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Thread: MuseScore software

  1. #1

    Default MuseScore software

    Hello all-

    I'm wondering if anyone on the Cafe uses MuseScore software for music notation (https://musescore.org). I use the free version and have found it to be similarly capable to Sibelius - plus it offers mandolin as an instrument for sound output. It can notate both in tablature and standard notation.

    I've put a bunch of tunes into MuseScore and would be interested in sharing files, etc. with other people who use it.

    Cheers,
    Bruce

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  3. #2

    Default Re: MuseScore software

    I use MuseScore for all the tunes on my website MandoLessons, I love it!

    Thanks,
    Baron
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  4. #3
    Registered User Erin M's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    It seems pretty nice - I guess there will be some significant UI improvements in the works based on what I've heard, so it should be even better, I hope. I've been using Sibelius for a long time, so old habits die hard. I'd love anything with a more usable interface than Sibelius.

    Also, at least in Sibelius 6 (I'm still using 6), you can find Mandolin under "European Guitars"
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  5. #4
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Running version 3.23xx.
    Two complaints:
    1. The abc_import plugin doesn't work.
    2. The mandolin sound file doesn't sound very much like a mandolin. However, I don't worry too much about the sound output. As long as the sound isn't too exotic/weird, I'm happy.

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  7. #5
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    It's all I've ever used, so can't compare to others. Some things aren't as intuitive as I'd like. That said, a Google search usually quickly finds the answer. The export to pdf is nice and handy for sharing with band mates or other members of a jam.
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  9. #6
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Their user support is excellent, on both FaceBook and the MuseScore website. I don't always know the proper terminology for an issue or feature, but I can take a screenshot of a situation, post it, and ask"How do I do this?", and get a reply.

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  11. #7
    Registered User seankeegan's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    We use it all the time in the music department where I work. What's lovely about it is the common support for musicXML, meaning it's relatively easy to import and export from other applications, like finale, sibelius or DAWs, like Reaper.

  12. #8
    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    It’s great for bands. Chord charts are great. It’s worth learning.

  13. #9

    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Another vote for Muse Score. I use it regularly for teaching, and did my entire recent tunebook with Musescore.

  14. #10
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    I use it as my notation siftware for all the reasons mentioned above. Version 3.5.0 is my current version and this allows you to input the chord symbols as does previous versions, but now the chord actually sounds! Handy when you want to listen to possible backings, and can be silenced. The chord only sounds when the cursor is on the note above which the chord symbol is placed. To have a chord sound, say on beats 1 and three of a 4-beat bar, it needs to be input on beats 1 and 3.
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  16. #11
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Here’s a little musescore trick.

    If you want the TAB for an abc file that you are going to import into musescore do this first:

    Using Plugins -> ABC import: paste the abc file into the window.
    Find the line that begins with K:
    At the end of the line beginning with K: add the following after adding a space
    tab strings=G3,D4,A4,E5
    Click import button(lower right of window)
    TAB is now displayed - save as a pdf using File -> Export - name the file and save as type pdf

    Of course you can get the TAB for other instrument tunings by modifying the tab strings line.

    -thanks VTmoon at thesession.org

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  18. #12
    Registered User Polecat's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    I've been using MuseScore for 4 or 5 years, and of course there are little things which could be better, but isn't that the way with all software?
    As far as I know, it's the standard software used in music schools and academies here in Germany, certainly as far as students are concerned - has something to do with being freeware, I would guess. If it was not fit for purpose, though, nobody would use it. I previously used PrintMusic, from Finale, which was not cheap and was certainly no better than MuseScore.
    "Give me a mandolin and I'll play you rock 'n' roll" (Keith Moon)

  19. #13
    Pataphysician Joe Bartl's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    I recently learned the basics of MuseScore in order to transcribe a poorly printed, difficult-to-read score. Though it took a bit of time, I have to say that I never lacked immediate answers via a simple Google search for the how-to questions that inevitably crept up. It's a great resource. -- Joe

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  21. #14
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Yup I had a program called "noteworthy composer" back in the days of 32 bit operating systems and floppy disks, but Muse Score is a perfect example of how "open source" can be successful. It's gone through some buggy releases and early on it had it challenges. I use it to notate out tunes so I can play along, if I am unsure of phrasing , mostly timing. You can sound the metronome while notating so as to "stay on beat" and Like John Kelly says - just make the chord symbols and it will generate a backing track. I'm pretty sure it will notate out midi so you can "autogenerate" notation. I haven't worked in tab with it but I believe it supports tab.
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  22. #15

    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Hi all-

    Glad to see that there's so much enthusiasm about this software (and also to pick up a few tips even from this short discussion). I have about 2 dozen pieces that I have notated in Muse Score and that I believe to be in the public domain. If there's interest, I can create a Google drive or some other mechanism to share files.

    Bruce

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  24. #16
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Mandolinsanity - think you can post them on the muse score sight, they have a section for submitted notations, a lot of it you can just down load and open in muse score
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  25. #17
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    I also use MuseScore and have found it to be as good as all but he most expensive programs.

  26. #18
    Registered User stevo58's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    I’ve been using Finale PrintMusic for years, but it hasn’t been updated since 2014, which is an eternity, and there are no signs of it being updated any time soon. It tells me 64GB is not enough memory every time I start it.

    I just don’t need the features of the full Finale, and it’s quite expensive.

    So I’m looking for an alternative, but of course I have a lot of time invested in PrintMusic, and it will require a lot more time and effort to learn a completely new system.

    Have any of you experience with both Finale and MuseScore? Can you say anything comparing the two? How difficult is it to learn MuseScore?

    Thx

    Steven
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  27. #19
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    I love that Musescore has a HUGE library of notation that’s shared by users.

  28. #20

    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Thanks again everyone, including the suggestion to post stuff on Muse Score's site.

  29. #21

    Default Re: MuseScore software

    @stevo58, I used Sibelius before Muse Score. I found Muse Score to be very intuitive; it was an easy transition, and the developers are very responsive to help inquiries.

  30. #22
    Registered User Polecat's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    stevo58, as I mentioned in my previous post, I used PrintMusic before switching to MuseScore, there was a learning period, but it wasn't too long - helped by the fact that there are a lot of forums full of helpful people. Usually a quick search provides a solution to most problems. If german is your mother tongue, the software is also available in that language. One thing though - make sure that you can convert your finale files to so-called musicxml format. I couldn't (Linux as my OS) and had to convert PrintMusic to midi to Musescore, which caused me to scream ##**))]]*** quite a lot.
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  31. #23
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    One thing on my Musescore wish list would be a feature where I can batch feed abc files into Musescore after having created a model file (with parameters like large tab numbers, ipad specific proportions, etc) So I can make booklets for tablet of tunes from different sources.
    -and then occasionally print out favourite tune versions.

    One of the main disadvantages of these types of software is that they use up huge amounts of valuable practice time.

  32. #24
    Registered User stevo58's Avatar
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    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Thx, I've given it a try on a simple lead sheet, and imported an xml file. It seems pretty straightforward for the basic stuff, note entry is quick and easy. Looks like a good choice.
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  33. #25

    Default Re: MuseScore software

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandolinsanity View Post
    I'm wondering if anyone on the Cafe uses MuseScore
    I do, but I'm still using the older version 2.1 which I'm quite happy with.

    But I don't like the changes they made in version 3. (Too much to list here.) We'll see if the eventual upcoming version 4 fixes some of the issues I had with v3. Meanwhile, v2.1 still works fine for me, with Windows 10, no reason for me to change it.

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