Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Multiple measure rests (Read 27968 times) previous topic - next topic

Multiple measure rests

There have been some really great work arounds posted for notating multiple measure rests, but I'd just like to add this one which has been working fine for me for quite a while now.  Here's what you do to enter a multi measure rest:

1.    With the cursor in the bar your want to notate as a multi bar rest enter text mode, (x), select 'Page text Times Roman [12]', type 6 spaces and then the number of bars rest you require.  Go to the 'expression placement' tab and select staff position 4, uncheck 'preserve width'. Click OK.

2.    Enter text mode again and type the pipe symbol, |, then 5 equal signs if the number of bars rest is a single digit, or 6 equal signs if the number is two digitis, =====, then type the pipe symbol again. Select staff position 0, check preserve width and click OK.

3    Enter text mode again, type 3 spaces and click OK.

This will give you a good looking multi measure rest, but here's the secret.....What you do now is spend a while making up a score comprising only of multi measure rests starting with 2 and going up to, well, whatever you like, mine goes up to a 20 measure rest.  Then, before you start notating you load up your multi measure rest score first and then the score you're working on on top of it.  Then when you come to a multi measure rest on the score you're working on just bring up the measure rest score and do a copy and paste on the meaure rest you want.

Hope this is helpful.      

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #1 –
Using a boxmark font, available in the "Helpful files" section of Scriptorium, the text expression "[nn]" will produce a standard multi measure rest. More detail can be found in this user tip.

The Search box is your friend.
Since 1998

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #2 –
Thanks for the reply Warren.  I did search before posting, of course, and came across the Scriptorium and Boxmark font.  I downloaded the boxmark font played with it for quite a while and.........could'nt work out how to use it.  My fault I'm sure.  So I posted my old solution for anyone else who had the same trouble with Boxmark font.

I can get the multiple measure rest symbol onto the stave Ok using the text expression [nn], but can't work out how to put the number of bars rest in it.  Having got the mutli bar rest sybols onto the stave how do I then insert the number of bars rest required?  I'm an old dog I'm afraid and new tricks don't come easy so I know that I've missed something obvious and that it's going to be ridiculously simple. 

Thanks again.

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #3 –
G'day Peter,
for Boxmark, Boxmark2 and any of my Dings fonts use:
[8]
for an 8 bar rest.  In addition to [8], you can use:
,8.
:8;
:-8-;
from my Dings fonts for a couple of alternative layouts.

To see some sample pages that use the :2; characters check the document pdf included with the suites, or if you haven't downloaded them (available from the Scripto) check the sample page links on http://zoundz.pardyline.com.au
 
Please also note that if you have looked into User Tools, then Kjeld Hansen has written an excellent one to automate the multi bar rest creation process that can also be obtained from the Scripto - in the User Tools section.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #4 –
OK .......I got there myself eventually, but thanks anyway for the steer to other entry formats and the other useful links too.  Much appreciated. I did come across Kjeld Hansen's page in User Tools and downloaded his script to my scripts folder, as instructed, but once again I ground to a halt trying to make it work and gave up on it.  I'm happy with this now, so I guess I'll just stick to the Boxmark font solution. Thanks again  

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #5 –
Hi Peter,

you solution reminded me of this.

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #6 –
Hi Peter and Flurmy,
Flurmy, thank you for taking Peter to my user tip, but as I noted it is now outdated.  Actually, it's been outdated twice.  The first time was when I posted a Multibar Rest file to the Scriptorium, and more recently, when that User Tool was given to us by Kjeld.  I've taken to using it now, it's so easy and fast.

Here's how. 
Go to the beginning of a staff.  Press Alt T for the Tools menu, then U to call up the MultiBarRest macro.  Probably before you even blink, the multibar rests are entered. 

That's actually the long way.  When you're at the beginning of a staff, you can just press Alt F8 to call up the user tools, and then select the MultiBarRest macro.

I edited the tool a wee bit to match my preferences regarding font, but it was very easy to do, and I find so far the tool has been very reliable.  It's the only user tool I've learned how to use, so I'm pretty sure you'll find it very easy to use too.



Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Peter_B –
There have been some really great work arounds posted for notating multiple measure rests, but I'd just like to add this one which has been working fine for me for quite a while now.  Here's what you do to enter a multi measure rest:

1.    With the cursor in the bar your want to notate as a multi bar rest enter text mode, (x), select 'Page text Times Roman [12]', type 6 spaces and then the number of bars rest you require.  Go to the 'expression placement' tab and select staff position 4, uncheck 'preserve width'. Click OK.

2.    Enter text mode again and type the pipe symbol, |, then 5 equal signs if the number of bars rest is a single digit, or 6 equal signs if the number is two digitis, =====, then type the pipe symbol again. Select staff position 0, check preserve width and click OK.

3    Enter text mode again, type 3 spaces and click OK.

This will give you a good looking multi measure rest, but here's the secret.....What you do now is spend a while making up a score comprising only of multi measure rests starting with 2 and going up to, well, whatever you like, mine goes up to a 20 measure rest.  Then, before you start notating you load up your multi measure rest score first and then the score you're working on on top of it.  Then when you come to a multi measure rest on the score you're working on just bring up the measure rest score and do a copy and paste on the meaure rest you want.

Hope this is helpful.      

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #8 –
stacybrady, I'm sure Peter will agree his solution looks a little like mine from 2002:

Quote
Entering multi-bar rests in single staff charts: use Insert Text

•The first bit of text to enter is a few blank spaces (just press the space bar 5 or ten times), preserve width, and click "OK"
•Insert Text again and hit the space bar about 10 times about 20 times, type the number of bars the rest should last. Under the Expression Placement tab, select DO NOT preserve width, staff position 2, OK.
•Insert Text a third time, use the pipe symbol "|", 19 equal signs "=", and the pipe symbol again, preserve width, staff position 0, OK.
•Repeat step 1.
•Press tab to give you the bar line at the end of the measure.
This should give you an entire bar that you can then copy as often as you like throughout the piece.  This only inserts a printed multibar rest - the program won't count it as more than one bar, so you shouldn't use it if you are using the bar numbering feature, and you shouldn't use it if you're printing full scores or piano scores.
[/i][/size]



Peter also wrote:
Quote
here's the secret.....What you do now is spend a while making up a score comprising only of multi measure rests starting with 2 and going up to, well, whatever you like, mine goes up to a 20 measure rest.  Then, before you start notating you load up your multi measure rest score first and then the score you're working on on top of it.  Then when you come to a multi measure rest on the score you're working on just bring up the measure rest score and do a copy and paste on the meaure rest you want.
[/i][/size]
There's a version of that method available to be taken way, if you'd like it.

 free,

Re: Multiple measure rests and bar numering

Reply #9 –
Does anyone know if it is possible to re-start bar numbering after a muli bar rest?
I'll understand all this $thing-> $somethingelse one day...

Re: Multiple measure rests and bar numering

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Bootlebarth –
Does anyone know if it is possible to re-start bar numbering after a muli bar rest?
AFAIK, no. However, this should never be needed as the bar numbers should get higher as you progress though the song. If the numbers get too high, you can use Exclude From Bar Count.

A possible exception is where you have more than one song on a page, but in that case, you hardly need bar numbering.

I guess this is where I make my semi-annual plea to have bar numbers always display in the editor.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #11 –
I think you misunderstood my query. I think I should keep my muliple rest bars but hide then when I insert a muli bar rest. I've never tried that before. I have a piece with several occurences of twenty bars rest in one part. I want to have a single muli bar rest in that part but have the bar numbers matching the other parts.
I'll understand all this $thing-> $somethingelse one day...

Re: Multiple measure rests

Reply #13 –
Thanks for bearing with me. Sometimes the simplest solutions are overlooked.
I'll understand all this $thing-> $somethingelse one day...

Re: Multiple measure rests and bar numbering

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Bootlebarth –
I think you misunderstood my query.
Sorry, I thought your query had something to do with bar numbering. Silly me.
Registered user since 1996