Creating multiple staves within a few bars.

[New Finalist]

I just can't find a way to change the stave proporties within a few certain bars of the whole chart. Example: I'm doing a normal chord chart with one stave, but at a point there's this short part where I need to split it into two staves and then return again to one stave shortly after. Furthermore I want one of the two staves to be a one line stave for percussion.

Can anybody s(t)ave me?

[Peter Thomsen]

Does the number of staves change at a system break, or mid-system?
That's two different problems, with two different solutions.

Changing the number of staves at a system break, is a matter of optimization.

Changing the number of staves mid-system, is a matter of hiding staves, with a staff style.
This is often called a Cut-away Score.


A. Optimization:

1. Add the extra staves to the whole document.
Enter the notes you need on the extra staves.

2. Optimize the empty measures away (Page Layout Tool) in the systems where you don't need them.


B. Cut-away Score:

1. Define a new staff style (Staff Tool, Staff menu) that hides the staff.

2. Apply the new staff style to the measures/staves you want to hide.

NB:
If your document was created from the Default File, it contains a ready made staff style for hiding staves (with metatool trigger: the letter H key).
Just select the measures/staves you want to hide, and hit the letter H key.


C. 1-line staff:

1. Staff Tool.
Double-click the staff.
The dialog box Staff Attributes appears.

2. In the pop up menu Staff, choose "1-line with Full Barline" or "1-line with Short Barline".

NB:
You can also do this with a staff style.
The dialog box Staff Styles is very much similar to the dialog box Staff Attributes.
By using a Staff Style instead, you can have different staff styles in different regions, e. g. 1-line style in Measure 17-19, and Standard 5-line style in Measure 29-31.


Peter

[New Finalist]

Pardon my learnlessness
Okay. here's the deal. It's a single stave chord chart all the way until measure 50 to 58 where I need to change it to a piano score treble/bass stave system, because there is a seperat bass line and melody, and then at measure 59 the score sould return to a single stave system.
I got to the point where I could hide certain bars, which leave a light blue area where the bars used to be and a blue line above it. When I apply a staff style it just adds another blue line, but I can't get them back as real bars/staves.
So despite the good tips you gave me I can't really make it happen yet. In another chart I need to do the same, only with one of the two staves being a one-line stave, but that I think I've got covered from your third tip.
Would you mind just giving me a bit more advice.
I'm staving for some help!
(PS. I'm using Finale 2004 on Mac)

[at8ax]

You need to have all the staffs present throughout the piece, but then make them go away when you don't need the extras (most of the time). Read up on optimization in the manual.

[Peter Thomsen]

...It's a single stave chord chart all the way until measure 50 to 58 where I need to change it to a piano score treble/bass stave system, because there is a seperat bass line and melody, and then at measure 59 the score sould return to a single stave system...

1. To get a piano score, you probably also want to create a staff group of the two staves, with a curly piano brace at the left end of each system.
To do so, switch to Staff Tool, select the two staves, and go to
Staff menu > Add Group and Bracket...
The dialog box Group Attributes contains all the options you might want.
(You can customize the curvature of the curly brace in
Document Options > Piano Braces and Brackets)
Note that you can select or deselect the option "Show Bracket If Group Contains Only One Staff".
You probably want to deselect it, so that the brace only appears in the systems where you haven't optimized a staff away.
NB:
You should create the staff group before you optimize.
Generally optimization should be the last thing you do to the layout.
If you, after optimization, find out that you need layout changes, you usually have to remove optimization first, then change layout, and optimize again.

...I got to the point where I could hide certain bars, which leave a light blue area where the bars used to be and a blue line above it. When I apply a staff style it just adds another blue line, but I can't get them back as real bars/staves...

2. It doesn't sound like you're using optimization?
Optimization is done with the Page Layout Tool.
Look at
Page Layout menu > Optimize Staff Systems...
Optimization shouldn't "leave a light blue area where the bars used to be and a blue line above it", but rather display at the right end of the system an "optimization icon" that shows one of the "secret" features of optimization:
When a system is optimized, you can go to the Staff Tool, and adjust staff spacing individually, on a "system by system" basis.

3. When you apply a staff style, you should only select the region where you want the staff style.
An example:
Suppose that the last system of two staves contains the measures 57 to 60.
Then you should select (from Staff Tool) the measures 59 and 60 in the staff you want to hide, and apply the "Hide Staff" staff style, by
- hitting the letter H key
or
- context-clicking* the selected region, and choosing the staff style in the context menu
or
- via Staff menu > Apply Staff Style...
When you have applied the staff style, you should see a blue line above the selected region.


Peter

*) Win: right-click ; Mac: ctrl-click