Putting Shots for the Band In

[Edmonton Guitarist]

I tried applying the staff style for rhythmic notation only to layer 2, so I could put shots in for the band above the staff, but I was unable to make it work. I've always had to just go to layer 2, put some Gs or Bs in, and change the note heads. Is there a nicer looking way to get the effect I'm looking for?

[Edmonton Guitarist]

I found my answer. Funny what some research'll do for finding a solution.

[Edmonton Guitarist]

New problem: I thought I was done when I managed to turn layer 2 into rhythmic notation while layer one was in regular notation. Now I can't figure out how to move layer 2 vertically. I've been trying to move the notes using Rhythmic Notation Vertical Positioning in Document Options>Alternate Notation, but having to guess numbers is pretty inconvenient, not to mention that the stems either get really long or are in the wrong direction (downward stem where I need an upward starting from the center of the bar for a slash I've moved below the staff).

[michelp]

Rhythmic notation is by default positioned vertically in the middle of the staff and has stems down. But you can create another staff style which can have stems up locally : Staff tool/menu->Define staff style->Alternate notation->Rhythmic Notation->Checkbox : stems up. Then select a region and apply it.

[Edmonton Guitarist]

Thanks. I also need a way for the stems to move with the noteheads and put rhythmic notation in the middle of the staff later on in the lead sheet, for the solo section. =/

[michelp]

As far as I know, the vertical positioning of the rhythmic notation remains fixed for the whole piece, as defined in the Document options->Alternate notation.
The only thing you can change to rhythmic notation in the course of a piece is the direction of the stem (with a staff style).
To achieve what you want (moving the rhythmic notation up or down in some places), you should probably use another method, at least for the measures where the rhythms should appear at a different height than the default height.
You could use a special layer to enter rhythmic figures as normal notes, then select the region, "show active layer only", Utilities->Change->Noteheads, and select an X or a small slash as a notehead.
Then deselect "show active layer only".
In the instrument list window, make sure the layer in question is muted, so it does not play back.

[Peter Thomsen]

As far as I know, the vertical positioning of the rhythmic notation remains fixed for the whole piece, as defined in the Document options->Alternate notation...

I could be wrong here, but As Far As I Know, the vertical positioning of the rhythmic notation can be adjusted "locally" via a staff style.
I seem to recall that Rhythmic Notation is positioned vertically according to the default "Stem Reversal" staff position (= the position where the notes will switch between upstem and downstem).

To set up the staff style, do this:
In the pop up menu "Staff:", choose "Other...".
In the dialog box Staff Setup, enter a number for the "Stem Reversal" position.
It's a negative number because it's the number of scale steps below the Staff Reference Line.

[michelp]

Wow, Peter, you really know the depths of Finale.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge (again).
Just a precision, hoping that I'm not overlooking anything this time : changing the "Stem reversal value" for a Rhythmic notation staff style does not change the direction of the stem (down by default), but allows the rhythmic notation to be placed higher or lower.
To change the stem upwards, the staff style has to include the checkbox "stems up" in alternate notation->rhythmic notation.

[Edmonton Guitarist]

I tried it out a bunch and it really helped. I was able to complete the charts I needed done without much hassle. One last question: Is it possible to apply different staff styles to different layers?

[michelp]

It is possible to select a layer when one creates a staff style (in the alternate notation window : Apply to Layer 1, ...). And several staff styles can coexist in the same region, thus I think the answer to your question is yes.
But some styles seem to exclude each other : slash and rhythm notation, one bar repeat, even in different layers, won't work together, and you have to make a choice. Also, you may have to select a checkbox under "other layers", "show" : notes, ...Notes will display in this case even if slash, rhythmic, one bar repeat are used (but only if that checkbox is used and the notes are in another layer).
You may have to define additional staff styles yourself if the ones you need are not in the list of styles provided by Finale.