You can set the height of the lyric line with respect to its staff either before or after you’ve placed your lyrics in the score. You can also set the baseline (on which the bases of the letters align) independently for each staff in each system—and for each set of lyrics of each type. Finally, you can drag any syllable anywhere you want (see To move or delete a syllable). (For information regarding lyric baselines in linked parts, see Baseline Positioning in linked parts.)

To set the baseline (vertical position) for lyrics numerically

1. Click the Lyrics tool  . The Lyrics menu appears.
2. Choose Lyrics > Adjust Baselines. The Adjust Baselines dialog box appears.
3. Specify the lyric type and number for which you want to set the baselines. Also specify the staff and system number, if desired. You specify a staff and system number by clicking the Prev. and Next buttons beside the Staff and Staff System boxes. If you just want to move the baseline for the entire piece at once, you don’t need to adjust the staff or system controls; just click in the Piece text box.
4. Enter the distance you want the baseline to be from the center line of the staff in the appropriate box or boxes. The center line of the staff is the zero position. The units are whatever you’ve selected using the Measurement Units command (Edit menu).

For example, to set the baseline half an inch below the center line, you’d type –.5 (inches) in the Piece box. It’s a negative number because you’re moving the line down. If there were very low melody notes and you felt that the baseline in the third system needed to be a quarter inch lower still, you’d set the Staff System counter to 3 (by clicking the Next button twice), and you’d enter –.25 in the Staff System: 3 box. (If you ever want to restore all baselines to their original positions, click Set Piece Offsets to Default Font.)

5. Click OK (or press ENTER).

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