MSCZ to PDF: two ways to print a MuseScore score
to turn an MSCZ file into a PDF, open the score in MuseScore Studio and choose File, then Export, then PDF. if you can't install MuseScore, open the MSCZ file in a browser-based notation editor such as notei and export the PDF there. both give you sheet music that prints exactly as it looks on screen.
- MuseScore Studio is free and exports PDF on its own, but it is a desktop install.
- notei runs in the browser. its free plan exports PDF with a watermark, and notei+ ($9 a month) and full score ($18 a month) export clean PDFs.
- a PDF is for reading and printing. to keep editing the music somewhere else, export MusicXML instead.
which route should you use?
use MuseScore Studio when you have a computer you can install software on and need the PDF once, because its PDF export is free. use notei when you are on a shared, school or managed computer, or want to keep editing the score in a browser after the PDF is made.
| MuseScore Studio | notei in the browser | |
|---|---|---|
| install needed | yes, on Windows, macOS or Linux | no, it runs in a browser tab |
| works on a Chromebook | no ChromeOS build is listed | yes |
| cost of a clean PDF | free | notei+ or full score; the free plan adds a watermark |
| change the music first | yes, full editing | yes, full editing, with an assistant that answers questions about the score |
| other exports | MusicXML, MIDI, MEI, PNG, SVG and audio | MusicXML and MIDI on every plan, WAV audio on the paid plans |
export a PDF from MuseScore Studio
- open the .mscz file in MuseScore Studio.
- choose File, then Export.
- pick PDF as the format.
- tick the score, the parts, or both. MuseScore can put every part in one file or save each part separately.
- choose Export, then pick where to save it.
export a PDF from notei
- go to app.notei.co and sign in, or make a free account.
- open the .mscz file. it becomes an editable notei score.
- play it back once and fix anything the import changed. ties, tuplets and the tempo marking are the usual suspects.
- export it as PDF. on the free plan the PDF carries a notei watermark.
before you print
- page size. letter and A4 are different heights, and a score laid out for one can look cramped or loose on the other. pick the size your printer uses before you export.
- page turns. look at where each page ends. a player needs a rest, or at least a long note, near the bottom right of a page to turn it.
- transposed parts. a B♭ trumpet or E♭ alto sax player reads a different key from the concert score. check that each part is printed in the key that player reads; the transposer shows which key that is.
- the right to copy. converting a file does not change who owns the music. print and share scores you wrote, scores in the public domain, or scores you have permission to copy.
common questions about MSCZ to PDF
is there a free MSCZ to PDF converter?
MuseScore Studio converts MSCZ to PDF for free, as part of its normal File, Export menu. notei also exports PDF on its free plan, with a watermark, and it works in a browser without installing anything. both are free to try.
can I convert MSCZ to PDF without installing anything?
yes. open the MSCZ file in a browser-based notation editor that imports MuseScore files, such as notei, and export PDF from there. you need a free account so the score has somewhere to be saved.
why does my PDF have a watermark?
PDFs exported on notei's free plan carry a notei watermark. notei+ and full score export the same PDF without it, and students pay half price on both. MuseScore Studio's own PDF export is free.
should I send a PDF or the MSCZ file?
send a PDF when the other person only needs to read or print the music. send the MSCZ file, or better a MusicXML export, when they need to change it, because a PDF cannot be edited as music.
sources
- MuseScore Studio handbook: file export (File, Export, PDF, and exporting parts)
- MuseScore Studio handbook: opening and saving scores (the native .mscz format)
- MuseScore Studio download page (supported systems)
this page is part of the how to write sheet music guide series. notei publishes it, and notei is our product. related: how to open an MSCZ file online, notei vs MuseScore and notei pricing.
written and checked by the notei team. how these guides are written and corrected.