Finale Forum

Hello, I am trying to recreate/reformat some recitativo passages from Le Nozze di Figaro and am having an issue entering the same clef multiple times within one measure. Finale lets me enter the same clef a second time, but not more than that... I am posting a picture of an example of what I'd like to do (three bass clefs within one measure).

Can anyone help with this?

I am using Finale Version 27.4.1.110 on Windows 10

Welcome to the forum!


Since everything is in the Bass Clef, there - strictly speaking - is no need for {clef change} clefs.

To me it looks like the “extra clefs” serve the purpose of showing, what notes are sung by Figaro, and what notes are sung by Bartolo.


One way to do it:

In a Finale document you can have 18 different clefs.
You will seldom need that many different clefs.
Go to the Clef Designer, and edit the available clefs so that two of the 18 clefs are set up as Bass Clef.
Then, switch between those two clefs.

I just tried it, and it works for me.


Another solution would be custom made “false clefs”, added with the Articulation Tool, or with the Expression Tool.

I recently did this exact thing with secco recitative (two characters sharing one staff), and did as Peter suggests and added a second bass clef to the repertoire of clefs. I strongly suggest this approach rather than using a "false clef," since with a real clef change Finale will automatically make room for the clef, and the switch can be made with a metatool. The clef designer is reached via Document options/Clefs.

(As you can see I added a second treble clef as well.)

Thank you both for your helpful responses! I would never have thought of that