Fingering

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

Fingering symbols for various instruments are found in the Fingering palette in the Advanced workspace.

Fingering palette

  • Keyboard music employs the numbers 1–5 to represent fingers of the left or right hand. There is also a fingering positioner plugin to help you optimize the layout of piano or keyboard fingerings.

  • Guitar music uses the numbers 0–4 to represent left-hand fingering (T is occasionally used for the thumb). Right-hand fingering is indicated by the letters p, i, m, a, c. Circled numbers represent instrument strings.

  • The last five symbols in the palette are used for lute fingering in historical music. Note: To enable display of fingering in tablature, right-click on the TAB, select Staff Properties...Advanced style properties, and tick "Show Fingerings".

Add fingering to a single note

Use any of the following methods:

  • Select a note and double click one of the fingering symbols in a Palette.
  • Drag and drop a fingering symbol from a palette onto a note

When fingering is added to a note, the focus immediately shifts to the symbol, so you can adjust it right away.

Add fingering to several notes

  1. Select the desired notes;
  2. Double-click a fingering symbol in a palette.

Adjust position of fingering

Single fingering

To change the position of one symbol, use any of the following methods:

  • For fine adjustments (0.1 sp) use the arrow keys; For larger adjustments (1 sp) use Ctrl+Arrow.
  • Change horizontal and vertical offsets in the Inspector.
  • Drag the symbol using your mouse.

Multiple fingering

To change the position of multiple symbols:

  1. Select the desired fingering symbols;
  2. Adjust using the horizontal and vertical offset fields in the Inspector.

Note: You can also use the fingering positioner plugin mentioned above to optimize the layout of piano fingerings.

To restore a symbol to its default position, select it and press Ctrl+R.

Edit fingering text

Fingering is a form of text symbol and can be edited and styled like any other. Right-clicking on the symbol gives you a range of options.

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