Inserting system breaks

You can insert system breaks at any rhythmic position; for example, so that musical phrases fit in systems for readability.

Prerequisite

  • You have allowed/disallowed breaks within bars.

  • If you want to insert system breaks in the middle of multi-bar rests, you have either hidden multi-bar rests in the layout or split multi-bar rests at the required positions.

Procedure

  1. In Engrave mode, select a note or item at the rhythmic position you want to appear at the start of the next system.
  2. Insert a system break in any of the following ways:
    • Press Shift-S.

    • In the Formatting panel, click Create System Break in the Format Systems section.

  3. Choose Edit > System Break.

Result

A system break is inserted at the rhythmic position of the earliest selected item. If breaks are disallowed within bars, it snaps to the preceding barline. All notations after the system break are moved to the next system.

Note

If you insert a system break in the middle of a phrase in a two-bar or four-bar repeat region, Dorico Elements does not automatically move the system break to before/after the phrase, causing it to be split across the system break.