Musescore 4 - First Impressions (Spoiler Alert, IT'S AMAZING)

[@Tantacrul]

Glad you like it! By the way, don't anyone believe that 'free equals worse' or 'free equals amateur'. Our team is filled with some of the worlds most knowledgeable and experienced people in music notation tech, engraving, sound design, product design and development.

[@erictheviolinist]

Thank you for creating a wonderful product for the entire world to use. I’m glad able to share my experience! Musescore 4 is an incredible achievement by your team. I know I will continue to use it!

[@axyspianostudio]

@@erictheviolinist yup, just because something is free doesn't mean it's bad "only a sith deals in absolutes"

[@Bixmy]

yea. free != bad. look at blender or reaper(not really free ware but close) these software are soooo good despite being free musescore just join the squad.

[@pedrominton]

I dont know why but without any reason all my files became corrupted. I lost all my work on musescore 4; Could someone help me?

[@axyspianostudio]

@@pedrominton that also happened to my friend when he tried to use the beta version. He tried recovering the files, but his attempts were unsuccessful sadly

[@ianbennett2443]

The choose instruments option was actually there in musescore 3, it was just kinda wasn't intuitive. I didn't feel like there was a whole lot of new things added (besides the sound), but it just made everything way nicer to use and easier to find

[@erictheviolinist]

True, I guess I’m more excited about the muse sounds and orchestral plugins. It makes me want to compose more because I more realistic sounds to work with.

[@NamasteProgramming]

There is a 46 minute video on a Tantacrul channel going in depth on how they built musecore 4.

[@FlorisV82]

I think they have actually surpassed Dorico, which I payed quite a bit of money for…

[@phoenixrising4995]

@@erictheviolinist I supports VST3's you know. Imagine when they add more midi features and using it with Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra.

[@Bixmy]

@@phoenixrising4995 i dont support vst3 in this case. the new standart musescore introduce is definitely superior to vst3 in case of notation. just like sibelius the note performer thing is also a proprietory standard muse sound standard is a good thing for notation software because vst3 is never meant to be use with data like stright notaion it just meant to use for realtime sound effect and instrument. The developer from these library should develop toward this standard for notation app too rather than just for daw.

[@andrew_ray]

It's called engraving because after the layout is decided, it is copied backwards onto a metal plate and etched into the plate by hand to produce a master copy that could be inked and used to stamp the music onto paper.

[@erictheviolinist]

Indeed, thanks for contributing to the conversation!

[@matthiascheah3519]

If my ears didn't deceive me, that 10:48 sound is from the basic Musescore 3, and not the new MuseSounds; could be a problem with the template defaults :p Might want to check the mixer.

[@delta_power3049]

It uses the MuseScore 3 sounds by default, you have to separately download and install the new MuseSounds. There is a video in the "learn" tab, it's really simple and easy.

[@erictheviolinist]

I downloaded the muse sounds strings plugin prior to making the video. You can hear the difference with this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHbaZYaIm9KBj68

[@GoatCat_]

Instead of writing out tempo markings with the text box, you use the tempo tab on the left where it has all of the tempo stuff.

[@TheCatGoesRawrMusik]

Text/Lyrics: If you want to write text it should be cmd + L it will then allow you to write lyrics under the notes. - will jump to he next note and combind the texts with a "-" for syllables or aaaaah ot ooooohs all that stuff. If you press space it will jump to the next note without a connection. Tempo Markings: The tempo markings as text can actually be found in the tempo tap :)

[@endina]

do u know how to make the note stems match up to the lyrics

[@Lucerious92]

Even with MuseScore3 I was really impressed with the program. I had used Sibelius in college because it was paid for by the university but afterwards it was too expensive to keep on my own. Especially for someone who isn’t a composer by trade, I just have fun trying to arrange some things for strings. Though this new update has me wanting to do more now 😁 I like how you write exercises for your students, somehow it didn’t occur to me to do that. I just look online until I find something that suits my needs seeing as there are way more skilled people than me in writing stuff like that haha.

[@marcelobrunorodrigues7630]

The first music editor I used for a long time was Encore, that until it's 4.7 version seemed to be the moa interesting software I met. After that I was introduced to Finale, but in a small time I felt that it didn't satisfy me, not because it was difficult to use, but due to its restrictions (the only advantage was it very good sound resolution). Some time further my new contact was with Sibelius, from which my friends told me it was a kind of more friendly Finale: indeed I liked it much more, but still found even some restrictions, although lesser than in Finale or even in Encore. Some years ago I found Musescore and Capella, thar are at the present time my favorite ones, although I prefer the first one of them in the majority of the cases, while the second one is used mostly for my collaborations to a German friend that always uses it. My preference for Musescore is mostly because it has among many features the possibility of editing many old time signatures and a better looking appearance and graphic result extensive to the printing.

[@magnificentchorale300]

The very best of music app I've ever come across, try and work on how to transcribe the staff to tonic solfa notation and their beats

[@kgb-files9260]

Privet my friends! I highly recommend this Music Notator! It needs a few more functionality but let me say this software has evolved on par with the big two! (Dorico & Sibelius). I own Dorico 5.1, Sibelius 2023, Finale, Notion 5, Encore, Cubase 13 and NOW MuseScore! What a delight to finally hear it's amazing sounds, Muse Sound! Well done guys, consider Dorico, Sibelius and MuseScore as the big 3 on Earth!

[@osrevad]

You have to download the sound font plug in to get the advanced sound playback stuff.

[@erictheviolinist]

I did that prior to making the video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHbaZYaIm9KBj68

[@hanserikkratholmrasmussen6623]

Years ago I bought Sibelius, which was really too big a program for my use. Keeping it up to date was too expensive considering my limited use. Later I bought Dorico Elements, which fits me perfect, but it also cost money to keep updated. Now I tried Musescore, and I dont think I'll ever leave it again. As a singer songwriter, it's more than enough for me.

[@calliope-z9e]

This update is wild

[@erictheviolinist]

For sure!

[@OInstrutor1]

This is funny because you were NOT listening to the new sound library, but the old one :)

[@erictheviolinist]

I downloaded muse sounds and I applied the strings plug in through there. So it was in fact activated. I may go more in depth if I compose something to show the full range of sounds through brass, woodwinds, etc. Thanks for commenting and joining the conversation.

[@JayPinedaOfficial]

Your not using Muse Sound but the MS Standard (Midi Version)

[@OInstrutor1]

@@erictheviolinist To make sure the new sounds are loaded, open the mixer and the instrument should read the name of the instrument [Violin 1] and not [MS Basic]. I am 110% sure the violin sound from the video is ms basic! By default it loads the ms basic when you create a score, despite having installed the new sound library.

[@herzaislad]

It now can import external vst plugin! I think that's a really great upgrade that was not available in museScore 3 (CMIIW)

[@gabe5120]

Musescore 4 looks very promising, but I'm going to stay with 3 until the bugs get worked out. Maybe we can finally get a good euphonium sound too 👀

[@erictheviolinist]

Yup, definitely noticing some bugs on my end also

[@tobstobs950]

I swear Musescore 4 looks so good and solved so many problems that I had with the old software. It really makes me want to spend all day composing, but unfortunately I can't do that :/

[@kevinbrianjohnsonmusic]

I'd love to have something like this that works with chrome. Also a tablature program for Bass Guitar.

[@erictheviolinist]

Or have a special setting with an iPad or tablet as a monitor. That would be neat. Are you referring to having the software work with a Chromebook?

[@kevinbrianjohnsonmusic]

@@erictheviolinist Yes.

[@aprilnya]

@@kevinbrianjohnsonmusic If your Chromebook supports running Linux apps, you can run MuseScore through that

[@OrangeChair]

oh my gawd, it even has built in soundfonts and effects! I'm creaming

[@erictheviolinist]

Very exciting!

[@夜桜_神鎗]

Any idea if it can be used efficiently on an iPad? Was looking at scoring apps that could do playback but preferably it would be useable on an iPad too cos I wanna use it with my band haha

[@DivaDeb1234]

I use it to transpose songs I want in lower key

[@orchestralhymns]

Hello Eric, Why Noteperformer don´t work in Musescore?

[@technic6455]

Mute voice function is missing in 4th version F 10 ( 1 2 3 4).

[@4tr_m]

you never actually changed the sound of the violin to the new musesounds preset, you can do that with the mixer

[@erictheviolinist]

I did prior to recording the video.

[@4tr_m]

@@erictheviolinist oh really? my bad!

[@erictheviolinist]

@@4tr_m I"m working on a video showing the difference.

[@4tr_m]

@@erictheviolinist looking forward to it!

[@erictheviolinist]

Here is the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHbaZYaIm9KBj68

[@Claude_Hoffmann]

Is amazing, but crashes on exporting music xml files. And unfortunately cannot totally move from Sibelius to Musescore unless there is a video export possibility.

[@glivey]

Has anyone managed to get it to publish without getting error 401? 6:28

[@iamwillthaartist]

Does MuseScore work with Audio Units?

[@MrJL620]

Dose it work with iPad?

[@Mrphilharmonic]

This is SO good I'm thinking of buying a NEW Mac computer so I can run this new software!!! Just PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE..... DO NOT do what Notion did with their excellent program and change it so radically that it's unrecognizable now!! Notion was great. Now it's crap! I just LOVE the sounds of MuseScore. Can't believe it's free. Even the articulations sound authentic. Ok, some improvement with the dynamics might just render this package as ......PERFECT!! I am blown away with the improvements to this program.

[@PalTed1]

Can I save the audio (MP3 file) of the playback to my computer?

[@SimonTheGolds]

Yes!

[@Mrphilharmonic]

Ok. I've just seen that they do SOLO instruments AND sections of such (strings etc). That was a huge selling point with me. Now, one question,......... can I import XLR files so I can hear my old Sibelius and Notion arrangements on MuseScore??

[@erictheviolinist]

That I’m not sure about, could be worth looking at the help section on the musescore website

[@Wesrets]

Musescore opens .midi files

[@tom_suarez]

Can Musescore also produce a true full-blown program for a full-program price? I (and many others) would love a replacement for hugely irritating Sibelius (which has plummeted down-hill since version 6), but so far not even Dorico has quite done that.

[@TimothyReeves]

What does Sibelius do now that Musescore does not?

[@tom_suarez]

@@TimothyReeves Thanks --- indeed, I should have known the answer to that before posting my question, but anyway I assumed that Musescore, however excellent, is a more basic program. If anyone reading this is familiar with both, please do comment. Also I will download it.

[@tom_suarez]

I've been toying with Musescore for the past couple of hours. Remarkable program, fabulous that it's free, and what a relief to get away from some of Sibelius' irritations, e.g., the cursed ribbon menu that was forced on us by some idiot bureaucrats beginning with version 7. However in my case, without the option of vertical view (or at least I can't find it), I'm still stuck with Sibelius.

[@luciancrosby6331]

@@TimothyReeves musescore 4 is a big step up from 3, but still nowhere near as powerful or fast for engraving as sibelius, finale and dorico. dont let this "review" from someone who hasnt even used any alternative fool you.

[@erictheviolinist]

I’ve used Sibelius in the past, not Dorico. Could be worth a shot. Also, it’s a first impression of the update so I definitely left a lot of things out. Thanks for watching and contributing to the conversation.

[@turquisestones]

Can that stocatto be played that fast in real life?

[@erictheviolinist]

indeed

[@peterivers2]

does musescore have contemporary/experimental music notation capabilities? can one create one's own notation in musescore? or does it cater to more traditional, conventional music only?

[@ajtan2607]

If you guys want to know more, you can check Tantacrul's video. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5TXZ3-Bl9OYgbM

[@OneStepToday]

plz request them to add better scanning program from photos or pdf. audiveris is crap. It will be a great tool for learners of piano for practicing the etudes

[@gspaulsson]

It has bugs. In one of my scores, a C sounded as D until I deleted and re-entered it. In the same score, it insists on shifting my E5 to G5; again I had to delete and re-enter. I started with 32 bars. On playback, it repeats da capo, though no repeat is indicated. Then when I added another 32 bars, instead of playing the new bars it repeated da capo again. Sibelius is a pain in the ass, but it's more mature than MuseScore4. (It would be good business for MS4 to be able to import .sib files. I exported a sib score as a midi file. MS4 could read it mostly OK, but it took a lot of fiddling to get it right. I tried exporting it to PDF, but when I try to import in MS4 it says sorry, paywall. They assume that I'm trying to import from their score library. So regrettably I'm sticking with Sibelius for now.

[@gspaulsson]

Another bug: a solo violin part played back as vocal. I added another violin part, which played back OK, so I just copied and pasted and deleted the original "violin".

[@erictheviolinist]

I definitely noticed some bugs on my end also, particularly when you close in step wise motion for violin and then play the part in the score, the program just shuts down. Not perfect but i think it does the job for a lot of us. That would be good business to import Sibelius dinners :-)

[@BrandonHBrooks]

I’ve had numerous bugs including: 1. Extra beats of rests in measures 2. Fix measures only to have them return later. 3. Instrument sounds dropping out when using staccato markings. 4. Corrupted Files 5. Random erasure of parts 6. Crashes upon: changing time signature, adding ties, correcting parts. Also the new MuseSounds have a default amount of reverb you can’t get rid of so somethings just sound like mud due to lack of clarity. If they get the bugs worked out it will be awesome. Currently though I’ve spent just as much time fixing issues as I have entering notes.

[@BambiTrout]

@@BrandonHBrooks ​ I think the reverb levels seem to be based on the assumption that you will be using these instruments in an orchestral setting, and are designed to give a decent-enough forward-back soundscape right out of the box i.e. lower reverb for instruments that would usually be closer to the conductor (e.g. violins, flutes), and big reverb on louder instruments further away (e.g. horns, trumpets, percussion). I put one of my concert band scores in and adjusted the panning and it sounded GLORIOUS compared to MS3, but then when I put some of my solo/small ensemble pieces it just sounded weird. Hopefully at some point they'll add reverb settings to the mixer, or there'll be a solo/non-orchestral version of each sound.

[@BrandonHBrooks]

@@BambiTrout hopefully they will have drier sounds. I write mostly for concert percussion, percussion ensemble and marching band. I really need that clarity and dry sound.

[@lrvogt1257]

Note bends that worked in v3 are still non functional in v4.

[@russellaustin8453]

I don't see why a film score couldn't be written with MS4. - No one writes better music because they've paid hundreds of pounds for their software !

[@Arthur-hn5yk]

You actually have to download the sounds in the program, it is really easy, you were just using the old sounds

[@Arthur-hn5yk]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGi4mIFsbsplj5o

[@erictheviolinist]

As a matter of fact I did prior to recording the video. Here is a video comparison: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHbaZYaIm9KBj68

[@JohannPetrak]

To me it is extremely disappointing how MuseScore 4 lacks essential MIDI features and has abandoned even most of what was present in MuseScore 3, which makes it impossible for me to use it to play a score on an attached MIDI keyboard.

[@columbus8myhw]

Look up the video "MuseScore in Minutes: Using MIDI Keyboards".

[@MichaelGawesebmainone]

Hi there been using musescore to transcribe. It seems it only allows uploading if a sheet music created is own composition or in public domain, etc. The other issue is does it only use piano or can you now change the sound without changing the notes/cleff to those of the instrument whose sound you are choosing. The main concern is does musescore allow turning these notes into solfège or writing both as apparently done by sybelius?

[@JoAn-mq4gi]

bend is not working 😓

[@Mrphilharmonic]

Can't hear the programs volume!!!!!!

[@kaspianocz6330]

But you didn't use MuseSounds?! Or did you?

[@erictheviolinist]

I had muse sounds installed prior to the video to save time

[@kaspianocz6330]

@@erictheviolinist ok so you have them as a default soundfont?

[@erictheviolinist]

Yes, btw here is a video comparing both sounds kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHbaZYaIm9KBj68

[@B_Eggshell]

Do you know if it will allow me to import old Encore files? Now that Encore's bit the dust, I have to find a new notation program at some point, and it needs to be able to import my 100s of Encore charts.

[@erictheviolinist]

Hi there, I'm not sure about that. I'm sure it's in a Musescore forum somewhere.

[@B_Eggshell]

@@erictheviolinist Okay, I'll poke around a little.... Thanks.

[@lwincenciak]

I have a problem. When I hit the Alt key (left or right) the upper menu bar is highlighted. When I enter the editing lyrics and then I need some special characters, like Alt+N key for polish letter I don't get the letter but the command which is assigned to that shortcut. There is no way to edit the shortcuts as it is triggered by the menu bar. Is this a bug or I can change it comehow?

[@ceesseetherdet8663]

I can't quite follow the euphoria. I would have understood if you've delayed the Linux version a bit more. More than half the (for me) important features are simply not implemented (yet?). NO VST yet! I write a lot for my choir's mini-band (acoustic guitar, bass and v-drum). With a few tricks, the right soundfont and the "let ring" function, I've even managed to get a decent-sounding guitar sound under Linux MINT and version 3. When I heard some of my tracks with version 4.0 I wanted to throw up!!!

[@ElsweyrDiego]

is it so much better than GuitarPro 8?

[@erictheviolinist]

Not sure, haven’t tried it.

[@phoenixrising4995]

It is way better and supports VST3 as the other playback engine, so duh its better. Plus, it doesn't just do band stuff either which is nice.

[@DissonantSynth]

Commenting for the algorithm...

[@erictheviolinist]

Much appreciated 😊👍

[@JohnODonovan1]

Go raibh míle maith agat☘

[@_danvibes_]

just wrote a big band chart on Musescore 4. Sorry, It was terrible. Sounds are better and the ideas are good, but its just so buggy. No Copy Part Layouts, and the long awaited 2 - bar repeats don't playback correctly. I'm back to Musescore 3 until Musescore 4 gets its game together.

[@erictheviolinist]

I’m noticing that now too, lots of bugs. I wouldn’t risk it and have a copy saved in musescore 3 and try musescore 4 for fun

[@nyambe]

Some software should be free but free should not be the main feature. As musicians we complain about playing for free so I am not so hyped. Sorry

[@erictheviolinist]

You make a good point. I think it’s a great tool to get started. Once you get more familiar with the software, you do want a little more out of it. Thanks for contributing to the conversation.

[@shiroumxm2052]

I don´t know why everyone is saying this musescore 4 is great,when it´s total mess !a lot and I mean A LOT of bugs and malfunctions..basically it´s useless now

[@erictheviolinist]

I would say there are many bugs, but generally, it’s a great step forward. I’m sure the developers are looking at this feed and making improvements as we speak. Thanks for commenting and watching the video!

[@shiroumxm2052]

@@erictheviolinist well, I just lost MONTHS of work thanks to this version..I can´t even go back cause when I install the previous version do not read the files anymore, it says it was made in a more recent musescore version.. jesus , I wanna cry