Noteheads
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This chapter discusses the appearance of noteheads in MuseScore.
One aspect of music notation systems is notehead scheme. A scheme is a set of rules used to decide notehead shape's meaning, some of which are supported in MuseScore. Supported schemes relate notehead meaning to a note's:
duration: as in the most widely used scheme.
pitch (using movable-do or absolute pitch solfege): literally written on it, and
pitch (relative pitch using shape note solfege): as in "shape note notation" (see reference under ).
The most widely used scheme is very likely the only one known to most musicians. It is referred to as "Normal" in MuseScore and is the default setting for a new staff. Details of the nine schemes available in MuseScore are covered in .
Understanding relative pitch notations (shape note solfege, shape note notation) can enhance the reader's comprehension of this chapter. Most of the time, a notehead shape conveys one specific meaning, and that meaning is only associated with one notehead shape. Shape note solfege is like a variant of movable-do solfege that belongs to the exceptions. For example, in one type of "shape note notation", a triangle must be used to notate a relatively pitched "C4", but triangles are also read as relatively pitched "C"s or "F"s only, and triangles must sing "Fa" or a syllable agree upon by singers on-site. The loosely related shape note solfege notates interval perception much better than the "Normal" setting.
\ _Shown above, the diamond notehead can be used for harmonic notes in guitar, violin etc; and slash notehead for guitar strums etc. The cross is also known as crosshead, ghost note, or dead note._
Final display of notehead shape in MuseScore is determined by three factors: the notehead type factor, the pitch factor, and the duration factor (or note-value, rhythm).
On Standard staffs (type 1a, type 1b), there are three levels:
Level 1 Notehead scheme of a staff : Default is "Normal".
Level 2 Notehead scheme of a note (option named "Notehead System" in Musescore 4.1.1):
The default option "Auto" means "ignore this level".
Other options: scheme to use on this note, overrides Level 1.
Level 3 Notehead type property of a note. Affects notehead shape if and only if the result scheme of Level 1 and Level 2 is "Normal".
Notehead scheme is used to determine notehead shape unless overridden by individual note's Notehead type property. When notehead scheme is not overridden, note pitch may affect notehead shape, depending on the scheme. "Normal" notehead scheme does not use pitch to determine notehead shape. When a note uses an overriding Notehead type property, note pitch information does not affect notehead shape at all.
Notehead type factor
(Valid on standard staffs only) To change level 1 notehead scheme of a single staff, affecting all notes:
Right click on an empty part of the desired staff and select Staff/Part properties.
Click on the Advanced style properties button (opens Edit Staff Type window).
Select an option in Notehead scheme dropdown.
(Valid on standard staffs only) To change level 2 notehead scheme of note(s):
Select note(s) on a score.
In the Properties panel, open Note: Head tab.
select an option from the Notehead system dropdown (you may need to click "Show more" at the bottom of the panel to reveal it): the default "Auto" means "ignore this level".
(Valid on standard staffs only) To change level 3 notehead type property:
Select note(s) on a score.
Use one of the following:
In Properties panel, open Note: Head tab, select a Notehead type, or
Duration factor
To change the apparent duration without altering real value so that playback is not affected:
Select note(s) on a score.
In the Properties panel, open Note: Head tab.
Select the desired option from the Override visual duration (you may need to click "Show more" at the bottom of the panel to reveal it): the default "Auto" means "no override"
\ _shown above 7 Shape (Aikin), a "shape note notation"_
There are six methods to change "pitch".
Most of the time, a note's pitch only affects its staff space / vertical position, to change it:
To use custom notehead shape for visual pitch representation:
Use a level 2 overriding setting on selected note(s):
Select note(s) on a score.
In the Properties panel, open Note: Head tab.
Select an "Normal" from the Notehead system dropdown (you may need to click "Show more" at the bottom of the panel to reveal it).
Assign level 3 notehead type property. Use either one of the following:
In Properties panel, open Note: Head tab, select a Notehead type, or
To move notehead(s) horizontally to the other side of stem, use one of the following:
Press Shift+X, or
In Properties panel, open Note: Head tab, select a Notehead direction (you may need to click "Show more" at the bottom of the panel to reveal it).\
(Note: Contrast this command with X which moves the stem and beam horizontally and vertically to other side of the notehead)
Selecting a note(s) on score, in the Properties panel Note: Head tab :
Notehead parentheses: Add or remove parentheses.
Small notehead
Duration dot position: This provides an alternative vertical offset for the duration dot.
Show more / Show less button
Notehead offset: This changes the offset of the notehead only (to change the offset of the complete note, use "Offset" in Properties: Appearance instead).
When two notes in different voices coincide on the same beat, they can either share a single notehead, or else be offset to allow the display of both noteheads. This is done automatically by MuseScore according to certain rules (see below).
To force two offset noteheads in different voices to share a single notehead, use one of the following methods:
Select the smaller value notehead and in the Note section of the Properties toolbar change "Head type (visual only)" to that of the higher value note.
Rules for automatically sharing or offsetting noteheads:
Notes with stems in the same direction do not share noteheads.
Dotted notes do not share noteheads with undotted notes.
Black notes do not share noteheads with white notes.
Whole notes never share noteheads.
Note pitch may affect affect notehead shape, depending on the scheme, but it only happens on note(s) that do not use an overriding Notehead type property. See . "Normal" notehead scheme does not use pitch to determine notehead shape.
The duration factor is determined by a note's duration. To edit duration see and chapters. It also can be for an individual note, while keeping the real value and playback intact.
Options available for notehead type factor depends on :
(type 2) do not use notes. To change selected fret number(s) into crosshead, click the cross item in the Noteheads . To enclose selected fret number(s) with brackets (parentheses, dead note or ghost note), use Shift+X. Only the first two items of Noteheads works on Tablatures.
On percussion staffs (type 3), instrument (like snare or hi-hat, not the "drumset" MuseScore Instrument) determines the notehead type factor. See chapter.
Click on an item in the Noteheads , or drag it onto a notehead in the score.
To change selected fret number(s) into crosshead, click the cross item in the Noteheads . To enclose selected fret number(s) with brackets (parentheses, dead note or ghost note), use Shift+X.
To change noteheads on percussion staffs, see chapter.
To change note duration, see and .
Change note pitch, see and .
Modify the playback pitch of note(s) on score without altering notation: In Properties panel, click General: Playback , edit Tuning (cents). This is useful for reasons explained in Musescore 3 Handbook's . Does not work on instruments using Muse sounds (yet) on Musescore 4.1.1
, and some notehead scheme (see ) use notehead shape to convey pitch information:
[not working yet, upcoming fixed 4.3 ] The brackets (parentheses, dead note or ghost note) item in Noteheads can be added to a note or accidental.
To change selected fret number(s) into crosshead, click the cross item in the Noteheads . To enclose selected fret number(s) with brackets (parentheses, dead note or ghost note), use Shift+X.
as required for the staff.
Click on an item in the Noteheads , or drag it onto a notehead in the score.
These note(s) will be always use this item, regardless of unlike other notes on this staff.
as required.
To loosen the relationship between note vertical position and pitch so that all notes on a staff create desired playback, take advantage of .
Notehead type: See and .
Hide notehead: Makes notehead invisible, see .
Notehead system: level 2 Notehead scheme, see . The default "Auto" means "ignore this level".
Override visual duration: change duration factor, see . "Auto" means "no override".
Note direction: See (above).
There are 8 font options (two new options compared to MuseScore 3) for notehead set in Format→Style→Score. Notehead does not use style profiles (). Noteheads is displayed with Bravura font.
Make the smaller-value notehead . This works for the majority of cases.
If you are using paired standard and tablature staves you will come across situations where a shared notehead in the standard staff generates two fretmarks in tablature. In this case simply hide one of the fretmarks by making it .
