Ossia Tool

Use this tool to create floating measures—one-bar alternative passages that you can place anywhere in the score. Such a measure might provide an explanation of a trill, propose a cadenza, or suggest an easier alternative to the real measure.

Such a measure can be dragged freely around the page. These “ossia” measures don’t play back; they’re purely graphic.

A measure-assigned ossia measure remains attached to its measure in the score, even if that measure’s position in the score changes. A page-assigned ossia measure, which you create in Page View, remains fixed to a given spot on the page, regardless of any repositioning of the music around it.

For information regarding page-attached ossia measures in linked parts, see Page-attached Ossia measures in linked parts.

Note: Positioning values are always in the unit of measurement chosen under the Edit Menu. To choose a measurement unit, from the Edit Menu, choose Measurement Units.

In Page View, click the Ossia Tool to display a handle on every page-assigned ossia measure.
In Page View, double-click anywhere on any page, double-click an ossia handle, or control-click an ossia handle and select Edit Ossia Definition from the contextual menu to display the Ossia Measure Designer dialog box, where you can create a floating measure that will be attached to the place on the page you clicked.
In Scroll View, click a measure to which an ossia measure has been attached to display its handle. Double-click to display the Ossia Measure Designer dialog box, where you can create an additional floating measure.
In Scroll View, click a measure to which an ossia measure has been attached to display its handle. Double-click or control-click the handle and select Edit Ossia Definition from the contextual menu to display the Ossia Measure Designer dialog box, where you can edit certain parameters of the ossia measure, such as its positioning, clef, key, and size.
Double-click a floating measure's handle to display the Ossia Measure Designer dialog box, where you can edit certain parameters of the ossia measure, such as its positioning clef, key, and size.
Click an ossia measures handle to select it; drag it to move the measure; press delete, or control-click the handle and select Delete from the contextual menu to remove the measure.
Shift-double-click a floating measures handle, or control-click the handle and select Edit Ossia Assignment from the contextual menu to display the Page or Measure Assignment for Ossia Measure dialog box, where you can specify positioning coordinates for the floating measure.

Contextual menus are reached by control-clicking on the handle of an object. A contextual menu will be displayed where you can select various items.

Menu item	What it does
Edit Ossia Assignment	Display the Page Assignment for Ossia dialog box or the Measure Assignment for Ossia dialog (depending on the Ossia Measure)
Edit Ossia Definition	Display the Ossia Measure Designer dialog box
Delete	Removes selected ossia measure
Show	Check this option to show, or uncheck to hide (on the printed page)
Relink to Score (parts only)	Restore the link to its corresponding score item
Unlink In All Parts (score only)	Break the link between the score and this item in all parts
Relink In All Parts (score only)	Restore the link to all corresponding items in parts