Clefs

Updated 4 years ago
This page shows old instructions for MuseScore 2.
For MuseScore 4 users, see Clefs.

    Commonly used Clefs (Treble, Bass, Alto, Tenor) can be found in the Clefs palette in the Basic workspace. For a more complete range, see the Clefs palette in the Advanced workspace (see image below).

    Clefs palette (Advanced workspace)

    Note: You can tailor the display of clefs to your specific requirements using a custom palette.

    Add a clef

    Add clef to beginning of measure

    Method 1—add clef to beginning of a measure, whether or not it is the first measure in a system

    • Select a measure and double-click a clef symbol in the palette, OR
    • Drag a clef from the palette onto a measure.

    Method 2—only for changing the clef at the start of a system

    • Select the existing clef at the beginning of the system and double-click a new clef from the palette, OR
    • Drag a new clef from the palette directly onto the existing clef.

    Add mid-measure clef

    To create a mid-measure clef:

    • Click on a note, then double-click a clef in the palette.

    Note: If the clef is not the first in the system, it will be drawn smaller.

    In this image, the top staff starts with a treble clef and switches immediately to bass clef, then after a note and a rest, changes back to treble clef.

    Mid-measure clef changes

    Note: Changing a clef does not change the pitch of any note. Instead, the notes move to preserve pitch. If you want, you can use Transposition in conjunction with a clef change.

    Courtesy clefs

    When a clef change occurs at the beginning of a system, a courtesy clef will be generated at the end of the previous system.

    To show or hide all courtesy clefs:

    1. From the menu, select StyleGeneral...Page;
    2. Check/uncheck "Create courtesy clefs."

    It is also possible to show/hide courtesy clefs on a case-by-case basis:

    1. "Create courtesy clefs" should already be ticked in the "General" menu (see above);
    2. Select a clef and tick/untick "Show courtesy" in the Inspector.

    Remove a clef

    • Select a clef and press Del.

    Hide clefs

    Display clef only in the first measure (for all staves)

    1. From the menu, select StyleGeneral... Page;
    2. Uncheck "Create clef for all systems."

    Display clef only in the first measure (for a particular staff)

    1. Right click on the staff, select Staff properties... and uncheck "Show clef;"
    2. Open the master palette and select the "Symbols" section;
    3. Drag and drop a clef from the master palette onto the first measure of the staff; OR select the first note and double-click a clef in the master palette.

    Note: This option may be useful to TAB users who do not want the clef to repeat on every subsequent line.

    Hide all clefs in a particular staff

    1. Right click on the staff, and select Staff properties...;
    2. Uncheck "Show clef."

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