MuseScore in Minutes: Using MIDI Keyboards

[@autobotsNdecepticons]

Update me when you've got real-time input working. That's what we really need in a transcription program. Otherwise, looks like lots of improvements have been made in version 4. Look forward to whatever else is coming.

[@quillion3rdoption]

I think it would be best if you record in a DAW first, then export that to MIDI, then import that to Muse for now.

[@stephenbaldassarre2289]

That's what I was really hoping this tutorial would show too. I'm not a MIDI guy and only occasionally score stuff, so being able to input notes from the keyboard like this is only 1/2 step up from just using the mouse.

[@DeathMetalManiac]

I was expecting the same thing, or at least be able to record the sounds

[@avibortnick]

Any chance we'll see improvements to the Real-time (metronome) input mode? Overture and other notation packages have had very usable MIDI transcription for years. You have to play intentionally, and you often have to review and clean up for readability, but I find it's the fastest way to input notes.

[@GreenThreat]

+1 to this request

[@MikeyGonGetGot]

+1 to this request

[@pianocrasher]

yeah i also miss such a feature. currently i use the real-time recording in my DAW (Cubase Pro), clean up some mistakes, export the MIDI file, open it in Musescore & edit it again... i wish there would be a faster & easier way ^^'

[@autobotsNdecepticons]

@@pianocrasher Indeed, Cubase is one of the better programs for realtime input.

[@autobotsNdecepticons]

Yeah, I could never get the real-time input to work at all. That and the mess of tweaking required to get things usable were what kept driving me away from earlier MuseScore. Version 4 looks like a big improvement, but I already have programs that can do step input with preset timing.

[@miguelguthridge]

This is absolutely awesome to see! Such a massive improvement from the old system!

[@musicaremcasa7628]

I commented on another video, this satisfies what I mentioned about integrating generative processes with Pd and Max. THIS IS FREAKING AMAZING!!!!

[@crazyRyoga]

Midi was better on the previous version. Right now it's laggy, and sometimes it simply misses notes if you play more than 1 note at a time (the audio). I know it's not probably supposed to be a playable instrument, but it was working fine in MS3. Not to mention that for some obscure reason right now if I don't have a measure or a note selected the midi doesn't make sounds, which is super annoying. I think I'll go back to 3.6

[@lostpianist]

Genius software, well done to everyone who works on this.

[@General_Ictus]

Any chance we could get a lower buffer size (eg. 128 or 64) in the I/O settings? 1024 is the lowest it goes and while that's fine for transcribing and editing, it's kind of unusable for composing and arranging.

[@mikemcgibney]

Thank you for this mercifully clear and concise video - absolutely perfect and sorted my problem. Cheers!

[@thecaninebehaviourist]

Works fine for a single stave. If, however, you have a treble and a bass clef, MuseScore will only populate a single clef, adding multiple lines to accommodate the other clef.😊

[@adamhu714]

the on-screen piano doesn't highlight notes during playback anymore. is there an option to enable this/is this a bug???

[@andrebeller-musicteacher7405]

"It's important to remember to set the note duration...before you play a note on your midi keyboard" I've always seen this as a problem. I brought this up in the forum years ago, but I believe the opposite workflow is a bit better - hold a note your MIDI keyboard, THEN press a key on the computer keyboard to enter it the duration.

[@RobertWildling]

But wouldn't that mean that you have to enter the duration each and every time you hit a key on your keyboard? Selecting the duration in advance defines a note duration once, then you can enter as many notes as you want with that particular duration. Or do I misunderstand you?

[@andrebeller-musicteacher7405]

@@RobertWildling Correct! I can see your point - if my measure is all 16ths, maybe it's faster to leave the duration set to 16th, while I press keys. I'm also coming from the point of view of a non-perfect pianist. When I make a mistake on my keyboard, I don't want that note to be entered - I like the audio/visual confirmation of knowing I'm about to enter the correct note, before choosing the duration.

[@misternordberg3675]

@@andrebeller-musicteacher7405 you are 100 percent correct. This is why I will still use finale. It's the only program that does the most basic task correctly. Also, if you want to write a million quarter notes in a row, you can just hit caps lock and it will do the same thing musescore does.

[@Soldat-d3r]

@@andrebeller-musicteacher7405 non-perfect pianist? more like lazy-ass pianist

[@KiraConcepcion]

How do you do it for PC/Windows? There's no "Preferences" option.

[@quillion3rdoption]

Go to the Edit menu. Preferences will be there.

[@perera1553]

With out record button. Manually entering notes one by one.. Will take ages to write a scores.. Please include a Record button to capture the midi data in real time and include a pianoroll aswell.. Logic ,cubase , Dorico,finale ,sibilieus has this feature....

[@musescore]

It's on our roadmap for sure.

[@tyretimbers2985]

​@musescore we can we expect it

[@rolencrawford5508]

I always use piano keyboards to write scores. Its so useful!

[@shananarocks]

My workaround to separate the Bass and Treble notes is to do the recording in MIDI file outside the PC. First I set the split point in my Casio PSX3100 and then save my recording on my digital piano as a MIDI file. Then I export the save file to a USB drive and reopen the file in MuseScore. Only then will Musescore automatically detect which is the Base or Treble based on my split note in my keyboard. It would be great if MuseScore can provide a "split" note in their program, so that if I choose the Middle C as the split point, anything below that would automatically become a Bass clef input while the rest would be Treble input from a direct connection from my digital piano while doing real time recording in MuseScore.

[@SunshineMix101]

I have selected the MIDI keyboard (Keystation Mk3) via the I/O option in prefernce, however, while I can hear my MIDI keyboard, it fails to add the notes to the score. Is anyone able to offer a suggetsion as to what I may be doing wrong?

[@snevih]

It's possible make a real time transcription from my keyboard like Synthesia does? For example: I press a long C and a long C show in the score. Thanks!😁

[@piggdsbest333]

How can you hear piano sound as you play your midi board when writing ?

[@jesperaxelsson7069]

These tutorials rock!

[@achimburger1899]

I'm missing the possibility to assign MIDI channels to different instruments. This was possible in MuseScore 3.

[@viridianloom]

Is there a way to be able to actually perform on the midi controller without latency? For example, say I'm not actually trying to compose something in MuseScore but I'm learning to play something someone else wrote and I have a midi controller. Could I just load up the piano midi or VST and look at the sheet music while I play? Or do I need to open up Reaper, load my VST in there, and toggle back to musescore and read it?

[@RobinBeaumont]

in ver 4.4 this category is now called Audio & Midi

[@nealpalmer7461]

I have the NEKTAR impact LX 61+ midi keyboard that have been using with Musescore 3. I have recently install Muse 4 and the keyboard is recognised but I cannot assign any of the buttons on my Midi keyboard with Muse 4.

[@Mr850man]

if I have a digital piano and a drumpad, could I use the piano for entering notes and the drumpad for note length?

[@YouennF]

With this system, how do you manage the octave ? I plan to get a small 2-octave keyboard (left octave for durations, right for the actual notes) but I don't find the option to up/down an octave in the midi input preferences.

[@DewdropsAndBlueberries]

this seems to be for Mac, do you have a tutorial for Windows? The layout seems to be different.

[@maxfurtado]

I had installed Musescore 4, and some functions does not work, staff text,, does not working for the expressive violin function

[@ongyuxuan6989]

Very very awesome

[@P.S.-dv3du]

Is there a way to compose using a virtual keyboard?

[@josiahbarbeemusic]

How do you turn off the delay so the notes will play in real time, and how do make the note duration longer when playing from your midi

[@OmnipotentEnt]

If I understand your question correctly, I don't believe that feature exists on Musescore.

[@Historyisnotwas]

anyone know what type / brand or model of the desktop midi keyboard that is shown in the video?

[@nigelmoyes9798]

Arturia Keystep 37

[@tinhair888]

I can't see a piano score played on the piano keyboard of the Musescore 4 software. IS this function out from the 3 version?

[@eleutheramusicmtl]

Awesome, thanks so much!!

[@bbobcola]

I've done all this and it was very clear but my brand new Casio PX-770 does work. It appears in the I/O and I can select it, it also recognizes that I've pressed a key if I try to map a key (although it doesn't seem to recognize what key), but nothing happens when I actually try to input notes. Any trouble shooting advice?

[@CatHarington]

it always plays short notes. How can I get normal sustain sound?

[@rasheedlewis1]

Are you able to export a MIDI file from musescore and stick into a DAW?

[@miguelguthridge]

Yep! Some of the note durations might be a little iffy, and it won't export certain dynamics, but it definitely works!

[@burning_KFC]

As always writing a comment to support the channel

[@ping3488]

Just instal my my Yamaha Portable Grand with tne Midi configuration evreything is ok ... except one note the ( A on C5 ) has no more sound on my piano and also nothing on your Clefs, any solution...Thanks in advance for your support ....!

[@Livsie]

What do I do if I don't see my midi keyboard in i/o? It's an old Roland keyboard connected with midi cable to my external Steinberg soundcard. Midi TxXr are checked in my keyboard.

[@neoibanez]

which brand of MIDI keyborad use?? it looks great?

[@fernandoherranz4095]

Looks like an Arturia keyboard

[@Matin.Filigran]

Hallo Fachmann, wie kann ich Virtuellkeybord Einstellen aktivieren damit er die Noten Automatik spielt .

[@russellaustin8453]

I use a Yamaha Clavinova as a MIDI "play-in" keyboard. When writing a Piano part if I play in a phrase of 3 or 4 part chords, after a couple of bars the chords I'm playing in only partly (2 notes) come out in the stave ! Any advice appreciated!

[@musescore]

We're working on improving MIDI keyboard input. Very sorry you are having this experience. You can log your issue here: github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues (requires a GitHub account) If you can upload a video too it would be really helpful.

[@russellaustin8453]

@@musescore SOLVED ! Thanks for your reply. I also own an old "M-Audio Keystation" midi keyboard - which plays chords in to MS4 perfectly ! It's strange that the Clavinova will play in to my other music software successfully but not MS4. Thanks for the great software! R.

[@kroolwrld]

It enters an open voiced chord I put all into the treble clef, is it possible to split them with the bass and treble, in addition can I move individual chord notes over from treble to bass clef?

[@paulysguitarjournal]

What if I want to hear the keyboard without entering notes (as I'm trying to figure out the melody I recorded on my phone)?

[@misternordberg3675]

exactly, great point. I can't stand it after even a few minutes. Still sticking with finale despite all the irrational hatred online.

[@Mr850man]

exit input mode with the shortcut "N"

[@felixnotkjellberg]

0:49 N

[@mp3o]

Is there a similar video tutor for MuseScore 3, on Linux? There is no "toolgear" icon present ...

[@petestott1378]

I have a Novation launchkey 61 MIDI keyboard and MuseScore see it as an input but it will not enter notes. The on screen keyboard is behaving correctly. MIDI is enabled in settings.

[@PhillipFullerton]

I must be missing something. I'm having to go back to using 3.6 because I need the MIDI keyboard to show what notes I'm playing even when not inputting notes. I use it to teach piano and it's been one of the most useful features of 3.6 that seems to be taken away in 4. I'm hoping I'm just missing a preference or setting.

[@liamclarinet]

same here... I use 3 only for this purpose now.

[@burntsoup1230]

So I am not alone...thought my PC acts up on me... thanks for bringing this issue up...I am using 3 also....

[@liamclarinet]

@@burntsoup1230 I does show the notes, just very faintly. I much prefer the stark color contrast in 3. I spent a long time in advanced preferences and couldn't find a workaround. Maybe I should learn to code :)

[@tedb.5707]

Is a 25-key (2 octaves) or a 37-key (3 octaves) better to note import? Two-stave piano scoring?

[@BRIDGETWIG]

Why doesnt it work to play with a sustain pedal? I want to determine how long time I want to hol a note or chord not a standard length!!! What am I doing wrong?? Can´t you use a sustain pedal with musescore 4? Very strange.

[@sergio_grez]

is there a way of inserting notes without Musescore filling the rest of the bar with things I didn't want to write? I need absolute freedom of entering 100 notes in a 4/4 bar if I want, just then I'll decide what I need and what I don't. For example in a 4/4 bar I have 4 quarter notes, then I need to change the first one for a half note, I don't want Musescore to do anything else, because I will change the third quarter note for two eighth notes or change the third quarter note for 4 sixteenth notes and just then erase the rest IF i don't want to make more changes. I want to be in absolute control. Is that possible?

[@piggdsbest333]

How do you record both hands at the same time with a metronome

[@Herfinnur]

One important bit you left out: is it possible to play notes with the sound of the selected staff without notes being entered on that staff? If not, please make it possible and if yes, please make it obvious how that is done

[@dtebarrett]

It is possible; just select any bar of the instrument you wish to play and you will hear it when you press a note on your midi device. Do note that there is quite a significant delay between pressing a key and hearing a sound.

[@Morvyx]

@@dtebarrett Is there a way to reduce that latency? I want to be able to play on my keyboard using MuseSounds.

[@dtebarrett]

@@Morvyx If there is, I haven't found it yet unfortunately.

[@avibortnick]

@@Morvyx Yeah, latency makes it unusable. There is a setting in the preferences (I/O>Buffer size) but it's either super high or ridiculously high. Was Musescore 3 like this?

[@Archie3D]

I don't see MuseScore using much of the system memory, which means that it's not preloading samples beginnings (which would be necessary for the real time playback), so I'd say this explains the large buffer size and poor responsiveness on MIDI. But it is probably not their intention, because otherwise this will compete with Orchestral Tools or whatever other plugins they use the samples from, since MuseScore is not a DAW.

[@chinmaykumarnayak940]

I need synthesia version in musescore when I play music sheet keyboard playing automatically.

[@Aglaya89]

is there a way to make the program help me to translate/write the correct duration/silences of the notes? like pulsating any key marking the ritmus and the program calculating if it is a white, a black, a corchera, a fusa, silence of X duration... by registering how long and when i make the pulsation? (just keyboard, no piano of any tipe, and no musical education XD) seriously, i can find the notes of my head by ear, thats not a problem, but i am going crazy with representing the durations T_T

[@UIysses]

Gracias! :)

[@temitelko4413]

where is the page view option ore the contiouis view i cant find it anywhere

[@LuckeGabriel]

Everytime I go to set my MIDI input, Musescore crashes and not even Task Manager is able to close it. The only way I can close it is a restart on my PC.

[@paulvarn4712]

I've had a great difficulty getting the program installed and running on Ubuntu home. I'm only able to execute the program from the AppImage directly without installing it. As a consequence much of the program doesn't work. The score will not play audio nor will the play cursor move. I can select the MIDI keyboard I have connected using what is shown in the video but there is no interaction between the program and my keyboard. The previous few days I was learning through version 3.6.2 which seemed to have no sound or play issues with the internal synthesizer and generally everything worked as expected as installed through Ubuntu Snap.

[@pierrebroccoli.9396]

Yes, I have been trying to get it up and running on a Fedora 37 install and no joy yet. Running dual boot with Win 11 atm. Would hope Wayland / QT / Muse Score 4 get some attention. Wanting to migrate across to Linux but .......

[@AhusacosStudios]

This is going to make things vastly easier, as mouse clicking doesnt quite capture certain things.

[@AeroWarThunder969]

Musescore doesn't good as i thought. They need Pro version Mostly of all download i tried all of these need PRO version WHAT THIS MEAN?

[@pcuimac]

Is there an option to import midi files in version 3.6 and 4? I haven't found any.

[@Timzart7]

I just drag and drop them in, and I think you can either drop it on a template or in MuseScore4, you can also drop it on the opening page and it opens up a template according to what is in the midi. What 4 doesn't have that 3.6 has, is an import panel where you can select number of voices or quantize the notes differently. They are going to add that later to 4. Disclaimer: I'm new to MuseScore, just learning it myself. I've used other music-writing software, it's just been a while. One tip or warning I have for people like myself who want to use MuseScore4 to get their complex midis into proper musical notation is that, it's much easier to either start with basic note entry and the tutorials they have here for that, or select just a one-line part to learn how to clean up notation, rather than starting with a multi-track score or a complicated piano piece, for example.

[@hz8526]

Novationn launchkey mini does not work with this version but does with muscore 3 can anyone help?

[@Luke_Robbins]

I think the developers need to work less on UI and more on the actual audio (especially integrating MIDI). I should be able to play around with my midi keyboard and hear sounds that are not delayed and are sustained properly. At the moment the app is unusable for me.

[@Paycracio]

What about latency?

[@stabilodanilo7221]

I cant get to Preferences, because I couldt find it anywhere in my musescore view (Im in Windows 10). Pls help

[@Another45555]

its in edit -> preferences

[@burning_KFC]

You are the best guys

[@frattatlsu1375]

harika 👍

[@Astromium2445]

I managed to closed my pallets window by accident and i dont know how to get it back, can someone help me? I cannot compose music without it! :(

[@Giorgi.Japiashvili]

0:40 Why the heck would you say "Now you're ready to enter notes using your midi keyboard" BEFORE saying "First, enter note input mode"? I paused in between and guess what? I wasn't able to enter notes using my midi keyboard. That's just dumb to change the sequence of instructions just for the fuck of it

[@pcuimac]

Does it work for 3.6 too?

[@ptitemoi]

Yes

[@AndrewJanusson]

Real-time input please!

[@AlanCurrie-yb4jz]

I have no I/O when I go into preferences.

[@robioptic]

Realtime input of any kind has dissapeared.? This really kills creativity. Hope its on the to-do-list :)

[@jt_hn]

Did anyone else notice avid link hiding in the corner lol 1:23

[@moataz612]

a midi grid would be a game changer

[@GeorgeIsEpic]

need a windows version

[@bartbroekhuizen5617]

Sadly not good enough to be useful when improvising and notating those improvisations. Improvisation requires emotion, and this wil be gone if you need to think what kind of note it needs to be. Real-time (metronome) input mode will solve this and saves much more time because of muscle memory and repetition.

[@MF_Plissken]

doesnt reckognize anything.... freshly installed version 4, running on a standard win10 with dozens of other audiosoftware reckognizing everything from scratch. fresh install, then open this vid...musescore doesnt even listing asio or anything like that, just the straight audio in/out of the external hardware card/mixer. it lists both of the controllers, but no reaction at all. tbh honest musescore made a huge jump in its development, but its like unfinished business. well its free, but i kick it once more to wait for a working software release. all i want is straight playin, then editing then maybe publish it.

[@laazfreeze3982]

Sorry, but without the app tracking the length of the input notes this is absolutly worthless. Even Garageband does a better job! Was saying to my wife that musescore surely has that capability only to come here and find out it actually doesn‘t. Very disappointing!