Beat charts
Moderators: Peter Thomsen, miker
- motet
- Posts: 8231
- Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:33 pm
- Finale Version: 2014.5,2011,2005,27
- Operating System: Windows
I have never used beat charts before. Is it true that to move a beat graphically, you must drag it with the mouse? It would be so good if it worked like the note-mover tool, where you can select one or more handles and move with left- and right-arrow. I did discover the dialog box that lets you type in numbers, but that's rather tedious.
I use the beat charts regularly to tweak spacing that hasn't worked properly for some reason. Sometimes Finale fails to space for a lyric or for an accidental. I often find that Finale leaves too much space for a clef change. Cross-staff spacing usually requires tweaking. I generally do these things using the beat charts. You can't select more than one handle, but if you press Shift while dragging, everything after the selected handle will move in tandem with it, a very handy feature. If, for example, I need to increase space between two elements in a measure (and the TG Tools plugin for this doesn't work, or distorts the spacing), I'll add space either at the beginning or at the end (in Measure Attributes) and then drag the appropriate beat chart handle while pressing Shift. One caveat: respacing the measure destroys your edits and there is no setting in Music Spacing to prevent this, so you should do it at the very end of your editing.
Vaughan
Finale 3.2 - 26, Sibelius 4 - 7, Dorico 2.2
Tobias Giesen's plugins, full version, Robert Patterson plugins, Jari's plugins
MacOS 10.14.2
MacPro (2016) 16 GB, MacBookPro (2018) 16 GB
Amsterdam
Finale 3.2 - 26, Sibelius 4 - 7, Dorico 2.2
Tobias Giesen's plugins, full version, Robert Patterson plugins, Jari's plugins
MacOS 10.14.2
MacPro (2016) 16 GB, MacBookPro (2018) 16 GB
Amsterdam
-
- Posts: 1297
- Joined: Fri Aug 20, 2010 8:59 am
- Finale Version: Finale 27
- Operating System: Mac
FWIW, when Finale doesn't get it right, I've had very good results by adjusting the "Minimum Space Between Items" and then respacing (sometimes just for a particular region). The default is 12 EVPUs, and trying either more (24) or less (6) can work, depending on the notation. This often fixes clashing accidentals, lyrics and other things.Vaughan wrote:I use the beat charts regularly to tweak spacing that hasn't worked properly for some reason. Sometimes Finale fails to space for a lyric or for an accidental. I often find that Finale leaves too much space for a clef change. Cross-staff spacing usually requires tweaking. I generally do these things using the beat charts.
- David Ward
- Posts: 814
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 4:48 pm
- Finale Version: F 25.5 & 26.3
- Operating System: Mac
I found setting 16 EVPU minimum spacing between items helped with a recent spacing oddity (following advice on this from BuonTempi in another persona on another forum!).BuonTempi wrote:… …I've had very good results by adjusting the "Minimum Space Between Items" and then respacing (sometimes just for a particular region). The default is 12 EVPUs, and trying either more (24) or less (6) can work, depending on the notation. This often fixes clashing accidentals, lyrics and other things.
Finale 25.5 & 26.3
Mac 10.13.6 & 10.14.6
Mac 10.13.6 & 10.14.6
-
- Posts: 662
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 1:37 pm
- Finale Version: Using 26, testing 27
- Operating System: Mac
>> if you press Shift while dragging, everything after the selected handle will move in tandem with it
What a great tip, Vaughn. I've always dragged beats beginning from the right side of the measure, but this will change my approach.
Bill
What a great tip, Vaughn. I've always dragged beats beginning from the right side of the measure, but this will change my approach.
Bill
Version 26.3 / 27.4 / Mac OS 10.15.5 Catalina
Finale user since the beginning of time.
Finale user since the beginning of time.
There are still situations for which altering the minimum space between objects won't work. For one thing, this often puts too much space between objects you want close together, like grace notes. For another, it doesn't help with objects which Finale ignores, whether intentionally (like with lyric syllables on a melisma) or unintentionally (like with the occasional accidental). In these cases, either using the TG Tools plugin (which doesn't always yield the desired result) or adjusting the beat chart is the best remedy.
Vaughan
Finale 3.2 - 26, Sibelius 4 - 7, Dorico 2.2
Tobias Giesen's plugins, full version, Robert Patterson plugins, Jari's plugins
MacOS 10.14.2
MacPro (2016) 16 GB, MacBookPro (2018) 16 GB
Amsterdam
Finale 3.2 - 26, Sibelius 4 - 7, Dorico 2.2
Tobias Giesen's plugins, full version, Robert Patterson plugins, Jari's plugins
MacOS 10.14.2
MacPro (2016) 16 GB, MacBookPro (2018) 16 GB
Amsterdam
- John Ruggero
- Posts: 827
- Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:41 am
- Finale Version: Finale 25.5
- Operating System: Mac
The Beat Charts seem to be in the air at the moment. Two threads at MMFeature Requests:
https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ ... Beat-Chart
https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ ... Beat-Chart
Moving groups of beats with the Shift was mentioned over there too. Very helpful tip!
https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ ... Beat-Chart
https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ ... Beat-Chart
Moving groups of beats with the Shift was mentioned over there too. Very helpful tip!
2020 M1 Mac mini (OS 12.6) Finale 25.5, Dorico, Affinity Publisher, SmartScore 64 Pro, JW Plug-ins, TG Tools, Keyboard Maestro
www.cantilenapress.com
"The better the composer, the better the notation."
www.cantilenapress.com
"The better the composer, the better the notation."
- motet
- Posts: 8231
- Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:33 pm
- Finale Version: 2014.5,2011,2005,27
- Operating System: Windows
Thanks for the info. The way it works having to use the mouse is awkward, especially since there's no visual feedback until you let go of the mouse, at which point you may have moved too far. The Shift key is a help--thanks--but sometimes you want to move a beat and everything to the left of it, so it doesn't help there.
I hope they implement John's suggestion of making it work like the Note Mover.
Probably AutoHotkey can be programmed with a hotkey that does click down, drag one pixel left or right, click up. I think I'll try that, and if anyone wants it, I'll share here.
I hope they implement John's suggestion of making it work like the Note Mover.
Probably AutoHotkey can be programmed with a hotkey that does click down, drag one pixel left or right, click up. I think I'll try that, and if anyone wants it, I'll share here.
- motet
- Posts: 8231
- Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:33 pm
- Finale Version: 2014.5,2011,2005,27
- Operating System: Windows
I struggled with the documentation trying to get the dialog to open. It talks about top and bottom handles, but there are handles on the staff (to invoke beat spacing) and handles on the beat-spacing thingy, and that was confusing me. It also says you need to apply beat spacing in order to be able to get a beat chart, which messes with current spacing, but that doesn't appear to be true.
- N Grossingink
- Posts: 1786
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2016 2:50 pm
- Finale Version: 27.3
- Operating System: Mac
Interestingly, you can enter a new beat chart handle where none existed before. Just double click next to one of the upper handles and it appears.
I used to use this technique whenever running music spacing on an incomplete stack selection - just a stave or 2 of a full score, to get a roughed-in, less detailed spacing. I'd then go back and add a beat chart or two for the more detailed work here and there. It's also of use in more complex passages - giving an extra control point gives finer control in some cases. It's something that has to be played around with some.
N.
I used to use this technique whenever running music spacing on an incomplete stack selection - just a stave or 2 of a full score, to get a roughed-in, less detailed spacing. I'd then go back and add a beat chart or two for the more detailed work here and there. It's also of use in more complex passages - giving an extra control point gives finer control in some cases. It's something that has to be played around with some.
N.
N. Grossingink
Educational Band, Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble a specialty
Sample: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFF5OeJDeLFGHMRyXrubFqZWXBubErw4/view?usp=share_link
Mac Mini 2014 2.6 Ghz, 8Gb RAM
OSX 10.15.7
Finale 2012c, 25.5, 26.3, 27.3
Educational Band, Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble a specialty
Sample: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFF5OeJDeLFGHMRyXrubFqZWXBubErw4/view?usp=share_link
Mac Mini 2014 2.6 Ghz, 8Gb RAM
OSX 10.15.7
Finale 2012c, 25.5, 26.3, 27.3