Modes of Entry

For #1, "Normal mode" is kind of the default name, we don't really advertise it, and no one really likes it, but I did make the conscious decision to stick with that name in "Mastering MuseScore" as we need to call it something and no one had a better suggestion. So I think we might as well continue to use it in the the Handbook. But I don't know that there is any point in having a dedicated section to this - the whole Handbook deals with this mode *except* for the few parts that document other modes.

For #2, the official name for note entry is now "Note input mode" - this went back and forth a bit before we standardized on this shortly before release of 2.0. I'm not sure what you are proposing that is different from the existing section https://musescore.org/en/handbook/note-input?

For #3, I assume you mean "Edit mode". This is documented in https://musescore.org/en/handbook/edit-mode-0, and again, it isn't clear what else you would be proposing.

Here is a re-arranged and expanded version of my proposed section. I think it is now nearly complete.

Musescore Modes

Musecore has a number of operation modes, that can change the behaviour of the mouse and some keyboard keys. When Note Input or Edit modes are on, text indicating this appears on the right of the status bar.

'Normal' mode

• clicking with the mouse will select an element, and the left and right arrow keys on the keyboard will move the current selection location.

Note Input mode

• in Note Input mode the current input location (where the next note to be input will be added) is indicated by a 'block cursor' (in a pale variety of the current voice colour). When a note is entered, that note becomes selected, and the input location moves forward.
• most keyboard and mouse operations are the same as in 'normal' mode, ie: they effect the selected (ie: last-entered) note

However

• clicking with the mouse anywhere on a staff will add a note
• left and right arrow keys move the current input location, not the current selection
• the pitch-input keys (A-G) enter a new note at the input location. The '0' (zero) key adds a rest
• changes to the current note-length (keys 1-9) do not effect the selected note, they just set the length for the next note input
• Note Input mode is started by clicking on the 'N' button, or using the 'N' keyboard shortcut. It will also be started when any of the pitch keys (A-G) are pressed. Note Input mode is turned off by clicking the 'N' button or pressing 'N' or 'Esc' on the keyboard.

Edit Mode

• Keyboard arrow keys will usually move the selected element, but there are specific behaviours depending on the element selected.
• Edit Mode is started by double-clicking an element with the mouse.

There is some complexity to note input which may not be intuitively obvious to many people (including me) at first sight, depending on how you approach it, so this draft is an attempt to give an overall picture of the general principles. I was thinking of adding it to the >Basics > Note Input section. Any thoughts?

Note Input Mode methods
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Note Input mode is entered by any of the following methods:
- press one of the computer keys A,B,C,D,E,F,G (or 0 zero) and a note (or rest) will be immediately added at the current position in the score, using the currently selected note duration and voice.
- press the computer keyboard N key, but no note will be added yet,
- click the "N" button in the Note Input palette, but no note will be added yet,
- press the relevant MIDI key if MIDI Remote Control is enabled.

Being in Note Input mode is visually indicated by all of the following:-
- a 'block cursor' appears, in the current voice colour, at the currently selected bar/beat/stave location,
- the N symbol is highlighted in the Note Input palette ,
- the mouse cursor (when within the score window) is changed to a vertical arrow which is followed by a floating note-head of the currently selected voice colour.

The current location for keyboard note (or rest) input is:-
- the first beat of the first bar of the first stave - if no note or rest is yet selected, or
- the note or rest that is currently selected, or
- if a range is currently selected then the last note or rest of the range (also applies if more than one stave is included in the selected range).

New notes (or rests) can be added by any of the following methods:
- the computer keys A,B,C,D,E,F,G,0 to place a note or rest at the current location,
- the MIDI keyboard, if enabled, to place a note or rest at the current location,
- the mouse, to point to a note position and click to insert a note anywhere on a visible stave; this note will also become the new current location.

You can exit Note Input mode (with the last entered note or rest staying selected for edit) by any of the following methods :-
- click the N symbol in the Note Input palette,
- press the computer keyboard N key,
- press the relevant MIDI key if MIDI Remote Control is enabled.
- press the Esc key.