Changing a Tablature entry to an X symbol

[michaelcarlosmendoza]

Hello,

I am trying to change an entry from the normal tab number to an "x"to indicate a muted string.
I am quite surprised at how difficult it is to add an "x" to tablature considering how common it is in tablature notation and to guitar music. When notating this in standard music notation within finale, it is incredibly simple using the "Note Shape Tool" in the special tools palette. However, when I attempt to do the same thing in the tablature I cannot achieve the desired result. When the dialogue box opens up to change the note's shape none of the x's that I can select actually enter the tab as an x. All of them seem to enter some other musical symbol. Can anyone help?

[miker]

If you want the X in both the standard notation and the TAB, change the standard notation to an X-notehead with Utilities > Change > Notehead.. When you drag it to the TAB staff, it shows the X. If you only want the X in the TAB, do the same thing, but just to the TAB.

[zuill]

Unfortunately, the X doing it that way is not centered on the TAB line. Also, when you stack notes to make a chord, they overlap in a way that obscures part of the other Xs. Recently Peter posted his workaround. I also have my own approach.

Zuill

[michaelcarlosmendoza]

Thanks guys. Zuill, I have encountered the issue you mentioned of the X's being to large and overlapping other X's and fret numbers on adjacent strings. You mention a workaround, would you please be able to point me in the direction of the posts that give workarounds?

[Peter Thomsen]

Thanks guys. Zuill, I have encountered the issue you mentioned of the X's being to large and overlapping other X's and fret numbers on adjacent strings. You mention a workaround, would you please be able to point me in the direction of the posts that give workarounds?

I do not remember the thread with Zuill’s approach.

But I can give you links to threads with my own workarounds.

Here is an old thread with a workaround that hides the real notehead (by replacing the notehead character with a space character), and then adds a false notehead with the X.
The false X-notehead can be an articulation or an expression:
https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/ ... lap-in-TAB

And here is another way to hide a notehead:
Move the real notehead waaaay down below the bottom of the page:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19638