D.C. al Segno

[Florio]

I have a Rondo with the standard 'segno' symbol placed at the beginning of the first bar, and a fermata at the end of bar 36 where the piece should end. There then follow two separate sections, at the end of each of which there is the [indication 'D.C.] al Rondo' (i.e., back to bar 1 then play until the fermata).
My question is how can I get Finale (2005) to play the piece in the correct order and then stop at the fermata?:
Rondo (bars 1-36), section 2 (bars 37-102), Rondo (bars 1-36), section 3 (bars 103-175), Rondo (bars 1-36).
Florio

[Peter Thomsen]

1. Although your question is about playback, I will also comment the layout:

- For the fermata at the end of measure 36, consider creating it as a custom barline.
A custom barline with a built-in fermata over it will automatically adjust itself in relation to staff group barlines, clefs, key signatures, time signatures, system ends.

- The standard 'Segno' symbol is really not needed here, since the "Rondo D. C." already means "jump to the beginning of the Rondo".
Normally you would rather use the 'Segno' symbol in a measure after the first measure, f.x. after a pickup measure.


2. If you only want the repeats for playback, and not for layout, use the text style "Hidden".
In that way the repeats won't print, but you can still see them in the Finale document - and see what they do, in case you should have forgotten.

- The 'Segno' symbol should be assigned with the Repeat Action set to "Never Jump (Mark)".
Remember its Repeat ID.
The ID is probably '1' if it's the first repeat you enter in the document.

- To stop playback at the end of measure 36, use a text repeat defined with justification "Right".
If you use the text style "Hidden", you can type any text.
I would type "Stop on Pass 3".
In the Repeat Assignment, set the Repeat Action to "Stop On Pass 3".

- Also in measure 36, use another text repeat defined with justification "Right".
If you use the text style "Hidden", you can type any text.
I would type "On Pass 2, Jump to Measure 103".
In the Repeat Assignment, set the Repeat Action to "Jump On Pass 2", and set the Target to Measure 103.

- In measure 103, use a text repeat defined with justification "Right".
If you use the text style "Hidden", you can type any text.
I would type "Dal Segno #".
Select "Replace '#' with Text Repeat ID in Target".
In the Repeat Assignment, set the Repeat Action to "Jump On Pass 1", and set the Target to Repeat ID 1 (if the Segno has Repeat ID 1).
Important:
Duplicate this repeat, and use the duplicate in measure 175.
Don't use the same repeat again - use the duplicate!


Peter

[Florio]

Thanks Peter.
I'm not entirely sure why the 'segno' sign is included above the first bar in the manuscript that I'm editing (there are lots of other oddities present as well). Perhaps I'll do as you suggest and remove it, especially since the indication D.C. really says it all!!
Regarding the 'hidden' text style, where can I find this option? (probably a stupid question, but I have the Italian version of Finale 2005, and it's not always easy navigating through menus that are at times very loosely translated )
Florio

[Peter Thomsen]

The "Hidden" text style can be found wherever you find the standard text styles (Italic, Bold):

- in the submenu:
Text menu > Style

- in the dialog box Font

Peter

By The Way:
In earlier versions of Finale you could only hide text by putting '<' and '>' around the text.

[Florio]

I followed your advice, Peter, but modified one or two steps, and got mixed results.
The pause in bar 36 doesn't fall on the barline but on a quaver rest, so I couldn't really create a custom barline with built-in fermata.
I got rid of the 'segno' at the beginning of the first bar, as it seemd much easier just to indicate 'D.C.' or 'D.C al Rondo'.
Although my original question regarded playback, I am also interested in the layout of this score as I intend to print it out. I therefore inserted your indications in hidden text, but also added 'D.C. al Rondo' (visible, not hidden) in the same bars.
For the final step, I placed the hidden and visible indications in bar 102--and not bar 103--and, for the repeat Assignment, set the Target to bar 1 rather than the Segno ID.
The result of all this is that Finale plays the sections in the correct order, at least until it gets to section 3 (bar 103). At this point it starts playing at about half speed (maybe slower!!). Would you have any ideas why it does this, and how I can fix it?
I also wanted to ask you if it's possible to cancel the effect of a fermata during playback.
Florio

[Peter Thomsen]

1. The low playback speed at measure 103 could be caused by an expression with playback effect.
Or it could be a tempo tool change.
Check the playback effect of all expressions in measure 103.
Use the Mass Edit Tool to clear Tempo Changes from measure 103.

2. The playback of a fermata is handled by Human Playback.
Check out your settings for Human Playback.

Peter

[Florio]

I removed the fermata (which was an articulation), and the tempo problems immediately disappeared. I tried replacing it, this time as an expression created with a Maestro character, and the tempo problems returned.
There are no other expressions or tempo changes in bar 103, and in any case, the tempo problems once surfaced in bar 37 when I'd begun playback from halfway through the piece. I'm sure it's something to do with the fermata, which I don't need for playback but only for page layout.
Florio

[Peter Thomsen]

The playback of a fermata is handled by Human Playback.
Check out your settings for Human Playback:

Open the window "Playback Controls".
Click the black triangle to expand the window.
Click the button "HP Preferences...".
In the dialog box "Human Playback Preferences", look for the pane "Fermata".

Peter