Finale Forum

I can't seem to figure out how to get flats as an alteration in a chord using the jazz font. If I enter Gb it's fine, but when it's an alteration like Gb7(b5) the flat is a b.

I played around with changing the the chord - alteration in the documents dialog box and I still can't get it to work.

Thanks,
Aaron

If I understand you correctly, you are not using the default chord suffix library JazzText, but rather you are creating your own chord suffixes, right?

When you get the letter ‘b’ instead of the accidental flat (= ♭), it is because the font is not the Jazz font (but probably the JazzText font).

In Other Words:
Change the alteration font from JazzText to Jazz, and you are “back in business”.
This must be done in the chord suffix - and you must edit each and every chord suffix.

I suppose that you are familiar with the Chord Suffix Editor?

Thank you for the reply Peter. I was able to achieve the desired result. I thought that changing the various chord options (suffix, alteration etc.) in the Document Options window would change everything globally. That will definitely take some time to customize every chord suffix. I guess I'll just start building my own chord library and eventually I'll have things dialed in the way I like them.

On a side note, I used the Document Options box to scale the chords up to 125%. It works great, but unfortunately the symbols get squashed together so I had to move them farther apart in the Suffix Editor. I wish there were a way around this. Attached is my perfectly configured 7(b5) thanks to your tip.

Thanks again for the help.

Aaron

agarner32 wrote:… I used the Document Options box to scale the chords up to 125%. It works great, but unfortunately the symbols get squashed together so I had to move them farther apart in the Suffix Editor. I wish there were a way around this …

As you have found out, using the Document Options to “scale the chords up to 125%” may not be such a good idea.
That chord scaling option works best if you only scale the size up by a few percent.

Some other ideas to increase the chord size, without using the Document Options to scale the chords:

1) Increase the font size by 125%.
Instead of size 12pt, use size 15pt.
You still have to edit the suffixes one by one, but everything will work as expected.

2) Attach the chord symbols a separate staff that does not display anything but chord symbols.
You can scale that “chord staff” to any size, and the chord symbols will display correctly, without getting “squashed together”.
I have done so on several occasions where I needed to change the chord size quickly.

"Attach the chord symbols a separate staff that does not display anything but chord symbols.
You can scale that “chord staff” to any size, and the chord symbols will display correctly, without getting “squashed together”.
I have done so on several occasions where I needed to change the chord size quickly."

Peter,

Thanks for the tips. Attaching chords to a separate staff is the best tip I've gotten in a long time. That works absolutely perfect and it's easy. That is a huge time saver. When I want to just use the default chord library, there won't be any fussing around with the chord suffix editor. All the jazz musicians I work with who are 60 and older are going to love this and me too (I'm 61) Our eyes are not what they used to be.

As a side note, years ago the guy who did the engraving for Chuck Sher's Real Books sent me his custom chord library, but I lost it. Sadly he passed away a few years back so I can't get it back. Does anyone know of any custom jazz libraries for sale that match the New Real Books?

Thanks,
Aaron

agarner32,

About attaching chords to a separate staff:

To get rid of the separate staff’s barlines, move its barlines vertically down into the staff below.

Thanks Peter. The way I did it was to hide everything but the chord symbols. Then I just dragged the chords down to the right level. I’ll also try your way.

Aaron

agarner32 wrote:… The way I did it, was to hide everything but the chord symbols …

In that way you will not hide the left barlines.
Not a problem if the “chord symbol staff” is a “middle staff” (= between two staves in the score).
But you will get left barlines if the “chord symbol staff” is a “top staff”.
By moving the barlines vertically down into the staff below you will get rid of all barlines.

Ah, yes I see that. I didn't even notice. Thanks for pointing that out. So overlapping the staff it is. Again, thanks for this great tip. I've been frustrated with trying to enlarge chord symbols an easy way and this does that.

Aaron

Okay, now I feel like a dummy. I can't figure out how to move the top staff down on top of the bottom staff. It's currently connected with a line on the left. I tried ungrouping, but that didn't work. It's something simple I'm missing.

Thanks,
Aaron

Do not move the entire staff down, only its barlines.
This is done in the dialog box Staff Setup: