File syntax

A complete file contains a version header, a score, optional settings, and music. This example is two bars for flute: four quarter notes, then a half note and a half rest.

scorescript 0.3
score "First melody" {
  composer "A. Writer"
  arranger "A. Arranger"
  meter 4/4
  key C
  tempo 96
  parts { flute }
  flute { m1-2 { 4C5 D E F | 2G 2r } }
}

Generated notation

Canonical spelling

scorescript 0.3
score "First melody" {
  composer "A. Writer"
  arranger "A. Arranger"

  meter 4/4
  key C
  tempo 96

  parts {
    flute
  }

  flute {
    m1-2 {
      4C5 D E F | 2G r
    }
  }
}

File components

scorescript 0.3 identifies the language version. score "First melody" names the work; its braces contain the settings and music. composer and arranger are optional printed credits. Quote names containing spaces.

meter 4/4 gives each measure four quarter-note beats. key C sets the key signature. tempo 96 sets a quarter-note metronome speed of 96. parts { flute } declares the instrument. flute { ... } contains its music; m1-2 { ... } addresses measures 1–2, and | separates the two bars.

Read 4C5 as three pieces: 4 is a quarter note, C is the pitch, and 5 is the octave. D E F retain the quarter-note duration. They choose nearby pitches in the same melodic line. 2G is a half note; 2r is a half rest. The opening octave anchors the phrase; later notes follow relative contour.

Marks and bare music

Parenthesized marks attach to a note. A musical fragment can omit the file wrapper when no instrument or non-default setting is needed:

4C5(p) D E F | 2G(mf) 2r

Generated notation

Canonical spelling

4C5(p) D E F | 2G(mf) r

(p) is piano and (mf) is mezzo-forte. The barline separates two measures. This shorter example is a fragment with the default 4/4 meter.

Comments

Comments start with // and continue to the end of that physical line. They explain the source without adding music or printed performance text. Use a quoted musical text mark when the player should see words.

// This comment is not printed on the staff.
4C5 D E F

Generated notation

Canonical spelling

// This comment is not printed on the staff.
4C5 D E F

File operations

To use the complete example, save it as first-melody.scorescript and open it in a ScoreScript editor, or use the CLI:

scorescript check first-melody.scorescript
scorescript format first-melody.scorescript --write
scorescript pdf first-melody.scorescript -o first-melody.pdf

Formatting may replace explicit measure lines with compact measure ranges. See parts and measures, pitch, and rhythm for the individual rules. Copying or downloading source is optional; the example and its notation describe the result directly.