Moving the start/end of systems

You can change the horizontal start/end position of each system individually, for example, if you want to indent a single system or increase the gap before an individual coda section.

Note
  • If you want to increase the space before staff labels, you can change the minimum indent for systems with staff labels in each layout independently on the Staves and Systems page in Setup > Layout Options.

  • If you want to change the end position of systems because they do not fill the entire width of the page, you can change the minimum fullness for justification on the Note Spacing page in Layout Options.

  • If you want to change the width of all systems on a page by the same amount, you can change the width of the music frame.

Procedure

  1. In the Engrave toolbox, activate Note Spacing .
  2. Select the system handle at the start/end of each system whose start/end position you want to change.
    Figure 1. System handle at the start of a system
    Figure 2. System handle at the end of a system
  3. Move the handles in any of the following ways:
    • Press Alt/Opt-Right Arrow to move them to the right.

    • Press Alt/Opt-Left Arrow to move them to the left.

      Note
      • If you want to move handles by larger increments, you can press Ctrl/Cmd as well as the standard key command, for example, Ctrl/Cmd-Alt/Opt-Left Arrow.

      • You cannot move note spacing handles with the mouse, you can only move them using the keyboard.

Result

The start/end position of the selected systems is changed. Notes on the selected systems appear more/less tightly spaced, depending on whether moving the system handles made their system narrower or wider.