Finale Forum

I have a measure of music that has an F# (accidental) but later on in the measure I want to indicate an F natural. I can't find it in any of the menus. In older versions of Finale I recall there was a special accidental tool. I'm running 25.5.0.259 for Mac.

One way is in Speedy Entry to place the cursor on the F and then press letter 'a' on the keyboard. That will reveal the accidental that would apply to the note if visible, which in this case is a natural. You can also press * (asterisk) but that can have unintended consequences, so safer to use the letter.

.

Or the N key. Actually, it isn’t needed, as the previous sharp would not apply to the octave. But it’s a good idea, nonetheless.

You could also use the P key, which would show the natural in parentheses. Tap the P a second time, to remove the parentheses.

I think the N key would make it natural if it wasn't, but won't show a cautionary accidental if it's already F natural.

motet wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 15, 2020 9:51 pm

* in Simple entry.

I use * in Speedy, but Ctrl+Shift+- in Simple. The OP uses Mac, so I guess that is slightly different.

Zuill

motet wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 15, 2020 10:11 pm

I think the N key would make it natural if it wasn't, but won't show a cautionary accidental if it's already F natural.

You are correct. The P key, then, twice. Or should it be in parentheses, since it is a reminder that the Natural is correct?

I think what David is getting at is that * in Speedy will remove a legitimate accidental, whereas A won't, do A is safer for adding cautionaries unless you're removing a redundant accidental in a two-layer situation, for example.

I guess I was wondering why you said * in Simple. Speedy, yes, but not Simple.

Zuill

My bad--don't know what I was thinking (not much of a Simple user). I will delete it.

At least when I use Speedy on Windows, the * toggles an accidental show/hide. This works for any accidental, those which are shown by default, and those which aren't. Unfortunately I can't remember what the equivalent key is on Mac, but I recall that it works the same way, toggling. (It's in the manual surely.)

I confirm that in Speedy, on the Mac, * works on the numeric keypad, but apparently not on the main keyboard.
"A "works, too (like David Ward said).

michelp wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 16, 2020 10:26 am

I confirm that in Speedy, on the Mac, * works on the numeric keypad, but apparently not on the main keyboard.
"A "works, too (like David Ward said).

Yes, I remember that on my once Mac laptop there was no numeric keyboard so I had to use a macro program for the numeric *. (QuicKeys it was at the time, but that's now ten years ago.) Well, if the "a" works as well, this post is redundant.

Those who have Keyboard Maestro and a Mac without a numeric keypad can define a keyboard shortcut (on the main keyboard) which triggers the missing keys (asterisk, tuplets, Clear key). See image :
 

In Speedy on Windows, * on the top row (Shift-8) works for me. Odd that it doesn't on the Mac. But I really do think it's good to get in the habit of using A instead, for the reason stated above, and no macro needed.

I use the P, as I said. Years ago, the P was a triple toggle: with parentheses, without, and remove accidental. They have removed the last, so I set up a keyboard shortcut of Ctrl-P to remove. Very handy when checking for accidentals carried (or not) across a barline, especially when I have come in through a scan.