Music Spacing & Template Issues

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dazzjazz
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:17 am
Finale Version: 2014.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by dazzjazz » Sun Feb 14, 2016 4:04 am

Hi all,

From all the forum reading I've done on the topic of music spacing, I'm guessing this is a common issue.
Please have a look at the attached image - I'm unhappy with the spacing, and would like the quarter-notes in the bass clef to be even if possible.
Despite researching the positioning of grace notes, using Music Spacing and Grace Note panes under Document Options, I still had to use the note mover tool to get things to look right.

On a related issue, I have a template with custom margins applied. It consists of two pages, but often grows to 10 or more. I cannot get the custom margins specified in my template to propagate to new gaes without doing it manually - why is this?

Thanks

Darren
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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6603
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by Peter Thomsen » Sun Feb 14, 2016 7:09 am

dazzjazz wrote:…Please have a look at the attached image - I'm unhappy with the spacing, and would like the quarter-notes in the bass clef to be even if possible.
Despite researching the positioning of grace notes, using Music Spacing and Grace Note panes under Document Options, I still had to use the note mover tool to get things to look right…
The spacing is too tight because you have “squeezed” too much together in too little horizontal space.

To “loosen” the spacing, either
a) have only 2 measures per system,
or
b) use the Resize Tool (icon: %) to resize everything on the page down to a smaller percentage (click the upper left corner of the page).

You could also experiment with the settings in Document Options - Music Spacing > Spacing Widths, and increase the Scaling factor to 2.
But I doubt that you will get a satisfying result.
You should probably try the suggestions a) and b) first.

dazzjazz wrote:…I have a template with custom margins applied. It consists of two pages, but often grows to 10 or more. I cannot get the custom margins specified in my template to propagate to new gaes without doing it manually - why is this?…
The culprit is a document setting, used for the layout of new systems and pages in the score:
Document menu > Page Format > Score…

To quickly fix your template, try this:
- Open the template.
- Page Layout Tool.
- Page Layout menu > Update Page Format for Score (select this menu item).
- Click system 1 to select it, and go to Page Layout menu > Systems > Edit Margins…
- Change one of the values (e. g. the right margin) to something else, and click Apply, then change it back, and click Apply.
- Close the Edit System Margins dialog box.
- Click system 2 to select it, and go to Page Layout menu > Systems > Edit Margins…
- Change one of the values (e. g. the right margin) to something else, and click Apply, then change it back, and click Apply.

When you now examine the settings in Page Format for Score again, you will see that Finale has updated all the settings.

- Save the template.

The option “Update Page Format for Score” is a program specific setting, not a document specific setting.
You should probably de-select “Update Page Format for Score” again when you are done.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

dazzjazz
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:17 am
Finale Version: 2014.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by dazzjazz » Wed Feb 17, 2016 2:45 am

Thanks Peter,

Regarding the page formatting advice you gave, I followed the steps but it didn't work for me.
After following your steps, I added 80 bars to my score, but the page margins were different.
I think what I need to work on is page margins, as opposed to system margins. Any other ideas?

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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6603
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Wed Feb 17, 2016 6:01 am

Go to
Document menu > Page Format > Score…
and set the page margins as you need them.

When you have done so, you will not see any immediate change in the pages already created.
The page margin change (in Page Format for Score) will only affect page margins created after the change.

To update the already existing pages with the new page margins:
Page Layout Tool.
Page Layout menu > Redefine Pages > All Pages of Current Part/Score
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

dazzjazz
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:17 am
Finale Version: 2014.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by dazzjazz » Wed Feb 17, 2016 6:19 am

Fabulous - thanks very much

Darren

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