All keyboard shortcuts for music notation

The most important keyboard shortcuts for music notation

With keyboard shortcuts for MuseScore Studio, Sibelius, and Dorico, you can enter notes faster, adjust rhythms, and add articulations, chord names, and lyrics. This reference guide contains 100 useful keyboard shortcuts, organized by program and accompanied by explanations of their uses.

What keyboard shortcuts do you use for music notation?

The most important keyboard shortcuts for music notation control note entry: selecting pitch, setting note values, inserting rests, and adding polyphony. These are followed by commands for performance markings, time signatures, and the readability of the score.

The operation varies by program. To select a quarter note, press 5 in MuseScore Studio, 4 on the numeric keypad in Sibelius, and 6 in Dorico. So if you switch between programs, you’ll need to pay special attention when entering rhythms.

The tables below use the default settings for Windows. Customized keyboard layouts may differ. For Dorico, the set keyboard language also plays a role. For Sibelius, the default layout with a numeric keypad is assumed, not an alternative laptop profile.

Program	Mentions	Topics and related terms
MuseScore Studio	1–40	Entering notes, rhythm, articulations, voices, lyrics, and score layout.
Sibelius	41–70	Keypad, note values, musical notation, crescendo, keys, and performance instructions.
Dorico	71–100	Write mode, input cursor, chord mode, rhythmic grid, pop-ups, and polyphony.

Here’s how to use the keyboard shortcuts

Ctrl + K means you hold down Ctrl and then press K. For A–G, choose one letter for the desired pitch. These are the international note names: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

"Numeric" refers to the separate number pad on the right side of a full-size keyboard. In Sibelius in particular, that pad has its own specific function. The numbers above the letters are not simply interchangeable with them.

Before performing a command, check where the input focus is. A key can enter a note, open a function, or simply type text, depending on the active mode.

MuseScore Studio: 40 keyboard shortcuts for sheet music

In MuseScore Studio, standard note entry follows a fixed sequence: select a starting point, activate entry mode, choose the note value, and enter the pitch. Once you’re used to this sequence, you can write out a melody largely without using the mouse.

Entering notes, rests, and rhythms

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
1	N	Turns note input on or off. First, select a note or rest at the point where you want to start.
2	5	Select a quarter note as the input duration. During normal selection, you can also use this to adjust the duration of selected notes.
3	4	Select an eighth note. Useful for continuous melodic movements; then enter the desired pitches using the letter keys.
4	3	Selects a sixteenth note. Use this value for fast passages, ornamental figures, or a precisely notated rhythmic pattern.
5	6	Selects a half note. The selected duration remains available for subsequent notes until you select a different value.
6	7	Select a whole note. Whether this note fits within a single measure depends on the time signature and its entry position.
7	0	When entering notes, insert a rest with the selected duration. For example, first select 5 for a quarter rest.
8	.	Turns a tie on or off. A dotted quarter note therefore lasts as long as a quarter note plus an eighth note.
9	A–G	Enter the corresponding pitch. MuseScore takes the applicable key signature into account and selects a nearby octave.
10	Shift + A–G	Adds a note to the existing chord. This allows you to layer multiple pitches at the same rhythmic moment.
11	Ctrl + 3	Creates a triplet based on the selected note duration. First, check how much time the three notes should take up together.
12	T	Adds a tied note during note entry. If necessary, first select the duration for this next note.

Practical example: Select a rest, press N, then 5, followed by C, D, E, and F. This enters four quarter notes. Use another number key to switch to a brand new rhythm before continuing to type.

Adjust articulations, pitches, and voices

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
13	S	Adds a legato bow. Select the desired note range in advance to immediately indicate where the bow begins and ends.
14	Shift + S	Adds staccato to selected notes. The dot indicates a short, detached articulation.
15	Shift + N	Adds a tenuto line. This symbol typically indicates holding or emphasizing the full note value.
16	Shift + V	Adds an accent to selected notes. Use this for local emphasis within a melody or rhythmic motif.
17	X	Reverses the orientation of the selected element, such as a note stem or bow. The effect depends on the element.
18	J	Changes the enharmonic notation. For example, a note can be spelled differently without changing its actual pitch.
19	Ctrl + ↑	Moves selected notes up one octave. Useful when a melodic passage has been entered correctly but is too low.
20	Ctrl + ↓	Moves selected notes down one octave. The rhythmic placement and note values are preserved with this pitch change.
21	Ctrl + Alt + 1	Select voice 1. When entering notes, use this voice; for suitable selections, you can assign existing notes to it.
22	Ctrl + Alt + 2	Voice 2 creates an independent rhythmic layer on the same staff. Useful for piano music, choral parts, and counterpoint.

Add time signatures, lyrics, and chord names

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
23	R	Repeats the selected music immediately after the genuine. This saves you the trouble of entering ostinatos, accompaniment patterns, and recurring melodic figures.
24	Insert	Inserts a single unit of measurement before the selected unit. Use this when you need extra space in the middle of an existing passage.
25	Ctrl + B	Adds one measure to the end of the score. You don’t have to go to an insert menu first.
26	Ctrl + Delete	Completely removes selected measures. Check your selection: this command removes measure spaces, whereas regular note removal usually leaves rests behind.
27	Ctrl + L	Start the lyrics at the selected note. Enter the text syllable by syllable so that the words align with the correct notes in the melody.
28	Ctrl + K	Place a chord symbol at the selected position. Use this for chord names such as C, Am7, or G7 above the staff.
29	Ctrl + T	Adds text to the staff. Suitable for a note associated with a single instrument, such as a brief instruction for the performer.
30	Ctrl + Shift + T	Adds platform text. Use this text type for instructions that relate to the platform and apply more broadly than a single staff.
31	Ctrl + E	Adds an expression mark. This allows you to indicate a musical character, such as a suggestion for the desired playing style.
32	Alt + Shift + T	Adds a tempo indication at the selected position. Then check the text and any metronome value for the desired performance.
33	Ctrl + M	Adds a repeat sign. Such reference points help conductors and musicians quickly locate the same passage during rehearsals.

Music Score Formatting and Proofreading

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
34	Enter	Adds or removes a platform break at a selected measure. This allows you to determine where the next musical phrase begins.
35	Ctrl + Enter	Adds or removes a page break at a selected position. Useful for planning where to break a page at an appropriate moment.
36	F8	Shows or hides the properties panel. Here you can adjust the available settings for selected notes, text, lines, and other notation elements.
37	F9	Shows or hides the palettes. This allows you to keep frequently used symbols available or temporarily free up more space for the score.
38	F10	Shows or hides the mixer. Use it while listening to assess and adjust the balance between instruments.
39	Space	Start or stop playback when you don’t enter any text. Listen to a passage to detect incorrect pitches or rhythms.
40	Ctrl + R	Restores the shapes and positions of selected elements. Useful when manual adjustments have caused an arc, text, or other element to be misaligned.

Sibelius: 30 keyboard shortcuts for notes and instructions

Sibelius uses the Keypad for many everyday notation tasks. The numeric commands listed below apply to the default Keypad layout. If a different layout is active, the same keys may control different symbols.

An external numeric keypad can therefore be convenient on a laptop. If you’re using a custom laptop profile, check the corresponding key assignments in the preferences.

Entering Notes with the Keypad

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
41	N	Start entering notes. Select a note or rest in advance to continue writing from a specific position.
42	Numeric 4	Selects a quarter note on the first Keypad layout. During input, this value determines the duration of the next note entered.
43	Numeric 3	Select an eighth note. This is therefore a different key than in MuseScore Studio or Dorico.
44	Numeric 2	Selects a sixteenth note. Use this value for fast figures or to rhythmically alter a selected note.
45	Numeric 5	Selects a half step. You can select the value before a brand new pitch or apply it to existing selected notes.
46	Numeric 6	Select an entire note. When entering the note, check whether the time signature and remaining note duration match the desired notation.
47	Numeric 0	Enter a rest with the selected value. For selected notes, you can use this key to create individual rests.
48	Numeric point	Turns the extension dot on or off in the first Keypad layout. For example, this allows you to turn a quarter note into a dotted quarter note.
49	Numeric Enter	Enables or disables a slur. Use this to connect consecutive notes of the same pitch.
50	A–G	Enters pitches during alphabetic note entry. Outside of input mode, these letters can also change the pitch of a selected note.
51	Ctrl + 3	Play a triplet. Use the 3 above the notes and first select the starting note with the appropriate note value.

Phrasing, keys, and occupancy

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
52	S	Creates a legato slur when selected. You can then extend the slur to the next notes by pressing the Spacebar.
53	H	Creates a crescendo sign. Select a passage in advance if the sign is to span a specific group of notes.
54	Shift + H	Creates a diminuendo sign. Use this to gradually decrease the dynamics over the desired passage.
55	Q	Opens the selection of musical clefs. This allows you to select, for example, a treble clef, a bass clef, or the appropriate clef change.
56	K	Opens the key signature selection. Use this to insert a brand new key signature at the selected position in the score.
57	T	Opens the time signature selection. Use this, for example, to specify a transition from 4/4 time to 3/4 time.
58	I	Opens the window for adding or removing instruments. Here you can manage the instrumentation and available instrumental parts for the score.

Chord names, lyrics, and performance instructions

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
59	Ctrl + K	Start entering a chord symbol. Suitable for chord names above a melody, piano part, or rhythm section.
60	Ctrl + L	Start with the first line of the lyrics. Select the starting note, then distribute the sung text across the appropriate notes.
61	Ctrl + E	Start with Expression text, the standard text style for dynamic instructions. Use the available musical symbols for correct typographic rendering.
62	Ctrl + T	Start Technique text. Suitable for playing instructions such as pizzicato or arco that apply to a specific instrumental part.
63	Ctrl + Alt + T	Start Tempo Text. This allows you to insert tempo markings that function as platform text within the musical structure of the score.
64	Ctrl + R	Adds a repeat sign. Use reference points to make repeat instructions clearer than simply referring to measure numbers.

Repeat, transpose, and listen

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
65	Ctrl + B	Adds a measure at the end of the score. Useful when you want to continue writing while composing.
66	R	Repeats selected music or objects. Use this for a recurring motif, and then change only the notes that differ.
67	X	Reverses the direction of selected elements, such as staves, beams, or triplets. Then check the readability within the voice leading.
68	Ctrl + ↑	Moves selected notes up one octave. This is useful for register corrections without having to re-enter the entire passage.
69	Ctrl + ↓	Move the selected notes down one octave. Then check whether the brand new pitch falls within the instrument’s range.
70	P	Start playback from the selected section. This allows you to check the passage you’re working on right away, without having to listen to the entire score.

Dorico: 30 keyboard shortcuts for music notation

Dorico uses an input cursor, also known as a caret. It shows where the next note will be placed. Many of the commands below are used in Write mode, where you compose and edit musical content.

For input examples, the order is note value first, then pitch. Dorico also supports a reverse input order. Check that setting if your keys are behaving differently than expected.

Note values and input modes

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
71	Shift + N	Start entering notes at the selected position. The input cursor appears and shows where brand new notes will be placed.
72	6	Select a quarter note. Then enter a pitch, or apply the value to the appropriate selected notes.
73	5	Selects an eighth note. During normal note entry, this duration remains active until you select a different value.
74	4	Selects a sixteenth note. Useful for fast passages and for precisely modifying existing rhythmic patterns.
75	7	Selects a half note. Dorico determines how the duration is notated based on the time signature and position.
76	8	Select an entire note. When entered in an inappropriate metric position, the notation may consist of tied notes.
77	A–G	Enters pitches according to international note names. Dorico takes the applicable key signature into account.
78	.	Enables or disables dotted note values. While entering notes, the dotted note setting remains active until you disable it again.
79	Space during note entry	Moves the input cursor forward by the selected note value. If a gap is created, Dorico can automatically display rests there.
80	Q	Turns chord mode on or off. The input cursor remains at the same rhythmic position during input, allowing you to stack chord tones.
81	I	Turns insert mode on or off. This allows existing music to be shifted rather than overwritten; check the set operating range.
82	L	Enables or disables Lock Duration during note entry. This allows you to change pitches while preserving the existing note values.
83	O	Enables or disables Force Duration. This allows you to control the explicit rhythmic notation when automatic splitting does not produce the desired result.
84	Shift + V	Creates a brand new voice on the current staff while entering notes. Suitable for independent melodic or rhythmic lines.
85	V	Switch between available voices on the staff while entering notes. Check the stem symbol next to the input cursor before continuing to write.

Change pitch, rhythmic position, and duration

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
86	Alt + ↑	Moves selected notes up one staff position. This is a diatonic shift; the interval is not always a half-step.
87	Alt + ↓	Moves selected notes down one staff position. Useful for melodic corrections where you want to move step by step within the notation.
88	Ctrl + Alt + ↑	Transposes selected notes up one octave. You retain the rhythmic structure and adjust the register of the passage.
89	Ctrl + Alt + ↓	Transposes selected notes one octave lower. When working with instrumental parts, check whether the brand new pitch is playable and clearly legible.
90	Alt + →	Rhythmically shifts selected notes or applicable objects to the right. The step size is determined by the active rhythmic grid.
91	Alt + ←	Rhythmically shifts selected notes or applicable objects to the left. Useful for bringing forward an entry without having to rewrite it.
92	Shift + Alt + →	Extends selected notes by one step of the rhythmic grid. The starting position remains the same while the end shifts.
93	Shift + Alt + ←	Shrink selected notes by one grid step. Choose an appropriate grid resolution in advance to avoid making changes that are too drastic.
94	Ctrl + Shift + Alt + →	Doubles the duration of selected notes. Dorico adjusts the displayed notation to the brand new duration and metrical position.

Using popovers and soft input

No.	Shortcut	What does this keyboard shortcut do?
95	Shift + D	Opens the popover for dynamics. Enter a supported dynamic marking and apply it to the selected rhythmic position.
96	Shift + O	Opens the popover for ornaments. This allows you to add supported ornaments without having to manually search for the corresponding symbol in a panel.
97	Shift + Q	Opens the popover for chord symbols. Type the chord name and confirm; this is a different function from entering chord notes with Q.
98	Shift + L	Opens the popover for lyrics at the selected note. This allows you to distribute the sung lyrics across the melody.
99	Esc	Ends note entry. Use this key before continuing with selection or commands intended for outside of input mode.
100	,	Enables or disables rest input during note entry. Use this mode when you want to explicitly enter rests with selected values.

How do you use these keyboard shortcuts while writing?

First, learn the notes associated with the type of music you usually write. For a monophonic melody, note entry, three common note values, rests, and slurs go a long way. In piano music, chord tones, octave shifts, and multiple voices quickly become more important.

Next, work through the familiar steps. First, write out the pitches and rhythms. Then add articulations, dynamics, and text. It’s best to save manual page breaks and platform breaks for when the musical content is largely finalized. After all, extra measures can render earlier formatting choices impractical.

• Check the selection: a single note, a chord, and a full range of measures can yield different results.
• Consider the input mode: in particular, insert mode, overtype mode, and quiet input affect what the next key does.
• Listen to short excerpts: sometimes you hear a rhythmic shift before you see it in a full score.
• Also evaluate the sheet music: a correctly notated passage must remain easy to read while playing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Keyboard Shortcuts for Music Notation

Are the keyboard shortcuts the same in MuseScore, Sibelius, and Dorico?

No. Some commands may look similar, but the note values, in particular, differ. Even the same letter can have a slightly different meaning: In MuseScore, “T” stands for a tied note, while in Sibelius, “T” opens the time signature selection. Therefore, always use the table specific to your own program.

What is the difference between a binding and a legacy arch?

A slur connects notes of the same pitch into a single sustained sound. A legato bow indicates a musical connection or articulation across multiple notes. The symbols look similar, but they serve different functions and therefore use different commands.

Do you need a numeric keypad?

You can use MuseScore Studio and Dorico with a standard keyboard for the note entry described. Sibelius makes extensive use of the numeric keypad in its default layout. Without that keypad, you can use a suitable laptop layout, but you’ll need to learn the corresponding keys.

Do these combinations also work on a Mac?

Many features are also available on macos, but don’t automatically assume Windows key combinations will work. MuseScore typically uses Command instead of Ctrl and Option instead of Alt. For Sibelius and Dorico, check the Mac key assignments, especially for special characters and numerical commands.

Why does text appear instead of a note?

The cursor is likely still in a text field, song lyrics, or pop-up. Close that input field and reselect the desired location in the score. Then activate your program’s note input mode before entering pitches using letters.

Key Insights

• This reference guide contains 100 keyboard shortcut entries: 40 for MuseScore Studio, 30 for Sibelius, and 30 for Dorico.
• Learn note values by program: a quarter note is 5, numerically 4, and 6, respectively.
• Always check the active selection, input mode, and any keypad layout.
• Use separate voices for independent rhythms on the same staff.
• Combine fast data entry with a final check of pronunciation, phrasing, and readability.