

The pitch content of the staves and associated text can also be a factor. ★ Determining the ideal spacing between staves is generally a balance between the number of staves, the staff size and the page size. The widest space should be above the strings: this will help to accommodate a high 1st Violin line, as well as the tempo indications and rehearsal marks that go above this section.” * * The space between orchestral sections appears, in any case to be greater than the space between the staves within the section, since barlines do not run through this space. ★ “In an orchestral score, it is helpful to add slightly to the space separating instrumental sections. If a staff not normally visible in the score is made to be visible (such as might be required by a complex string divisi requiring two staves), a small decrease in spacing between all of the staves while maintaining the top and bottom margin is preferable.

★ Perceptually, it is best for the top and bottom staff locations to remain at a consistent vertical location relative to the margins across all pages, unless extreme cases (such as a half page required to facilitate a page turn in a part) prohibit this. of each system) typically begins at a fixed point below the top page margin (keeping in mind such things as page headers and rehearsal marks and ledger lines appearing in the top staff), and the bottom staff typically extends to a fixed point just above the bottom page margin for similar clearances.Ĭommercial scores frequently have bar numbers appearing in every bar under the Contrabass, and if so, this will affect the amount of white space between the bottom staff and the page margin. Fortunately, Finale offers some great tools for this purpose.įirst, some general guidelines in common practice:
#FINALE PRINTMUSIC SWING FULL#
With orchestral scores, one system very often represents a full page of music, and so in this case, we want to adjust the vertical positioning between the staves themselves, rather than the distance between systems to create the proper look. Is there something like the Space Systems evenly tool, but for staves within a system? Finale’s leaving a big margin on the bottom! Thanks! Q: I’m working on an orchestral score in Finale, and I’m having some trouble with the vertical staff spacing.
