hiding staves until needed
Is it possible to "hide" instrument lines until they are needed? Eg I have 100+ bars of 2 violins, voice and cello and then a trumpet and viola joins them - in the same piece. Of course, I realise I could have the 100+ empty trumpet and viola bars... (see image of where the change occurs)
Thanks
CA
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Comments
Style/General->Score->Hide empty staves?
Just use "Hide empty staves", see https://musescore.org/en/handbook/layout-and-formatting#style-edit-gene…
Many thanks. Nearly works but it takes out too many empty staves that I don’t want taken out!
CA
In reply to Many thanks. Nearly works… by cadams
Staff properties, "Never hide" for those
In reply to Many thanks. Nearly works… by cadams
For 3.0, this is greatly simplified, just right-click the temporary staff, Staff Properties, and set "Hide when empty" to "Always". Then you don't need to set everything else to Never hide.
In reply to For 3.0, this is greatly… by Marc Sabatella
Thank you Marc. I have yet to download 3.0. I fear that even that might not solve the problem because the first few bars (trumpet and viola) of the "new" section are also empty but at the point where the time signature changes, the empty staves need to be there. In other words, what I need to be able to do is add two new staves at that point - in the same piece. I certainly can't work out how!
I much appreciate all the help.
CA
In reply to Thank you Marc. I have yet… by cadams
I don't see how that's a problem with either 2.3.2 or 3.0. Maybe I'm missing something. Add as many new staves as you want, same process applies either way. If the first bars are empty and they are on the same system as the first non-empty bars, all works fine (except for a bug in hide empty staves in 3.0 currently). If you're saying they are on a system alone but you still want them to show, just add an invisible & silent note.
In reply to I don't see how that's a… by Marc Sabatella
It's almost certainly me who's missing something. Put simply, I have 4 staves (Violin, Violin 2, Voice, cello) all being used up to bar 117. At bar 118, the trumpet and viola join them. I doubt if I am able to suddenly add two additional staves at that point (certainly don't know how to). Hiding empty bars (can I be selective?) is a blunt instrument and too much disappears. I don't seem to be able to be selective with Do not hide. The invisible notes is a good idea, though too many legitimate empty bars throughout (which are currently being hidden) to do that.
In truth, there is no real problem with having all those empty staff lines. It just seems untidy.
Forgive me if I'm being obtuse...... but many thanks.
CA
In reply to It's almost certainly me who… by cadams
I'm not understanding what part of the procedure you are missing, but it should be quite simple:
1) Add the two staves normally (edit / instruments. They will appear everywhere, and that's fine for now.
2) Start adding your notes in bar 117 or wherever you need them
3) Go to Style / General and enable "Hide empty staves". Also perhaps disable "Don't hide empty staves in first system" if you don't want to see them there either (but most would recommend you do show all instruments in the first system)
At that point, you will see the two new staves doing exactly what they are supposed to - not being visible until bar 117. However, if the viola is not empty somewhere, it will also be hidden on those places, So, you need to use "Never hide" (not "Do not hide if system is empty", that's something completely different) on the violin, viola, and cello staves.
Once you do that, it will be exactly as I think you are described.
If you are finding otherwise, attach your score and we can help you see what you might be missng.
In reply to I'm not understanding what… by Marc Sabatella
Perfect. I was thick enough not to realise you had to give a separate instruction (hide/do not hide) for each instrument/stave line. Sorry and many thanks for your time and kindness.
CA
In reply to Perfect. I was thick enough… by cadams
It's a pain indeed, which is why the new "Hide when empty" feature in 3.0 is such an improvement - you only need to set it for the staff you want to have appear/disappear. Today a new update was released to the beta, and it's actually quite usable now - and the hide empty staves bug is fixed. So do give it a try!
In reply to It's a pain indeed, which is… by Marc Sabatella
The pain is for you having to deal with people like me. I hadn't a clue what the often used term "system" meant (and still not entirely clear) but am ever grateful for people like you - and your help with this excellent Musescore. I'll download 3.0. Many thanks. CA
In reply to The pain is for you having… by cadams
:-)
A system is one "line" of music, left to right across the page, including all the staves. So, music for string quartet, a system is one line of music encompassing those four staves. Or, music for piano, it's one line of music encompassing those two staves. As simple as that.
In reply to :-) A system is one "line"… by Marc Sabatella
Don't forget the VERY important - a single staff in a solo score is a system, not a staff for style settings.
In reply to I'm not understanding what… by Marc Sabatella
Thanks for this :-)
I'm using 3.5 and it appears to now be located here:
Format -> Style -> Score -> Hide Empty staves within systems
In reply to Thanks for this :-) I'm… by reggoboy
Thank you, CA
In reply to Thanks for this :-) I'm… by reggoboy
Yes, it was moved between 2.3.2 when this was originally posted and 3.0 which was released shortly after the original post. There were also some options added to staff/part properties for more flexibility.
In reply to Thanks for this :-) I'm… by reggoboy
When I do what reggoboy said, it hides most of the empty measures but whenever there's a new section it shows them in the first line. Is there any reason why it would specifically be showing them there and is there any way to hide them?
In reply to When I do that it hides most… by MerryMandarin
If you enable View > Show invisible for this score, you will see a section break at the end of each section. Each new section has a "first system" which is affected by the formatting option described above.
In reply to Use the menu option Format >… by DanielR
Thanks!
In reply to When I do that it hides most… by MerryMandarin
The reason all staves show in the first system is, it is the standard in published ensemble scores to show all instruments in the first system, so the conductor or other reader knows what is being used without needing to peruse the entire score looking for new instruments entrances. But there are cases where this isn't needed, and that's why there is the option to prevent that.