Laying out Pages of a Part

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.

To enter Page Layout View:

.      Navigate to the top palette, and click the Page Layout button:

-- 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 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.      If the red handles are not displayed, then click the Move Barlines and Staves button in the Page Layout Palette.

2.      Follow the instructions in Changing Vertical Spacing Between Systems and Staves and Moving Barlines Within a System.

To insert a system break or page break:

.      Click the System Break button or Page Break button in the Page Layout Palette. Then click anywhere in the measure where you want the new system or page to begin. For further instructions, see Forcing a Page Break or 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 button in the Page Layout. The click the measure you want to move to the previous system. For further instructions, see Moving a Measure to the Previous System.

To move a system at the top of one page to the bottom of the previous page:

.      Click the Keep System With Previous button in the Page Layout Palette. Then click anywhere in the system that you want to move to the previous page. For further instructions, see Moving a System to the Previous Page.

To restore a page, or all pages of a score part, to the default pagination:

.      Click the Default Pagination button in the Page Layout Palette. For further instructions, see Restoring Default Pagination.

To increase or decrease the overall font size:

.      Click the Increase Font Size button or the Decrease Font Size button. For further instructions, see Changing Font Size in Layout View.

To compress or expand the overall horizontal spacing of notes and measures:

.      Click the or button to increase or decrease the horizontal spacing in large increments, or the or button to increase or decrease the spacing in small increments. For further instructions, see Changing Horizontal Spacing in Layout View.

To increase of 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.

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