MuseScore, the popular cross-platform free music notation software, has just released its latest version, MuseScore 4.2, bringing significant updates that are particularly beneficial for guitarists, so let’s look at them.
MuseScore 4.2 Highlights
The new version introduces an advanced guitar bends system, offering visually appealing engraving and highly realistic playback. This update marks a significant enhancement for those involved in guitar music composition and arrangement.
Additionally, MuseScore 4.2 offers improvements that will benefit all users, regardless of their instrument focus. Among these are improvements for scores with multiple parts, enhancing the user experience for complex compositions.
Accompanying this update is the release of a new free instrument pack, “Muse Guitars, Vol. 1,” as part of the Muse Sounds collection. It’s a treasure trove for guitar enthusiasts, featuring a variety of sounds, including steel and nylon six-string acoustic guitars, two electric guitars, and an electric bass.
These new sounds, along with the existing choral and orchestral Muse Sounds, are available in the Muse Hub but require updating to MuseScore 4.2 for full functionality.
Of course, you’ll also find features beyond just guitar improvements in the new version. These include better synchronization between scores and parts, new playback options, and enhanced engraving features.
Furthermore, the update also boosts accessibility with features like 6-key Braille input and introduces support for the MEI (Music Encoding Initiative) format.
Linux users will find a notable change: Muse Hub has been renamed Muse Sounds Manager, reflecting its specific purpose and capabilities. Additionally, the update has made the application more user-friendly by removing the need for a root daemon.
Updating to the new version is straightforward for existing users of MuseScore 4.x versions. Upon launching the app, a notification about the 4.2 update should appear. If not, users can manually check for the update or download the app again.
Finally, as a reminder, scores created or saved in MuseScore 4.2 are not backward compatible with previous versions.
For more information, refer to the release announcement. The software is available for download from the project’s website for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Linux users can get it as a portable AppImage. Also, DEB and RPM installation packages are available, but they are still in the beta phase.
MuseScore is a gem. Truly an amazing piece of open source software, and for most purposes just as good as Finale. Plus a thriving community of users.
Thanks for reporting on this.
(P.S. the title of this article needs the “an” removed)