help entering score (time/space issues)

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dagmaar
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Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:20 pm
Operating System: Windows

Post by dagmaar » Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:36 pm

I wrote a piece for two oboes many years ago and am trying to enter the score into Finale. The issue is that I wrote the piece using, for lack of a better phrase, time/space style notation. Think penderecki string quartets.

I want each block of time to be the exact same size no matter the content within the block. Please let me know if you have any thoughts. thanks!

https://ibb.co/Xp3ZB4r
https://imgur.com/a/smS58qp


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Djard
Posts: 916
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:23 am
Finale Version: Finale 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Djard » Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:56 pm

Firstly, disable automatic measure spacing and use the Measure Tool to manually adjust the length. You might be able to create the graphics as an articulation, expression or in the Custom Line Tool. Do you want playback to work?

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Peter Thomsen
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Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:58 pm

dagmaar wrote:
Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:36 pm
… each block of time to be the exact same size no matter the content within the block …
If I understand you correctly, this means that

1) the spacing (to the right) of a rhythmical value is proportional to the rhythmical value (= a Half gets the double spacing of a Quarter, &c.),

2) all the “measures” have the same width (= the same rhythmical duration, e. g. 4/4).


Two ideas:

1) For the Music Spacing, set the Scaling Factor to 2.
Explanation: the Scaling Factor determines the spacing for a doubling of a rhythmical value.
When the Scaling Factor is 2, the double value gets the double spacing (= a Half gets the double spacing of a Quarter, &c.)

2) Go to Document Options - Music Spacing, and set the same value for
Minimum Measure Width
and
Maximum Measure Width
With this setting the Music Spacing will give all measures the same width.

NB:
Music Notation also has elements that have no rhythmical value, e. g. accidentals and clef changes.
By default a Finale document makes space for such elements, but you can de-select them in
Document Options - Music Spacing
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

dagmaar
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:20 pm
Operating System: Windows

Post by dagmaar » Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:38 pm

Djard wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:56 pm
Firstly, disable automatic measure spacing and use the Measure Tool to manually adjust the length. You might be able to create the graphics as an articulation, expression or in the Custom Line Tool. Do you want playback to work?
Hello,
I will give this a shot. No, i have no desire for playback. I just don't have my vellum copy of this anymore and I figured if I am going to rewrite the whole thing out, I might as well start learning how to do this in Finale.

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Djard
Posts: 916
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:23 am
Finale Version: Finale 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Djard » Thu Dec 10, 2020 3:48 am

Make sure Autosave is enabled and working. I have mine set to save a copy of the document every 5 mins. In addition, I manually make a backup copy after every major edit. I recommend these steps, especially when writing complex music notation of the type you describe; since Finale becomes very unstable whenever you depart from writing simple tracks in orchestration. In this manner, you can spare yourself of the heartbreak of losing many hours or days of work.

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