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An ossia passage is an alternative phrase, often placed in a reduced-size measure above the pri-mary
measure in the score. (Ossia means “or else.”) An ossia measure often provides an explica-tion
of a trill, proposes a cadenza, or suggests an easier alternative to the real measure. In Finale,
such an annotative measure can be created with the Ossia Tool.
There are two kinds of ossia measures. A measure-assigned ossia measure, which you create in
Scroll View, remains attached to its measure in the score, even if that measure’s position in the
score changes. A page-assigned ossia measure, which you create in Page View, remains fixed to a
given spot on the page, regardless of any repositioning of the music around it.
To create a floating (ossia) measure
A floating measure must be based on a “real” measure. For most purposes, then, you’ll need to
create a “scratch staff” on which to notate the actual contents of the ossia measure. You then
choose “hide staff” in the Staff Attributes dialog box (see HIDING STAVES for full instructions).
• Choose Scroll View from the View menu, if you’re not already there.
• Click the Staff Tool , and double-click the place where you want the scratch staff to
appear. A new staff appears where you double-click.
• In the scratch staff, enter the music you want to appear in the floating measure.
• Click the Ossia Tool . Stay in Scroll View if you want to attach the floating measure to a
“real” measure. Go to Page View if you want to affix the measure to a spot on the page.
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