How to add repeats and first and second endings in MuseScore Studio
Once a score starts repeating sections, it is really worth getting the repeat signs and endings set up properly.
This is one of those jobs that can look more complicated than it really is. The good news is that MuseScore Studio already has the tools ready for it. Start and end repeat barlines are found in the Repeats & jumps and Barlines palettes, and first and second endings are added as voltas from the Repeats & jumps palette.
What this does
Adding repeats and endings helps you show a repeated section clearly without writing the same music out twice.
In MuseScore Studio, that usually means:
- Adding a start repeat barline
- Adding an end repeat barline
- Adding a first ending
- Adding a second ending
Making the playback and the printed score easier to follow
The important thing to understand is that the repeat barlines and the endings work together. The repeat signs tell MuseScore where the repeated section starts and ends, and the volta endings tell it which bars belong to the first pass and which belong to the second.
The simplest way to add a basic repeat
If you are brand new to this, start with the simplest case first.
1. Add the end repeat barline
Go to the bar where the repeated section should finish.
Then open the Repeats & jumps palette or the Barlines palette and add the end repeat barline to that measure. MuseScore uses the end repeat barline to mark the end of the repeated section.
2. Add the start repeat barline if needed
If the repeated section begins somewhere other than the very start of the piece, go to that measure and add a start repeat barline.
If the repeated section begins at the very start of the piece, you do not need a start repeat barline there.
That is the basic idea:
Put the start repeat at the beginning of the repeated section, and the end repeat at the end.
How to add a first ending
Once the repeat signs are in place, you can add the first ending.
1. Make sure the repeat barlines are already correct
This matters because the ending sits on top of the repeated structure. It makes much more sense once the repeat signs are already in the right places.
2. Select the measure where the ending should begin
Left-click the first measure of the first ending.
3. Add the first ending
Go to the Repeats & jumps palette and add the appropriate volta marking for the first ending.
You can either select the measure and click the volta in the palette, or drag the volta onto the measure.
How to add a second ending
The second ending is added in much the same way.
1. Select the first measure of the second ending
Left-click the measure where the second ending should begin.
2. Add the second ending
Go to the Repeats & jumps palette and add the correct volta for the second ending. As with the first ending, you can click it from the palette or drag it onto the measure.
How to change the span of the ending
Sometimes MuseScore gets the basic ending in place, but you still need to adjust how many bars it covers.
If that happens, select the volta and adjust the range it covers using its handles. Voltas are line objects, so they can be extended or shortened to match the correct stretch of music.
This is worth checking every time, because even if the sign is technically there, it still needs to cover the right bars to make sense on the page.
Where these tools are found
If you lose track of where things are, here is the simple version.
You will mainly be working with:
- The Repeats & jumps palette, for repeat signs and endings
- The Barlines palette, for repeat barlines
- The score itself, where you select the measure
- The Properties panel, if you want to adjust playback behaviour later
So if the written instructions mention Repeats & jumps, that is the palette where MuseScore keeps repeat signs, voltas, and related navigation items.
A very simple first exercise
If you want to get comfortable with repeats and endings without overthinking it, try this:
- Create a short eight-bar phrase
- Add a start repeat barline at bar 1 or later if needed
- Add an end repeat barline at the end of the repeated section
- Add a first ending over one bar
- Add a second ending over the next bar
That is a good little test because it helps you see the whole structure in one go rather than trying to learn each piece separately.
How to control playback of first and second endings
This is a really useful thing to know.
If a volta is selected, you can go to the Properties panel and change the Repeat list value. That tells MuseScore which pass or passes that ending should play on. For example, a value of 1 means that ending is played only the first time, while 2 means it is played only the second time.
That makes it much easier to fix playback if the printed score looks right but MuseScore is not taking the right route through the endings.
A useful thing to know about play count
By default, a repeated section is usually played twice.
If you want to change how many times a repeated section plays, select the end repeat barline, open the Propertiespanel, and change the Play count value. MuseScore will then use that count in playback, and it can also show a text indication above the barline.
One common beginner mistake
A very common mistake is adding the first and second endings before the repeat barlines are in the right place.
If the repeat structure itself is wrong, the endings will never quite make sense. So the best order is:
- Place the repeat barlines first
- Then add the endings on top
- That saves a lot of confusion.
Another common beginner mistake
Another common mistake is forgetting to check the playback settings of the volta.
Sometimes the notation looks fine on the page, but MuseScore plays the ending on the wrong pass. If that happens, select the volta and check the Repeat list in Properties. That is often where the real issue is.
Final tip
For your first few minutes with repeats and endings, keep it simple.
Try one short repeated section with:
- One start repeat
- One end repeat
- A first ending over one bar
- A second ending over the next bar
Then play it back and make sure MuseScore takes the right route through the music.
Once that clicks, repeats and endings stop feeling fiddly and start feeling like one of the neatest ways to keep a score clear and compact.
Next steps
When you’re ready, head back to the How-To hub to jump to the next lesson.
If anything in this lesson trips you up, pop a comment in the forum thread and I’ll help you sort it.