Topic #25: Measures and Time Signature in MuseScore

In this MuseTube course lesson, we dive deep into everything related to measures in MuseScore: from time signatures (like 4/4, 3/4, or 7/8) to the properties of each measure in the score, including numbering, pickup measures, local time signatures, courtesy measures, repeats, and more.

🧮 Time Signatures in MuseScore

Time signatures define how music is subdivided. You can insert any time signature from the “Time Signatures” palette, including mid-score changes or custom ones (like 7/4). MuseScore also allows you to add courtesy time signatures at the start of systems, which can be enabled or disabled from “Format > Style > Page”.

🪄 Custom and Local Time Signatures

You can create non-standard time signatures like 7/4 and even assign different meters to different instruments (local time signatures) by holding Ctrl while dragging the signature. Each measure can be edited individually in its properties to change visibility, stems, duration, and other visual options.

🧱 Merging and Splitting Measures

In MuseScore, you can merge two measures into a longer one (e.g., 8/4) or split one into two. These actions are done with Ctrl+Delete or using the barline palette. You can also change barline types: double, final, repeat, etc. For global barline style settings, go to “Format > Style > Barlines”.

🔁 Repeats and Playback Count

After inserting repeat barlines, you can set the number of times the section is played via the final measure’s properties. This becomes especially useful for more advanced form structures, which we’ll cover in future videos.

🎧 Multimeasure Rests

To improve readability in individual parts, activate multimeasure rests by pressing “m”. Empty measures will be combined into one with a numeric label. In “Format > Style > Rests”, you can customize how they appear and how they’re grouped or separated.

🔢 Measure Numbering

You can show measure numbers at every bar, only at the start of systems, or at specific intervals. In “Format > Style > Measure Numbers”, you can define whether the numbers appear on all staves, choose the visual style, and decide whether to show the first measure’s number.

Individually, under “Measure Properties”, you can exclude a measure from the count, hide its number, or add a positive/negative offset to shift the numbering sequence. You can also visually expand a measure using “Stretch Factor”, or split multimeasure rests at a specific point using “Break multimeasure rests”.