tuplet sizes/spacing

[musicus1]

In the attached example I have a few questions.
1. There are five groups of tups here, groups of 10, 6, 7, 16, 14. How do I get the different tuplet numbers the same size?
2. How can I bracket them, and adjust the placement of the brackets? Can I make the tuplet numbers disappear?
3. As you can see, although it is a 5/4 measure, the dotted half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies the same space as the half note. Is there a way to "stretch" or "compress" each group left and right, so that the dotted half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies three fifths of the measure visually, and the half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies two fifths of the measure visually? Mac 10.6, Finale 2011. Thank you.

[Peter Thomsen]

…1. There are five groups of tups here, groups of 10, 6, 7, 16, 14. How do I get the different tuplet numbers the same size?…

By using the same resizing method in all the tuplets.
In all the tuplets except the first tuplet, the Note Size is resized to 77 % - and the Notehead Size is 100 %.
However, in the first tuplet the Note Size is 100 % - and the Notehead Size is 77 %.
This also means that the beams are thicker in the first tuplet.

…2. How can I bracket them, and adjust the placement of the brackets?…

Use the Tuplet Tool (I mean the Tuplet Tool on the Main Tool Palette, not the sub-tool for note entry).
Click the first note in a tuplet, and the tuplet's handle will apear.
Double-click the tuplet handle, and you get to the dialog Tuplet Definition where you can select "Always Use Specified Shape", and adjust the shape's Vertical and Horizontal position.

…2…Can I make the tuplet numbers disappear?…

Yes.
In the Tuplet Definition, in the pop up menu Number, choose "Nothing".

To hide all tuplet numbers in a region:
Selection Tool.
Select the region.
Utilities menu > Change > Tuplets…

…3. As you can see, although it is a 5/4 measure, the dotted half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies the same space as the half note. Is there a way to "stretch" or "compress" each group left and right, so that the dotted half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies three fifths of the measure visually, and the half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies two fifths of the measure visually?…

Yes, there is a way:
Just apply Time Signature Spacing on the measure.

However, this may not be a good idea unless you change some of the layout parameters.
To get better space for Time Signature Spacing,
- resize the music to a smaller size (try e. g. Page Resizing - switch to the Resize Tool, and context-click),
or
- increase the available page area, by using a bigger Page Size, or by using smaller Page Margins.

[musicus1]

When I click on "resize note" I often get the entire group of notes under the bracket resized. Which means I am not clear on how exactly does one resize a note as opposed to a bracketed group of notes? I am clicking on the lower left corner of the bracket when the stems are going down.

…1. There are five groups of tups here, groups of 10, 6, 7, 16, 14. How do I get the different tuplet numbers the same size?…

By using the same resizing method in all the tuplets.
In all the tuplets except the first tuplet, the Note Size is resized to 77 % - and the Notehead Size is 100 %.
However, in the first tuplet the Note Size is 100 % - and the Notehead Size is 77 %.
This also means that the beams are thicker in the first tuplet.

…2. How can I bracket them, and adjust the placement of the brackets?…

Use the Tuplet Tool (I mean the Tuplet Tool on the Main Tool Palette, not the sub-tool for note entry).
Click the first note in a tuplet, and the tuplet's handle will apear.
Double-click the tuplet handle, and you get to the dialog Tuplet Definition where you can select "Always Use Specified Shape", and adjust the shape's Vertical and Horizontal position.

…2…Can I make the tuplet numbers disappear?…

Yes.
In the Tuplet Definition, in the pop up menu Number, choose "Nothing".

To hide all tuplet numbers in a region:
Selection Tool.
Select the region.
Utilities menu > Change > Tuplets…

…3. As you can see, although it is a 5/4 measure, the dotted half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies the same space as the half note. Is there a way to "stretch" or "compress" each group left and right, so that the dotted half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies three fifths of the measure visually, and the half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies two fifths of the measure visually?…

Yes, there is a way:
Just apply Time Signature Spacing on the measure.

However, this may not be a good idea unless you change some of the layout parameters.
To get better space for Time Signature Spacing,
- resize the music to a smaller size (try e. g. Page Resizing - switch to the Resize Tool, and context-click),
or
- increase the available page area, by using a bigger Page Size, or by using smaller Page Margins.

[miker]

To resize an individual note, you have to click accurately on the note. Try enlarging the view, and see if it helps.

[Peter Thomsen]

When I click on "resize note" I often get the entire group of notes under the bracket resized. Which means I am not clear on how exactly does one resize a note as opposed to a bracketed group of notes? I am clicking on the lower left corner of the bracket when the stems are going down…

When notes are beamed together, you resize all the notes in the beam group by resizing the first note in the beam group.
If you create a beam break (by hitting the / key), you get two beam groups that can be resized independently.

[musicus1]

Regarding my question #3, yes I tried your solution Time Signature Spacing. And this does create a "mathematically" perfect view of the measure. But there are lots of "little" notes, and they appear to be overly bunched together, using that solution. I'm wondering if there is a way, after having done the Time Signature Spacing, to drag the note that is on the 4th beat of the example to the right just a bit more, in such a way as to force all the other notes in the measure to adjust to such manual positioning - thus giving the little notes some more space.

When I click on "resize note" I often get the entire group of notes under the bracket resized. Which means I am not clear on how exactly does one resize a note as opposed to a bracketed group of notes? I am clicking on the lower left corner of the bracket when the stems are going down.

…1. There are five groups of tups here, groups of 10, 6, 7, 16, 14. How do I get the different tuplet numbers the same size?…

By using the same resizing method in all the tuplets.
In all the tuplets except the first tuplet, the Note Size is resized to 77 % - and the Notehead Size is 100 %.
However, in the first tuplet the Note Size is 100 % - and the Notehead Size is 77 %.
This also means that the beams are thicker in the first tuplet.

…2. How can I bracket them, and adjust the placement of the brackets?…

Use the Tuplet Tool (I mean the Tuplet Tool on the Main Tool Palette, not the sub-tool for note entry).
Click the first note in a tuplet, and the tuplet's handle will apear.
Double-click the tuplet handle, and you get to the dialog Tuplet Definition where you can select "Always Use Specified Shape", and adjust the shape's Vertical and Horizontal position.

…2…Can I make the tuplet numbers disappear?…

Yes.
In the Tuplet Definition, in the pop up menu Number, choose "Nothing".

To hide all tuplet numbers in a region:
Selection Tool.
Select the region.
Utilities menu > Change > Tuplets…

…3. As you can see, although it is a 5/4 measure, the dotted half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies the same space as the half note. Is there a way to "stretch" or "compress" each group left and right, so that the dotted half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies three fifths of the measure visually, and the half note (and the corresponding tiny notes upstairs) occupies two fifths of the measure visually?…

Yes, there is a way:
Just apply Time Signature Spacing on the measure.

However, this may not be a good idea unless you change some of the layout parameters.
To get better space for Time Signature Spacing,
- resize the music to a smaller size (try e. g. Page Resizing - switch to the Resize Tool, and context-click),
or
- increase the available page area, by using a bigger Page Size, or by using smaller Page Margins.

[Peter Thomsen]

Regarding my question #3, yes I tried your solution Time Signature Spacing. And this does create a "mathematically" perfect view of the measure. But there are lots of "little" notes, and they appear to be overly bunched together, using that solution. I'm wondering if there is a way, after having done the Time Signature Spacing, to drag the note that is on the 4th beat of the example to the right just a bit more, in such a way as to force all the other notes in the measure to adjust to such manual positioning - thus giving the little notes some more space…

Some ideas (I suggest that you try them on a duplicate copy of the Finale document):


1) I repeat myself:

…However, this may not be a good idea unless you change some of the layout parameters.
To get better space for Time Signature Spacing,
- resize the music to a smaller size (try e. g. Page Resizing - switch to the Resize Tool, and context-click),
or
- increase the available page area, by using a bigger Page Size, or by using smaller Page Margins.

In case it is not an option to, neither "resize the music to a smaller size" nor "increase the available page area", consider a third option:
- splitting the measure across two systems (use the plug-in Split Measure…)
Warning:
The 8va smart shapes will get screwed up by the plug-in.
The best fix is to delete the 8va smart shapes, and apply them again after you have used the plug-in.


2) Go back to Note Spacing, but before you apply Note Spacing, change the Scaling Factor (in Document Options > Music Spacing > Spacing Widths…) to a higher value.
The default value for the Scaling Factor is the mathematical constant φ = (1 + √5)/2 = ca. 1,618…
If you set the Scaling Factor to a value of 2, you will get Time Signature spacing.
Since you want something that is close to Time Signature spacing, but with better space for "little" notes, a value of 1.95 might be what you prefer.
Tip:
You can (in Document Options > Music Spacing) choose what collisions Finale should avoid.
I would de-select "Ledger Lines".
NB:
Before you apply Music Spacing, you might want to choose "Clear" in the pop up menu
for "Manual Positioning" (in Document Options > Music Spacing).


3) To
"drag the note that is on the 4th beat of the example to the right just a bit more, in such a way as to force all the other notes in the measure to adjust to such manual positioning - thus giving the little notes some more space"
I suggest that you use the plug-in Split Measure (read about it in suggestion 1) above!), and choose Invisible Barline.

Even when the barline is invisible, it takes up some horizontal spacing.
To fix:
Measure Tool.
Double-click the second "half-measure" to open the Measure Attributes.
Set "Extra Space" "At Beginning" to a negative value of -8pt (= -8 Points).

When you have split the measure into 3/4 + 2/4, you can drag the invisible barline by dragging the upper measure handle (the handle is only visible in the Measure Tool).


4) To make adjustments in the spacing of individual notes you can use the measure's Beat Chart:
Measure Tool.
Double-click the measure.
The dialog box Measure Attributes appears.
In the pop up menu Position Notes, choose "Use Beat-Chart Spacing".
Click OK to return to the score.
While you are still in the Measure Tool, you will see that the measure has two measure handles on its right barline.
Clicking the lower handle will reveal the Beat Chart where you can position each and every note individually.
This is not what you asked for, I know, but I think that it is useful info.