Finale Forum

I imagine the answer will be NO, but thought I'd check in and see if there's maybe an alternative. The issue is that I consistently use different triplet configurations: the usual 3- 1/8 notes-in- 2 beats, as well as 6 16ths-in-the-span-of-4 16ths, etc. It sure would be nice if I could select one each time without having to re-enter the configuration each time, and then switch back and forth the next time I need to do one or the other. my work-around is to use copy-paste from within the piece when that's an option, or create a quick bar and then halve the note duration.......but I wanted to ask if there's a better option when you often have to switch between triplet configurations.

Not as far as I know. You only get one preset “default” at a time.

I figured.....but wouldn't that be a natural? An obvious thing that the engineers might want to add? You need this or that triplet, you click on the triplet icon, and get your various preferred options.

If you're using Simple Entry tuplet entry with Alt+9, instead of specifying eighths or sixteenths, try "use current duration" and make that the default, which will save some work, since you then need only change the counts and not the durations.

Use Current Duration can be a problem if you have a mixed tuplet that starts on the “other” one, a quarter/eighth tuplet for example.

bj nick wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:38 pm

… The issue is that I consistently use different triplet configurations: the usual 3- 1/8 notes-in- 2 beats, as well as 6 16ths-in-the-span-of-4 16ths, etc. It sure would be nice if I could select one each time without having to re-enter the configuration each time, and then switch back and forth the next time I need to do one or the other. my work-around is to use copy-paste from within the piece when that's an option, or create a quick bar and then halve the note duration.......but I wanted to ask if there's a better option when you often have to switch between triplet configurations.

Have you tried the Speedy Entry Tool’s sub-tool Tuplet Tool?

I may misunderstand you, but it seems to me that it does what you need:

1) To enter a 6:4 sextuplet of 16ths, first hit Alt-6. This tells Finale that the tuplet will be a 6:4 sextuplet (of some value).
Then, hit the number 3 key, to enter the first 16th, and tell Finale that the 6:4 sextuplet will be a 6:4 sextuplet of 16ths.
Then, enter the remaining five 16ths.
In case the first note should not be a 16th (but rather, perhaps, an 8th), then, after entering the initial 16th, hit the RightArrow once to go back onto the 16th, and hit the number 4 key, to change the 16th to an 8th. This step will not affect the tuplet definition; it will still be {6 Sixteenths in the space of 4 Sixteenths}.
Then, enter the remaining four 16ths.

2) You could enter a 3:2 triplet of 8ths in a similar way, but for {3 Eighths in the space of 2 Eighths} there is a faster way:
Alt-1 (= opens the Tuplet Definition which defaults to a 3:2 triplet of Eighths)
Enter (or Return) (= OK!)
Then, enter the notes - of whatever values you need.

Ctrl, not Alt, in Speedy entry.

Oops! Sorry!
Ctrl-Number in Windows Finale.
Alt-Number in Mac Finale.

If you use FinaleScript, you can approximate the rapid selection by using keyboard shortcuts or just clicking on the script. An external macro program could do much the same.

I've included a ZIP file of the the FinaleScript Tuplet scripts I've been using in case anyone wants to check them out.

There actually is a way to program metatools for tuplets. Select tuplet tool, press shift and a number. In the tuplet definition window, define the kind of tuplet you want.

To use it, enter the first note of the tuplet, select tuplet tool, hold the number of the metatool and click on that first note. Then enter the following notes.

This is probably most useful with more unusual tuplets, or more designed ones (like always above the notes for vocal music fx.). For the standard ones, Peter's suggestion should be quicker, I think.

Great tip!