Moving multiple systems simultaneously

You can move multiple systems at the same time so that the gaps between each system remain equal. This is also known as “concertina dragging”.

Important

We recommend that you add extra pages and finish laying out your pages before moving individual staves. Individual staff spacing changes are automatically deleted if the frame in which they occur changes.

Note

  • You can only move multiple systems closer together, you cannot use this method to move them further apart.

  • You cannot follow these steps for staff spacing handles on tacets.

  • Moving individual staves/systems vertically does not affect the casting off. If you want to show more/fewer systems in a frame, you can change the casting off by, for example, using frame breaks or setting a fixed number of systems per frame.

Prerequisite

Staff Spacing Staff Spacing button is selected in the Engrave toolbox.

Procedure

  1. In Engrave mode, select the system handle on the highest systems you want to move.
    Note

    When using the mouse, you can only move systems below a single system at a time.

  2. Move the selected systems in any of the following ways:

    • To move them downwards a standard amount, press Alt/Opt-J.

    • To move them downwards a large amount, press Ctrl/Cmd-Alt/Opt-J.

    • Alt/Opt-click and drag the system handle downwards.

Result

All systems below the selected system, until the bottom of the music frame, are moved closer together. The gaps between each system remain equal.