Musescore question

[Steve Harrison]

My current music software is being discontinued next year so I'm just having  look at Musescore. I'm OK with the basics but have an issue with the layout. I can't figure out how to set the number of measures per line of music. I've selected a template but all I get at the moment is a continuous line of measures. I'm sure someone can help..many thanks..Steve.

[Jody Stecher]

I have never been concerned with the number of measures per line but I don't like it when Musescore lays things out so that the last complete line is one or two measures. It spreads out the notes absurdly widely. My remedy is to find a few measures earlier in the piece which could have the notes a bit closer together and still look nice. I use the menu to bring the notes closer together. Musescore adjusts those final measures and it all looks good.

[Steve Harrison]

Thanks for that..It's not too far away from printmusic but a lot more cumbersome to use..Steve.

Jody Stecher said:

I have never been concerned with the number of measures per line but I don't like it when Musescore lays things out so that the last complete line is one or two measures. It spreads out the notes absurdly widely. My remedy is to find a few measures earlier in the piece which could have the notes a bit closer together and still look nice. I use the menu to bring the notes closer together. Musescore adjusts those final measures and it all looks good.

[Andy Alexis]

I just add them manually, using the "system break" icon on the breaks and spaces palette.  For fiddle tunes, I like 4 measures per line,with 5 measures per line when there are two endings. 

You can sometimes squeeze an extra measure from the next line: highlight the measures you want to put on one line, and hit cntl-shift left bracket, the command is "decrease stretch of measure".  I tend to use Musescore 3 because it is easier to import ABC notation; the command shortcut may have changed for Musescore 4.

https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/keyboard-shortcuts#layout

[Steve Harrison]

Thanks for that Alex,...Steve 
Andy Alexis said:

I just add them manually, using the "system break" icon on the breaks and spaces palette.  For fiddle tunes, I like 4 measures per line,with 5 measures per line when there are two endings. 

You can sometimes squeeze an extra measure from the next line: highlight the measures you want to put on one line, and hit cntl-shift left bracket, the command is "decrease stretch of measure".  I tend to use Musescore 3 because it is easier to import ABC notation; the command shortcut may have changed for Musescore 4.

https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/keyboard-shortcuts#layout

[Trapdoor2]

I think it is designed for layout to be performed at the end. I usually preset the total number of measures, input all the notes and then clean up the layout last. Trying to work with a fixed layout can be a PITA.

I've been working on re-creating layouts of original scores recently and learning a lot of new tricks...and "bugs". Musescore has a very good help forum and I usually get "next day" answers to my questions.
I'm using the latest updates to 4.

I haven't tried the ABC tool but I found the cleanest way to import my old Tabledit files is to export them as ABC from Tabledit, wash them thru an ABC editor and export them as .xml (which Musescore reads directly). .xml export from Tabledit results in timing errors.

[Trapdoor2]

Also, I keep "Layout" as a tab on my "palette". As Andy said, you put system breaks wherever you want a measure to end a line. You can add a page break too. Often, you have to work with the Formatting as well. I use the Format staff space slider to globally change the size of the staff (to add pages, etc.) and then I'll use shift [ or shift ] to increment up or down (which can be done within just a few measures if necessary). I've had some frustration...and have had to make some compromises...but mostly those problems stem from me trying to do a task the "wrong way." I find the online manual to be, um, cryptic and cranky.

The finer points of Musescore simply take time to figure out. It is just different software designed by different minds...and it has its limitations...but it is the best "free" software I've ever used.

[Steve Harrison]

Hi Marc, I've worked my way around the basics and although it does the job, I find Musescore a bit cumbersome to use in comparison to PrintMusic...Steve. 

Trapdoor2 said:

Also, I keep "Layout" as a tab on my "palette". As Andy said, you put system breaks wherever you want a measure to end a line. You can add a page break too. Often, you have to work with the Formatting as well. I use the Format staff space slider to globally change the size of the staff (to add pages, etc.) and then I'll use shift [ or shift ] to increment up or down (which can be done within just a few measures if necessary). I've had some frustration...and have had to make some compromises...but mostly those problems stem from me trying to do a task the "wrong way." I find the online manual to be, um, cryptic and cranky.

The finer points of Musescore simply take time to figure out. It is just different software designed by different minds...and it has its limitations...but it is the best "free" software I've ever used.