How to Create a Cue Staff

[Karen Smithson]

The manual tells me how to input notes on a cue staff but not how to create the cue staff itself. Can anyone assist me with this?

Karen
v. 25; Windows 10

[Peter Thomsen]

1) Normally cue notes are added to the instrument’s own staff, as small sized cue notes in the rest measure(s) before the instrument comes in.

No need to, manually input cue notes; you can copy the cue notes from the relevant instrument.

There is a plug-in for cue notes:
Plug-ins menu > Scoring and Arranging > Add Cue Notes…


2) However, you can add an extra staff for displaying cue notes.
You must add the extra staff to all the measures in the entire document, but you can hide the staff where you do not need it.
To hide a staff, use the Staff Tool.

To resize, use the Resize Tool (icon: %), and context-click what you need to resize.

[Michel R E]

for a cue staff (one that shows alternate performance options, for example):

add a staff to the score, resize only that staff to 75% (or 65% if you prefer a bit smaller).

add your notes where needed.
then hide the staff where it is not needed (you can select the page layout tool IIRC and then click to the left of the cue staff - in the margin - and using one of the two tiny handles on the left side of the staff, choose "hide empty staves" .)

you can even apply a staff style that hides part of a staff's worth of measures ("cutaway" staff style) if you want to avoid having a bunch of empty measures before or after a cue line.

[Karen Smithson]

Thank you for the responses. I think I understand and will begin working on it. One further question: do I add the cue staff to the score itself and then hide it, or do I add it just to the part alone? Thanks!

[Michel R E]

Thank you for the responses. I think I understand and will begin working on it. One further question: do I add the cue staff to the score itself and then hide it, or do I add it just to the part alone? Thanks!

To the score.
If this is what I think it is (an alternate line, as one sometimes finds in concerti) then it should also be present in the score.

You will hide the unused portions of this staff anyway, so it won't affect the rest of your score.
But when you come to make the part, you will have to include the cue staff along with that instrumental staff when creating the parts.

[motet]

To be precise, a "cue" is just that--something external to the part (another instrument or voice) that helps you come in at the right spot or play on the right beat. These should not be in the score, only the part. An alternate line that can be played instead is properly called an "ossia", and should be shown in the score.

[Karen Smithson]

Motet: Yes, a cue is what I'm talking about, not an ossia. The cues I am wanting to place are rhythm only, the sort that normally appear in a part above the music being played during sections of particular rhythmic difficulty. Do I understand correctly that I need to add a staff above the normal staff in the part only, and that this addition will not affect the score?

[motet]

You have to add the staff while viewing the score. Select your instrument's staff with the staff tool and pick "New blank staves" from the Staff menu--it will add a staff above the one you selected. Edit the staff attributes of this new staff and check "Force-hide staff in score only." Then go to Manage parts, edit the part definition for your part, and add the new staff to your part.

[Karen Smithson]

Thank you so much, motet! This was exactly the information I needed. I'll get to work!