I know some engravers on this list prefer to optimize the string section as a group -- i.e., show the entire string section even if only part of the section is playing.
Two questions:
1) Would you say this is standard practice?
It is certainly not universal, but it is the *best* practice. There are some exceptions (see below)
2) Would you make an exception if, for instance, in one movement only the violas and the cellos had music?
Traditional practice in orchestral scores is to totally omit all staves that do not play in that movement. Furthermore, the first system of any movement should display all the instruments that play in that movement, regardless of whether they play in that system or not.
Some places within a movement where I might optimize the strings: a) if only one string section is playing, display only that section. b) if the basses (only) are silent, omit that one staff.
The important thing is that whenever anything resembling a "string section" is playing, the set of staves should *look* like a string section.
-- Andrew Stiller Kallisti Music Press
http://home.netcom.com/~kallisti/ _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
