08. Encoding Cheat Sheet
Multi-measure rest (goes in-between first <layer> elements)
<multiRest num="" />
Tempo (goes under first <staff>)
<tempo place="above" staff="1" tstamp="0">
<rend></rend></tempo>
Update tempo to use SMuFL
Ex: <tempo place="above" staff="1" tstamp="1.000000"> <rend fontfam="smufl">𝅘𝅥 𝅭</rend> = 60; Fluid and elegant</tempo>
Can insert fontsize info after the fontfam, for ex: <rend fontfam="smufl" fontsize="small"></rend> = 144)</rend>
Unicode
𝅗𝅥 - half note
𝅘𝅥 - quarter note
𝅘𝅥𝅮 - eighth note
𝅘𝅥𝅯 - sixteenth note
𝅭 - dot
⏝ - tie (it’s technically not, but it works! See first mvt of Kay’s Five Portraits)
Example:
<rend xml:id="rend-0000000432019326" fontweight="normal">Andantino 𝅘𝅥 = 100</rend></tempo>
Dynamic
<dynam place="" staff="" tstamp="" vgrp="1">
<rend></rend></dynam>
Pedal Markings (goes at the end of the <measure> with <ties> and <slurs>)
<pedal dir="down" staff="" tstamp="" vgrp=""/>
<pedal dir="up" staff="2" form="pedstar" tstamp="" vgrp="1"/>
Ottava (goes between </staff> and </measure>)
<octave staff="1" startid="#" endid="#" n="1" dis="8" dis.place="above" />
Piano Roll (goes beneath </staff> of the appropriate measure)
<arpeg plist="#xml:id of the chord" />
Barlines (goes after <measure>)
<right="dbl" /> (thin double barlines)
<right="single"/> (single barline)
<right="end"/> (final barline)
How to create a triplet within a measure
- To create a triplet, you will need to input a note not using the duration of the note as it appears in the triplet, but rather the duration of the full beat within the measure. For example, you have a measure in C (4/4).
Enter the note (F) as a quarter note.
In the MuseScore menu (top) go to Add Tuplets --> Triplet and it will create the triplet that will be broken out into the correct duration.
Enter in the notes in the triplet.
How to add cross-staff notation
- If you are transcribing a bass and treble clef and there is a note or notes that are part of a specific voice/clef you can use the cross-staff notation technique to make them appear exactly as they do in the score. For example: see the “G” in the second measure that is written as part of a 16th note grouping for the left-hand/bass clef.
- Select a note and press Ctrl+Shift + ↓/↑ (Mac: Cmd+Shift + ↓/↑). This moves all the notes in that voice down/up to the other staff.
- Here is the documentation in MuseScore: https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/cross-staff-notation
N - turn on/off note input
Shift + arrow left/right - once a note is selected this shortcut allows you to select sequential notes (one
arrow click = one note to the left/right of the first note selected, like a word processor)
Command + click - allows you to select non-sequential notes
X - flips direction of an element (works on stems, dynamics, text etc…)
Command + C = copy
Command + V = paste
V - make invisible/visible
M - make multi-measure rests
Rhythm shortcuts
3 - sixteenth note
4 - eighth note
5 - quarter note
6 - half note
7 - whole note
Pitch/Rest shortcuts
a=a, b=b, c=c, etc…
Command + arrow up/down - moves note up/down an octave
arrow up/down - after a note is selected this will raise the pitch up/down chromatically
Shift + pitch letters - allows you to build chords without using mouse, add pitches lowest to highest
0 - rest, use rhythm short cut and then press 0 (ex. for a quarter rest hit 5 and then 0)
Text shortcuts
(for all text shortcuts click the note you want the text above/below and then use shortcut) Command/Ctrl + T = add text above the staff Command/Ctrl + E = add italic expressive text below the staff Command/Ctrl + L = add lyric text option + shift + t = tempo text (use fn + F2 to see note value symbols)
Accent shortcuts
Shift + S - staccato
Shift + V - accent
Shift + N - tenuto/legato
S - slur, select the sequential notes in the slur and hit S
Command/Ctrl + + - tie, input first not of tie, use numbers to change rhythm for the next note in the tie, then
use the tie shortcut
Tip for quick note/rhythm entry
For quick note entry click the rest in the empty measure, hit N, the number shortcut appropriate for the rhythm you are transcribing, and press the pitch letter on your keyboard (sometimes leaps do not go to the octave you wanted, use the Command/Ctrl + arrow up/down shortcut to adjust octave).
Encoding cheat-sheet created by Phillip Wright, 2022