*Ghost* staves - i.e. Dynamically linked staves within the score
It strikes me that it might be useful to have a new feature whereby we could assign any stave to be a *Ghost* stave. In other words, it would then show the contents, and be dynamically linked to, any another assigned stave in the same score (but with an optionally different name, instrument, clef etc.).
This would be be similar to the dynamic linking between score/parts, but *within* the score itself.
It would be useful in cases where one or more instruments play exactly the same thing - i.e. it would save having to make *real* copies on every stave, thus (presumably) reducing file size where this occurs a lot. More importantly though, all staves containing the melody (for example) would update automatically whenever just one part is edited.
Perhaps a *ghost* stave could be also assigned multiple staves, to create a sort of dynamically linked "implode" function (or to show a dynamically-linked short score alongside a full score)?
...and it may also help in solving issues like this one: https://musescore.org/en/node/72626
Comments
We already have linked staves in the same score but they need to be in the same instrument. If you want to try, create a score for flute, select the staff in the instrument wizard and click Add Linked Staff. You can add several of them. Then press ok. If you edit one of the staves all others will be changed.
In reply to We already have linked staves by [DELETED] 5
Hi Lasconic,
Thanks for pointing out the linked staves option. However, I agree with Marc's comments on this, and in addition I would add that these linked staves generate only one part - i.e. all 3 staves show on a single instrumental part, whereas what would normally be wanted is 3 separate parts to be generated (one for each stave). Plus, of course, and as Marc says, we'd ideally be able to assign these "ghost" staves to any instrument (adjacent or not) in the normal way.
the fact that the linked staves feature only works for staves of the same instrument means, among other things, the staves must be adjacent, and will share the same playback sound. So probably not a good general purpsoe mechanism for situations where you have different instruments that just happen to double each other. Also, it's quite likely the instruments would double each other part of the time but at somewhere might differ, and that can't be done. There have been interesting suggestions for how that could possibly work in the future.