Finale Forum

I’m wanting to use a figure similar to a multi measure rest in order to denote a repeated figure over an approximate amount of time—approximately ten seconds. Is there a way to manipulate the already available multi measure rest function in order to remove the number associated or even change it to something like c.10” or 10”?
I haven’t tested the true limits of notation via Finale, but I feel that this is definitely possible. And, for convenience, is it possible to do over a single measure?

Welcome to the forum!

Indeed it is possible.
Actually, it is not easy to find a layout that Finale can not do.


Selection Tool.
Select the region (= select the measures) you need as a multimeasure rest.

Use the context menu:
Multimeasure Rests > Create

To edit the multimeasure rest, use the context menu (again):
Multimeasure Rests > Edit…

If you have any questions about this, let us know.

You can edit a multimeasure rest by right clicking on it, and get rid of the number by putting a larger number in the "Start numbering at" field. Then you can add your "ten seconds" as a expression.

By default, multimeasure rest creation begins at two measures. You can change that to 1 in Document Options, but it's a global setting and you may have to get rid of any unwanted ones that might occur (right click on them and pick Multimeasure Rests/Break), so it might be easier to make your 10 seconds span two measures.

I see now that there's a shape in the default Finale libraries that you can use to create an expression to do what you want in a single measure. Create this expression, use a staff style to get rid of the whole rest, then apply the expression, which can be stretched as you like. 10" is a separate expression.