Finale Forum

So I have a template set up for orchestral work and it works fine until I want to add a staff. In this example I want an extra for violas. Here is the before
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zjcd0jsecnl40 ... 3.png?dl=0
Here is the after where the synthesizer brace covers the choir, both violins are under violin 1 bracket and the time signatures have been displaced
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fmsxkq11kdvu4 ... 3.png?dl=0
All I did was adding another viola staff that I wanted to include for divisi playing.

How is the correct way to go about this?

You are using Mac Finale - right?

Take a look at the Preferences - type ⌘, (Command-comma), then go to
Preferences - Edit

Is the option {Automatic Instrument Family Group Brackets} selected or de-selected?

Generally, it is a good idea to be careful about selecting automatic features (program settings as well as document options) - since automatic features mean, that Finale does things without asking you for permission.
A good work flow often means that an automatic feature is toggled on, only during a certain work phase.

When you add the instrument, instead of relying on Score Order: Orchestral, try selecting the existing viola staff first, and picking Score Order: Custom. (Or perhaps you want the new staff above the old for ossia.) You may have to fix the viola group, but perhaps this won't break everything else.

Hej Peter,
I think that helped to turn off the automatic settings. This meant that I went from this:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0o3yeeofxxypp ... 0.png?dl=0
to this:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gnoyi07cdrh72 ... 8.png?dl=0
Now I just had to turn of measure numbers and time signatures for the violas, but I know how to do that.

Motet: All my instruments are set to custom score order - I have a lot of groups though.

Now I can't get the violas group to show the bracket. I have these settings:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/521ih8vc1jbfd ... 6.png?dl=0

bryla wrote:… Now I can't get the violas group to show the bracket. I have these settings:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/521ih8vc1jbfd ... 6.png?dl=0

Hej Bryla,

Your screen shot reveals the culprit:
The bracket is there all right. You can see the bracket handles.
But the handles are too close to the staves, compared to the other brackets’ handles.
You should adjust the bracket’s {Distance from Left Edge of Staff} - you probably need the same distance as in the other staff groups.

By The Way:
Both staves have the same name:
Viola
It might be a good idea to give them two different names - use two custom staff styles to change the names.

Thank you! Just used the same distance as the VLN2 group.

Regarding names my plan is to only have group names, so I'm getting rid of the staff names.

bryla wrote:… Just used the same distance as the VLN2 group …

If I understand you correctly, you used the same distance as in the Violin II group AFTER you posted the screen shot, and read my reply, right?
(not BEFORE you took the screen shot)

In Other Words:
I suppose that the problem is solved now.