trems

[musicus]

In the attached file I'm trying to create a tremolo from E-G in meas.1,
and tied to an 8th note diad at the 1st beat of meas.2.
Somehow it doesn't look right. Shouldn't the tremolo lines
appear in between the half-notes but not touching them?
Also, how do I make the tie look correct? Thanks.

[motet]

I think connecting the beams is standard practice. You can unconnect them with the beam extension tool.

A tie doesn't make sense since it's alternating between two notes. Use a slur.

[zuill]

It looks like the tie is to the next measure. That might make sense, but the lower tie needs to be extended.

Zuill

[John Ruggero]

Most players will play a measured tremolo of eight 16th notes if you use two beams on your tremolo. If that is what you want, it would be clearer to write it out in actual 16th notes because of the tied notes at the end.

If you want a fast unmeasured tremolo, use 32nd notes if the piece is in a fast tempo, and 64th notes if it is in a slow tempo. Then the ties as corrected by Zuill would be fine. And the addition of the abbreviation trem. wouldn't hurt.

[musicus]

Thanks to you all. I slightly revised my example, see attached.
Does it cause any confusion regarding the tremolo?

[motet]

A tie might look better:

[musicus]

I thought I did a tie. Are you referring just to the slur above the two Gs?

If yes, I thought that would be perceived as a tie.

A tie might look better:

[motet]

Right, tie or slur. Since it's G to G, a tie looks a little better to me. They're shallower than slurs.

[musicus]

When you say "shallower" you mean the fact that it's under rather than over?

Right, tie or slur. Since it's G to G, a tie looks a little better to me. They're shallower than slurs.

[motet]

No, not as curved. I like it under, but it's a matter of taste.

[musicus]

I'm sorry, but I'm just not understanding what you're saying. Haven't a placed a tie
in my example?

No, not as curved. I like it under, but it's a matter of taste.

[motet]

As you said, it's a slur.

I thought I did a tie. Are you referring just to the slur above the two Gs?

[musicus]

OK, so I called it a slur. Perhaps I was being sloppy in my description. As far as I understand,
a curved line between two same notes (e.g. Bb to Bb) is a tie. Between two different notes
(Bb to G#) is a slur. I called it a slur but in fact it's a tie. Am I correct here?

As you said, it's a slur.

I thought I did a tie. Are you referring just to the slur above the two Gs?

[Peter Thomsen]

OK, so I called it a slur. Perhaps I was being sloppy in my description. As far as I understand,
a curved line between two same notes (e.g. Bb to Bb) is a tie. Between two different notes
(Bb to G#) is a slur. I called it a slur but in fact it's a tie. Am I correct here? …

This is a matter about (your) “musician-speak” versus (our) “Finale-speak”.

A tie - in “Finale-speak” - is entered via one of the two entry tools (= Simple Entry and Speedy Entry).
A common keyboard shortcut is the letter T key.
When a tie is added between two adjacent notes of the same scale step (and accidental), Finale will play back the two (shorter) notes as one (longer) note.

A slur - in “Finale-speak” - is entered via the Smart Shape Tool.
The slur will not make two (shorter) notes play back as on (longer) note.
A slur goes from the first note to the last note in a string of notes.
There can be any number of notes in the string (not just two notes).

[motet]

Ties look a little different from slurs (not only in Finale). I'm assuming the intent that when you perform the tremolo, the last time you hold down the G to tie into the chord, then press the E, so tying the G's seems right and a good way to get that across.

[musicus]

That's an interesting distinction you make which I appreciate. Although I use Finale, I
think of myself as a musician first. Even so, I will make terminology mistakes
when it comes to music (not Finale). I'll keep that in mind when communicating here.
Thanks!

OK, so I called it a slur. Perhaps I was being sloppy in my description. As far as I understand,
a curved line between two same notes (e.g. Bb to Bb) is a tie. Between two different notes
(Bb to G#) is a slur. I called it a slur but in fact it's a tie. Am I correct here? …

This is a matter about (your) “musician-speak” versus (our) “Finale-speak”.

A tie - in “Finale-speak” - is entered via one of the two entry tools (= Simple Entry and Speedy Entry).
A common keyboard shortcut is the letter T key.
When a tie is added between two adjacent notes of the same scale step (and accidental), Finale will play back the two (shorter) notes as one (longer) note.

A slur - in “Finale-speak” - is entered via the Smart Shape Tool.
The slur will not make two (shorter) notes play back as on (longer) note.
A slur goes from the first note to the last note in a string of notes.
There can be any number of notes in the string (not just two notes).