COMPOSE YOUR FIRST MUSESCORE PIECE

1 First steps

Create a new score (select File>new). Enter basic details (title, composer and so on) and click Next. Select ‘Choose Instruments’ to add instruments in the order they’ll appear on the sheet. Click Next again to select your key signature, then Next to set the time signature, number of bars and – if applicable – the pickup measure (anacrusis). Click Finish to create a blank sheet.

2 Input first note

The first bar and stave will be selected by default – note how it’s highlighted in blue. Now click the ‘N’ button next to the demisemiquaver in the toolbar above the Palettes bar to switch to Note Entry mode (alternatively, press the [N] key). Select the length of note you wish to input from the selection to the right of the ‘N’ button and place it on the stave in the desired position.

3 Complete bar

Repeat for the other notes in the bar – the additional notes of a chord can be placed directly underneath the first note. Rests will be inserted automatically after the first note, but if you want to set these manually, select the existing rest. Now select the note that corresponds to the length of rest you wish to insert from the toolbar, before clicking the rest button and placing it on the page.

4 Add more notes

To insert dotted notes, first click the dot or double-dot to enable it, then insert your note as normal. To add a sharp, flat or natural note, first input the note and then click the relevant symbol on the toolbar. Tied notes are created automatically as required, but you can manually add these to an existing note by setting up the length of the next note and clicking the tie button.

5 Insert slurs and other notation

Additional symbols can be inserted using the Palettes tab on the left. To insert a slur, for example, expand the Lines section, then click and drag the symbol onto the first note. A slur line will appear, linking it to the next available note. Click and drag on the final point of the slur to move it. Edit a slur by clicking it to highlight it, then double-click to select it.

6 Add new elements

Need to extend your work? Open the Add menu and select Bars to add single or multiple bars – choose Append to add them to the end of your composition. To add additional instruments (or lyrics) to your work, simply choose Edit>instruments to select more, which will subsequently appear above or beneath your existing score, depending on how you arrange their order.