Finale Forum

Hello,

I just imported an XML file of a different leadsheet into a default Finale template. It's in 12/8 time and I have the time signature set correction to be in dotted quarters. But I want the rests to be in dotted quarters also instead of quarter and eighth rests. Is there a way I can change this in a global setting or something?

Take a look at
MIDI/Audio menu > Quantization Settings > More Settings…
What are the settings in the pane Rests?

Here are my rest settings

Check "Allow dotted rests in compound meters".

If you set "Allow dotted rests in compound meters", set the time signature to 12/8 showing 4 dotted quarter notes, not 12 eighth notes, select the measures, and "Utilities->Rebar->Rebar Music", you will get almost what you want. Two patterns of quarter rest + eighth rest, together, as in your example will yield a dotted half rest, however.

Oops Previously "measures" should have been "meters".

I'd like to be able to get dotted-quarter note rests

We understood that. If the suggestions don't work, you could post the file (or an excerpt).

I will have to post the file tonight when I get home. I tried all of your suggestions with the time sig set correctly, rebar music etc. Still leaves me with quarter and eighth rests.

ry1633 wrote:I'd like to be able to get dotted-quarter note rests

Then you are missing something, probably the key signature. There are several ways to get a 12/8. Choose 12/8 with a beat duration of 4 dotted quarters, NOT 12/8 with a beat duration of 12 eight notes. When you rebar, be sure you have selected the measures you want to rebar.

The procedure I described will get you dotted quarter rests, but if two dotted quarter rests are together, it will further process those into a dotted half rest. I don't know of a way to stop it. The easiest workaround would be to just reenter those rests that are dotted halves. Here are a few suggestions. There are many variations. If you use Simple entry with a mouse, you can select a quarter rest from the palette, enter it, and add a dot. Or select a quarter note from the palette, enter it, change it to a rest with R, then add a dot. Or select a quarter rest from the palette add the dot from the palette, and click in the dotted quarter rest. You can use the NUMPAD instead of the palette to select notes/rests. If you use Speedy entry, no MIDI keyboard, you can press CTRL-SHIFT-4 and then a dot. Or you could enter a quarter note with 4 then R to change it to a rest then add the dot. There are other ways to get the notes entered. For instance using Simple with QWERTY keyboard, or using Simple/Speedy with a MIDI keyboard. One could write a doctoral thesis on the subject.

Hope this helps

I'll try it. I have about 3 pages of them to change so manually doing it is gonna take a little time. I wish it would have come in correctly from the import, but sometimes we can't be so lucky.

In 12/8, a dotted half rest on beats 1 and 2, or 3 and 4, is correct notation. This rest should not straddle the middle of the measure, so on beats 2 and 3 it would be dotted quarter rest/dotted quarter rest.

N.

N,
Style wise, you are correct, but unfortunately Finale did not read the style books. It will form a dotted half rest on beats 1, 2, or 3, in 12/8. How would you form a dotted half on beat 4 That would over fill the measure.

ry1633,
See the additional notes I made on my previous post.

Charles Lawrence wrote:How would you form a dotted half on beat 4 That would over fill the measure.

My reply might have been a tad unclear. I probably should have written "a dotted half rest encompassing beats 1 and 2, or beats 3 and 4".

N.

N Grossingink wrote:

Charles Lawrence wrote:How would you form a dotted half on beat 4 That would over fill the measure.

My reply might have been a tad unclear. I probably should have written "a dotted half rest encompassing beats 1 and 2, or beats 3 and 4".

N.

Ahh! In that light, it is clear now. Thanks.