Finale Forum

How do I get back to the default chord fonts, sufixes, and fretboards?

I opened a file made in a previous version and everything about the chords is messed up...

1. Chord Tool (Cm7 icon) -> Chord (in text menu) -> point to "Chord Style" -> select "Standard."
2. Double-click where you want to add a chord -> from "Style" drop-down menu, choose "Seville" -> check box for "Fretboard." Below are the default settings. If these steps fail, you can upload a page and I will be happy to examine the issue for you.

Thanks for helping out!

My main problem is with the suffixes. Here is how Ami(add9) looks like: .
And here is how all the suffixes look like:

I am not at my PC with Finale, but I can see the problem that is not difficult to correct. I will send you the steps tomorrow that will let you customize the spacing between the characters.

Once corrected, you will be able to save the Library file, without bloating it; so that the chords will be available in your next work.

It's an old file and the fonts were different on a different computer. Here is a snapshot from a pdf file that shows the correct fonts:

Here are two options, taken from a troubleshooting guide that I compiled, thanks to help at this forum (anyone is welcome to a copy).

1. Chord Tool -> double-click on fretboard diagram. If using names only, right-click on chord name handle -> Edit Chord Definition.
2. Click "Next" until "F" appears in the "Symbol" field -> increase the value in the "H" field (for instance, from 0.32292 to 0.33) -> Next -> OK -> OK.

OPTION

1. Selection Tool -> right-click on chord diagram -> Edit Chord Definition -> Edit (in "Suffix" section at bottom).
2. Click in "Symbol" field -> type in values for the horizontal and/or vertical spacing. Add a minus symbol to place the suffix
closer to the main chord name, otherwise click on "Next."
3. Type a smaller value in the "H" field to reduce space between the letters -> Next -> repeat last step, until finished.
4. Next -> OK -> OK. Move a scroll bar if the changes made are not visible. Repeat
steps to adjust if necessary.

The values below corrected Finale's excessive horizontal spacing for Dsus4.

u = 0.06597
s = 0.15625
4 = 0.21875

In your document options > fonts, what fonts are showing in the chord frame for all the components: Root, Alteration, and Suffix?

In Document Options -> Font -> Chord, mine shows "Symbol." In the Chord Definition dialog, the "Style" is Seville for the Fretboard. I have never changed them.

miker wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:57 pm

In your document options > fonts, what fonts are showing in the chord frame for all the components: Root, Alteration, and Suffix?

This is what it shows in the new file that opens that old file:

Symbol > Arial Narrow
Suffix* > Times (missing)
Alteration > ChordSym (missing)
Fretboard > Times (missing)

Those (missing) fonts are the reason you’re having the problem, I believe. Open a newer document or even a default. See if chords display correctly. If they do, check the fonts to see what they are. Duplicate those settings in the problem doc, and see if they are better.

On a PC, one can open a word processor, like MS-Word and view the list of fonts installed in the OS, including those Finale uses. A less expedient way is to examine them in File Explorer, Windows' file manager. A Mac will have something similar. If a font has been corrupted or deleted, it can easily be replaced, either by a partial re-installation of the software or by downloading one, which are freely available on the Internet. I simply paste a *.TTF file to the system font folder, reboot, and it appears in every app that uses text fonts and such graphics.

Thanks for your help!

You are most welcome.

Okay, I'm going to jump in here, because I'm mainly writing lead sheets, and would like the chords to be larger than the piddly default 12 point.

I've used the scaling change in the Doc Options and it mashes everything together like was shown earlier in the thread. I just learned about this edit thing shown farther up the line shortly before coming across this thread, and I'm finding it to be really cumbersome. On the spacing change: it's all just trial and error? Also, the font size doesn't want to change as easily as it might, even hitting "Apply". Biggest of all: It's necessary to doctor every chord this way? I'm not using complex chords here. I'm talking things like Gm7 and such, maybe the occasional diminished.

Alan Knapper wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 24, 2023 8:47 pm

Okay, I'm going to jump in here, because I'm mainly writing lead sheets, and would like the chords to be larger than the piddly default 12 point …

You can change the size of the chord root directly, and this size is a document setting.

For the chord suffixes, the fastes way is to load an already existing chord suffix Library with larger suffixes.

Finale comes with some ready made chord suffix Libraries, in different fonts.

Alan Knapper wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 24, 2023 8:47 pm

… It's necessary to doctor every chord this way? …

No, not every chord, only every suffix.

When a suffix (e. g. m7) has been edited, then every occurrence if that suffix has the new size.

I would suggest you use the plugin JW Change > Chords > Resize. Keep it to a maximum of about 20%. That should be enough for a “geezer lead sheet.”

Thanks, but nothing happens when I do that.

Nothing happens when I go into Doc Options and change the font sizes either. I can change the symbol size, but no matter what I enter for any of the other variables, nothing happens, even when I do get the "apply" button to activate.

And as far as chord size: I'm looking at something around a 20 point (TNR) symbol with a slightly smaller suffix. Yeah, I want the dang things BIG.

The only thing that's actually worked is Doc Opt to "chords" then blew them up about 160% or so. But then I run into the spacing issue the OP brought up further up the thread.

And I may just not know what the heck I'm doing, but here's what I have currently.

The settings that I have in Document Options/Fonts are: TNR, symbol 24 pt, suffix 48 pt (not what I ultimately want, but I just wanted to see what would happen) I got an "apply" button, so I pressed it, but as you can see, the "apply" button isn't doing anything.

Alan Knapper wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 04, 2023 10:28 pm

… Nothing happens when I go into Doc Options and change the font sizes …

Alan Knapper wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 04, 2023 10:28 pm

… The settings that I have in Document Options/Fonts are: TNR, symbol 24 pt, suffix 48 pt (not what I ultimately want, but I just wanted to see what would happen) I got an "apply" button, so I pressed it, but as you can see, the "apply" button isn't doing anything …

You are trying to use the Document Options to change the font size in the chord suffixes - right?

If you look closely in {Document Options - Fonts}, then you will see that there is an * after the word ‘Suffix’:
Suffix*

In a note below it is explained that for items with * a font change will only affect new items created after the font change.
Already existing items will not be affected.

In Other Words:
You can not use {Document Options - Fonts} to change fonts in already existing suffixes.

P.S. : to change the size of the alteration associated with the root : Document Options -> Fonts -> Chords -> Alteration.

I guess I don't understand what you're saying. Are you telling me that there's NO way to enlarge the suffixes that are already loaded? Doesn't that seem really limiting? Why is this so hard to accomplish?

Yes, I'm getting frustrated...
This picture shows what I end up with, changing the font before typing anything, to symbol: 22 pt, suffix: 48 pt. The suffix, being standard, is a fixed size, coming from an existing library, from what it sounds like you're telling me.
This shows what I get when I change that suffix size down to where I want it (18 pt), then click the chord button and then click on the chord itself. THAT shows what I want it to look like on the page. When I click anywhere else on the page, the higlight and the enlarged suffix goes away. Will it print the way I'm aiming for, even if it doesn't show like that on the screen? Previous experience tells me that what's on the screen is what's going to end up on the page.

I may just be being obtuse here, but in my mind, it should be simple. It's turning out to be anything but... The possibilty of not having to use simple text for chords is one of the reasons I upgraded from PrintMusic in the first place...

And some of this may be terminology. What even is "alteration?" I get Symbol and Suffix, but I don't understand what "alteration" is. Nothing happens when I change it, but what is that? I know just enough to be dangerous on chords, so that may be part of my problem. Still...

Alteration is flat, sharp, or, natural.

P.S. : you can also load a chord suffix library that is close to what you like, and edit each suffix (each of its component can be modified, have its own font, size, style and position). Sure, it will take you a couple of hours but you will not regret it. Then save the chord suffix library so you can load it into your documents and templates. Before you load it into a file, delete the existing suffixes, otherwise your library will be added under the existing one.

So there are no downloadable libraries for "large fonts" or something like that?
I spent a few hours nudging and really am dissappointed.

ReReDouble wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 16, 2023 7:56 am

So there are no downloadable libraries for "large fonts" or something like that?
I spent a few hours nudging and really am dissappointed.

Find
"Arial Chord Suffix Library"
in
https://www.conqueringfinale.com/spotlight-on-plug-ins