problems with upbeat (pick up bar)

[Florio]

I have a piece in binary form with repeats; both sections have crotchet upbeats.
I originally created my pick up bar (1/4 in 4/4 time) using the set up wizard, but then found that in playback, when repeating, there was a delay as if Finale was nonetheless counting the incomplete pick up bar as a whole bar.
So I've tried using the measure tool to make sure that the first bar is in fact recognised as being in 1/4 rather than 4/4. The problem is that when I do this, Finale removes the notes from the pick up bar and crams them into the first complete bar, leaving the pick up bar empty and the following bars as a mess. I've not selected 'rebar' music.
Any suggestions?
Florio

Finale 2008a

[Peter Thomsen]

Don't use the Measure Tool for this.
Instead, use the Time Signature Tool.

There are two ways of creating a pickup:
The "placeholder" way, and the "time signature" way.


a) The "placeholder" way is the way the Document Setup Wizard uses.
It's also the way you get, if you choose
Document menu > Pickup Measure...

In this way Finale "fakes" the pickup by inserting invisible Mirror Tool "placeholder rests" at the beginning of the first measure.
These placeholder rests don't get any music spacing, so the first measure will look like an incomplete pickup measure, even if it's still a complete measure.

Since it's still a complete measure, you experience some waiting time when you play the document back from the beginning:
Finale plays the placeholder rests before the pickup, a fact that can be quite annoying if you have a 1/8 pickup in a slow 12/8 (or if you have a repeat from the beginning).

Finale always attaches the pickup placeholders to the first measure of the document.
If you delete the first measure, Finale doesn't clear the pickup, but moves the placeholders to the following measure (= the new first measure).
The proper way to get rid of pickup placeholders is
Document menu > Pickup Measure...


b) The "time signature" way solves all the problems.
Personally I always create pickups in this way.

Before you create the "time signature" pickup, you should clear the "placeholder" pickup. Go to
Document menu > Pickup Measure...
and clear the pickup.

To create a 1/4 pickup in 4/4, the "time signature" way:
Time Signature Tool.
Double-click the first 4/4 measure.
The dialog box Time Signature appears.
Click the button "More Choices".
The dialog box expands itself.
Select the option "Use a Different Time Signature for Display".
In this way the time signature will still display as 4/4, even if it's actually a 1/4.
Set the Measure Region to "Measure 1 Through 1".
In the upper pane, change the "Number of Beats" to 1.
Click OK.


Peter

[arfo]

Hi Peter,
I try the way you suggest but it doesn't seem to function... I always obtain one or more empty measure(s) before the pick up one...


arfo

[Peter Thomsen]

Hi Peter,
I try the way you suggest but it doesn't seem to function... I always obtain one or more empty measure(s) before the pick up one...

Please describe the steps you are following, and what happens when you do so.

By The Way:
Are you still using Finale 2008?

[arfo]

Hi Peter,
thank you for answering!
Yes I'm still using finale 2008.
I tried again before reading your answer and I succeeded in creating my pickup bar; I think the mistake was that I was trying to put an eight note instead of a sisteenth...
Shoul I have problems again I'll let you know.

Thanks again,

arfo