Sorry about the late reply.
I have read your post several times, and it makes my brain hurt - poor me! (kidding).
Djard wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:59 pm
… the guitar is written one octave above concert pitch; and Finale automatically assigns the pitch when a G-clef is selected for the instrument …
The “automatic” element is that Finale assigns a staff transposition (of an octave => no key change) to the guitar staff.
Finale’s solution works - but what do you need to happen if you in the Document menu select “Display in Concert Pitch“ ?
Should the notes stay in the same octave ?
FYI:
Instead of what Finale “automatically” does, you can get the same result without a staff transposition, by using an octave transposing clef (sometimes called the Guitar Clef, or the Tenor Clef).
By default the octave transposing clef uses the G clef character with a small ‘8’ below it, but you can replace the character with another font character (like e. g. the standard G Clef character, without the ‘8’).
When there is no staff transposition, the notes will stay at the same vertical position, no matter whether Display in Concert Pitch is selected or not,
It all depends on what you need.
- Do you need the G clef character without ‘8’ below it?
- Do you need the notes to stay in the same octave when you select Display in Concert Pitch ?
What-ever you need, there is at least one solution for it (actually there are two solutions with your current Finale version which also has an extra option in the Document menu: When Displaying in Concert Pitch, Keep Octave Transposition)
Djard wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:59 pm
… when writing for guitar with use of a capo in an ensemble, the staff must be set as independent, otherwise the other instruments will be transposed …
For the Guitar staff there is no need to select Independent Key Signature - since you instead can use a staff transposition.
In that way the Guitar staff can play back in Concert Key, and display another key signature (the other instruments will not be affected) - and this is “the standard solution” for transposing instruments such as French Horn, Saxophone &c.
Djard wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:59 pm
… Is my understanding correct …
Not quite, but you are close.
Djard wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:59 pm
… After changing the key signature from C to Db, which transposes the notation up a semitone, we want to change the key signature and notation back to C but keep playback in Db. So in Score Manager, the interval must be set up to the dominant 7th, which is 1 semitone apart from the tonic (Cb = dominant 7th in Db Major scale, which is 6 steps above the tonic); so enter 6. The "Key Alter" kept with 5 flats for playback in concert Db …
This is where my brain hurts.
By your words “dominant 7th” you probably mean “minor 7th” which has a size of 10 chromatic half-steps - right?
I do not understand your words “1 semitone apart from the tonic”.
* Where is that semitone ???
But the Db Major scale has C natural (not Cb).
Thus the interval is a “major 7th” which has a size of 11 chromatic half-steps - right?
Djard wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:59 pm
… Interval: 6 -- In the diatonic scale of Db major, Db to Eb = 1, Eb to F = 2, F to Gb = 3, Gb to Ab = 4, Ab to Bb = 5, Bb to Cb (dom.7) = 6.
Key Alter: 5 accidentals (Key Db) …
The Db major scale has C: {Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C} - right?
When it is dealing with staff transpositions, Finale does not know anything about scales.
Instead the {interval number} is only about, how many steps the notes should be moved up/down.
A negative number means that the notes should be moved down {as many steps as the number says}.
In
Key Alter: 5
you should read the ‘5’ as ‘+5’ - meaning {Add 5 sharps, or subtract 5 flats}.
Similarly, in
Key Alter: -2
you should read the ‘-2’ as ‘{Add 2 flats, or subtract 2 sharps}.
Djard wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:59 pm
… I did try setting the interval as chromatic 1 (min. 2nd), thinking the transposed C to Db would be raised back up a semitone to appear as C; but doing so displayed the C note as D##. Why does the Interval set at 1 drop the C note a 5th, down to D## (E)?
Oooh, my brain hurts - poor me!
I am glad that I am me, and not you.
The idea of a chromatic transposition is that the staff displays the Concert Key, but plays back transposed = the opposite of what you need.
Chromatic transposition is
not what you need.
Do not go there.