eighth note triplet with quarter note as second note

[Don Jordan]

Hi. I can follow the instructions in "Tuplets" for creating an eighth note triplet with a quarter note to start, but I can't find a way to do the opposite. I've tried to follow Mike Rosen's "Tuplets with Simple Entry" instructions without success. I've managed a couple of times to create the triplet I want, but these were flukes and I didn't record what I did. I can't find a way to re-create these "accidents". The "Tuplets" instructions are clear and followable, so all I'm asking is the same for the other way round, please.

I have checked the other questions and replies about tuplets, but I can't find what I need.

[motet]

Is this the triplet you mean?

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In Simple entry, enter an eighth note and press 9. If you haven't changed the defaults you'll get a triplet of your eighth note and two eighth rests. (Otherwise, Undo, press Alt+9, and pick three eighths in the space of 2).

Now move the cursor to each eighth rest in turn and press Delete. Finally, enter the quarter note.

(Triplets in Simple entry are buggy--sometimes you need to delete the rests, sometimes you get in trouble if you do. For this particular triplet, you need to delete them, unless you're using MIDI entry, in which case you don't, although you can!)

Speedy entry is much easier: press Ctrl+3, followed by the eighth note, followed by the quarter note.

[Don Jordan]

Thank you - it is the one I require. However, the response I get to your instructions don't work.

In Simple entry, I enter an eighth note (or rest) which is red, press 9 (on either keyboard or number pad) and see two black eighth note rests following the eighth note, with a blue '3' bracket beneath. I don't know what you mean by the 'cursor'.

At this stage I have an eighth note hovering over the screen. If I change to the eraser and rub out the two rests, I'm left with the eighth note with a tiny bracket underneath (with a 3 under it). There is nowhere to enter the quarter note.

If I click on the Selection Tool to get the arrow (as cursor), the note and rests go black and if I indicate a rest with the arrow and press Delete nothing happens.

Pressing the 'Speedy Entry' button, makes the 'box' appear in the top left-hand measure on the screen. If I then click on the measure in which I want the tuplet, the box moves there and I can move its 'cursor' to the (quarter note) rest where I want the tuplet. Nothing happens when I press CTRL+3. If I click on the eighth note button the box disappears. Are there more steps I should follow?

[Don Jordan]

I've found a work around. On any beat other than the last beat of the measure, place an eighth note or rest on that beat, press 9, erase the middle rest of the three, and put the quarter note on the eighth note rest.

If the triplet occurs on the last beat of the measure, construct the triplet on the penultimate beat of the measure, and then place a note or rest that forces the triplet to the last beat of the measure (after removing any rest that's on the last beat). Cheers, and thanks for responses.

[Peter Thomsen]

… On any beat other than the last beat of the measure …

You are talking about the Simple Entry Tool - right?

Actually you can end a measure with a tuplet.

There are several ways to enter a tuplet - and to end a measure with a tuplet.

The way you describe, will work, too, if you de-select a specific option:
Simple menu > Simple Entry Options…
De-select the option
Check for Extra Notes

[miker]

Dan, I think the step you are missing is when you are pressing the 9 key. The default setup for tuplets is 3 (use current) in the space of 2 (use current.) So when you enter the quarter note and the tap the 9, Finale thinks you are creating a quarter note triplet.

So, enter your quarter note, and tap ALT-9. This will take you to the tuplet definition box. Change the numbers to 3 (eighths) in the space of 2 (eighths.) Now, when you hit OK, your score will show the quarter note and and eighth rest under the bracket. Tap the 4 key on your numberpad to change to an eighth note, and enter the pitch. Done!

When you're in the tuplet definition box, after you set up the 3 eighths in 2 eighths, you may want to check the Save as Default box. Now, you can enter any eighth note triplet: 3 eighths, quarter-eighth, or eighth-quarter, just by entering the first note, and then tapping 9. You would only use the ALT-9 if you need to change the default.

This method also allows you to enter that pesky "last note" triplet with no problems, and no need to change any settings.

[motet]

I don't know what you mean by the 'cursor'.
...
At this stage I have an eighth note hovering over the screen. If I change to the eraser and rub out the two rests, I'm left with the eighth note with a tiny bracket underneath (with a 3 under it). There is nowhere to enter the quarter note.

By "cursor" I meant the red, selected note or rest. Sorry for the confusion. Press the right arrow until the rest is red, then press Delete. You don't have to use the cumbersome eraser.

You don't have to shoehorn the quarter it into the bracket if there's nothing following in the measure. Just click it in anywhere to the right of the incomplete tuplet and Finale will put it in the right place.

[Don Jordan]

Thank you all so much. I see how to do it now, and I'll write myself a list of instructions from the ones you have given me here. It's easy when you know how, eh?! Cheers.