a cheat sheet for sibelius (music notation software for creating transcriptions)
Sibelius, from Avid, is a comprehensive music notation tool. With so many customizable features and endless menus of options, it can be challenging to get started quickly. Below are my favorite shortcuts for quickly inputting a score and formatting it for my transcriptions.
Note Input
- A through G will input their corresponding notes on the staff.
- 1 through 8 will input the corresponding interval to whatever is already selected.
- Number adds an interval above the selected note
- ⇧ Shift+ Number adds the interval below
- ⌘ Command + ↑/↓ = move note by an octave
- to input a triplet, select a beat and press ⌘ Command + 3 (you can use any number for the corresponding tuplet)
- ⌥ Option + click inputs a note on the staff with selected notes duration (must have a note already selected)
- ⌫ Delete turns a note to a rest or makes a rest invisible
Playback
- Y sets playback position to your selection
- press Space to start and pause playback
- press ⌥ Option + Space to play from the last starting position
- [ or ] will move your playhead left or right
- ⌘ Command + [ or ] will jump to beginning or end of the score
Selection
- esc deselects/unloads the cursor
- duplicate a selection with R
Voices
- ⌥ Option + 1 through 4 = Change voice of selection
- ⇧ Shift + V = Swaps voices of selected passage
- X flips note stem
Score
- ⌘ Command + B = add a bar
- ⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift + H = Toggle hidden items
- ⇥ Tab = select the first rest in the score
- ⌘ Command + ⌥ Option + K = Show Keypad
- ⌘ Command + L will reveal a cursor for you to input your lyrics
- select a barline and press enter to create a system break (stretches the current system's music to the end of the current line, and starts the next bar on the next line)
helpful links
Avid - G7Hints&Tips_Shortcuts.pdf A Level Music - Sibelius Shortcuts
workflow tips
- You can add your name or any other footer content to the bottom of every page by right clicking anywhere and then navigating the menu to: Text > Other System Text. You'll find a bunch of other cool auto-placement text tools here, such as header or copyright banners.
- When inputting text for lyrics, the space bar will transition you from note to note. If your word spans multiple notes, you can separate the syllables using -.
- After adding a Guitar Tab instrument, you can copy your music notation staff directly to the tab system.
Published on: March 5, 2024
Edited on: May 24, 2024