Entering Chords in Finale 2010 Creates Distorted Measures.

[ghbmusic67]

Hi,

Since upgrading to Finale 2010 I noticed that entering chords is not a simple tab-tab-tab job anymore.
Now when I enter chords either using the spacebar or Shift-Right Arrow it works for a few beats then the measure(s) (notes & barlines) start to distort so I can't tell anymore which beat I'm at.
The only way I can rectify this is to leave the chord tool, select the whole piece and do a music space. Then things are put back into place and I can see whether my chord entries are in the right place.
Then I go back into chords and continue till the whole thing happens again.
This is a nuisance. The old way with Tab seemed much easier.
I must mention that I have made up my own set of chords which are a little bigger than the Finale ones. Many of my rhythm section customers used to complain that the Finale chords were too small.

Is this happening to anyone else?

Your input is much appreciated.

George B

[Peter Thomsen]

1) Are you working in Page View or in Scroll View?

2) Is "Automatic Music Spacing" toggled on?

3) Is "Automatic Update Layout" toggled on?

[ghbmusic67]

Hi,

Sorry for the delayed reply and thanks for your help.

I enter chords mostly in scroll view.

I did not have automatic layout on which I just rectified.

It does not make much difference. The bars are still bunching up.
This mostly happens when I enter more complicated chords like A7b9#5.

I should try this out with the Finale chords, maybe my own larger chord symbols are the culprits.

Does it happen to anybody else with music spacing and update layout switched on?

regards

George B

[Peter Thomsen]

From your description it's my guess that the culprit is "Automatic Music Spacing".
Toggle it off, and you should get rid of the problem.

Also, since you are using complicated chord symbols, like F#7b9#5, it might be a good idea to have a big "default measure width" in Scroll View.

[michelp]

2 additional remarks :
1) You could try : Document Options->Music Spacing->Avoid collision and select the Chords checkbox.
2) If this happens only occasionally, when there are many chords, on every beat for instance, you could reduce the size of the chords just in those bars. Select the measure, then, Utilities->Change->Chords->Scale chords, and enter a value like 75%.

[ghbmusic67]

Thanks for those helpful replies.

I will try all that today and keep you posted.

regards

George

[ghbmusic67]

Success already!!!

I switched off "Automatic Music Spacing" in Finale preferences and it fixed the problem straight away.

Since I usually have "Automatic Music Spacing" on, I'll have to turn it off just for chord entry.

Thanks again, you made life a bit less frustrating.

cheers

George

[shawncanry]

Yes I completely agree to that the entering the chord task is not so simple as it was now it is so complicated such that due to certain changes it is difficult to do that and requires extra efforts.