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:
changes of structure and reason: Concept and usage of template and style are quite different. To avoid confusion, the overview focuses on what style is, as it is not explained inside handbook yet. Explanation of template is moved to the Template section.
ms3 layout overview, style, format>style
ms3 Edit > Preferences > Score
ms4 Edit > Preferences > Score
TODO testing
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 .
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 , 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 .
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 chapter.
to see the final visual and function of objects are determined.
Layout and formatting
Layout and formatting in MuseScore consists of two main levels, Text objects and objects containing them have more levels, see . 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 , they will always be used.
Level 2: Includes
the layout and formatting settings related to whole page,
Every score file has a "Full Score" layout. It also contains "Parts" when you use 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 ]
"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 on the another score (its "Full Score" or any "Part"). Reusing on a "Full Score" does not affect Parts.
Visit for .mss files shared by other musicians.
Style files
The concepts and layout logic are . .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
Select Format → Save style, save it to any folder you like.
Loading from .mss file into "Full score" or "Part" you are currently editing
Load or create a score, desired.
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 . 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 .
Templates
Not to be confused with .
Usage of template is covered in chapters , and . 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
- 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 .
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 .
Save a score as a custom template
Click File → Save as and 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
Make sure the custom template file is in the correct folder.
Click File → New to open the
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.
