Notes in the beginning and last measure

[Cloudknight]

In a piece of music which has 4\4 time the first measure only has 1 beat and the last measure of that piece has 3 beats to combine the first and last measure into 1. How do I do that in Finale? If I only put 1 beat in the first measure, there are still invisible rests so when I play the music back it plays taht 1 beat and has 3 rests. Same with the last measure having 3 beats and 1 rest.

[ichliebtmuzik]

In a piece of music which has 4\4 time the first measure only has 1 beat and the last measure of that piece has 3 beats to combine the first and last measure into 1. How do I do that in Finale? If I only put 1 beat in the first measure, there are still invisible rests so when I play the music back it plays taht 1 beat and has 3 rests. Same with the last measure having 3 beats and 1 rest.

If you mean to have four beats, you need to put in all four beats in the measure.

[Cloudknight]

no thats not what i mean.. I mean in a 4\4 time signature piece, The first and last measure should add up to 4 whole beats but the first measure only has 1 beat and last measure having 3 beats without any rest in those first and last measures.

[at8ax]

The first question is easier than the second. You want to create a Pickup Measure (under Options; see in the manual) for the first measure.

It's not really current practice to leave the last measure incomplete. You could fill it with a quarter rest. But if you absolutely have to replicate the original old-fashioned source, there's more than one method. Easiest is to turn off "fill with rests" options in Simple and Speedy (whichever you use, it's a good idea to turn it off in both), and enter the three quarters in the last measure. You could also change the time sig for the final measure to 3/4 but have it show as 4/4. Cosmetically, this accomplishes the same thing, but takes longer.

[Peter Thomsen]

...and the trick at8ax mentions for the last measure, can also be used in the first measure:
change the time sig for the first measure to 1/4 but have it show as 4/4.
This will eliminate the rests so that you won't hear 3 rests and then 1 beat, but immediately 1 beat.

Peter

[Cloudknight]

Is it possible to have a pickup measure not on the first measure but on one after it?

[Peter S.]

Of course.
You can change the time signature for every measure in your file.

Peter

[Peter S.]

Of course.
You can change the time signature for every measure in your file.

Peter

[Peter Thomsen]

Is it possible to have a pickup measure not on the first measure but on one after it?

Yes, it's done with the same trick: change the time sig for the pickup measure to 1/4 but have it show as 4/4.

Peter

[Peter S.]

Of course.
You can change the time signature for every measure in your file.

Peter