How to do invisible staff lines... for only part of a score
I am creating some elementary theory worksheets. I would like to write some 'floating' notes (invisible staff lines) in the first line of this score. After that I am introducing what a staff is, therefore need it to be visible again. If I go to staff properties, it always affects the whole score. I can't seem to find a way to isolate invisible staff lines to just a highlighted portion, or just one measure, or section. I have tried 'measure properties' and have I have tried section breaks but it always makes the staff lines invisible for the entire page. Any way to work around this? Thank you!
Comments
Can you attach the document you're talking about? It'd help to see what you're talking about.
Invisible staff lines always affect the entire score. You may try to use this in conjunction with hide empty staves (under style->General...) and uncheck Don't hide empty staves in first system. That way, you can put notes only on the staves you want visible.
In reply to Invisible staff lines always… by mike320
Thanks for the idea. I think I'm sort of looking for the opposite of this, though: I would like to write notes on an invisible staff and, later on the same page, to display a staff with no notes on it. That wouldn't work some way with the hide empty staves function would it..?
I would also recommend the approach of using two staves - one invisible, one not - and Style / General / Hide empty staves. But another possibility is, create the floating notes in another score, using the image capture tool (camera icon at right of toolbar) to snap a picture, then paste it into a frame in the main score.
In reply to I would also recommend the… by Marc Sabatella
Thanks for the suggestions. I think the capture tool might be my best bet- I hadn't worked with that function before. I tried out the 'hide empty stave' function, but I assume that will only work if I don't want any notes on the invisible staff- is that right? I guess I am looking for the opposite of this function: the ability to write notes with an invisible staff, and, later on the same page to show a visible staff with (or without) notes on it.
In reply to Thanks for the suggestions… by Stefni
The hide empty staves option will hide any staves with no notes on them. If you have notes on the staff with hidden lines in measures 1,2,3 then again in 15,16,17, then only the systems that have notes will be visible. The same is true of the staves with lines visible. Use this option after notes are entered to see the proper effect since staves will be hidden if there are no notes on them. BTW, I have assigned a shortcut that toggles this option so I can see how the systems are lining up as I go if necessary.
In short, Set up your staves
enter your notes
hide empty staves
use system/line breaks to put the measures on the correct lines
If you want a line with both staff lines visible and invisible, put a horizontal frame before the measure you want on the previous line and makes it's width zero. This will give the appearance of having the staff switch between visible and invisible lines. You must have hide empty staves turned on to see this effect.
If you want only a few small sections to have no staves, then the image capture recommended by Marc is the way to go.