Copying music spacing? SOLVED (bug identified)

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Tomposer
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:36 am

Post by Tomposer » Fri Jun 30, 2017 10:21 am

Hey All,
I'm using Finale 2014. I know, I need to upgrade. But for this software, is it possible to copy/paste music spacing?

I have a situation where the first beat needs wide spacing, and remaining beats in the bar need to be narrow (it's actually slash notation). Then I want to use that same pattern, but the notes in each first beat may change, so a regular copy/paste is not perfect.

I've turned off automatic spacing, but I can't seem to work out a method of copying a bar's spacing. Spacing tables don't seem to be the way to go, because that won't do one part of a bar independent of another. This is of course possible using the measure tool - I basically want to use the measure tool to set up spacing right in one bar and then repeatedly paste that pattern.

Beat spacing would be perfect for this task, but it isn't an option in the paste filter. "Note position" is an option in the paste filter, but it doesn't seem to copy note horizontal placement (as I said, I have automatic spacing turned off).

Any ideas?

If not, do you know if this can be done with the latest Finale? It is about time I upgraded, but it'd be disappointing to find this is not an option even in the lastest version.

Cheers!
-
Tom
Last edited by Tomposer on Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Peter Thomsen
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Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:23 am

Tomposer wrote:… I have a situation where the first beat needs wide spacing, and remaining beats in the bar need to be narrow (it's actually slash notation). Then I want to use that same pattern, but the notes in each first beat may change, so a regular copy/paste is not perfect …
If I understand you correctly, you are trying to get the same music spacing in all the measures, right?
But a regular copy/paste is not ideal, because the {first beat} pitches are different in different measures, right?

Here is an idea:

Enter one measure, and space it as desired.
Then copy that measure to all the other measures - including the notes.

In that way you get the same music spacing in all the measures.

Adjust the {first beat} pitches with the Repitch Tool.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

Tomposer
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:36 am

Post by Tomposer » Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:28 am

Not a bad option. But I have already done all the note entry. As is my habit, a lot of the formatting gets left after I've done the notes themselves.

Anyway, I just went and bought Finale 25.4. I needed to anyway. Not sure it'll solve my problem though. . . let me know if you have any ideas.

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N Grossingink
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Post by N Grossingink » Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:36 am

Tomposer wrote:This is of course possible using the measure tool - I basically want to use the measure tool to set up spacing right in one bar and then repeatedly paste that pattern.
If you're adjusting the spacing using the "Beat Charts" you should be able to copy the changes by setting the Edit Filter to "Measure Settings > Note Position". I don't know how this works with slash notation, but give it a try.

N.
N. Grossingink
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Tomposer
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Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:36 am

Post by Tomposer » Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:59 am

Thank you, yes that's exactly the way I thought I might get it to work. But in Finale 2014, it didn't budge. I didn't consider this may be because of slash notation. . . . But I just went and bought Finale 25, so I'm going to give that a go.

Tomposer
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:36 am

Post by Tomposer » Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:44 pm

OK I worked this out. It wasn't straightforward. The solution applies to both Finale 2014 and Finale 25.4.

It's not so much a bug as a deficiency, see below:

* In the Paste Filter, there is an option for "note positioning." After experimenting, I noted this will paste spacing, even changing note spacing to beat spacing when pasting.
* However, it requires all staves selected, as it seems spacing won't paste unless it is global across the score.
* Furthermore (and this is the rub), when editing a part, note positioning (ie note spacing) will not copy, presumably because within a part one cannot select all parts in a score. This is true, even though spacing in parts is independent of spacing in the score (more on this in a sec).
* This means, if you wish to copy and paste a spacing pattern, it MUST happen in the score because "note positioning" is not a filter option that can work in a part.
* It doesn't finish here though. When creating parts (luckily) there is the option (under Part Creation Preferences) for copying a score's spacing. This means you can copy/paste note positioning in a score and have it translate to a part. However. . . once the part is created, its spacing is unique from the score, even if the spacing was copied from the score.
What this means is you only get one shot at copying and pasting note positioning for a part, and it must be done in the score. After that, it's necessarily all manual work.

Real PITA if you ask me :) . Please let me know if I'm mistaken!!

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