score-generate

name	score-generate
description	Generate music scores as MusicXML using music21 Python scripts. Use when the user says "create a score", "generate a chart", "write a lead sheet", "make an arrangement", "write out parts", or describes a musical piece to notate. Do NOT use for live MuseScore manipulation (use the mcp-score MCP bridge tools).
allowed-tools	["Bash","Write","Read"]
metadata	{"author":"tskovlund","version":"1.3"}

Score Generation

Generate music scores by writing and executing music21 Python scripts that export MusicXML.

Instructions

1. Understand the request — identify: instrumentation, key, time signature, tempo, form/structure, chord progressions, specific notation elements.
2. Gather missing metadata — if the user hasn't specified title, composer, arranger, or other relevant details, ask them before generating. Only skip asking if the user explicitly says to use defaults or not to ask. Relevant metadata includes:
   • Title (required — ask if not provided)
   • Composer (ask if not provided)
   • Arranger (ask if applicable, e.g. arrangements, charts)
   • Subtitle (ask if the piece has a descriptive subtitle, genre, or dedication)
   • Copyright (ask if the user wants a copyright notice)
3. Write a complete Python script using music21 that builds the entire score. Save to /tmp/generate_score.py.
4. Execute the script:

   mcp-score run /tmp/generate_score.py
   

5. Report the output file path. The user opens it in MuseScore.

Default output location: ~/Desktop/<Title>.musicxml

Critical Conventions

Flat and Sharp Notation

music21 uses - for flats in note names, key names, and chord symbol roots. This is the most common source of bugs:

# WRONG — "Bb7" is parsed as B root with a b7 alteration, NOT Bb dominant 7th
harmony.ChordSymbol("Bb7")   # B major + flat-7 — wrong!

# CORRECT — use '-' for flats in the root
harmony.ChordSymbol("B-7")   # Bb dominant 7th
harmony.ChordSymbol("E-7")   # Eb dominant 7th
harmony.ChordSymbol("A-maj7") # Ab major 7th
harmony.ChordSymbol("D-9")   # Db dominant 9th

# Sharps use '#' as expected in roots
harmony.ChordSymbol("F#m7")  # F# minor 7th
harmony.ChordSymbol("C#7")   # C# dominant 7th

# In extensions/alterations, 'b' and '#' work normally
harmony.ChordSymbol("Cm7b5")    # C half-diminished
harmony.ChordSymbol("Cmaj7#11") # C major 7 sharp 11
harmony.ChordSymbol("G7b9")     # G dominant 7 flat 9
harmony.ChordSymbol("C7#5")     # C augmented dominant 7

Rule: - for flats in the root/bass only. b/# for alterations in extensions.

The same - convention applies to note names and keys:

note.Note("B-4")    # Bb4
key.Key("B-")       # Bb major
key.Key("e-")       # Eb minor (lowercase = minor)
key.Key("F#")       # F# major
key.Key("f#")       # F# minor

Chord Repetition

When the same chord spans multiple consecutive bars, do NOT notate it every bar:

• Notate at every chord change — always.
• Re-notate at section boundaries — rehearsal marks, repeat signs.
• Re-notate at contextually appropriate intervals — choose an interval that divides the phrase length evenly. For an 8- or 16-bar phrase, every 4 bars. For a 9-bar phrase, every 3 bars. For a 6-bar phrase, every 3 or 2 bars. The goal is orientation, not clutter.
• Never write the same chord on consecutive bars unless it's a section boundary.

Example — 12-bar blues in Bb, each | is a bar:

Bb7 |    |    |    | Eb7 |    | Bb7 |    | F7  | Eb7 | Bb7 | F7

Chord symbols appear on bars 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 — NOT every bar.

Score Metadata

Always set title and any provided metadata using metadata.Metadata:

from music21 import metadata

score.metadata = metadata.Metadata()
score.metadata.title = "Score Title"
score.metadata.composer = "Composer Name"       # if provided
score.metadata.movementName = "Subtitle Here"   # subtitle (shows below title in MusicXML)

# Arranger and copyright are set via Contributor and Copyright objects:
from music21 import metadata as md
score.metadata.addContributor(md.Contributor(role="arranger", name="Arranger Name"))
score.metadata.copyright = md.Copyright("© 2026 Author Name")

Barlines Including Repeats

from music21 import bar

# Repeat signs — use bar.Repeat, NOT bar.Barline
measure.leftBarline = bar.Repeat(direction='start')
measure.rightBarline = bar.Repeat(direction='end')

# Standard barlines
measure.rightBarline = bar.Barline('double')
measure.rightBarline = bar.Barline('final')

1st/2nd Endings (Volta Brackets)

Use spanner.RepeatBracket for volta brackets. Spanners must be appended to the Part, not the Measure.

from music21 import spanner

# After building all measures and adding parts to score:
for part in score.parts:
    m_first = part.measure(15)   # 1st ending measure
    m_second = part.measure(16)  # 2nd ending measure
    part.append(spanner.RepeatBracket(m_first, number=1))
    part.append(spanner.RepeatBracket(m_second, number=2))

Volta brackets work with repeat barlines:

• The last measure of the 1st ending gets rightBarline = bar.Repeat(direction='end') (player repeats back)
• The last measure of the 2nd ending gets a regular barline (player continues)

For multi-measure endings, pass a list of measures:

part.append(spanner.RepeatBracket([m13, m14, m15], number=1))

Important: Add volta brackets to all parts, not just the first part. Standard MusicXML — works in MuseScore, Dorico, and Sibelius.

Multi-Part Scores

Each part needs its own key signature and time signature on measure 1:

for part in all_parts:
    first_measure = part.measure(1)
    first_measure.insert(0.0, key.Key("B-"))
    first_measure.insert(0.0, meter.TimeSignature("4/4"))

Tempo marks and rehearsal marks go on the first part only — they apply to the full score.

Transposing Instruments

music21 handles transposition automatically when using the correct instrument class. A Trumpet() is in Bb — music21 will write concert pitch internally and produce the correct transposed part in MusicXML. Write notes at concert pitch in the script.

For the full instrument list with transposition details, read: references/instruments.md (relative to this skill directory).

Score Building Template

See references/template.py for a complete, runnable template. Key patterns:

• Create score with stream.Score(), set metadata
• Create parts with stream.Part(), assign instrument classes
• Build measures in a loop, inserting key/time sig on measure 1
• Add chords via helper: part.measure(n).insert(offset, harmony.ChordSymbol(...))
• Add rehearsal marks: part.measure(n).insert(0.0, expressions.RehearsalMark(...))
• Export: score.write("musicxml", fp=output_path)

Examples

"Write me a 12-bar blues lead sheet in Bb"

Script creates:

• Single part (Piano or lead instrument)
• Key: B- major, Time: 4/4, Tempo: ~120 BPM
• 12 measures with whole rests
• Chord symbols at change points only: B-7 (m1), E-7 (m5), B-7 (m7), F7 (m9), E-7 (m10), B-7 (m11), F7 (m12)
• Final barline on m12
• Export to ~/Desktop/Blues in Bb.musicxml

"Create a big band chart — 32-bar AABA, Bb major, slow blues at 66 BPM"

Script creates:

• 17 parts: Alto Sax 1-2, Tenor Sax 1-2, Bari Sax, Trumpet 1-4, Trombone 1-3, Bass Trombone, Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums
• Uses correct instrument classes (AltoSaxophone, TenorSaxophone, etc.)
• Key/time signature on every part's first measure
• Rehearsal marks: A (m1), A2 (m9), B (m17), A3 (m25)
• Chord symbols on first part only, at change points
• Double barlines at section boundaries
• Repeat signs where the chart calls for them
• Tempo: MetronomeMark(number=66, text="Slow Blues")
• Export to ~/Desktop/Big Band Chart.musicxml

Troubleshooting

Flat chords showing wrong extension (e.g. B(b7) instead of Bb7) Cause: Using "Bb7" instead of "B-7". Fix: always use - for flats in roots.

Title not showing in MuseScore Cause: Metadata not set properly. Fix: use metadata.Metadata() directly.

Subtitle or arranger not showing in MuseScore Cause: music21 correctly exports <movement-title> and <creator type="arranger"> in the MusicXML, but MuseScore 4 doesn't display them visually. This is a known MuseScore limitation — it expects <credit> elements for visual layout, which music21 doesn't generate from metadata. The data is in the file; the user can add subtitle/arranger text manually in MuseScore after import. Dorico and Sibelius may handle these fields better.

Repeat barlines not appearing Cause: Using bar.Barline('repeat-start'). Fix: use bar.Repeat(direction='start').

music21 not found Cause: Wrong Python. Fix: use mcp-score run which uses the bundled interpreter.

Notes sound wrong for transposing instruments Cause: Writing transposed pitch instead of concert pitch. Fix: always write concert pitch — music21 transposes automatically based on the instrument class.