Adjust the distance of all your systems from system 3 (2nd page) on to what you want. Then adjust the Page margins from page 2 on to another value that brings your top systems (and the ones below unchanged) to where you prefer them.

As far as I know there's no one-stop global way to do it, which would be nice if you could select alternating systems (all the second ones on the pages), but that doesn't seem possible.

It's a nice thought, but the results are problematic. In this particular instance, if I adjust the "distance between systems" setting to give me the "intra-page" spacing of the two systems on each page that I want, the top system is placed way too low. To restore the previous placement of the top system (which I liekd) using the page margins dialogue, I have to raise the page margin so high that the header info (from p.2 onwards) is off the page.

Here's what would be great (and I'll enter this as a feature request as well): If you choose "Space Systems Evenly," the top system on each page has a top system margin setting of 0, which is actually where I want the top system to be. I would love a way to globally adjust the spacing of all systems in a piece while locking the each page's top system to a margin of 0. I'm leaving this post here in case someone else has figured out a way of doing this (I'd kill for a plug-in that does this.).

Thanks for checking in, though—I appreciate you taking the time!

PL

I have to raise the page margin so high that the header info (from p.2 onwards) is off the page

Didn't know your specifics, of course, I never use headers on continuing score pages, just page numbers usally, but on the bottom (which wouldn't be affected) You could of course adjust the vertical positioning of your text headers (best before changing the page margins, otherwise they might disappear, as you said). All depends really how long or complicated your score is. If it's many pages it might be worth fiddling with it as suggested, to adjust it all at once. Otherwise (as I usually do) I'd just change it manually if there aren't that many pages. Just a thought.

Thanks. Bottom line is that it has never made sense to me that "distance between systems," a parameter that is obviously intended to affect the spacing of systems on a page, would apply across a page boundary. Just doesn't make sense that such a parameter should shift the vertical placement of the topmost staff, based on its distance from... the last staff on the previous page? Would love to see Finale rethink this. I hear you re headers on score pages, but for a piano quartet, the score is also the part the pianist uses in performance. Anyway, I appreciate you taking the time to respond!

PL

Actually, to anyone checking this thread, I figured out a solution with the help of a thread I started here a few years ago (and had forgotten about):

The key thing to remember: “Distance between systems” crosses page boundaries. But “top” and “bottom” system margins do not. So all I needed to do to get the result I was looking for was: