Table of Contents
Create arrangements for guitar with MuseScore
To avoid mistakes and a lot of work to create guitar arrangements of piano works from scratch the following method can be used, to make it easier and quicker to create guitar arrangements of piano works.
The source
Take a (correct) version of the piano work for which you want to create a guitar arrangement.
Convert the piano score to a score with one stave
Select all notes, see which voices are used in both staves.
Only voice 1 is used in both staves
- Select all notes of the lower stave
- Tools, Voices, Exchange Voice 1-2
- Select all notes of the upper stave
- Copy them
- Paste them in the lower staff
Only voice 1 and 2 is used in the upper stave and voice 1 in the lower stave.
- Select all notes of the lower stave
- Tools, Voices, Exchange Voice 1-3
- Select all notes of the upper stave
- Copy them
- Paste them in the lower staff
Only voice 1 is used in the upper stave and voice 1 and 2 in the lower stave.
- Select all notes of the lower stave
- Tools, Voices, Exchange Voice 1-2
- Tools, Voices, Exchange Voice 2-3
- Select all notes of the upper stave
- Copy them
- Paste them in the lower staff
Only voice 1 and 2 are used in the upper stave and voice 1 in the lower stave.
- Select all notes of the lower stave
- Tools, Voices, Exchange Voice 1-3
- Select all notes of the upper stave
- Copy them
- Paste them in the lower staff
Voice 1 and 2 are used in both staves.
- Select all notes of the lower stave
- Tools, Voices, Exchange Voice 1-3
- Tools, Voices, Exchange Voice 2-4
- Select all notes of the upper stave
- Copy them
- Paste them in the lower staff
Another combination of voices is used in both staves.
Try to adapt the score in such a way that you can use one of the methods above.
Adapt the instrument
- Right click in the first measure of the work
- Stave/Part Properties
- Change Instrument, Strings - Plucked, Classical Guitar
- Press OK
- Press OK (again)
Adapt the clef(s)
Sometimes there are clef changes within the score, if so:
- Select a clef, Right mouse click, Select All Similar Elements, Delete
- Select the first clef, Change to Treble clef 8va bassa
Optional adaptions
Add linked tablature
To make it easier to see if the music is playable, add tablature (possibly only temporary):
- Edit, Instruments
- Select Stave:1, Add Linked Stave
- Select the second stave, change Stave type from Standard to any of Tab. 6-str. (simple, common, full)
- Press OK
Adapt the score properties:
- File, Score Properties
- Adapt as desired
Adjust the layout
Adjust the layout if necessary:
- Format, Style, Reset All Styles to Default
- Format, Stretch, Reset Layout Stretch
- Format, Reset Text Style Overrides
- Format, Page Settings, Reset All Page Settings to Default, Apply, OK
To remove (System, Page) Breaks, Stave spacers and so on:
- View, Show Unprintable, enable it (if it is not enabled)
- Select a (System. Page) Break or Stave spacer
- Right click, Select, All Similar Elements, Delete
Adaption of the score to make it playable on guitar
Take a look at the staff notation
Take a look especially at the highest and lowest notes.
The usable pitch range is from E2 (lowest note on the sixth string) to B5 (highest position on the first string).
MuseScore optionally colors notes red if they are outside the range of a "Professional" player, and olive green/dark yellow if outside the range of an "Amateur."
Take a look at the tablature
See if all positions are within a range of four (if possible to play, five) consecutive frets,
at the highest positions within a range of five (if possible to play, six) consecutive frets.
Adaptions for playability
Adapt positions in the tablature
It might be possible to use open strings in combination with (the) other notes on other strings at higher positions.
Harmonics
For (very) high notes you could possibly use (artificial) harmonics.
Artificial harmonics can usually only be played in combination with one other note.
Use only the lowest note and remove other notes.
Transpose by interval
If the original notes (of parts of the score) are unplayable on a guitar, see if it is possible to transpose (parts of) the score by an interval of a perfect octave.
Transpose to another key
See if there is a key in which it might be easier to play, possibly in combination the solutions mentioned above.
Use another tuning of the guitar
Most used is lowering the lowest string from E2 to D2.