Single-note Dynamics
MuseScore will now play crescendos and diminuendos on single notes; fortepianos and other dynamics that change volume after the beginning of a note; and dynamic articulations. Before, a note could only play at a single dynamic for its entire duration. This new feature is possible thanks to an update to the MuseScore General soundfont and a significant amount of programming that allows dynamics playback to be controlled while a note is still being played. It isn’t just volume that is affected—timbre and other subtle effects can also change based on the dynamics. Both new and existing scores will take advantage of this automatically, and customization options are available as well.
For even more realism in playback, a high-quality soundfont is available as an extension in the Resource Manager. It provides better quality of Strings and Synth instruments. Note, you don’t have to install HQ soundfont to make single-note dynamics work.
Special thanks to @jthistle (James Thistlewood) and S. Christian Collins
Here is a creative example of what can be done with this feature provided by mdi1972 (Alvaro José Fernández Lago).
Smart Layout
Automatic placement (autoplace) was one of the most significant advances in MuseScore 3 over MuseScore 2. It provides context-aware positioning for elements, avoiding most collisions and thus reducing the need for manual adjustment. However, in the cases where manual adjustment is also necessary, users sometimes felt autoplace got in the way. We have listened to these concerns and come up with some major improvements in the flexibility of automatic placement.
As of MuseScore 3.1, automatic placement will no longer prevent you from moving elements wherever you like—including moving them closer to the staff, overlapping other elements, or even onto the staff. Moreover, by default, autoplace will stay enabled for elements you move, meaning it will continue to update the position of moved elements to avoid further collisions as you edit your score, and other elements will continue to avoid the moved element. This provides the best of both worlds—great default positioning and automatic collision avoidance as you edit, with complete freedom to move elements around. You can also easily disable autoplace completely for an individual element or for the score as a whole.
In addition, MuseScore 3.1 will detect when you have moved an element to the opposite side of the staff and will automatically convert between Above and Below placement, just as if you had used the “X” command or Inspector to flip it.
Special thanks to @MarcSabatella (Marc Sabatella)
Fretboard Diagram Improvements
Fretboard diagrams are vastly more customizable, now featuring:
- Multiple dots per string
- Partial and multiple barres
- Different dot shapes (especially useful for Ted Greene diagrams)
- Ability to not show nut
- Customizable distance between strings and frets
- Chord symbols for diagrams
- Improved ability to save chord symbols to the palette
- Improved fretboard editing interface
- Many bugfixes
Special thanks to @jthistle (James Thistlewood), and to Trevor Hanson for his advice.
Half/Double Duration
MuseScore 3.1 includes new commands Edit > Paste Half Duration and Edit > Paste Double Duration to halve or double rhythms when pasting a selection. These allow you to quickly turn a passage notated in eighth notes into one notated in sixteenths or vice versa. Unlike earlier plugins, these commands work on tuplets and multiple voices.
Special thanks to @MarcSabatella (Marc Sabatella)
Linearization Feature
Users often take advantage of jumps and repeats during "prototyping" of a song and, after a while, decide to linearize the score before continuing with the arrangement. This is especially common in larger arrangements, where structural parts (Verses, Choruses, etc) are seldom repeated exactly. MuseScore 3.1 now provides the Tools > Unroll Repeats command to automate this process.
Special thanks to @velochy (Margus Niitsoo)
UX improvements
We listen carefully to user feedback, including recently a public video analyzing MuseScore’s interface by professional musician and designer Tantacrul.
For 3.1, we have implemented a few things that make the user experience smoother:
- Notes remain selected after deleting various elements attached to them
- Hairpins and dynamics can be copied now (separately or together)
- Target measures are fully cleared on copy-pasting elements
- Duration of multiple notes can be changed at once
- Horizontal note spacing can be adjusted by dragging
- Inspector is more compact and visually streamlined
Special thanks to @tantacrul (Martin Keary), @dmitrio95 (Dmitri Ovodok), and @IsaacWeiss (Isaac Weiss)
Continuous View Performance
MuseScore 3 introduced significant performance improvements for page view by only laying out the portion of a score affected by any given edit operation, rather than always laying out the entire score as in previous versions. This makes it easier to work on large scores in MuseScore 3. However, continuous view did not benefit from this improvement and got slower compared to MuseScore 2. Now MuseScore 3.1 brings these same improvements to continuous view, thus making it a more viable option as well regardless of the size of your score.
Important notes
- Neither musescore.com nor MuseScore apps have been updated yet, so the scores will look a bit different and won't sound with single-notes dynamics there
- Complete list of the changes is available here
Comments
Please add this to the "latest news" feed, I've been missing this announcement all day!
In reply to Please add this to the … by Thingy Person
It is only published since some minutes, so you didn't miss it. Still needs to go to the News section.
In reply to It is only out since some… by Jojo-Schmitz
Done. Thanks for the reminder :)
Any important difference from 3.1 Release Candidate issued some days earlier? Because I've installed it and I'm finishing a work using RC and need to focus on it. By the way, great improvement compared to beta!
In reply to Any important difference… by fmiyara
There are just a couple of minor bugs fixed from the rc to final. You can use switch to the new version without fear.
In reply to Any important difference… by fmiyara
More than a dozen changes, mostly regressions, see #289565: [Epic] 3.1-RC Regressions that must be fixed for the regressions
In reply to About a dozen changes,… by Jojo-Schmitz
Thnk you for the information!
In reply to Any important difference… by fmiyara
Some of those regressions fixed between RC and release are pretty serious, though, I would definitely grab the release.
In reply to Some of those regressions… by Marc Sabatella
I've followed your advice and it worked fine, thank you!
Great work everyone. Thank you.
Great release, congratulations to all devs and thank you!
This is an outstanding release! For me, It has it all :)
A big thank you for this.
Great work! Thanks!
Mid-note dynamics AND performance improvements? You guys are legends, it's my dream come true. But one question: is it absolutely necessary to use the Musescore General soundfont in order to playback those dynamics?
Edit: AND you took Tantacrul's feedback into consideration? My god.
In reply to Mid-note dynamics AND… by DaforLynx
If you have a soundfont that supports volume control with either CC1, 2, 4 or 11, you can configure it to work in the synthesizer menu: View > Synthesizer > Dynamics. If not, then yes, single note dynamics will only work with the default soundfont.
This is great! Fixed a lot of the problems I'd had before.. But... what happened to some of the default battery percussion soundfont sounds? The snare is very soft now, and the rimshot and stickshot just sound like a normal hit with a click instead of the nice strong THWACK that they used to have. Even the pitch of it is lower than the normal snare stroke. And I suppose I'll have to get better earphones, because the changes to the soundfont seem to have put all the instruments within a more narrow frequency range than before, so they all seem to melt together and drown each other out. I hope that won't be the case with earphones that aren't cheap junk. The old soundfont seemed to have a better range of varying frequencies between instruments: Punchy mid-bassy basses, high cutting snare, tenors just a bit under the snare.
The new marching bass does sound great, though! Much more realistic than the previous synth bass sound. And I appreciate that the volume of the tenors has been brought up a bit, since I had to boost them in the mixer to hear them. now I have to bring them down and boost the snare. And thank you thank you thank you for fixing the issue where the snare caused playback to lag and slow everything down.
I just downloaded the May 28 update and now Musescore will not open, it keeps on crashing.
In reply to I just downloaded the May 28… by mjk777
Try the procedure described in the Handbook for reverting to factory settings used the command line option.
In reply to Try the procedure described… by Marc Sabatella
Why won't this work?
In reply to Why won't this work? by mjk777
It doesn't like the brackets.
In reply to It doesn't like the brackets. by mike320
Still doesn't work
In reply to Still doesn't work by mjk777
That doesn't look like windows command line. Either you are running it from the wrong directory and the MuseScore3.exe file doesn't exist there, or someone else needs to look at the issue.
In reply to Still doesn't work by mjk777
Just follow the instructions at https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/revert-factory-settings#instruction…
In reply to Still doesn't work by mjk777
Copy and paste to Command Line:
replace initial letter (x) to C
PS: including quotes.
for 32 bit Musescore on 64 bit OS:
In reply to Why won't this work? by mjk777
The command line option is not "[-F]", but "-F", it needs to be separated from the name of the exe by a space and you need to be in the correct directory.
Do the single note dynamics only apply to the musescore general soundfonts or do they apply to all soundfonts?
In reply to Do the single note dynamics… by Phoenix Chronicles
They work on all soundfonts with the correct settings. Open a new thread under general discussion if you can't find the answer in the forums.
In reply to Do the single note dynamics… by Phoenix Chronicles
See my response above: If you have a soundfont that supports volume control with either CC1, 2, 4 or 11, you can configure it to work in the synthesizer menu: View > Synthesizer > Dynamics. If not, then yes, single note dynamics will only work with the default soundfont.
In reply to See my response above: If… by TheOtherJThistle
I don't know how many-different-places and how many-times do I have to write this, but I insist:
The "MIDI Continuous Controller 11 to Initial Attenuation" modulator is set as the default for sound-font version 2.1. (It's in the default modulators)
"SoundFont 2.01 Technical Specification - Page 56; under Title: 8.4 Default Modulators"
http://www.synthfont.com/SFSPEC21.PDF
https://musescore.org/en/node/287965#comment-921193
DEMO: https://hedsounds.blogspot.com/p/no-modulator-no-expr-soundfont-cc11-de…
In reply to I don't know how many… by Ziya Mete Demircan
I have my system set up to handle the cc11 events and all of the sound fonts I've used work with SND.
In reply to Do the single note dynamics… by Phoenix Chronicles
Any soundfont that supports the necessary CC messages. Do a search for this and you'll find a number of discussions, not sure there is yet one definitive writeup.
I love the new single note crescendos but they don't seem to work on cymbals. Is there any way to have a tremolo on a cymbal crescendo or is it only for other instruments?
In reply to I love the new single note… by [DELETED] 16941546
I suspect that #289898: Cresc./dim. are ignored for tremolos. will fix cymbals also.
In reply to I love the new single note… by [DELETED] 16941546
Cymbals can't do single note dynamics. Tremolos could though and probably MuseScore soon will support that too.
In reply to Cymbals can't do single note… by Jojo-Schmitz
I beg to differ, and I hope things like crescendo, decrescendo, staccato, etc will be supported for cymbals--both kit and marching-- in the future under such circumstances as: Swells (I suppose that falls under tremolo/roll), sizzle chokes, partial chokes (grabbing the cymbal but then releasing it before it completely stops ringing), and other such unconventional cymbal techniques.
In reply to I beg to differ, and I hope… by SketchMan3
Sure, but those are more than just dynamics. The point is, basic dynamics - just getting louder or softer after the initial attack - isn't something percussion instruments can do, more or less by definition. They decay as they decay. You can choose to modify the sound by special techniques such as damping etc, and some day we may support the special notations that would be used for this as well as the special sound effects they produce - but it's outside the scope of basic dynamics.
In reply to I love the new single note… by [DELETED] 16941546
Only instruments that are inherently capable of changing volume after the note is struck support this. A cymbal doesn't, unless rolled - in which case, indeed, I'd expect the tremolo change to work here too.
In reply to Only instruments that are… by Marc Sabatella
Maybe this is not the right place but it is related. I may post this elsewhere if so advised, but there are several situations where a new sound needs to be assigned to an instrument. One example already existing is that of pizz., tremolo and arco in string instruments. The case of pizz. has been long considered as a different kind of instrument. Two important precedents: 1) Rimky Korsakov in his orchestration treatise considers pizzicati as a different family from the same instrument using the bow; 2) General MIDI accepts program change 45, GM Pizzicato as a different program (unfortunately a single program for the whole string family).
The case of tremolo is also in GM (PC 44, GM Tremolo-strings).
This situation applies to many other instruments and modes of sound production. For instance a timpani roll is a different kind of sound from a simple rapid repetion of the note, the same as a cymbal, where resonance is an important part of the sound. Others are: string and wind instrument harmonics, col legno string, mute strings, mute brass instruments (GM already has PC 59 for mute trumpet)
In reply to I love the new single note… by [DELETED] 16941546
I can confirm, the PR Mike linked does fix tremolo crescendos for cymbals. Should be fixed in version 3.1.1.
Thank you for this update! I've been anticipating this feature for a long time! There were several pieces that I wished had the single-note dynamic function. I just recently made some string arpeggio runs with a crescendo/diminuendo tied note in the bass clef. It sounds so awesome!
In reply to Thank you for this update! I… by Mewsscore
This is how I (almost) solved both the machine feel of the tremolo and the dynamics in the case of the cymbal. I created a second cymbal staff containing the 32nd notes of the tremolo, which I slightly modified by irregularly placing augmentation dots. Then I added the desired hairpins. Next i made the staff invisible by typing "I" (for Instruments) and unchecking "visible". Finally, I wrote the main staff in the manner the percussionist will read it, but unchecked "play". So the tremolo sounds more irregularly, hence more humanly, and with the intended dynamics. But it lacks the resonance so it is a bit unreal, especially if solo or lightly accompanied.
Update: If "play" is kept checked and the first hairpin is given a minimal velocity change of 1, it sounds a bit more real (if velocity change is 0 there is an awkward behavior, since it seems to inherit the other staff's hairpin change.
Update 2: Probably if a second invisible cymbal staff is added with a different version of the irregularities the result would be even more realistic, since the slight asynchronicity would simulate the resonance (when the stick hits the cymbal another version keeps sounding)
Update 3: The same idea applied to a timpani roll (find attached). I think it sounds reasonably realistic!
Here I kept the second timpani staff visible, but in the final score it should be made invisible. The "normal" (notated) tremolo is not silenced but kept at a steady quiet level simulating resonance and adding interest with asynchronous hits.
In reply to This is how I (almost)… by fmiyara
Another trick is to put a pedal under the cymbal roll. This gives a more realistic sound, but will also cause a crescendo on top of the hairpin.
Is there a difference between downloading the new version from here versus using the "Check for update" feature in the Help menu of MuseScore?
In reply to Is there a difference… by SketchMan3
No, you get the same version.
In reply to No, you get the same version. by mike320
Hmmm.. the update is 116MB, and the download is 111MB. Will either one install over the previous version 3.0 the same way?
In reply to Hmmm.. the update is 116MB,… by SketchMan3
Is one from the Windows store? If so, I'm not exactly sure how that works, but it might make a difference.
Quick question. Is it possible to modify zerberus sound files to work with the single-note dynamic? Or any soundfont for that matter.
EDIT: Nvm, I figured out how to change the settings so that it would work for CC compatible sound files.
When are we going to get the album button back? I'd like to continue publishing, so I need this.
In reply to When are we going to get the… by Stefanokud
It's not clear. Meanwhile, though, feel free to start a new thread and discuss your particular use of this tool in the past so we can make sure we understand the different use cases people had. i would not that the msot common - assembling muti-movement works - is performed in arguably an easier and more flexible way by using a PDF utility like PDFsam.
Thank you! This update is godly amazing! Especially the dynamics in one note. Now I don't have to break notes of same pitch apart and slur them with different dynamics to keep the effect.
![Untitled.png]( "Untitled.png")
Also, the very buggy playback in 3.0.5 which always crashes and text typing and re-pitching notes are smooth now.
The stemless option is great! Finally the dynamic fp< is useful!
May I request the ornament turn can be between notes? And, can adding accidentals to ornaments just like the hand-written scores change the playback? And, acciaccatura played before beat?
Thank you!
AlexanderDennis