Finale Forum

I have seen the "Simple" hotkey editor, however this only allows you to change shortcuts for things like note duration, note entry, etc.

I can create a shortcut to add articulation. However, when I use that shortcut, it opens a dialogue box asking me to hit the key for the corresponding articulation, or to select one from the list. How do I edit the articulation keys? Is there a seperate hotkey editor for that somewhere, and am I able to edit other functions like playing the piece?

Rhypht wrote:… I can create a shortcut to add articulation. However, when I use that shortcut, it opens a dialogue box asking me to hit the key for the corresponding articulation, or to select one from the list. How do I edit the articulation keys? …

Welcome to the forum!

To create a metatool for an articulation, switch to the Articulation Tool.

In this example let us say that you want to program the letter S key as a metatool for the articulation staccato (= dot).
Hold down the Shift key, and hit the letter S key.
Finale will display the window Articulation Selection.
Each articulation is displayed in a small rectangle, and the articulation’s metatool trigger key (if a metatool has been programmed for the articulation) is displayed in the upper right corner of the rectangle.
Click the desired articulation (in this case the staccato dot) to select it, and click “Select”.

From now on, you can - in the Articulation Tool - add staccato dots to a string of notes by holding down the letter S key, and dragging across the staff.
You can also use the letter S key in the Simple Entry Tool, to add a staccato dot to a note - without leaving the Simple Entry Tool.

You can program metatools in other tools in the same way.
To program the letter S key as trigger for the expression sfz, switch to the Expression Tool, hold down Shift, and hit the letter S key.

Geddit?

Ok, thanks for the info. That all makes sense.

So, if I'm understanding it correctly, there is no way to use a hotkey to 'enable' an articulation, so that any future notes created will have the articulation applied to it? (in the same way that you can have a hotkey "enable" things like note durations, dots, etc.)

Rhypht wrote:… So, if I'm understanding it correctly, there is no way to use a hotkey to 'enable' an articulation, so that any future notes created will have the articulation applied to it? …

I could be wrong here, but I do not know of a way to make an articulation “sticky” in the Simple Entry Tool.

You could enter the entire string of notes (without adding the articulation to each and every note), then switch to the Articulation Tool, hold down the articulation’s metatool trigger key, and drag diagonally across the staff.

Rhypht wrote:So, if I'm understanding it correctly, there is no way to use a hotkey to 'enable' an articulation, so that any future notes created will have the articulation applied to it? (in the same way that you can have a hotkey "enable" things like note durations, dots, etc.)

If you've got loads of the same articulation, it's probably to do them with the Articulation Tool afterwards, rather than with Simple Entry as you go along.
Using hyphen as a metatool invokes "the last used item". So if you apply an articulation with S once, then using - will keep applying it, or apply it to every note you drag over.

You can also copy and paste using the Edit Filter, so that only articulations are applied. Combined with Paste Multiple, you should be able to produce swathes of artics.