Need a different way to compress Staff Systems

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GarryW
Posts: 59
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 9:13 am
Finale Version: 2014.5 and 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by GarryW » Tue Feb 05, 2019 10:49 am

The formatting of my current work is rather stylized: often I totally need to make some particular measures all land together in the same Staff System.

Finale anticipates this: "Begin A New Staff System" ("BANSS") is a good tool for stretching a prior System a little, and System Locks are an easy-to-use tool to define a System either way.

Unfortunately, System Locks are fragile: they don't survive cut-and-paste, for example. That leaves me looking for a different method for the compression situation. I've tried loading the "Tight Spacing.lib" library file; that makes things tight globally, then you use BANSS markings to define and stretch each system back out, as needed.

But... I find the results of always using Tight Spacing.lib to be a little funky in appearance, compared with using System Locks. And sometimes it just can't go tight enough for what I need.

Has anyone made a "Really Tight Spacing" library that's nice both when it's tight and when it's expanded?

Or, is there yet another way to control the contents of a Staff System? Especially the "compression" direction?

Thanks.


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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6601
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by Peter Thomsen » Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:34 am

What about using the Resize Tool, to make the music notation smaller?

When you are in the Resize Tool, you can context-click, and get a context menu with options such as
Resize Page…
Resize System…
Resize Staff…
Resize Note or Rest…
Resize Notehead…
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

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N Grossingink
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Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2016 2:50 pm
Finale Version: 27.3
Operating System: Mac

Post by N Grossingink » Tue Feb 05, 2019 4:41 pm

I'd suggest you modify your way of working in Finale. First of all, don't try to lay out your file until you're completely done with inputting, copying and pasting, and inserting measures. Leave the layout unlocked so that Finale can space the music properly on its own. Once all of the entry is done, lock the systems and proceed to lay out each page.

When you talk about compression, I assume you want to tighten up the music spacing to get more music on each system. In Finale's library files, there are Music Spacing libraries. Try loading the Medium Spacing library and respace the music (system locks off). If you want tighter spacing, try the Tight Spacing library.

I don't see how using "Begin A New Staff System" can possibly help you space and lay out a file. It's meant only for those rare occasions when you want to force a system break at a particular location. Usually music spacing is all that's needed to produce a good layout.

N.
N. Grossingink
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