How to change staff size
Dear people;
I wanted to bring my score in line with the MOLA standard score preparation guidlines. But I can't figure out how to change the staff size. Mola says: (Quote) "The most readable staff size for all instruments
is 8.5 mm (measured from the bottom to the top of the staff)" (/Quote)
It might be due to my language barrier or a different name used for the same thing.
To be sure; here's what MOLA writes: http://mola-inc.org/article/Music-Preparation-Guidelines-for-Orchestral…
Thanks for helping out.
Comments
8.5mm for the staff height means 2.125mm for the space between two lines. This is the unit used by MuseScore. You can change it in Layout > Page settings > Scaling.
Other contributors reading along, maybe we should consider settings this as a default for parts in the orchestra templates?
In reply to 8.5mm for the staff height by [DELETED] 5
I thought MuseScore's default was 1.764 mm.
In reply to I thought MuseScore's default by [DELETED] 448831
I think the point is, space between staff lines in general is the unit used by MuseScore, as opposed to size of the staff as a whole. The default *value* for that unit is indeed 1.764mm. 2.125 is enormous in comparison.
In reply to 8.5mm for the staff height by [DELETED] 5
Wow, 2.125mm for spatium seems *really* big. Gould recommends a total staff size of 6.7 - 7mm for orchestral parts. 7.0mm staff size works out to 1.75mm for the spatium, which is close to but still a little smaller than our default.
In reply to 8.5mm for the staff height by [DELETED] 5
Thanks, that helps a lot.
A quick look at some ABRSM grade books (trumpet, piano, violin, flute) shows staves averaging 7mm and all are perfectly readable. I suspect that trombonists or digeridooists might welcome 8.5 mm. The good thing about MuseScore, though, is that if someone wants 8.5mm staves then they can have 8.5mm staves. Just be sure to use large enough paper.
In reply to A quick look at some ABRSM by underquark
I do have a huge problem containing my orchestral score to the A3 format without removing empty staves. Often the parts fall of the bottom of the page and I have to re-size the whole of the score and when done writing remove the empty staves and re-edit the entire score afterwards to fit it to the A3 pagesize. Basicly re-do the entire process of puting everything in its proper location.
In reply to I do have a huge problem by Jeroen Bakker
I'm not following. What do you mean "re-edit the score"? Anyhow, you really shouldn't be using "Hide empty staves" as a method of fitting your score on paper that is simply not big enough for the staff size. Even in a consensed score, the first page at least should show *all* staves, so you're going to have to make the staves small enough to fit thenm all anyhow. And if they fit on the first page, they will fit on subsequent pages without or without that option. But if you do then turn on the option for some reaosn, no furth "re-editing" should be required.
This has nothing to do wiht the question of how big the staves should eb in parts, though, so maybe if you are still having problems, start a new thread, attach the score you are having trouble with, and describe in more detail what you are trying to do.
In reply to I do have a huge problem by Jeroen Bakker
Well, now you know how to change the staff size. ;-) But I think it's okay for the score's staves to be smaller than normal (and smaller than the extracted parts).
One thing that may also help you get things to fit is in the Page section of the General Style window—simply allowing less space between staves can help, without rescaling anything.