Vertical Spacing Between Staves in a Score & Working @ 100%
Q: What is the ideal space between staves in a score? I know this can vary but I would like to make the systems as big as possible without too much crowding.
A: The ideal distance between staves is based on the number of staves, the page size and the system size / number of systems on the page – as you’ve discovered, it varies; each situation is a little bit different.
A good starting point for understanding vertical staff spacing might be to consider the braced Grand Staff. In the Grand Staff, the ledger line on middle C is, for all intents and purposes, a staff line. The braced grand staff functions as is a bridge between the two different clefs.
As you move the treble and bass clef staves closer together, there will be a point when the middle C ledger line is directly centered; there are two staff spaces between the clefs, with one staff space above and one below middle C:
Tim Davies Orchestration Blog “deBreved”
I wanted to let you know about a great new orchestration resource for composers and orchestrators; a blog recently started by my friend and colleague Tim Davies. Tim is a successful Hollywood orchestrator who has orchestrated and conducted scores for a number of feature films, television shows, video games, & cinematic trailers.
Featured Finale Plugin – JW Meter and Rhythm
UPDATED 4/19/13
I was recently asked to rebar an extended section of a score containing various time signatures 4/4, 2/4, 3/4 into 3/2 time. Fortunately, what could have been a hugely labor intensive and messy operation became a whole lot easier in Finale, thanks to Jari Williamsson’s “JW Meter and Rhythm” plugin. This plugin consolidates quite a number of useful operations related to meter and rhythm into one suite.
Featured Finale Plugin – JW Staff Polyphony
If you are a longtime Finale user, chances are you know who Jari Williamsson is. Jari has maintained the Finaletips.nu site for a number of years and is a prolific Finale plugin author.
One of Jari’s latest offerings is an amazing multi-purpose music notation plug-in for tasks related to exploding music, merging music, working with layers, chord voicings and more called JW Staff Polyphony.
It’s Official : MakeMusic Acquired by LaunchEquity
March 13, 2013 - MakeMusic announced today that the company will indeed by acquired by LaunchEquity, with the transaction closing in the second quarter of 2013.
In July, 2012, MakeMusic received a proposal from LaunchEquity Partners, LLC to acquire the operating assets of MakeMusic, excluding cash, and assume the related liabilities of MakeMusic, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, for $13.5 million.
Makemusic software products include Finale, Smartmusic, Garritan & MusicXML.
Here is the official press release from the MakeMusic website:
Lyric Phrasing
I frequently receive vocal scores which have slurring that seems to be at odds with the lyrics themselves:
Essentially, this boils down to too many conflicting symbols being used simultaneously to represent similar instructions. A little historical context might help break down why we seem compelled to use these conflicting instructions for phrasing in vocal music:
Add Finale to your music notation software toolbox
MakeMusic is currently offering users of any competing notation program the option to also own Finale for $139.
Unlike most cross-grade offers, this one doesn’t require you to give up your existing install disc or owner’s manual. To qualify for the “add-grade” pricing, you just need to verify for MakeMusic the serial number or activation ID of the competing program you are using.
Cubase Score, Encore, Freestyle, Mosaic, Music Printer Plus, Musicator, Nightingale, Notion, Overture, Rhapsody, Score and Sibelius all qualify for this offer.
