On Dec 14, 2006, at 8:24 PM, shirling & neueweise wrote:
i have never used this, because i have always defined the positioning of expressions with great precision in the dialogue box. and since 2003 (?) it has been possible to set a default positioning which works according to context. of course i still have to adjust many things manually for a number of reasons, but i am just curious what use baseline positioning for expressions might have, is there anyone here who uses this regularily who could explain? and do you use auto-placement of expressions as well?
I use it regularly, both for score expressions and for note-attached expressions. I have never touched my baseline heights, preferring to adjust vertical offsets in the expressions themselves for automatic placement purposes.
For score expressions such as rehearsal letters, I get automatically consistent placement. I often end up nudging them anyway (they are the first things to get moved to avoid crowding) but at least I get a good ballpark placement to start with that looks good with no extra fuss. I particularly like the way I can set numbered repeated bars to be exactly between the barlines, and rehearsal letters to be centred over barlines.
For dynamics and the like, I set them to be at a reasonable baseline offset for notes that sit in the staff or above the staff, then I add an "item offset" to make sure that if I get notes several ledger lines below the staff that the dynamic moves down, too. If there is an accent that causes a collision, I hit the nudge arrow a few times. I experimented with horizontal placements a bit on the larger dynamics (like MF, PPP and the like), until I realized that I hadn't the faintest idea what I was doing and stopped with what I had.
For drum and percussion parts particularly, I have defined a standard expression for identifying instruments that I duplicate and edit the text of when I need to. I often end up nudging it a bit (or a lot!) but if there is nothing else interfering around it, the default placement I have set is good. As for dynamics, I make sure to include an item offset too, so that if the note comes up high then the expression will move up, too.
I imagine that a guy like you who knows exactly where he wants things would not like my defaults, but I am not often working to the level of precision you are.
Christopher _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
