Finale Forum

I have two questions about the double whole note.
1. Finale uses a modern version of the double whole note. Is there a way to change it to the old square notation? See attached.

2. With two voices (layers), the double whole note doesn't line up very good with the other notes (see attached). What is the best way to fix this?

Thank you.

rjawad1 wrote:… 1. Finale uses a modern version of the double whole note. Is there a way to change it to the old square notation? See attached …

Document menu > Document Options > Notes & Rests > Notehead Characters > Double Whole
Click the button “Select…”, and choose character #221.

By The Way:
The square notehead in your attached graphic does not look like the Maestro font, but rather like the Fravura font, or the November font.
You can choose a specific font for noteheads:
Document menu > Document Options > Fonts > Notation > Noteheads > Set Font…

rjawad1 wrote:… 2. With two voices (layers), the double whole note doesn't line up very good with the other notes (see attached). What is the best way to fix this? …

I would use the (very technical) Speedy Entry dialog box Edit Frame:
Speedy Entry Tool.
Click outside the staff, to exit the Speedy rectangle.
Hold down the Option key (the alt key), and click inside the staff.
To me it looks about right if the Double Whole note gets a Position of -1pt.

Thanks, Peter. I appreciate it!

On changing the position, do I have to do it for every instance or is there a way to move all the double whole notes back? While in speedy entry, I did option+click on the note I wanted to change.

I tried -1pt, but it moves it way over to the previous measure. I'll try something smaller.

rjawad1 wrote:On changing the position, do I have to do it for every instance or is there a way to move all the double whole notes back? While in speedy entry, I did option+click on the note I wanted to change …

I do not know of a way to move all the Double Whole notes “at one fell swoop”, sorry!

But perhaps there is a (third party) Finale plug-in that can do it.
Do you know Jari Williamson’s plug-ins?

In Speedy Entry you can also just grab the note with the mouse and move it where you want it.

The full version of TGTools has a plugin for just this. It's called Shift, it's under Modify and I've used it often for this very purpose. BTW, this plugin shifts not only notes but glissandi, accidentals, can change accidental widths and it can fine-tune the distance of accidentals on sixth intervals (which Finale usually doesn't get right). In the section concerning notes, you can, among other things, shift whole notes, double whole notes and unslashed or slashed grace notes. Highly recommended, as are his other plugins!

Thanks everyone. I will try this plugin out.

If you're writing lots of music with breves, I would avoid using Maestro. The standard breve's 'sidelines' are far too tall (it looks like a TIE Fighter!), and the rectangular version is ... very rectangular. Engraver is better; November better still.

Also, if you're doing an organ part with a chord, don't stack the notes in quite the same way: do something like this:

I see Engraver Font Set, but I don't see November. Do I need to install some sort of add-on?

Yes, November is a third-party purchase font. It's highly recommended, both for 'traditional' engraving symbols, and for historical symbols and forms.

http://www.klemm-music.de/notation/nove ... /index.php

There are other third-party music fonts which may suit your work.

https://www.musictypefoundry.com

If you are interested in music fonts, take a good look at Jan Angermüller’s web site Elbsound.studio:

Among other things there is a web page that lets you compare music fonts:
https://elbsound.studio/music-font-comparison.php

Also, there is a web page with a list of more than 1 300 music fonts:
https://elbsound.studio/music-fonts.php

Nice, thank you. I will take a look at these.