MuseScore 4.5’s Finale-Inspired Features Worth Exploring

The latest update to MuseScore Studio brings a host of features specifically designed to ease the transition for Finale users looking to make the switch. Version 4.5 includes several Finale-inspired workflows that make the learning curve significantly less steep for composers and arrangers familiar with MakeMusic’s notation software.

Familiar Territory for Finale Users

If you’ve spent years working in Finale, the prospect of switching to a new notation platform can be daunting. MuseScore’s development team has clearly been listening to user feedback, implementing several features that will feel immediately familiar to Finale veterans:

Drag-and-Drop Copy and Paste

One of Finale’s most intuitive features has been its drag-and-drop functionality, and MuseScore 4.5 now brings this same convenience to its platform:

• Hold Alt (or Option on Mac) while dragging with your mouse to easily copy music across staves
• Reposition musical elements to any beat position with simple mouse movements
• Move entire measures between systems with keyboard shortcuts or dedicated buttons in the Properties panel
• Lock systems to prevent unwanted reflow further down the page

This functionality mirrors the flexibility Finale users have long enjoyed when arranging and editing their scores, making the transition between platforms much more intuitive.

“Speedy Entry” Reimagined

Finale’s “Speedy Entry” mode has been a cornerstone of many composers’ workflows for decades. MuseScore 4.5 introduces “Input by Duration” mode, which closely resembles this familiar input method:

• Preview pitches with your computer or MIDI keyboard
• Input notes with duration shortcuts using numbers 1 through 7
• Maintain your established note entry workflow with minimal retraining

For longtime Finale users, this familiar note entry approach means you can hit the ground running in MuseScore without sacrificing the efficiency you’ve developed over years of muscle memory.

System Management Controls

MuseScore has also implemented improved system management that mirrors functionality Finale users rely on:

• Directly control which measures appear in which systems
• Prevent unwanted reflowing with system lock features
• Fine-tune which system markings appear where through the updated Layout panel

These enhancements give users the same level of precise control over score layout that they’ve come to expect from professional notation software.

Beyond Finale: Additional Workflow Improvements

While the Finale-friendly features are a highlight of this release, MuseScore 4.5 includes several other significant updates that improve the notation experience for all users.

Streamlined Dynamics Entry

Working with dynamics is now significantly faster:

• Select a note and press Ctrl+D (Command+D on Mac) to add dynamic markings
• Type dynamics directly into a text box for immediate entry
• Create hairpins by dragging handles between dynamic markings
• Toggle direction with Alt+X (Option+X on Mac)

These shortcuts eliminate several steps from the traditional dynamics workflow, allowing for faster score preparation regardless of your notation software background.

Redesigned Percussion Panel

The percussion workflow has been completely reimagined:

• Modern drum pad interface with customizable layouts
• Toggle between instrument names and notation previews
• Add custom shortcuts and hide unused pads
• Input notation directly on staff with mouse clicks

This redesign is complemented by new percussion libraries, including Audio Imperia’s “Cerberus” and Audio Ollie’s “LA Modern Percussion,” plus MuseSound’s own General MIDI percussion combo instruments.

Professional Engraving Enhancements

MuseScore continues to improve its engraving capabilities with several subtle but important updates:

• Text elements can pass through barlines with automatic masking
• Laissez-vibrer ties can be added with a single click
• Intelligent tie behavior at repeated sections and jumps
• Automatic courtesy clefs, key signatures, and time signatures at repeats
• Large time signatures with customizable styles and positions

These enhancements demonstrate MuseScore’s continued commitment to professional-quality engraving that rivals traditional industry standards.

The Transition Path for Finale Users

If you’re considering making the switch from Finale to MuseScore, version 4.5 offers the most approachable transition path yet. Here’s a suggested approach:

1. Start with a simple project to test the Finale-inspired workflows
2. Experiment with the “Input by Duration” mode to adapt your note entry technique
3. Learn the new dynamic entry shortcuts to speed up expression marking
4. Explore the drag-and-drop functionality to get comfortable with rearranging measures

Looking Forward

According to the announcement video, the MuseScore team acknowledges contributions from GitHub users Aniketto, CMakeScore, Pacebes, Krasko, and others who helped implement various improvements in this release. They’ve also launched a new handbook in GitBook that provides detailed explanations of all the new features.

The percussion system improvements are described as “just the next step in the evolution,” with promises of more workflow and integration improvements in the near future.

For users considering the move from Finale, MuseScore 4.5 represents the most Finale-friendly version yet. With familiar workflows, intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, and Speedy Entry-inspired note input, the transition barrier has never been lower.

For comprehensive details on any feature mentioned in this article, visit MuseScore’s new handbook in GitBook, which provides in-depth explanations of all capabilities included in version 4.5.