<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Laying out Pages of a Part |
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Composer offers you convenient options for controlling how a part or score is separated into pages, and how each page is separated into systems (lines of measures). On each page, you can control the spacing between staves and between systems. You can also stretch or compress the horizontal spacing of individual measures within systems. All of these options are available in Page Layout View.
TIP: To get the best print-ready version of your score, save the Layout steps til last!
When you're done with all the other aspects of editing your score (notes, lyrics, etc.), then go ahead.
To enter Page Layout View:
1. | If the palettes are not already shown, turn on the check marks for Show Main Palette and Show Detail Palette in the View menu. |
2. | Click the Layout tab in the main palette. |
3. | Click the Page Layout View ![]() |
-- OR --
Type SHIFT+P. If this takes you to the Page Text Palette instead, type SHIFT+P a second time to go to the Page Layout Palette.
Composer will display the Page Layout palette:
The various options in the Page Layout palette are summarized here:
Composer will also display the score in Page Layout View, as shown below. The score will turn gray, and red "handles" (boxes for dragging staves and barlines) might be displayed.
To move systems, staves, and barlines using the Page Layout handles:
1. | Click the Move Barlines and Staves ![]() |
2. | Follow the instructions in Changing Vertical Spacing Between Systems and Staves and Moving Barlines Within a System. |
To specify a fixed number of bars per line:
![]() | Click the Fix Number of Bars Per Line ![]() |
To insert a system break or page break:
![]() | Click the System Break ![]() ![]() |
To move a measure at the beginning of one system to the end of the previous system:
![]() | Click the Keep Measure With Previous ![]() |
To move a system at the top of one page to the bottom of the previous page:
![]() | Click the Keep System With Previous ![]() |
To restore a page, or all pages of a score part, to the default pagination:
![]() | Click the Default Pagination ![]() |
To increase or decrease the overall font size:
![]() | Click the Increase Font Size ![]() ![]() |
To compress or expand the overall horizontal spacing of notes and measures:
![]() | Click the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
To freeze all of the line breaks and system breaks in a part or conductor's score:
![]() | Click the Freeze All Page and Line Breaks ![]() |
To increase or decrease the default vertical spacing between staves and systems:
![]() | In the Part menu, choose the Font Size and Spacing command. Use the Vertical Spacing option in the Font Size and Spacing dialog box. |