Learning MuseScore

Updated 1 year ago

This page shows old instructions for MuseScore 3.
For MuseScore 4 users, see Learning MuseScore.

MuseScore provides a number of learning resources to help the new user get started.

Tours

When you run MuseScore for the first time, the Startup Wizard appears to help you set up some basic features of the software. One of these features is called Tours, and, as the name suggests, gives you a guided tour of the program.

To activate this feature, on the Tours page of the Startup Wizard, tick "Yes" in response to "Would you like to see these tours?"

Startup Wizard: Tours page

This will allow the Tour to run when the program opens, introducing you to the main features of the user interface.

Continue tours

To end the tour: press the Close button.
To stop the Tour showing when you open MuseScore: Uncheck "Continue taking Tours".
To enable the Tour again (when program reopens): Select Help→Tours→Show Tours.
To see all the Tours again (when program reopens): Select Help→Tours→Reset Tours.

Currently offered tours:

Introduction to User Interface.
Entering notes and rests in a score.
Entering symbols from a palette.
Navigating the score with Timeline.
Navigating the score with keyboard.
Entering multimeasure rests.
Autoplace positioning of symbols.
Modify properties with Inspector.
Selecting elements.
Add and edit lines in score.

Getting Started score

The interactive Getting Started score is a practical introduction to the basics of entering a score. When you open MuseScore for the first time, it will be displayed in the main window of the Start Center: just click to open it. Follow the instructions written in blue, and you will be led through the basic steps of score writing.

Note: If you don't see the Getting Started score, you can find it in the right hand panel of the Start Center. Click the right or left arrows to browse through the options until it appears.

Written tutorials

In the Tutorials and How-to section you will find tutorials on specific topics (e.g. MuseScore Drumline).

Video tutorials

Musescore 3 video tutorials created by musescore.org on Youtube are broken / unacessable due to private sharing restriction as of Jan 2023
Try the comprehensive Musescore3 tutorial videos on masteringmusescore.com created by Marc Sabatella instead. While Marc Sabatella contributed heavily to MuseScore codebase, his masteringmusescore.com is not affiliated with Muse Group or any of its subsidiary companies.

MuseScore offers a full set of instructions videos, each covering a specific subject. You can access these videos in several ways.

From the MuseScore homepage at MuseScore.org: Support/Tutorials
In the Start Center: browse to the Videos page in the right-hand panel.
Look up directly by searching for "MuseScore in Minutes" on You Tube
Use the list: