Finale Forum

Here's another issue at least partly related to updating old files. (I've been preparing lots and lots of older music for publication, and these older files seem to carry problems forward with them).

I put a pedal release symbol--the asterisk sort of thing--exactly where I want it, and then I do virtually anything, whether change tools, or print, and it moves. When I click on its handle again, it moves back exactly where I want it, but then I it jumps back an eighth of an inch higher than I want it.

I just tried deleting it an putting in a new one. It won't stay put, either.

Is there any way to get it to stay where I want it?

I am attaching the file that is causing problems at the moment, but I have this problem a lot. The one that won't stay put is at m. 7, right at the first beat. I want it to be in line with the horizontal line to its left and with the Ped marking to its right.

Thanks,

Mark

Finale 25
Macintosh 10.11.6

This reminds me of other "dancing articulations" bugs.

I think you'd be better off doing

Ped. --------------------- *

as a single custom smart line. When I went into to Smart Line tool it looks like you maybe already thought about this, for it was set to Ped. * without the line. I added the line and tweaked the endpoints a bit to match your style and replaced the problem one in mm. 5-7 (left the others alone). Try it--I think you'll find it easier, since there is one thing to apply rather than three. Click the *-inside-a-hexagon icon on the SmartShape palette. If you want to edit it, Ctrl-click that icon.

In the original file, try changing the definition of the Articulation Position to Manually instead of Below Note and see if that changes anything.

Zuill

OMG Both of those work just fine, so many many thanks! I had no idea until tonight that there was such a thing as a custom smart shape. To think of all of the hours I could have saved myself trying to line up those damned symbols with each other!

My life is changed!

Thanks, Motet and Zuill!

Mark

The Ped plus a line (dotted or solid) plus the asterisk is non-standard. Dashed lines for Ped marks are rarely seen. Either the Ped. * which is probably best for your piece since the pedals are long. Or the all bracket system |___________| or Ped.___________| which is least good but common now. All of these can be made into custom lines.

There are good reasons why these pedal systems are used: the Ped. * leaves the music uncluttered. The bracket system is best for intricate pedaling because of its accuracy and you can use little inverted v's to show fast changes of pedal. These symbols are all available in the list of custom lines. The only advantage of the Ped. bracket system would be where you are using brackets to indicate something else. Otherwise it combines the worst features of the other systems.

Think of all the custom lines you can now make! Dynamics with dashed follow-ons, 8va without the "va". You can do away with the non-standard (8va) that Finale puts at the continuation of an octave sign on the next line etc. It is indeed a revolution!

Thank you, John! I adopted the lines between Ped and * a few years ago, when I realized that pianists often don't register that they are to keep the pedal for a long time; having to tell them in rehearsal made me assume that pianists won't do it as I wish if I am not there.

So I hope that even though it's non-standard that it will be OK.

Mark

Thanks for the explanation, Mark. Just another indication of the decline in musical literacy, I guess. With your experience, I would be inclined to use the all-bracket system But they might not know what that means either. So that leaves the Ped. plus bracket, which may explains why this cumbersome system is now so prevalent. Your solution is the ugliest. I wouldn't use it.