Ties between non-adjacent notes

[mark carlson]

Is there still no *good* way to tie non-adjacent notes in Finale? It's such a common occurrence in piano music going back at least 200 years (Beethoven Op. 109 from 1820 comes to mind) that if there is no *good* way to do it, then isn't it high time that one is created?

Slurs don't work well because they attach to the whole chord, not the specific note within the chord; though you can move them and manipulate their shape, it can be painstaking--and it certainly is not as easy as pressing the = key. And if anything in the measures moves for any reason, you have to reshape the slurs-acting-as-ties all over again. Actual ties, on the other hand, maintain their integrity of shape, no matter what moves.

Ties can work, sort of, but they don't actually attach to the second note, which means they don't stay put when anything moves. And they don't work at all if the chord the notes are being tied to is on the next system. (see attached, m. 7 going to m. 8 ).

Is there a way to do this that actually works that I am not aware of? (Please say yes!). If there is not, am I alone in desperately wishing there were?

On the chance that I am not alone, I'm creating a poll, a first for me. (And is there a better way to lobby Finale regarding this?)

[motet]

I agree with you it's a feature that Finale needs. MakeMusic likely doesn't read here, but I guess you could send the poll results to them.

[mark carlson]

I agree with you it's a feature that Finale needs. MakeMusic likely doesn't read here, but I guess you could send the poll results to them.

Thanks! I used to be able to send emails to them with my suggestions and desires, some of which got incorporated into the software, but it appears they have no direct way to do that anymore. Would I submit a "support request"? That hardly seems appropriate for a suggestion to them, but maybe it's the only way.

Mark

[miker]

Yes, it’s the only way. They’ve gone totally stealth.

[mark carlson]

Yes, it’s the only way. They’ve gone totally stealth.

HAHA! I was afraid of that. They used to be so accessible!

[miker]

That was back when they had people that actually knew what was going on.

And just as a side rant, I’m not sure I completely go with the industry-wide Covid excuse. When the customer service employees are at work, they do everything from their computer. It’s not like they have to walk to another room to dig through file cabinets. They can do the same thing in their pajamas at home, as long as management gives them the same access to the computer.

[motet]

MM switched to it's current state of affairs long before the pandemic.

[miker]

That’s true. But the seven days for a response is new.

[RVS Lee]

Mark - would certainly be a useful feature, but in the meantime...

It ain't a pretty workflow, but depending on how many pitches are involved, I sometimes duplicate notes in a different layer, and then hide stem and notehead at the start of the tie. (hiding the entire note obviously also hides the tie.) The tie is anchored at both ends, so it moves and works across systems, and feels worth it if I'm going to have to really play with music spacing.
Mostly though, I use engraver lv noteheads, and custom articulations at the back end. Doesn't do playback, and doesn't accurately reflect historical notation, but I mostly work on new music, and it *does* reduce clutter in a dense notation.

[bopeuph]

Funny this shows up today; I'm working on a piano piece where the composer uses this all the time. He loves pyramiding chords (if that's the right term...I can just barely play my ii-V-I's with three-note A and B voicings).

[OCTO]

Slurs don't work well because they attach to the whole chord, not the specific note within the chord; though you can move them and manipulate their shape,

You can add a slur that is beat attached, not note attached (default). Works equally well as a tie.

[mark carlson]

Slurs don't work well because they attach to the whole chord, not the specific note within the chord; though you can move them and manipulate their shape,

You can add a slur that is beat attached, not note attached (default). Works equally well as a tie.

Thanks! How do you do that?

[miker]

https://usermanuals.finalemusic.com/Fin ... t%20shapes

[mark carlson]

Slurs don't work well because they attach to the whole chord, not the specific note within the chord; though you can move them and manipulate their shape,

You can add a slur that is beat attached, not note attached (default). Works equally well as a tie.

I just tried that and it still requires a lot of manipulation of the shape of the slur. I would love to have something that is automatic and stays put, in terms of its shape and attachment.