Templates and styles

Updated 1 year ago

    This chapter contains incomplete information and does not reflect the current status of Musescore 4. Please consult third party professionals listed on Getting help instead.

    useful info for editing:

    TODO testing

    • example score file B
      • Part B1 (the full score)
        • format > page settings
        • format > style
        • view > show >show invisible, concert pitch etc
        • individual item properties
      • Part B2 (built-in part, user clicked the part button, add)
        • format > page settings
        • format > style
        • view > show >show invisible, concert pitch etc
        • individual item properties
      • Part B3 (newly-created part, user clicked the part button, add)
        • format > page settings
        • format > style
        • view > show >show invisible, concert pitch etc
        • individual item properties
    • move B.mscz to the custom template folder, then create score C with the template
      • create C1, C2 using B1, B2 CONFIRMED
      • create C3 using B3 (to be tested)
      • C1 (full score)
        • format > page settings (to be tested)
        • format > style (to be tested)
        • view > show > show invisible, concert pitch etc (to be tested)
        • individual item properties : ALL ITEMS for example staff text ARE REMOVED
        • a new title text and frame is added "Untitled" MS4 NEW
      • C2 (Part)
        • format > page settings (to be tested)
        • format > style (to be tested)
        • view > show > show invisible, concert pitch etc (to be tested)
        • individual item properties: ALL ITEMS EXCEPT STAFF ARE REMOVED title text and frame , staff text
      • C3 (Part)
        • format > page settings (to be tested)
        • format > style (to be tested)
        • view > show > show invisible, concert pitch etc (to be tested)
        • individual item properties (to be tested)

    Overview

    Style

    Styles in Musescore are profiles that contains settings, rather than being the settings themselves. The visual setting for text and musical symbol in musescore some users mistaken for style is called Font.

    All styles are built-in, they contain visual and functional settings default values. Each object type, eg Chord Symbol object, Accidental object, has a corresponding style of the same name built-in: "Style for Chord Symbols", "Style for Accidentals". Each Text object, eg Chord Symbol object, Lyrics object, also has one or more corresponding style(s) built-in: "Style for text inside Chord Symbols", "Style for text inside Chord Symbols (Alternative)", "Style for text inside Lyrics Even Lines", "Style for text inside Lyrics Odd Lines". Style is not the object type.

    You cannot create a new style, but you can edit the settings values in each style. Use the "Style" window: Format → Style , or Properties panel: 'three dots' button : Save as default style for this score.

    After you created an object, you cannot change its object type. The same is almost true for style: an accidental object on a score must use values in "Style for Accidentals", it cannot use values in "Style for Staff Text" or "Style for Chord Symbols". You cannot change which style (the named profile) an object on a score uses unless the object is a Text object or it contains a Text object within. A Lyrics object on a score, if desired, can use the compatible values in "Style for text inside Chord symbols" or "Style for text inside Staff Text" rather than the values in "Style for text inside Lyrics Odd Lines" or "Style for text inside Lyrics Even Lines", for more see Formatting text chapter.

    Read on to see the final visual and function of objects are determined.

    Layout and formatting in Musescore

    Layout and formatting in Musescore consists of two main levels, Text objects and objects containing them have more levels, see Formatting text. The final visual and function of most object in a score file is determined by:

    • Level 1: Properties of each individual object in a score file, such as note, text, or symbol on a score file. By default, objects do not have any specific properties. When properties are assigned in Properties panel, they will always be used.
    • Level 2: Includes
      • the layout and formatting settings related to whole page,
        • which corresponds to the items around the top of the left pane of the "Style" window: Format → Style → Score, Page, Size, System, Measure etc, and
        • the settings in Format → Page settings (see Score size and spacing).
      • Additionally, it includes all the styles. Settings values in styles have less priority than properties mentioned above. Styles includes:
        • "style for certain type of object": such as "Style for Chord symbols", "Style for Dynamics symbols", which correspond to the items in the left pane of the "Style" window, and
        • "style for text inside certain type of object", such as "Style for text inside Chord symbols", "Style text inside Lyrics Odd Lines" etc, which correspond to items inside the "Style" window: left pane item "Text Style", see Formatting text

    Every score file has a "Full Score" layout. It also contains "Parts" when you use Musescore Part feature to generate different versions of the same score. Each "Part" and the "Full Score" has their own separate complete set of layout and formatting information.

    Reusing Layout and formatting information

    • When create a new score file using a template,... [This bullet point is a work in progress, please add missing info, see TODO above, and https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/layout-and-formatting#concept3]
    • "Level 2 information" of the "Part" (but not the "Full Score") you are currently editing can be easily applied to all other "Parts" with the Format → Style → Apply to all parts button.
    • "Level 2 information" of the "Part" or "Full Score" you are currently editing can be saved as a separate .mss file (also known as a style file) and re-used on the another score (its "Full Score" or any "Part"). Reusing on a "Full Score" does not affect Parts.
    • Default "level 2 information" for new score file and Musescore Part see below.

    Visit https://musescore.org/en/node/355981 for .mss files shared by other musicians.

    Style files

    The concepts and layout logic are explained in the overview. .mss file contains "level 2 information" and can be stored in any folder, Musescore does not automatically use any specific folder. The default folder for easier file management can be set-up in Edit → Preferences.

    Saving settings of all styles of "Full score" or "Part" you are currently editing to a separate .mss file

    1. Open the 'Full score' or 'Part' desired.
    2. Select Format → Save style, save it to any folder you like.

    Loading from .mss file into "Full score" or "Part" you are currently editing

    1. Load or create a score, open the 'Full score' or 'Part' desired.
    2. Select Format → Load style.

    Default "level 2 information" for new score file and Musescore Part

    Open Preferences → Score tab

    • Style: Browse and set the .mss file Musescore uses as "level 2 information" when creating a new score file. When creating a new score file from a template, the information present in the template is used instead.
    • Style for part: Similar to the above but for new Musescore Part.

    Templates

    Not to be confused with Staff/Part properties: staff type template.

    Usage of template is covered in chapters Create your first score, and Setting up your score. Score template can be used to quickly set up a new score. A template contains:

    [This item list is a work in progress, please add missing info, see TODO above, and
    https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/instruments-staff-setup-and-templat…
    - itemX
    - itemY
    - itemZ
    ]

    A template file is a score file under certain directory that Musescore uses. You can create a score from scratch and save it as template, or copy any existing .mscz file to that directory to use it as template. There are two kinds of templates:

    • Pre-defined System templates shipped with MuseScore, sorted into categories in New Score: Create from Template tab, see Create your first score.
    • Custom templates: Custom templates must be stored inside the templates folder "Documents/MuseScore4/Templates" (can be set-up in Edit → Preferences) . When you create a new score, they are in New Score: Create from template tab: My Templates category, see set up a new score.

    Save a score as a custom template

    Click File → Save as and save the score file as .mscz format into the template directory Musescore uses. Content of the last added Title text is used as the template name (not the content of File → Project Properties → Work Title field; also not the file name as Musescore 3).

    Creating a score from a custom template

    1. Make sure the custom template file is in the correct folder.
    2. Click File → New to open the New Score dialog
    3. Choose a template in Create from template tab: My Templates category. In Musescore 4.1.1, the preview window shows what the template file looks like when opened as a score, it is not the preview of what a new score looks like when created from this template.
    4. Complete the rest of the New Score dialog and exit.