Editing note lengths
I am new to MuseScore and struggling to edit note lengths. For example, I have written a bar in 12/8 which originally had two dotted crotchets followed by three crotchets. I wanted to change this to four dotted crotchets but every time I try to change the final crotchet length and add a 'dot', it takes it over the barline. Meanwhile, the original bar only has 11 beats in it. Is this because there is a hidden quaver rest embedded somewhere which is impossible to delete? There seem to be rests in pale blue or shadowy grey which I can't get rid of. I'd love to know how to get around this. Thanks!
Comments
The faded rest is there, so your notes are starting on the beat after it. You have (probably) inadvertently made it invisible by pressing V. If this is the start of the measure it would explain why your lasted dotted crotchet crosses the bar line. You can either start on the first beat fresh entering notes or cut the notes that work and paste them on the first beat of the measure and all will work itself out.
I'm not quite understanding - two dotted crotchets followed by three crotchets adds up to 12 beats by my count. So I don't know where you are getting 11 from?
According to your description, the last crotchet starts on beat 11 and covers beats 11-12. So indeed, trying to add a dot won't work. If that's definitely the note you want to keep, you'll need to move it earlier. So, assuming you want to keep the first of the three crotchets, select that, press "." to add the dot, then select the last crotchet, Ctrl+X to cut, then click the note on beat 10 (where you want to move it to) and Ctrl+V to paste, then fix the duration.
In general, we can advise better if you attach the score you are having trouble with (using button right below where you type your comment).