Steps to shrink 6-page lied (voice and piano) to 5?

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efisaacs
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:49 am
Finale Version: 2014
Operating System: Windows

Post by efisaacs » Sun Jan 03, 2016 2:02 am

Neither the 2009 manual nor the 2014 tell me how to fit my six-page lied (song for voice and piano) onto five pages. Have exhausted my ingenuity, over six years. The Resize Tool will do it, but only by crowding note-filled measures into illegibility. Can you point me to some body of text that will instruct me? I'd appreciate it.


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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6605
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by Peter Thomsen » Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:47 pm

Welcome to the forum!

Disclaimer:
You have posted in the PrintMusic forum.
I suppose that you are using PrintMusic, not the “full Finale”, right?
I am not familiar with the limitations in PrintMusic.
The following is for the “full Finale”:

There are several ways to squeeze a 6-page document into 5 pages.
Which solution is the better solution, depends on the actual document.

You can
- reduce the distance between the staves (Staff Tool),
- reduce the distance between the systems (Page Layout Tool),
- use the Resize Tool to resize entire pages.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

efisaacs
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:49 am
Finale Version: 2014
Operating System: Windows

Post by efisaacs » Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:15 pm

(Above Reply sent itself before I was finished typing.)

Thank you for your kind reply, Mr. Thomsen. The tools you mention will not prevent the problem I described this way:

" . . . how to fit a six-page lied [,once notated,] onto five pages. The Resize Tool will do it, but only by crowding note-filled measures into illegibility."

It occurs to me now to deal with illegibly crowded measures by lengthening the individual measure, after resizing the work.

efisaacs
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:49 am
Finale Version: 2014
Operating System: Windows

Post by efisaacs » Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:23 pm

I admit to being shocked that there is no guide in the manual to the accomplishment of this task, which must be as common as laundry.

One notates a composition in PrintMusic. The result is attractive --- but would be equally attractive and more convenient if fit to five pages instead of the six Finale has chosen. I have faced the question many times over the years. Sometimes the Resize tool is enough. Often it is not.

efisaacs
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:49 am
Finale Version: 2014
Operating System: Windows

Post by efisaacs » Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:32 pm

I believe I spoke too soon when I discounted the advice you kindly gave me. I find similar instruction at the top of the manual page called Page Layout, and am giving it a careful reading and trial.

ernesto1956
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 4:50 am
Finale Version: 2009 Mac OS 10.4
Operating System: Windows

Post by ernesto1956 » Mon Jan 04, 2016 6:20 pm

Here is what I would try. First, transfer the music to a larger page size. For example, if it is on size 8.5x11, copy it onto 9x12 (or perhaps even a bit larger). This should reduce the total number of pages (if not, you'll need to use trial and error to find a big enough size which does the trick). Then, print the document to a PDF and reduce the size to 91%. When you print it out onto paper, it should then fit on 8.5x11, and now with one fewer page.

I believe it is also possible to change the page size of the document without having to create a new document with a larger page size. Then simply print to a PDF using the reduction method mentioned above.

Hope that helps.
Finale PM 2009...Mac OS 10.4.11

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