Import and Playback of External Audio Files (MP3/WAV) Synced to Score

• Aug 5, 2025 - 23:49

I think it would be incredibly useful if MuseScore could let us import an audio file like an MP3 or WAV and play it back in sync with the score. This would be a game-changer for anyone doing transcription, or composing (over a demo for example). The idea is pretty simple: let users choose where the audio starts in the score, and have it stay in sync during playback. Also, I'm pretty sure there are other platforms that offer something similar, and I’d love to see MuseScore move in that direction too. Thank you!


Comments

In reply to by nicbernier07

You can test how difficult this will be yourself. Set up two tracks in Audacity. put an mp3 recording on one track. Have the software determine the beat, if it can. Set up an MU4 score of equal length that is only a metronome. Set it to the same tempo as the mp3 track. Then export it to an mp3 and put it on the second track. Figure out how to get them to start together. Hit play and see how long they stay together. You might get lucky, but probably not. It might work with a rock song. But that's about it.

In reply to by bobjp

You are right, unless the mp3 was made with a precise click track, it's inconvenient. That is why the feature should also give the ability to the user to set a specific mesure to a specific time at multiple places througout the piece, that would resolve also stops and tempo changes.

Incidentally, here's some news:
"Another one of our ambitions is to introduce audio staves, which can seamlessly interweave real audio tracks with the playback generated from your notation. Using a time-stretching technology we recently introduced to Audacity, audio staves will retain their relative length even when you change the tempo of your score."
The above quote is taken from:
https://musescore.org/en/4.5-and-beyond

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