How to change staff size and spacing in Flat
Last updated September 23, 2026
Staff size and spacing in Flat control how large the staves are drawn and how much room sits between them. Flat offers the standard Rastral sizes and a custom size in millimeters, plus separate settings for the distance between staves and between systems, so a score can be made denser or easier to read.
How do I change the staff size and the spacing?
Flat keeps these settings in the Layout tab of the left panel. Under the Staves settings you can edit the Size of the staves, and the distance between the systems and staves. Changes apply to the whole score, so every system is re-engraved at the new size at once.
The preset sizes for the staves are the standard Rastral Sizes, but you can also customize them by specifying your own size in millimeters (mm).
It's important to remember that the layout algorithm evenly distributes the empty space on the page between the systems. This means that if you decrease the space between systems or staves, you may not see an immediate change unless there is sufficient empty space to accommodate another system on the page.
Frequently asked questions
What are Rastral sizes?
Rastral sizes are the standard staff heights used in traditional engraving, each suited to a type of edition - larger for beginner and vocal material, smaller for full scores. Flat offers them as presets, and you can ignore them and type your own size in millimeters instead.
I reduced the spacing and nothing changed. Why?
The layout algorithm spreads the leftover space on a page evenly between the systems. Reducing the distance between staves or systems only changes the look once the space freed is enough to pull another system onto the page; below that threshold the extra room is simply redistributed.
What is the difference between the distance between staves and between systems?
Staves are the individual lines of music, including the several staves an instrument or a grand staff uses. A system is the whole stack of staves read together across the page. The two settings are separate, so you can tighten an ensemble without crowding successive systems.
How else can I fit more music on a page?
Reduce the staff size first, then the spacing. Beyond that, page size and margins free up room at the edges, and measures per system and note spacing control how tightly each system is packed horizontally.