problems with constructing guitar chord frames

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lynndavidnewton
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:11 pm
Finale Version: 25.5.0.259
Operating System: Mac

Post by lynndavidnewton » Thu Jun 01, 2023 1:28 am

Running Finale 27.3 on a Mac.

I've made a guitar chord chart of major 7 (= minor 6) and minor 7 (= major 6) chords. I show each one in root position and three inversions.

For instance, the first four are all F maj 7 in all inversions with the low note on the 6ths string. Elsewhere I have voicings with the low note the 5th and 4th string, and so forth ... Maybe that's more detail than I needed to supply.

I show the pitches of each voicing in standard notation using whole notes, and above each whole note, I show that voicing in guitar chord diagrams.

I don't really need (for my purposes) to write the chord name above any except the first. They are all F maj 7 chords. (Or minor 6 chords.) But I don't mind doing it.

My problem is that Finale insists that I put a chord name above a frame. I can do that, but when I do, it changes the voicing to something else, something standard, as if to say, "Oh you made a mistake, you meant to do it like this." Or if I let Finale call the name, it gets it wrong. For instance, the second one would be F maj 7 / A, but it just slams in F maj 7 / C as the name, which it's not. And if I change the name definition, it destroys the chord frame I've made.

Surely I should be able to write anything I want and call it anything I want. In practice, I often write chords that are dissonant and nearly impossible to define using standard chord notation. In fact, I don't usually write it down, I just play it, but now I need some in written form for didactic purposes.

How do I make Finale stop trying to be so helpful?


User avatar
Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6601
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by Peter Thomsen » Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:26 am

To get a different fretboard diagram on the same chord suffix you need to duplicate the chord suffix.
This is done in the Chord Suffix Selection - click the button Duplicate.

FYI:
Each chord suffix has 12 fretboard diagrams = one for each of the 12 possible transpositions.
Example:
For the suffix maj7 the 12 fretboard diagrams cover the 12 transpositions Fmaj7, Gbmaj7, Gmaj7, Abmaj7, Amaj7, &c.
If you duplicate the suffix maj7, you get a duplicate with its own 12 fretboards - for the 12 transpositions.

You can tell Finale to show fretboards on all chord symbols.
Chord menu > Show Fretboards

You can hide an individual chord symbol, so that only the fretboard is shown.
Context-click the chord handle.
In the context menu, de-select Show Chord.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

lynndavidnewton
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:11 pm
Finale Version: 25.5.0.259
Operating System: Mac

Post by lynndavidnewton » Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:45 pm

> Peter Thomsen: To get a different fretboard diagram on the same chord suffix you need to duplicate the chord suffix.

I had to dink around with this and consult the reference manual and make a couple of mistakes in order to figure out what this means.

I still don't really understand the why of it, but by horsing with it I was able to get the first set of four with the proper chord frames, so at least I get the process now.

You can be sure that if I run into further problems I'll be back, but I think I've got the hang of it.

This is strictly a visual exercise, not something that I or anyone else will actually play in time. So lots of detail along with the frames is probably a good thing.

Thanks very much.

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