Creating Custom Time Signatures

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Karen Smithson
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Post by Karen Smithson » Tue Jan 07, 2020 3:48 pm

Is it possible to create a single digit time signature, i.e. using a "2" to indicate any measure with duple rhythm and a "3" to indicate triple rhythm?


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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Jan 07, 2020 4:59 pm

Yes. In Document Options / Time Signatures, play around with Vertical Adjustment. Set Bottom Symbol to some large number to move it off the page.
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Karen Smithson
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Post by Karen Smithson » Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:08 pm

Thanks, motet,

I can see that this is going to work but I need some more information. I'm dealing with a 12-part score and your example places the single number perfectly for the bottom 3 staves but for the other staves the upper number has just been pushed up into the white space between the staves. I've tried changing both the codes in the dialog box to different numbers as well but nothing is consistently working the way I need. It would help to know what exactly "-24e" and "1000e" are measuring in the dialog box. Thanks for helping me out, here!

Karen

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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:27 pm

They are measuring the distance from their normal placement. Add a zero to the bottom displacement (10000e)--what I specified was not big enough and you're likely seeing numbers from staves further down. My apologies.

If that doesn't fix it, post your file here (it can just be the first number, say) and I'll take a look.

Karen Smithson
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Post by Karen Smithson » Wed Jan 08, 2020 4:08 am

Hah! That worked perfectly! Thank you so much, motet!

oldmkvi
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Post by oldmkvi » Thu Jan 09, 2020 7:36 pm

What's wrong with 2/4 and 3/4?

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apkyburz
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Post by apkyburz » Fri Jan 10, 2020 7:57 pm

motet wrote:
Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:27 pm
They are measuring the distance from their normal placement. Add a zero to the bottom displacement (10000e)--what I specified was not big enough and you're likely seeing numbers from staves further down. My apologies.

If that doesn't fix it, post your file here (it can just be the first number, say) and I'll take a look.
I've never seen the 'e' after measurement numbers, does it trigger EVPU-measuring or what is it for?

Thanks

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motet
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Post by motet » Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:27 pm

Right. Most people use inches, which is what I included the e in the example.

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apkyburz
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Post by apkyburz » Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:09 pm

motet wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:27 pm
Right. Most people use inches, which is what I included the e in the example.
Awesome, thanks for the hint!

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motet
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Post by motet » Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:31 pm

You can also use i, c, p, etc.

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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Fri Jan 10, 2020 11:28 pm

motet wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:31 pm
You can also use i, c, p, etc.
… and pt (= Points)

NB:
p = Picas
pt = Points

Quoting the Finale power user Jim Coull:

You can change the measurement units “on the fly” by typing in a number in one of the measurement dialogs followed by
e for EVPUs (or evpus, or EVPUs)
pt for points (or pts, or points) 1pt = 4e
s for spaces (or sp, or spaces) 1s = 6pt
p for picas (or pi, or picas) 1p = 2s
i for inches (or ", or in, or inch, or inches) 1i = 6p
c for centimeters (or cm, or centimeters)
m for millimeters (or mm, or millimeters)
(BTW, these are all listed in the online docs, I think in the section on the Measurement Units submenu.) For example, I usually leave the default units to Inches, but if I want to move an articulation horizontally over by a small amount, I just type "2e" in the H box in the Change Articulation Assignments dialog, and Finale does the rest.

Note: When you’re overriding the global setting in this way, you even have an extra unit option (millimeters) not available in the sub-menu for Measurement Units.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

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apkyburz
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Post by apkyburz » Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:16 pm

Peter Thomsen wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 11:28 pm

… and pt (= Points)

Note: When you’re overriding the global setting in this way, you even have an extra unit option (millimeters) not available in the sub-menu for Measurement Units.[/i]
Now that makes a European's heart beat faster, thanks!

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