Clefs

Updated 1 year ago
This page shows old instructions for MuseScore 3.
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)

    Add a clef

    Add/change clef at the beginning of a measure

    • Select a measure or an existing clef and click a clef symbol in the palette (double-click in versions prior to 3.4).
    • Drag a clef from the palette onto a measure or an existing clef.

    Add/change a mid-measure clef

    • Select a note or rest, then click a clef in the palette (double-click in versions prior to 3.4).
    • Drag a clef from the palette onto a note or rest
    • If a mid-measure clef is already present you can also:
      • Select the clef and click a clef in the palette (double-click in versions prior to 3.4).
      • Drag a new clef from the palette onto the clef.

    Note: "Mid-staff" clefs are always smaller than the main system clef.

    Example: In the following 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.

    Remove a clef

    • Select a clef and press Del.

    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 FormatStyle...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.

    Hide clefs

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

    1. From the menu, select FormatStyle... 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 (Mac: Ctrl-click) , 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 click a clef in the master palette (double-click in versions prior to 3.4).

    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 (Mac: Ctrl-click) , and select Staff properties...;
    2. Uncheck "Show clef."

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