Finale Forum

Hi, I would like to know how is possible on Finale 2011 to add quarters of tone. Could anyone help me?

Eraldo

Please be more specific:

1) Layout or playback?

2) Is it just a few quarter-tones in an otherwise (standard) chromatic score?
Or lots of quarter-tones?

The better we know, and understand, your quarter-tone project, the better we can help.

Score and playback.

In this case is only few quarter of tone but I would like to know also how to put them in key.

Thanks.

What playback device are you using?
- external MIDI module?
- SmartMusic SoftSynth?
- VST?

- or?

Eraldo Di Addario wrote:…I would like to know also how to put them in key…

I am not sure what you mean by your words “put them in the key”?
Please explain.

The better we know, and understand, your quarter-tone project, the better we can help.

I think Smart Music soft synth (anyway the sounds of the computer no external midi...).
In italian in the key (in chiave) means the tonality, the alterations at the beginning after the key.

Eraldo Di Addario wrote:I think Smart Music soft synth (anyway the sounds of the computer no external midi...).
In italian in the key (in chiave) means the tonality, the alterations at the beginning after the key.

The english word for ‘chiave’ is ‘clef’, like ‘G clef symbol’ (for higher notes in the treble) and ‘F clef symbol’ (for lower notes in the bass), In Other Words the symbol that “locks” the scale steps in the staff.

The word ‘clef’ is also used about the actual “locking”, like ‘alto clef” and ‘tenor clef’ (which both use the C clef symbol as “scale step lock”).

The english word ‘key’ means the tonality, like e. g. ‘key of F major’ (1 flat) - Fa maggiore - meaning that one scale step (= the ‘B’ scale step) is lowered everywhere with a flat.

A ‘key signature’ can be displayed as accidentals next to the clef symbol, like e. g. the single flat in the key of F major.

* Are you talking about displaying a key signature with quartertone accidentals so that some of the 7 diatonic scale steps are altered with quartertone accidentals?

I have understood how to do. If you could tell me how to put single quarter tones without putting alterations in the clef...

Thanks.

OK, let us recap:

We are talking about quarter-tone playback for single quarter-tones in an otherwise (standard) chromatic (half-tone) score, using Finale 2011 and playback via MIDI and SmartMusic SoftSynth, right?

The SmartMusic SoftSynth was designed for playback of (standard) chromatic (half-tone) music, not for quarter-tone music.
Quarter-tone playback is only possible via a workaround.

Survey:
* Create a quarter-tone expression that shows an accidental and changes playback.
* Create a (hidden) expression that changes playback to normal.


1) Create an expression for the quarter-tone accidental.
In the chiclet Playback, select Pitchwheel, and set a pitchwheel value for the desired pitch bend:

¼-tone sharp: 341.3
¼-tone flat: -341.3

¾-tone sharp: 1024
¾-tone flat: -1024

(I assume that you are familiar with the Expression Tool, and know of e. g. Expression Categories)


2) Create a (hidden, not showing) expression for the “set Pitchwheel to zero” effect.
In the chiclet Playback, set the pitchwheel value to 0.


NB:
* Keep separate parts on separate channels - to avoid that the quarter-tone expression affects other parts.
This “channel separation” also allows for separate dynamics in playback.

* If a C♯ is followed by a C{¾-tone sharp}, then the playback effect should be a pitchwheel effect of “¼-tone up” (= 341.3) since the C♯ means that C is already raised by 2 quarter-tones. You will need a separate expression for this case.
Another solution is to cancel the ♯, and hide the ♮. Since you now have a C natural, you can use your usual {¾-tone sharp} expression.



By The Way:
The pitchwheel effect can also be done with the MIDI Tool.
Probably not easier than using the Expression Tool, but another approach.