Figured Bass doesn't seem to work as described
Moderators: Peter Thomsen, miker
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:36 pm
- Finale Version: 24.7.1
- Operating System: Windows
I'm pretty new to Finale, but am working on Rule of Octaves, so i need Figured Bass.
Trying to get the basic
5
3
to show below the score, so I can get the "3" but when I do Shift + 5 - I get "%".
I can't get any combination of the "Shift" key, then the "+" key and the "5" key to "superscript" the 5 over the 3.
I think I followed all the setup instructions correctly.
Thanks!
Trying to get the basic
5
3
to show below the score, so I can get the "3" but when I do Shift + 5 - I get "%".
I can't get any combination of the "Shift" key, then the "+" key and the "5" key to "superscript" the 5 over the 3.
I think I followed all the setup instructions correctly.
Thanks!
- motet
- Posts: 8890
- Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:33 pm
- Finale Version: 2014.5,2011,2005,27
- Operating System: Windows
You're doing everything right according to the documentation. It looks like setting the Lyrics font in Document Options/Fonts doesn't work--who knows why.
Fortunately, there's a way around it. Enter your first number, then open the Lyrics window, and set the font from there using the Text menu, as shown below. Don't try to use the main Text menu at the top of the Finale window, which appears to be broken. You need to have at least one character or it will revert to Finale Lyrics. I suspect you'll want a larger font size. From then on it should be fine.
Something they neglected to mention is you'll want to turn off word extensions. Instead, in Document Options/Lyrics, click Word Extensions and turn them off there.
Fortunately, there's a way around it. Enter your first number, then open the Lyrics window, and set the font from there using the Text menu, as shown below. Don't try to use the main Text menu at the top of the Finale window, which appears to be broken. You need to have at least one character or it will revert to Finale Lyrics. I suspect you'll want a larger font size. From then on it should be fine.
Something they neglected to mention is you'll want to turn off word extensions. Instead, in Document Options/Lyrics, click Word Extensions and turn them off there.
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:36 pm
- Finale Version: 24.7.1
- Operating System: Windows
OMG it worked! Thank you so much! I've spent hours on this, rather than the music study.
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:36 pm
- Finale Version: 24.7.1
- Operating System: Windows
OK, I'm on a roll! I've done 4 actual beats!
My next question is how do you edit an error? The erase tool will erase the note, not the figured bass error.
Thanks so much.
My next question is how do you edit an error? The erase tool will erase the note, not the figured bass error.
Thanks so much.
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:36 pm
- Finale Version: 24.7.1
- Operating System: Windows
OK, big progress! I "figured" out how to delete and then figured out how to place a diminished fifth (with a slash through it) at the middle place. Thank for the help. The struggle continues.
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:36 pm
- Finale Version: 24.7.1
- Operating System: Windows
For some reason, overnight, this seemed to break again.
Yesterday, I did a copy/paste operation and the figured bass on the copied section came out to gobbledygook.
I redid what you suggested in the Text Menu, but now, the font remains at 12 - I can't seem to get it to 16, which was much better.
Was there an overnight update or something? Isn't figured bass pretty basic?
Thanks for all your help!
Yesterday, I did a copy/paste operation and the figured bass on the copied section came out to gobbledygook.
I redid what you suggested in the Text Menu, but now, the font remains at 12 - I can't seem to get it to 16, which was much better.
Was there an overnight update or something? Isn't figured bass pretty basic?
Thanks for all your help!
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:36 pm
- Finale Version: 24.7.1
- Operating System: Windows
I guess another thing - Why didn't the copy/paste operation include the text comments that I had and also the figured bass that I had worked pretty hard on to enter.
It only copied the notes. Like I said, the figured bass that I had written in was nonsense characters in the copied version?
It only copied the notes. Like I said, the figured bass that I had written in was nonsense characters in the copied version?
-
- Posts: 1499
- Joined: Fri Aug 20, 2010 8:59 am
- Finale Version: Finale 27
- Operating System: Mac
You have to remember that Figured Bass in Finale is just "Lyrics", using a special font that stacks numbers on top of each other.
If the special font isn't being used, then you'll get nonsense. Also, it's possible that if you're not using a US English keyboard layout, that you will get the wrong characters when you use Shift <number> and Option <number>.
FWIW, I have created my own special font for figured bass, which uses a different key entry scheme (e.g. 65, 53, 742 will produce stacks of those numbers.) It's also more attractive!
MuseScore and Dorico both have support for "real" bass figures, not just faked lyrics or chords; I doubt we'll see anything like that in Finale any time soon.
If the special font isn't being used, then you'll get nonsense. Also, it's possible that if you're not using a US English keyboard layout, that you will get the wrong characters when you use Shift <number> and Option <number>.
FWIW, I have created my own special font for figured bass, which uses a different key entry scheme (e.g. 65, 53, 742 will produce stacks of those numbers.) It's also more attractive!

MuseScore and Dorico both have support for "real" bass figures, not just faked lyrics or chords; I doubt we'll see anything like that in Finale any time soon.
- Attachments
-
- GoFigure.zip
- (85.38 KiB) Downloaded 45 times
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:36 pm
- Finale Version: 24.7.1
- Operating System: Windows
Hey, thanks BounTempi - I've been thinking about Dorico - I ended up "messing with" the problem more and got it fixed, but I'm not sure how. I'll take a look at the file you attached and see if I can work with it!