Any way to transpose pitch up a minor second?

[Djard]

I am persuaded that Finale supports only so many edits, after which it becomes unstable. After several rewrites of a part, the bass line in my ensemble began to play back one semitone below concert pitch. I have suffered this bug before and resolved it by changing the instrument. But on this occasion, I want to use the slap bass.

Saving, closing and re-opening the document did not correct the error. I also tried clearing the MIDI data. The transposition tool in Score Manager can change the pitch, without altering the key signature; but it seems limited to raising or lowering the pitch by a tone. Even with "Chromatic" selected, none of the intervals render a pitch shift of 1 semitone.

Has anybody managed to correct such a problem, or use the "Staff Transposition" tool to raise the playback pitch by only one semitone, without altering the key signature?

[motet]

Typically, transposing instruments do alter the key signature, so I don't know.

[motet]

Try using the repitch tool on the offending measures. Or examine them with the Speedy input frame editor if you really want to get into it. Something's causing it.

[Djard]

The Repitch tool does not change the pitch of a note without altering the note. So I tried the JW Change Pitch tool, which also transposes the notes. In audio engineering, all DAWs and audio editors distinguish between the two.

If the Speedy Frame Editor includes pitch modification, it is well hidden. I could not find it among the options.

I often use the transposition tool in Score manager to modify pitch--without altering the key signature--which is especially useful when writing for a guitar that uses a capo. When in need of bells (that don't sustain beyond what is written), I transpose handbells up one octave then close Score Manager and use the Transposition tool in Utilities (or in the context menu of the Selection tool) to move the notes back down an octave. In this manner, playback of the notes is one octave lower than what was originally written. I can use this approach to assign a different pitch to notes in the entire track and retain the key signature. But the smallest interval transposed in Score Manager is a major second. If it allowed me to transpose down a minor second, I could transpose the notes back up a semitone with the Transposition tool in Utilities and correct the bug.

Are you able to transpose an instrument down a minor second in Score Manager?

[michelp]

You could use an expression (blank), and under Playback, Type -> Transposition : 1.

[Djard]

I added a hidden expression that did raise the pitch up a minor 2nd. But the instrument is still about a quarter tone below the other instruments in the ensemble. So the defective pitch must have been slightly larger than a semitone. But thanks for lending a hand. Looks like I will have to use another instrument. Sigh!

[michelp]

Microtonal intervals are possible with the Pitch Bend...

[Peter Thomsen]

… the instrument is still about a quarter tone below the other instruments in the ensemble. So the defective pitch must have been slightly larger than a semitone …

Are there any glissandi in the part?

[motet]

Best to get to the bottom of the problem rather than trying to patch it.

[Djard]

There is three glissandos in the bass track but much later in the score. I would be most interested to learn what causes Finale to detune an instrument, always down a little greater than one semitone. I recall changing the melody in the bass part, auditing each edit. After about a dozen modifications, the pitch of the instrument dropped. At first I thought I had written some sour notes.

My usual practice is to use Speedy Entry to change such notes; but because Speedy often refuses to let me mouse drag a note up and down, requiring repeated double-clicking on the note, I began to overwrite notes with rests of equal value then overwrite the rests with new notes. This helps workflow.

If I don't make changes in a piece, Finale behaves quite well. But I am not gifted in being able to compose without need for editing.

[motet]

Is the entire staff off by a certain amount, or only certain notes? If you want to attach a file here exhibiting the problem, I'll take a look.

[Peter Thomsen]

… three glissandos in the bass track but much later in the score …

I suppose that the glisses are entered as smart shapes - right?

Just as a test (not as a solution):
Make a duplicate copy of the Finale document.
In the duplicate, delete all smart shapes (all smart shapes, not just the glisses).
Does that fix the problem?

[motet]

I suppose another thing to try is MIDI Tool menu (NOT MIDI/Audio), Apply Human Playback, Clear Items.

[Djard]

I am unable to upload the file as it exceeds the 145KB limit.

All the glissandos were created as SmartShapes.

I added the instrument again, copied and pasted the notation into the new staff. This solved the issue. I then deleted the problematic instrument. Since then I have closed the document and cannot undo the fix to try the options suggested. Thank you all for the valuable suggestions.

[motet]

.bakx file?

Barring that, maybe make a note of the suggestions should it happen again.

[Djard]

Thanks. I will certainly follow your suggestion.