How can I alternate eighth notes and rests in such a way, that the beam connects the notes bridging the rest?
Currently this can only be achieved with a bit of magic: Type three notes and format the middle note as invisible and mute. Now insert the rest as a graphic symbol over the – invisible – middle note. If this configuration is required regularly, you can copy it and adapt it via transposition. Alternatively you can adjust individual notes with O or P and the arrow keys. There is also a suitable script on Mr Becker’s web site.
