music-score/docs/musicxml-spec/elements/defaults.md

---

source: https://www.w3.org/2021/06/musicxml40/musicxml-reference/elements/defaults/

downloaded: 2026-01-30T08:40:23.151Z

The element | MusicXML 4.0

MusicXML 4.0 >

MusicXML reference >
Elements >
defaults

The element

Parent elements:

    <score-partwise>, 

    <score-timewise>

The element specifies score-wide defaults for scaling; whether or not the file is a concert score; layout; and default values for the music font, word font, lyric font, and lyric language. Except for the element, if any defaults are missing, the choice of what to use is determined by the application.

Content

In this order

• (Optional)
• (Optional)

• In this order

          <page-layout> (Optional)
  
  
  
  
  
          <system-layout> (Optional)
  
  
  
  
  
          <staff-layout> (Zero or more times)
  

• (Optional)

• (Optional)

• (Zero or more times)

• (Optional)

• (Optional)

• (Optional)

• (Zero or more times)

• (Zero or more times)

Attributes

None.

Examples

This element is used in the following examples:

and , , , Tutorial: Après un rêve, Tutorial: Chopin Prelude, Tutorial: Chord Symbols, Tutorial: Percussion, Tutorial: Tablature