Moving Stems

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Zon
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Post by Zon » Wed Jul 31, 2024 1:47 pm

Is it possible to move note stems vertically?
I have found—and used—the horizontal feature before, but I’m looking to move notes onto a glissando that crosses a bar line. Normally, I would simply change the time signature to avoid this, but there are multiple glissandi happening at the same time. I know you can change the length of stems, but I would like to shift the position without affecting length.


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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Wed Jul 31, 2024 2:16 pm

Zon wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2024 1:47 pm
… I’m looking to move notes onto a glissando that crosses a bar line …
I am not sure I understand.

What do you mean by your words “onto a glissando”?

Are you talking about keeping the notehead at its vertical position, and then disconnecting the stem from the notehead, and moving the stem vertically?
So that the stem keeps its vertical length, but no longer begins at the notehead?
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

Zon
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Post by Zon » Thu Aug 01, 2024 2:45 am

I’m wanting to move the stems vertically so that they meet a glissando. I have removed the note heads from the stems. The first example of this being done that comes to mind is measure 169 of Bobby Ge’s “Minutes Between.”

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miker
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Post by miker » Thu Aug 01, 2024 3:39 am

Can you post a picture, please?
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motet
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Post by motet » Thu Aug 01, 2024 4:36 am

I found Minutes Between online (below). There's Tools/Advanced Tools/Stem Length. You can lengthen or shorten the non-notehead end. It looks like Mr. Ge has the top of the stems on a line or the middle of a space. you put your hidden notehead right where the top of the line should be, that should work great. You can lengthen or shorten it with the Stem Length tool, but maybe you don't need to.
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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Thu Aug 01, 2024 5:30 am

Or you can create false stems in the Shape Designer.
Create a vertical line, with thickness as a stem (see the thickness value in the Document Options), and with length as a stem (see the length value in the Document Options).

Then, enter the vertical line, e. g. with the Expression Tool.

Since this is not a playback issue, you can use hidden rests as “placeholders” on the beats.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

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motet
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Post by motet » Thu Aug 01, 2024 5:53 am

Oh, that's better! Can be applied with a metatool to be right where the beat is and can be tweaked up and down to touch the glissando line if desired. Of course the Shape Designer can be daunting.

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motet
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Post by motet » Thu Aug 01, 2024 6:02 am

Or maybe a Smart Shape, which can be copied using the filter, and which has individually adjustable endpoints.

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