Fix Polychord - superimposed chord notation

[dstraigh]

In my Finale document if I create a superimposed chord I find that the chord symbols are too close together - almost obscuring the horizontal bar (see attached). If I were to make an attempt at fixing this where would I start?

[Peter Thomsen]

The culprit is the {chord root} font.

Document menu > Document Options > Fonts > Chord > Symbol

Click the button {Set Font…}, and choose another font for Symbol.
Try e. g. Arial


By The Way:

What you have done in your attached Finale document, is (Finale-technically speaking) Alternate Bass notation, not polychord notation.

In Other Words:
In your document the lower symbol is an Alternate Bass, not a lower chord symbol.
Which means that the lower symbol can not have a chord suffix.

To get polychords - like e. g.

F#7
Bm

- try this:

1) Enter the lower symbol - Bm.

2) Hit the UpArrow key. The blinker moves up above the chord symbol Bm.

3) Enter the upper symbol - F#7.

4) Use the Expression Tool to add a horizontal line between the two chord symbols.
Consider creating a custom expression category for the horizontal lines.

[michelp]

As Peter points out, this is not a Polychord, but a chord on top of a bass note.
This is Herbie Hancock's Dolphin Dance, I assume. I would write Bb-7/Eb, with the alternate bass set to "As Subtext" (oblique line, but the bass note slightly below). A common practice.
Bb-7/Eb (or Bbm7/Eb) makes more sense harmonically (ii-7 over V) and is a better information for improvisation.
My 2 cents.

[engelbach]

I use the same method Peter suggested.

Except that for the horizontal line I use the Chord Definition>Chord Suffix Selection to make a chord suffix using two M dashes, with the second one backed off slightly to avoid a gap between them.

This results in three stacked chord symbols, rather than two chord symbols divided by an expression.

Screen Shot 2024-05-14 at 3.32.27 PM.png (44.13 KiB) Viewed 2026 times

[oldmkvi]

EbM7/C-7 is just C-9.

[engelbach]

EbM7/C-7 is just C-9.

I know, but not important. This was just an example of a way to create the horizontal line.

[miker]

EbM7/C-7 is just C-9.

I know, but not important. This was just an example of a way to create the horizontal line.

And this is why rock musicians play six chords to an audience of thousands, and a jazz guitarist plays thousands of chords to an audience of six…

[michelp]

Make it 4... and all diatonic.

[engelbach]

And this is why rock musicians play six chords to an audience of thousands, and a jazz guitarist plays thousands of chords to an audience of six…

Thanks. I hadn't heard that one before. I'll definitely steal it.

[oldmkvi]

I'll take Jim Hall over Slash Any Day!