Please let me know if there's a way to do this. This problem only really appears with ornate vocal lines. As you can see in the picture, in the middle line, the third note is spaced too far from the second note. The sharp is avoiding colliding with the syllable 'pro-', but it's in a different sort of layer and doesn't need to be avoiding colliding with lyrics.
As long as the lyrics don't collide and the notes don't collide (and it's clear which note belongs to which syllable) I think they should be handled nearly separately. Also the next crochet/quarter in the middle line would look better if it were more even.
I normally fix these things manually by deleting beat positions, but this piece is full of them, and it's got me thinking about alternatives.
Cheers,
Vaughan
More sophisticated note-lyric spacing with melismas
Moderators: Peter Thomsen, miker
- Peter Thomsen
- Posts: 6626
- Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
- Finale Version: Finale v27.4
- Operating System: Mac
Two ideas:
1) Buy TG Tools if you can afford it.
It's a wonderful package with many, many, very useful plug-ins - not only for lyrics.
2) If you can't afford TG Tools, try this workaround:
Attach the lyrics to hidden notes in Layer 3.
The trick is that in Layer 3 you enter a simplified melody after the principle "one syllable = one (long) note" (no melismas).
Use the first pitch in each melisma as the (long) note.
In the example you posted, enter in Layer 3 an eighth note E for "lo", an eighth note G for "pro-", and a half note E for "spe-".
If you are attaching the lyrics in the mode "Click Assignment", you will discover the pleasant fact that you can attach the lyrics fast by holding down the correct modifier key*, and clicking the first Layer 3 note.
*) Are you using Windows or Mac OS X?
I'm not sure about Windows Finale, but in Mac Finale you can attach the lyrics by holding down the Option key, and clicking the first Layer 3 note.
1) Buy TG Tools if you can afford it.
It's a wonderful package with many, many, very useful plug-ins - not only for lyrics.
2) If you can't afford TG Tools, try this workaround:
Attach the lyrics to hidden notes in Layer 3.
The trick is that in Layer 3 you enter a simplified melody after the principle "one syllable = one (long) note" (no melismas).
Use the first pitch in each melisma as the (long) note.
In the example you posted, enter in Layer 3 an eighth note E for "lo", an eighth note G for "pro-", and a half note E for "spe-".
If you are attaching the lyrics in the mode "Click Assignment", you will discover the pleasant fact that you can attach the lyrics fast by holding down the correct modifier key*, and clicking the first Layer 3 note.
*) Are you using Windows or Mac OS X?
I'm not sure about Windows Finale, but in Mac Finale you can attach the lyrics by holding down the Option key, and clicking the first Layer 3 note.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996