MuseScore 2.0 Beta 2 Released!

• Dec 22, 2014 - 22:10

Just in time for Christmas, we are happy to present to you MuseScore 2.0 Beta 2. This beta release includes hundreds of bug fixes and other improvements made as a result of feedback from users of the Beta 1 release and subsequently nightly builds. There are even a few new features that have been added during these last few months. See below for more information on what’s changed.


The official release of MuseScore 2.0 is still yet to come, but we would like you to try out this Beta 2 release to help us find whatever problems may still remain. Please report your findings in the Technology Preview forum on, or, if you are sure you have found a bug, in the Issue Tracker.

Download MuseScore 2.0 Beta 2

Update Dec 23, 4:39pm: The beta2 packages above have been reissued fixing a few critical bugs.

New Features in MuseScore 2.0

What’s Changed Since Beta 1

In addition to the many new features introduced in the Beta 1 release, two significant new features are added. First we are introducing the Start Center. This startup window will initially invite you to create a new score, guiding you to the revamped score wizard featuring new visualized templates. Next time you startup MuseScore, the Start Center will list your most recent works. Also shown is a community section where you can search for scores and find each day a MuseScore user put in the spotlight.


Another new feature is the Edit → Tools menu, which contains a number of useful functions like explode/implode, slash notation, add/remove line breaks, and automatic rehearsal mark sequencing.

There are a few other improvements as well, such as new options for more control over chord symbols, some enhancements to automatic fingering layout, and refinements to palette customization. But most of all, tons of bug fixes!

What’s Next

This beta release will hopefully be the last one before the official release of MuseScore 2.0. In the coming weeks we will keep on fixing bugs. As always, your bug reports are very welcome in our forum or the issue tracker.


To let everyone enjoy the final MuseScore 2.0 release, we are calling upon everybody to help translate the software. Head over to the Transifex online translation service and help us to get your language up to 100%. In case of doubt, you are welcome to discuss in the translation forum.


We have a first draft available of the 2.0 Handbook so you can learn about all the great new features. In case you spot a mistake or you believe something is missing, please leave a comment on the handbook page so the editors can take note and improve the handbook.


If you would like to support our efforts toward the final release of MuseScore 2.0, consider making a donation. We are still short on reaching our donation goal for 2014. Any support on this is very welcome!


I'm running Beta 2 on Ubuntu Studio with Wine. I've done a little playing with it. I'm impressed with the quality of the playback. The only problem I've found so far is that the Timpani sound is too quiet. I'm Looking forward to seeing the finished Musescore 2.0.

I'd say that MuseScore is getting to be as powerful or maybe even MORE powerful than other notation softwares such as Sibilius and Finale. But the best part, it costs $00.00! Not $700.00 or $800.00. I can't wait for MuseScore 2.0! It will be epic!

I keep getting an error when I open. "Cannot read file :/data/My_First_Score.mscx:
Unknown error"

However after I cancel the error, the program opens with the new start center and the "My First Score"

It takes a long time to open scores, however once the files do open everything works great. Can't wait for more MuseScore 2!

Works great so far. It's taking a little time to adjust to the new UI, also loving the new soundfont. Just hope to see gliss, slur, and other similar articulations work.

In reply to by Bartz the Man

Gliss will not be possible under the present MIDI architecture - but watch this space!

Slur is under discussion of how to implement, but is unlikely to make it into the stable MuseScore 2.0 release.

Other articulations - watch this space!

Please bear in mind that the current primary focus of the development team is getting the score engraving side of the application right.

We have made great strides forward in this area with the MuseScore 2.0 betas, but there is still a way to go.

Once the score engraving side is absolutely solid, then the development team may have more time to consider the finer nuances of playback.

I must thank you for using my work on the example inlay (Chopin's Op. 37 Nocturne 2). I saw that and I laughed giddily for about 5 minutes. I am sorry for the file distortion, I believe it might have to do with the way I had to glitch the cross-stave stuff in. Anyway, thank you very much.

I tried the explode/implode thing. Couldn't figure out how to explode. I have block chords in voice 1, which should explode to three staves. What happens is it leaves only the top notes on the top stave (the original stave), while only rests in the following staves.
The imploding seems to work, though.
Ok, I got it. It's still the semi-automagic thing, like in the 1.3 plugin. You have to copy the topmost block chords into the following staves before running the explode function.
I noticed that if you explode a four note block chord into three staves, the fourth note disappears. An alternative behaviour could be to place the fourth note together with the third note in the bottom stave. It might be an ugly thing to have there for say the 3rd corno player, but the composer/arranger wouldn't accidentally lose the note for good.


Why Musescore 2.0 (beta1, beta2) doesn't list in the "Add-> Instruments..." , the Violins/Violas/Cellos/Contrabasses (check the included screenshots), as in Musescore 1.3? . Checked the options the popdown menu on top of the list of instruments available, and there is no option to select "Violins 1"/"Violas"/"Violoncellos"/"Contrabasses"

I don't know, maybe I'm doing something wrong, or missing, but 2.0 only offers a generic "String Section" and of course the individual instruments. But I would like to work as in Musescore 1.3, with a string section composed of Violas, Cellos, etc.

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In reply to by mdi1972

Use one of the orchestral templates as your basis then, and adapt it to suit your requirements.

In 1.3 the violas and cellos you mention together with violins 1 & 2 were all assigned the String Section GM patch.

In 2.0 it was felt that this was an unnecessary duplication given the many instruments added to conform with the MusicXML 3 standard, and, the move to encouraging users to use templates rather than creating scores from scratch.

In reply to by mdi1972

Or continue to start from scratch and change either the name or sounds to suit your needs. As mentioned, the "violins", "violas" and others were really just using the string section sound in 1.3 anyhow. General MIDI doesn't define sounds for individual instrument sections.

In reply to by mdi1972

Not sure what still puzzles you about what we have explained, but if you want to see what I mean:

In 1.3, create a score using "Violins 1", "Violas", and "Violoncellos". Now go to Display / Mixer. The labels on the staves might contain those names, but you will see the sound being used is the generic "String CLP" for all three instruments. If you click this and check the dropbown list, you'll see the full list of GM sounds you can change that to, and it includes a single Violin, Violas, and Cello but nowhere is there any "violin section", "viola section" or "cello section" sounds available. You were basically being lied to in 1.3. MuseScore did this just to provide a slightly more convenient way of setting up an orchestra score - it set up an instruments whose *sound* was the generic string section, but whose *name* reflected something different. For 2.0, that particular lie is removed. To make it easier to create orchestra scores, instead a different & better convenience is offered - a more complete and easier-to-access set of templates that have already set this all up for you.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

yes, understood. I've just checked the dialogs and its exactly as you said above. There is no different sounds for the string section. I too tried creating a score with the same treble clef for all the staves, and it's simply the same sound (in 1.3 I mean). So yes, in 1.3 the only differences (as far I can see) is in the usable pitch range assigned/the fact each instrument is played on different clefs normally

Thanks again

can someone post the link to the 1.x beta? 2.0 keeps crashing on me (even when adding the FluidR3Mono_GM soundfont. Thanks in advance for the link to the prev beta!

In reply to by jamestomk

@ jamestomk... Welcome aboard...

Here's some more information:

1. There is no 1.x beta. The latest stable version of MuseScore is 1.3:

2. MuseScore 2.0 is still in beta, with the latest being MuseScore 2.0 Beta 2:

3. Nightlies, which contain the latest bug fixes for 2.0 Beta 2 can be found here:…
(If you have a problem in Beta 2, you can try a nightly to see if it's been fixed.)

4. Although MuseScore 1.3, the latest (stable) released version is no longer under development, these forums still support users' questions/problems.

5. Questions/problems relating to the 2.0 beta 2 and/or the nightlies should be posted to the MuseScore 2.0 beta Forum - called 'Technology Preview':

6. Musescore 1.3 can coexist with the beta or nightlies on the same machine, though 1.3 is recommended for 'serious' work.

7. If you are having a problem with beta 2, follow Thomas' advice and start a new thread here:
and post the problematic score. This way, someone can see if it has been fixed in the nightlies. (That is, if you hadn't already tried per #3 above.)

@Thomas - BTW: Great job on the website (e.g. moving 'Technology Preview' to the top of the forum list, creating the 'MuseScore 2.0 beta' heading on the right hand side, etc.)
We eagerly await MuseScore 2.0!


I have a couple things to say about this one. First, I noticed I can't change the synthesizer sound because when I open it, a blank black screen just shows up. The other thing is, why can't I drag staves apart like I could in beta 1? In beta 1, you could drag staves apart so there would be more space in between, and it helped me for dynamics, high and low notes and things like that. I tried getting beta 1 again (since I just transitioned to a new computer) but that link just downloads the beta 2...but I can't wait to see where this goes!

In reply to by Tyler Mazone

The blank synthsesizer windows only affected a few people's systems, but the bug was fixed a couple of days ago, should be better in the current nightly build

You can still drag staves apart, you just need to hold Shift while doing so. Some of us were finding it too easy to mess up out layout accidentally while trying to simply drag the canvas. But note that this method of creating is *not* meant for just avoiding a dynamic or high note here or there - it's meant for permanently increasing the amount of space betwene two staves throughout the entire score. Like between the woodwind, brass, and string staves in an orchestra score. If you just need space here and there to avoid dynamics etc, then staff spacers are the better tool, as they only affect the one system. Or, if you want more space everywhere, use the settings in Style / General / Page.

So definitely no reason to go back to beta 1- just get the current nightly build (see Downlaods link in menu at right) and the synthesizer window issue should be fixed.

In the future, it's better to start new threads for questions / issues with the software.

As a percussionist, I would love to see more auxiliary instruments including basic cultural drums such as bongos, congas, djembe, etc. Also the ability to place multiple percussive instruments into one staff would be helpful since it is a popular way of writing percussion music where multiple instruments are written into one part. For example maybe an editor which allows you to select each note on a staff as a way to represent the instrument you want so the program can recognize what sound to play.

Greatest update in musescore!!!!!
It had the best changes except for one...
when the score is exported to a PDF file (.pdf) the prall(s)(on the thrills and arpeggios) disassemble and scatters on the score
X25.jpg X26.jpg are pictures in which the prall is seen in the software
but in X27.jpg X28.jpg the prall is scattered

Hi everyone. The changes for musescore 2.0 Beta 2 have been wonderful so far. My only complaint is that you still can't make accelerandos. Will this be in the 2.0 final update? Also, I think everyone who has helped design musescore is doing a great job at it.


In reply to by ModernConner

You can make them, and they display and print just fine, as intended (MuseScore is, after all, primarily a notation program). They just don't happen to playback. You can still fake it by inserting possibly multiple tempo changes (which you can hide). This is not likely to change before the release of 2.0, but it is certainly possible it will happen someday.

In reply to by ModernConner

In the past I've used software packages that *did* implement accelerandos on playback, but they never seemed quite to be the speed changes I wanted. Inserting discrete Tempo marks - note by note, and hiding them if necessary - gives absolute control, and is preferable by far.

When you click on the link to Debian/Ubuntu Beta 2, you are taken to a place with a link to Beta 1. Am I missing something?

I think musescore needs to improve the Crescendo and the Diminuendo symbols during playback. It dosen't have those effects during playback

In reply to by HejmaKato

Actually, that's one of the new features for 2.0 - crescendo and diminuendo *do* affect playback. The effect was pretty subtle by default in the first beta release (although you could override it), but in the second beta and current nightly builds. it automatically interprets the dynamic marking after the hairpin to decide how much of a change is appropriate.

Two questions:
1.) Is there a possibility to make it work with Mac OS X 10.6?
2.) Is marching percussion included in this version? Another user created a drumline soundfont for 1.3, and it sucks.

Looks good guys! The MIDI sounds pretty good from what I've seen so far and I love the added tremolo effect and so many other things! I have only suggestions that would be outstanding and not entirely an issue. I would love to Chord Articulations again. Also, the Trombone MIDI sounds a bit "blatty" on B flat in the staff (bass clef) and also on low G and lower. Keep up the good work!

In reply to by Erised_Mirror

Chromebooks are running Linux internally, but I don't know of a way to build & deliver a full-fledged application (as opposed to a Chrome App) for Chrome OS.

Meanwhile, though, if you install "crouton", you can access the underlying Linux system and run MuseScore that way. I'm doing that right now. It's quite wonderful.

Bug Report

would like to report a bug for beta 2 on OS X 10.10.2 that prevents any sounds from being loaded, displayed, and selected from the mixer view. essentially making the only sound you can hear in MuseScore2 the metronome. Attached is an animated gif of me trying to select a sound.

Attachment Size 1.67 MB

2011 MacBook Pro, Yosemite. Neither Chrome nor Safari can complete a download of Beta 2. Both report 51.3 MB of 51.3 MB downloaded, but neither recognizes that the download is complete. Chrome just shows (beta2).dmg.crdownload, and Safari shows (beta2), both of which are the extensions for an incomplete download or a download in progress. Have never had a download issue with any other file. Is this Yosemite? What is it choking on??

Same result on 2006 Macbook running Lion - the download apparently finishes but the .dmg file is shown as .dmg.crdownload in Finder. Can't download the file on either computer. Frustrating. Am I the only one? I assume other Mac users have successfully download Beta 2...

In reply to by MystikBlack_

Hard to say without seeing the actual score and precise step by step instructions. Please start a new thread in the Support forum with a descriptive title, attaching the score (using the File Attachment link below where you type your post) and posting the precise steps for us to follow to reproduce the problem you are seeing.

I have noticed, in MuseScore 2.0 beta 2, the sound doesn't work unless installed under the default directory (my computer is Windows 8).
Also, the didgeridoo doesn't play any notes that should be within its range.

Picture of range problem:


Honestly. The 1.3 version was WAY better. Here are my reasons.
1- It'll take forever for everyone to find out what to do since people are used to the 1.3 version.
2-Except for clicking a button to get time signatures and key signatures we have to manually click the pallets.
3-The bright color is SUPER annoying. If we put a note down you will probably mess up for people with sensitive eyes.
4- The bar at the bottom where we can drag the view we see from the music is gone.That bar is really useful!Except for having to drag your mouse over and over again because most people make scores that are way to big so they use the bar except for their mouse.
5-For previous people from the 1.3, it's now harder to find everything! You moved the concert pitch, you took away all the articulation and ornaments so if we need something like a special articulation, we have to go into the Help bar to actually find where to find the articulations and ornaments which is even HARDER because it has new stuff. This stuff would take forever! In version 1.3, we could've just open the pallet and it's all there!
6- This is the most annoying of them all. THE NEW SOUND FROM THE INSTRUMENTS. Sure some of them were trashy but for some people, we like that sound such as i like the tenor saxophones sound in 1.3 but now, it just sound horrible! All of the instruments have an echo now which throws off plenty of songs!
Even though there are a lot more changes that i didn't like about the 2.0 update. I'm still forced to use this because many people rely on my music at school. I provide my band members with sheet music that i make which i make maybe a few scores every week. But now that it's harder to even make them. I've been using the 2.0 update for around a month now and i still don't get it! In 1.3 I just looked around to see what and where things were and I've been using it ever since!
Please! just bring back a few things to the new one! I'm sorry if you felt sad because people worked so hard and i and maybe other people don't like it or angry because you hate people who complain about what's wrong with you worked hard on. I just feel frustrated that i can't provide my friends with music any more.

In reply to by MegaFlab

I think you will find almost all your concerns are actual just a matter of not being used to the new version

If you prefer the yellowish background paper in 1.3, you can get that or any other color you like in 2.0 via Edit / Preferences.

Regaridng the palettes, I don't understand what you mean. They work the same as they did in 1.3. The shortcut for time and key signatures changed to Shift+T and Shift+K, maybe that's what you are confused by? Also, if you are having troublee finding some things, be sure to change to the Advanced palette using the control at the bottom of the palette.

The navigator - the bar on the bottom you refer to - is not gone, it's just turned off by default. Feel free to to turn it on using the View menu.

Things changing location - sure, for a little while, you'll have to adjust, but soon I think you'll come to appreciate the changes actually put things in more logical places.

If you prefer the less-relasitc sounds of 1.3, you are welcome to load the old soundont instead of the new improved default one. You are also welcome to go to View / Synthesizer and turndown the reverb (what you call "echo") if you don't like it.

If you have other ssues, feel free to start a new thread to ask about them, but I am quite sure that once you get used to the change, you too will dsee 2. for the *enormous* advance that it in fact is!

In reply to by MegaFlab

@supersayian3goku1919... here's some more information.

The release candidate for MuseScore 2.0 should be available in a few weeks. As a result, the 2.0 Handbook will become the 'go to' document for all 2.0 users. Finishing touches are still being added; but there is already a great amount of info. which addresses your concerns. Again, let me enumerate them - along with Handbook references:

1. Though MuseScore 2.0 differs from MuseScore 1.x in many ways, there is still much overlap between the two versions, so it shouldn't 'take forever to find out what to do since people are used to the 1.3 version.'

2. Most especially when it comes to...
2a. Entering time signatures - both versions behave pretty much the same. See: (MuseScore 1.3) (MuseScore 2.0)

2b. entering key signatures - again, not much difference between each version's instructions: (MuseScore 1.3) 9MuseScore 2.0)

3. For the bright color which is 'SUPER annoying', use menu item: Edit / Preferences then on the 'Canvas' tab click on 'Wallpaper'.
If you want to create your own custom color, you can click on the white box below the word 'Color' to enter your own RGB (Red, Green, Blue) values. See this image:


4. The navigator bar is still available. (See the image above.)
In fact, it now shows page numbers! The keyboard shortcut is F12 to toggle it on/off, or use menu item: View / Navigator.

5. For more articulations/ornaments open the 'Advanced' workspace palette - found by expanding the pop up list at the very bottom of the palettes area, or using menu item: Edit / Workspaces and then choosing 'Advanced'. Look at the palette in the image above.
Also see:
You can also customize pallettes to contain more symbols:

6. Soundfonts:
If you prefer, you can use the old soundfont from MuseScore 1.3 (TimGM6mb) in MuseScore 2.0. See:


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In reply to by Jm6stringer

Regarding 4-, note that in 1.3 and 2.0 you can use the scroll wheel of the mouse to move vertically and Shift + scroll to move horizontally. Also, you can use Ctrl + F to go directly to a given measure number or (in 2.0) a rehearsal mark.

In reply to by Mac B

That's odd; most people find it an enormous improvement - much more realistic instruments pretty much across the board. Which instruments specifically don't you like?

Anyhow, to change to something else - maybe try GeneralUserGS, which is also much better than the old one - copy the soundfont to your Soundfonts folder (right next to your Scores folder), then go to View / Synthesizer, click the Add button, and select it. Hit the Save button so it is remembered for all scores. See Soundfont for links to download different soundfonts.

In reply to by tvaz

I write 4-part SATB arrangements for choral singers. As well as giving them the printed-out scores I provide MP3 files for practising. With 1.3 I used violin, viola, cello and contrabass for the four voices, which give satisfactory , uncoloured sound. The sounds offered by the same instruments in 2.0 are heavily coloured and give very unrealistic imitations of the instruments.
You could of course say that the 1.3 versions are also unrealistic, but they at least give a level, uncoloured sound. Before anybody suggests the obvious, the choir oohs and aahs in both versions are dreadful!
I have loaded the 1.3 sound font (TimGM6mb.sfz) into 2.0 and am happy again.

In reply to by Mac B

No, I don't think anyone would suggest using choir sounds for voices; they are awful in virtually all soundfonts. Not so much a problem with the soundfonts; it's just inherently difficult to fool people into thinking even the most perfect recording of a single voice saying "ah" a bunch of times in row sounds anything like real singing.

Anyhow, OK, for the specific purpose of using strings sounds as a substitute for voices, I can see how the extra realism of the FluidR3 string sounds might seem a hindrance. As someone who writes an awful lot of actual string quartet music, though, I can say they are a huge improvement. Not sure exactly what you mean by "heavily coloured", but they sound much more like how my actual string quartet sounds. Maybe my fellow musicians are "heavily colored" as well :-)

FWIW, if you haven't tried GeneralUser GS yet, you might give it a shot. It's much more realistic than TimGM6mb, but not being as big as FluidR3, it doesn't have the same nuances, which might be contributing your sense of the sound being "heavily coloured".

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

Thanks Marc
I think everybody's "ear" is different, as is audio equipment, so I suppose it's impossible to be dogmatic. To my "ear" through my equipment the FluidR3 string sounds remind me of a cartoon drawing, which exaggerates the most obvious characteristics of the subject for instant recognition but can't claim to be an accurate reproduction. It's all very subjective.
I 'm now happily using the Tim sound font, and am very appreciative of the time and effort you have put into guiding me.

In reply to by Mac B

I can handle the sound being heavily colored in most cases. But I often have a sense that the synthesized ensemble is not playing entirely in tune, and the musicians are fighting each other to be heard instead of playing as a group. It's little things, like the flutes and clarinets not blending, or the violin's second A above middle C being flat (what tommycummins said at It may be just safer to go with an even sound where the instruments blend well and are perfectly in tune, even if they don't have all the unique nuances that a human musician could play.

The thing is that human musicians don't play every note they play with those types of sound. A violinist may occasionally use really wide vibrato, or a trumpet may occasionally put a tiny scoop at the beginning of a note, but depending on what the violinist is playing he or she is quite likely not to use really wide vibrato, and it's unpleasant when every note the synthesized violinist produces has that quality. But, as Mac B says, it's all very subjective. Reasonable people may have wildly different opinions about this. My preferred SoundFont is not one that's freely licensed (though if somebody asks I can upload samples so you can hear it), but I highly recommend GeneralUser as a happy medium: realistic but not too heavily colored.

So far I'm really impressed!


choral score SATB open score. Octave drop in bass, marked with slur. I was changing the shape and kinda messed it up so I tried to delete it.

It won't delete. Weird. Windows 7. Delete key won't do it, doesn't do it.

Finally went in, dragged slur away from notes , worked. Not sure what happened there...

("It's impossible to make something foolproof - fools are much too inventive...")

Still love it, still having fun.
