After browsing through various relevant options and searching the forum I still cannot find the answer to this very basic question:
How do you adjust the space between the preamble (whether key and time signatures are displayed or not) and the music on each system in Dorico?
Engraving Options>Spacing Gaps, which is where I would expect to find this option, apparently has options to set distances between different parts of the preamble, but none to adjust the space between the preamble and the music, i.e., a ‘space before music’ option.
That’s surprising, since the required distance after preamble and barline is often vastly different.
If Dorico indeed doesn’t yet have a separate setting for this, I certainly hope it will be implemented as soon as possible.
Thanks for your feedback, Knut. Can you say more about why you think the distances would be “vastly” different? I assume this is slight hyperbole on your part, and you’re not really saying that you typically need e.g. 5 spaces after the preamble and 1 space after a barline.
The actual difference between the two is usually not more than 1–2 spaces, but some publishers give even more space after the preamble, especially if the spacing is rather loose. In this event, the space following barlines is also often made larger, but not always, and not necessarily by the same amount. Extended space at the beginning of each system also provides more pronounced tie and slur ends, without the need to overlap the preamble, which certain publishers seem to prefer.
In due course Dorico will automatically provide additional space at the start of the system when a tie, beam, glissando line or other similar continuous notation spans a break, but this isn’t yet implemented.
That’s a very nice feature, especially for tight spacing situations, but as I see it, it will be more valuable to clarify the notation before the break, without the need for manual spacing adjustments. My impression is that publishers have traditionally chosen a wider spacing after the preamble to avoid variations in white space (indents) at the beginning of each system on a page, while at the same time allowing enough space to facilitate clear breaks in the notations you mention, and I personally think this is better practice.