Overview

You can store your files either locally on your computer, or online (“in the cloud”) to your musescore.com account. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one for free here.

In the case of scores saved online, MuseScore also keeps local copies on your computer (in a folder called Cloud Scores in your user “MuseScore 4” folder), so you can work on them even without an active internet connection. Every time you save a score that was opened from the Cloud Scores folder, the online copy at musescore.com is also updated. This system protects both the integrity of your local cloud scores while offering all the advantages of online storage, including backup, viewing and playback across multiple devices, ease of sharing, commenting, and much more.

Please note that, if you download one of your cloud scores from musescore.com and open it in MuseScore, the file you download and open will be a new, locally-stored file, separate from the file in the cloud.

Opening a score

There are a few ways to open a score in MuseScore 4.

File → Open

This triggers your file browser, allowing you to select and open scores stored on your computer or storage device (dialog will vary according to operating system).
Windows/Linux: Ctrl+O. MacOS: Cmd+O

File → Open recent

This option allows you to choose from a list of recently-opened scores.

Home tab → Scores

This window displays your most recently modified scores. Double-click on any score thumbnail to open it. You can also click Open other… to access locally-stored scores from your file browser.

Scores that have been saved to the cloud are indicated with a cloud icon. Unlike local scores, it is not possible to rename or otherwise modify a cloud file from your computer’s file browser. You can, however, do this from the score manager on musescore.com. Go directly to your score manager by clicking the Score manager (online) button in the Scores window.

It is possible to open multiple scores simultaneously. In this case, MuseScore opens each score in a separate window.

Import file formats

Apart from its native format files (*.mscz and *.mscx), MuseScore can also open MusicXML, compressed MusicXML and MIDI files, as well as a variety of files in other formats. You can customize various import settings by going to Preferences → Import.

Saving a score

To save a score:

1. Go to File
2. Choose any of the following options:

The first time you use any of the above save options, a dialog opens asking you “How would you like to save”, then offering you the options of “Save to the cloud” or “Save to computer”.

To disable this window, click Don't show again to ensure you only see your operating system's native save dialog for future saves.

Save to computer

The Save to computer option triggers your operating system’s “Save” dialog, allowing you to save the score as a (compressed) MuseScore file, .mscx.

There is also an option in your “Save” dialog to save files in an uncompressed format (“Uncompressed MuseScore folder”). This option creates a new folder on your computer that contains a MuseScore (.mscx) file, as well as a thumbnail image file (.png) and any relevant .json, .mss, and .xml files.

Save to the cloud

Scores saved online (to the cloud) appear in the program’s Home: Scores tab with a cloud symbol at the corner of the file icon. A copy is also automatically saved on your computer in the Cloud scores folder in your user “MuseScore 4” folder.

To save a score to the cloud, choose Save to the cloud. This triggers a dialog with the following options:

Name

This is the name under which your score will be identifiable on musescore.com

Visibility

• Private allows you to save changes to your score without others seeing your work online.
• Public makes your score visible to everyone on musescore.com.

When you’re ready, click Save. The first time you do this, MuseScore will ask whether you also want to upload your audio to musescore.com. You can choose from the following options:

Never

Each time you press Save, only the score itself will be uploaded to musescore.com. Online playback will use the MS Basic soundfont.

Always

Each time you press Save, MuseScore will generate an .mp3 file to upload together with your score. Score playback on musescore.com will sound the same as it does in your desktop app (including audio from the Muse Sounds library, if installed, or any VST instruments and effects you’ve added)

Every x saves

MuseScore will only generate and upload an .mp3 file at a save interval you specify.

These settings only affect your private cloud scores. You will only be asked to specify this setting once, however you can change this setting at any time by going to Preferences → Cloud. Once you click OK, MuseScore will confirm your score has been saved. Your file will be accessible from both the Home tab as well as the score manager on musescore.com.

Overview

This chapter covers the saving of MuseScore scores in formats other than the native ones (*.mscz and *.mscx), such as MusicXML, MIDI, MP3, PDF, PNG etc.

Exporting your score

To export a score:

1. Select File→Export
2. Choose a Format from the dropdown list
3. Select the parts to export by checking/unchecking the appropriate boxes on the left of the dialog
4. If you want to combine all parts in one file click on the radio button titiled All parts combined in one file
5. Click Export...

File formats

Graphical formats

PDF is a universal format for text, pictures, music and so on. Virtually every computer will have a dedicated PDF reader; if not a PDF can also be opened using web browsers such as Firefox etc.

Use this format when you want to generate music scores for other musicians to read from. PDF scores can also be printed to hard copy if desired.

PNG is a compressed graphical format suitable for embedding in all kinds of documents. SVG enables you to preserve a higher graphical resolution and allows you to resize in situ.

Audio formats

MuseScore enables you to export audio files in a number of compressed formats: MP3 is the most well-known, but OGG and FLAC also have their advantages. These formats combine the benefit of relatively small size with high audio quality.

If you want uncompressed audio go for the WAV option. File size will be considerably larger than the uncompressed audio options.

MIDI format

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), a well-established music industry standard, encodes the notes and instrumentation of the original score and can be played back using a PC’s media player, or other suitable computer app, as long as the right software (or hardware) instruments are available to realize it.

You should be aware that the sound generated by a MIDI file is dependent on the virtual instruments used to play it back, so it is likely to differ in sound quality from the original. Also it does not preserve score formatting, voicing etc.

Score formats

MusicXML is a universal standard which aims to preserve as much of the original score formatting as possible. It can be opened in any modern score writer. MuseScore 4 uses MusicXML 4.0.

Braille is a plain text format used by musicians who are blind, either on a electronic braille display, or embossed onto paper as raised dots. MuseScore's braille files are bar-over-bar format, conforming to the North American Music Braille Code 2015. The files use ASCII rather than Unicode characters, meaning that sighted users who open these files in a text editor will just see ordinary font symbols; you would need to install a braille font in order to see the braille as dots.

Customizing export settings

{To be added]

• MIDI import panel not currently implemented, making this section largely moot

Overview

MusicXML is a universal file format that allows music scores to be shared between different music notation programs. For example, you can convert a MuseScore .mscz file to a MusicXML file and it will open in Sibelius, Finale, or any other compatible scorewriter; and vice versa.

MusicXML faithfully reproduces the notes and instrumentation, but, nevertheless, it is usually necessary to do some clean-up work to make the transferred score look exactly the same as the original.

Opening a MusicXML file

When a MusicXML file is first opened in MuseScore, the positions and custom properties of text objects are preserved as far as possible. There may also be other customizations visible in the score which you may or may not wish to keep.

Cleaning up an imported score

Restoring stems

To reset the stems of all notes to their default positions and orientations:

1. Right-click on a note and choose Select→Similar
2. Press Ctrl+R.

Restoring default leading spaces

To reset the leading space of all notes to the score default:

1. Right-click on a note and choose Select→Similar
2. Click on the Appearance button in the Properties panel
3. If the Leading space reset button (circular arrow) is active, click on it to reset to the score default; otherwise no further action is required.

Removing breaks

To remove all breaks—system, page and section:
1. Right-click on a break and choose Select→Similar
2. Press Delete.

To remove just system breaks (leaving section and page breaks in place):

1. From the main menu, select Format→Add/Remove system breaks.
2. Select Remove current system breaks
3. Click OK to close the dialog.

Restoring default text styles

To reset all text objects in the score, and in frames, to their default styles:

1. From the main menu, choose Format→Style
2. Click on the button marked Reset all styles to default
3. Click OK to close the dialog.

See Format→Style→Text styles to view the list of styles, and property values.

Resetting default text positions

Frame

To reset the positions of all text objects in frames:

1. Right-click on a text object in a frame
2. Choose Select→Similar
3. Press Ctrl+R.

Score text

You can apply the same method for text objects in the score, as for frames. However you will need to repeat this for each individual class of object—all tempo texts, all staff texts and so on.

Preparing a score for export

To export a score as a MusicXML file see File export.

Export settings

When exporting a score to MusicXML, you can choose from a compressed (the default option) or uncompressed format; and whether to export all breaks or not, or to allow only manually-added breaks to appear in the file.

[To be added:

• gotchas - manual adjustments, misuse of element types, images, ...
• export settings]

• TBD

Overview

The Project Properties dialog contains meta tags. Meta tags are snippets of descriptive text that can be used by Musescore, such as "Work title," "Composer," "Copyright" etc.

Changing score properties

To change a score property

1. From the menu, choose File→Project Properties...
2. Click in the required field
3. Enter text or edit existing text

When you create a score, a title block is generated on the first page, and the value of some metatags is genearted automatically (see Setting up your score). After the score is created, the text in the title block is no longer linked to the value of the metatags in Project Properties.

Every score is created with the following predefined metatags. The third column shows the code to use the meta tag in Headers and Footers.

Adding new properties

To add another metatag, click on the New button. Fill in the "New tag name" field and press OK;

Any tag name can be used. For example, the following metatags were used in previous versions of Musescore:

• movementNumber:
• movementTitle:
• originalFormat:
• poet:
• workNumber:

To delete a tag click on the trashcan symbol. The predefined meta tags cannot be deleted.

Accessing project properties in your score

To show the content of one or more metatags in a header or footer for your score or part:

1. Make sure that the correct score or instrument part is the active tab;
2. From the menu, select Format→Style...→Header, Footer
   
   If you hover with your mouse over the Header or Footer text region, a list of macros will appear, showing their meaning, as well as the existing meta tags and their content.
   
3. Add tags (e.g. $:workTitle:, note the leading and trailing colons) and macros (e.g. $M, no colons) to the appropriate boxes, as required;
4. Changes are directly visible in the score window. Make corrections to the dialog if required;
5. If an instrument part is in the active tab, click Apply to all parts, if you want to apply these settings to all the score parts;
6. Click OK to assign the header or footer and exit the dialog.

In this list $I and $i are only available in parts, because the partName score property is only defined there, unless, as described above, it got manually added to the main score properties. Not shown in this tooltip, but available likewise, is the $:partName: meta tag.

Metatags for parts

Every part additionally has the following meta tag, generated and filled on Parts:

• partName: The name of the part as given on part creation (which is also used to fill the corresponding part name text in the top vertical frame—be aware that later changes to one are not reflected in the other). It can be accessed for use in Headers and Footers using $I, $i, or S:partName:.

To change a part name:

• click on parts
• double click on the part name or click on the "..." menu to the right of the part and choose Rename
• edit the part name

This meta tag is not present in the main score and thus is not available for use in its header/footer or in an added part name box in the top vertical frame, unless manually added as a new tag to its score properties.

• not currently implemented

Overview

Understand that these are separate entities before we begin this chapter:

• Musescore is a free and open source desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) music notation software project.
• musescore.org gathers volunteers around the world contributing to the project.
• musescore.com is a separate, commercial business - a "sheet music-sharing social platform" that allows you to save and publish your scores online.

You can publish to musescore.com either directly, or from within Musescore, but note that musescore.org volunteers are not capable of handling any issues related to musescore.com such as payment, refund, ownership, copyright, licensing, piracy etc, see How and where to ask for support.

You may elect to keep your scores private or to allow others to read or download them. To use its service you need to open a musescore.com account, which can be either free or subscription (see also Opening and saving scores).

Publishing cost and profit

musescore.com seems to prioritize providing virtually free of charge score hosting service, rather than helping self-publishers generate income. Nevertheless, it has generous terms on how hosted scores are used. The platform has not been openly, directly working with or sharing revenue with self publishers / individual composers yet. It has begun collaborating with publishers in response to complaints about copyright protection. For musicians aiming for profit, try alternative methods such as listed on https://music.stackexchange.com/questions/696/sites-with-a-good-selecti…

Publishing rights

Respect copyright. Just as you own the copyright for music you create, others own the copyright for music they create. You may transcribe other people’s copyrighted music using Musescore, but you do not necessarily own the copyright for the resulting Sheet music.

A broad definition of "publish" is used in this chapter to avoid confusion only - the act of uploading/saving content to an online server is considered "publishing". You should pay attention to the definition of "publish" used in any legally binding licenses. From https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq-definitions.html ... Publication is the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public ... A score can be uploaded "unlisted", meaning it is not publicly searchable or shown inside a public systematic catalog, but the said score may arguably still be considered public.

From the forum post Copyright Infringement
... for a cover song you'd need the copyright holder's permission (maybe the author, the publisher, the heirs, etc) ...
... you cannot upload a piece even with a licence from the original author, unless said licence also includes the specific rights grant to MuseScore BVBA which the ToS require, but which are not necessary to obtain if (also) another suitable licence, such as any and all Open Source / Open Knowledge licences, are present. The ToS also (part of the same bug) require the uploader to waive certain moral rights of the artist ...

From the forum post Would somebody tell me what is original music?
... If you haven't deliberately based your score on another composition then upload it as an original. If it turns out to be similar to a known composition then someone will point it out. If it's close to a copyrighted score then it may get taken down, (made private), but without causing you any trouble ...

From https://bernardgreenberg.com/MuseScore.html (by Bernie/BSG, a long time volunteer music mentor on musescore.org and musescore.com) 29 June 2021
... the CPO (Chief Product Officer) of MuseScore.com, David Mandelstam, posted, in public discussion with me, that the site (musescore.com) is the world's largest free sheet music catalog. It is not a social media, and not a score hosting site ...

Last but not least, from https://musescore.com/community-guidelines
... Treat people the way you would like to be treated ...

Creating a MuseScore account

• Go to www.musescore.com
• Click "Log in" - it's at the top right of the window
• On the dialog that pops up click "Create an account" - it's at the bottom right of the dialog that popped up
• If your browser is already logged in to a Google, Facebook or Apple account you can sign up with any of those services by clicking on the appropriate button
• If you prefer to sign in with your email address, fill in the remaining fields, check "I'm not a robot"
• Click "Create new account"

Saving only to Musescore.com

The first time you save a score you will be asked if you want to publish the score to Musescore.com.

If you are not already logged in to Musescore.com, or you do not have an account, you will need to login.

You will be asked if the score should be Public, Unlisted, or Private.

• Public scores are visible to everyone on the internet.
• Unlisted scores are visible to everyone on the internet, but do not show up in search results. Only people with the link will be able to find an unlisted score.
• Private scores are visible only to you. You must be logged in to your musescore.com account to view.

If you’re publishing a score that you’ve already published at least once, you can choose to replace the existing online score or to publish as a new online score.

You will be asked whether you also want to upload your audio to musescore.com. See Managing publishing preferences

Musescore will tell you when it is ready. Large scores may take some time to generate the MP3 file.

Publish locally saved scores

Scores saved on your computer can also be published at Musescore.com but are not automatically updated.

To publish a score at Musescore.com

• Click the Publish Tab (below the menu bar)
• Click Publish to Musescore.com

Visibility in score manager

Scores published only at Musescore.com are marked with a "cloud" symbol in the Musescore score manager.
MuseScore also keeps local copies on your computer (in a folder called Cloud Scores in your user “MuseScore 4” folder), so you can work on them even without an active internet connection.

Manage generation of mp3 during upload

When saving online Musescore creates an MP3 file of the audio of your score. Depending on the score length, and number of instruments in the score, this might take a long time. To control when this happens:

1. From the menu, choose Edit→Preferences...→Cloud

2. Under "Generate MP3 audio for private cloud scores" choose Never, Always, or Every (X saves)

   Never

   Each time you press Save, only the score itself will be uploaded to musescore.com. Online playback will use the MS Basic soundfont.

   Always

   Each time you press Save, MuseScore will generate an .mp3 file to upload together with your score. Score playback on musescore.com will sound the same as it does in your desktop app (including audio from the Muse Sounds library, if installed, or any VST instruments and effects you’ve added)

   Every x saves

   MuseScore will only generate and upload an .mp3 file at a save interval you specify.

3. If you chose "Every X saves" choose the number of saves
   

Overview

In addition to publishing your score on MuseScore.com, you can share the MP3 audio generated by MuseScore to Audio.com, a free service from Muse Group. On Audio.com, you can share your tracks publicly, make them available to download, and upload unlisted audio.

To share audio from your score on Audio.com:

MuseScore 4.1 and above

1. Open the Publish tab
2. Click the Share on Audio.com… button in the toolbar
   • If you’re not already signed in to an audio.com account, you will be prompted to do so or create an account
3. Enter a title, choose whether the score should be Public or Unlisted, then click Share
   • If you've already shared audio from the score, you can replace the existing audio or upload it as a new audio file
     
4. Audio.com will open in your browser to upload the track
5. From here, you can set the title, URL, category, tags, description, sharing permissions, and downloading permissions of your track

To share on Audio.com every time you publish a score:

MuseScore 4.2 and above

The first time you publish a score, you will be prompted to share on Audio.com. You can choose to be prompted every time you publish, and this can be controlled in Preferences.

1. Open Preferences
2. Go to the Save & publish tab
3. Check on Always prompt to share on Audio.com after publishing to MuseScore.com