Stave type change
Overview
The 'type' of a staff refers to its properties: number of lines, distance between the lines, what kinds of noteheads appear on it, etc. To change the type of a staff throughout an entire score, see Configuring staves and Staff/Part properties. However, it is also possible to change the appearance of a staff starting at any measure of the score by applying a Staff type change element and then adjusting its properties in the Properties panel. This can be used when changing between pitched and unpitched staves or for various experimental notation effects.
Adding a staff type change
Select the measure in the score where you want the change to occur
Click the Staff type change item in the Layout palette:
Alternatively, you can drag the symbol from the palette directly to the measure.
Other than the item appearing above the measure, nothing will change in the score until you configure its properties.
Setting staff properties
When you apply a Stave type change to a stave, its properties override those which are set in the Stave/Part properties dialogue, starting from the bar in which it appears. Not all properties can be modified via a Stave type change.
The properties of these items are configured via the Properties panel. If you do not see this panel, select View -> Properties from the menu bar, or press F7.
To configure the properties of a Staff type change:
Click the grey Staff type change icon which appears above the measure
Go to the Properties tab
Configure the properties under Staff type changes as necessary.
Note that as you change these properties, the icon in the score will updated to reflect them, as well as the staff itself changing in appearance.
These are the available properties:
Cue size: Makes the staff small (cue-sized), following the size defined in Format -> Style -> Sizes -> Small staff size. For a custom size, use Scale, below
Offset: Displaces the staff vertically. This is an offset downwards from the top line of a 5-line stave, so to align a 1-line staff with the middle line of a 5-line staff (for example), set this to 2sp
Scale: The size of the staff, and its contents, as a custom percentage
Number of lines: The number of staff lines
Line distance: The distance between lines, in spaces; 1 is 'normal'
Step offset: Offsets notes and other notation items vertically relative to the staff
Invisible staff lines: Toggles visibility of the staff lines
Stave line colour: The colour of the stave lines
Notehead scheme: Specifies which type of noteheads to use (e.g. pitch names, shape notes)
Stemless: Will draw notes without stems, flags or beams
The remaining checkboxes toggle whether barlines, ledger lines, clefs, time signatures and key signatures should be shown on the staff.
For some more details on these options, which are also available in the Stave/part properties dialogue, See Stave properties.
Last updated
Was this helpful?