Customizing a tablature staff
Changing tuning
Right-click on the staff and select Staff/Part Properties…
Press the
Edit String Data…
button at the bottom of the dialog box. This opens the String Data dialog:\Under Strings tuning, click on a string pitch and select
Edit String…
; Alternatively, just double-click the string pitch.Select a new pitch in the Note Selection box and click
OK
. Alternatively, just double-click the new pitch.Click
OK
to close the “String Data” dialog box.Click
OK
to close the Staff/Part Properties dialog.
Notes: (1) If the tuning is changed on a tab staff that already contains some notes, fret marks will be adjusted automatically (if possible); (2) Any change of tuning to a particular instrument applies only to the score at hand, and does not change any program default settings.
Adding or removing strings
Add a string
Right-click on the staff and select Staff/Part Properties…
Click on
Edit String Data…
Click on a string pitch and select
New String…
Select the new pitch and press
OK
; alternatively, just double-click the new pitch.
The new string is inserted below the selected string. You will also need to adjust the number of lines in Staff/Part properties→Advanced style properties.
Delete a string
Right-click on the staff, select Staff/Part Properties…
Click on
Edit String Data…
Click on a string pitch and press
Delete String
.
Note: After deleting a tablature string you will also need to adjust the number of lines in Staff/Part properties→Advanced style properties.
Mark unfretted string “open”
For an instrument such as the Baroque lute, this feature is used to mark a bass course as unstopped—i.e. always played open like a harp string. This means that only a fret mark indicating a zero fret can be displayed.
To mark a bass course as unstopped:
Right-click on the staff, and select Staff/Part Properties...
Click on
Edit String Data…
Check the required boxes in the Open column.
See also Period tablature notation.
Change number of instrument frets
This property defines the maximum fret number which can be entered on a tablature staff.
Right-click on the staff, and select Staff/Part Properties…
Click on
Edit String Data…
Select or enter a new number using the “Number of frets” spinner.
Changing tablature staff type
MuseScore provides a range of common tablature types. If you want to change the tablature type, choose one of two options:
Change staff type from the Layout panel
Ensure that the Layout panel is visible (toggle F7).
Click on the arrow next to the instrument name to reveal the staves.
Click on the edit cog next to the desired staff and choose an option from the "Staff type" dropdown.
To close, press Esc, or click outside the dialog.
Change staff type from Staff/Part properties
Right-click onto an empty area of the staff and select
Staff/Part Properties…
.Click on
Advanced Style properties
, select the desired option from "Template", then press< Reset to Template
. You can fine tune the display if necessary using the "Fret Marks" and "Note Values" tabs.Click
OK
twice to exit.
Note: For customization options in detail, see Customizing appearance of tablature (below).
You will find the terms "simple", "common" and "full" in the tablature type names:
Simple: Displays just fretmarks.
Common: Displays fretmarks, rests, stems and beams.
Full: Displays fretmarks; rests, stems and beams, half-note stems.
Customizing appearance of tablature
Tablature staff properties
Right click on the staff and select Staff/Part Properties…
Click on
Advanced Style Properties…
.
This gives you access to a full range of tablature customization options. See Staff properties: Tablature options.
Tablature staff style
Global settings are set in Format→Style→Tablature styles.\

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