Entering notes with both hands in Speedy Entry

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Tomas E
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Post by Tomas E » Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:19 pm

I need to use both hands when entering a chord since the notes are too far away from each other. But then I have no hands left to trigger the duration. How is this done?
Windows 11, Finale 27.4.1


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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:33 pm

The only way I know if is, enter as many as you can with MIDI, then temporarily turn off Use MIDI Device for Entry. Back up the cursor over the chord, and use the arrow keys to move the horizontal bar of the cursor to the note you want to add, and press Enter. Another option might be to go to Simple entry, which has a somewhat better non-MIDI way of adding notes.

If you have a whole lot of these chords, another way might be to enter the top and bottom pieces on separate staves and then use Implode or one of the plug-ins to combine them.

If someone has a better way involving the MIDI keyboard, I'd love to hear it.

Tomas E
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Post by Tomas E » Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:43 pm

motet wrote:
Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:33 pm
The only way I know if is, enter as many as you can with MIDI, then temporarily turn off Use MIDI Device for Entry. Back up the cursor over the chord, and use the arrow keys to move the horizontal bar of the cursor to the note you want to add, and press Enter.
Thanks! This is the method that I just found in the manual, I had a faint recollection of it. There's no need to turn off Use MIDI Device for Entry - at least not for me - to make this work.
Windows 11, Finale 27.4.1

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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:48 pm

Tomas E wrote:
Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:43 pm
There's no need to turn off Use MIDI Device for Entry - at least not for me - to make this work.
You're right--I don't know what I was thinking.

It would be nice to be able to play some notes on the MIDI keyboard and press a key to add them to the chord (Enter replaces them). Or have the MIDI key move the cursor. You can move the cursor with the mouse, at least.

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zuill
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Post by zuill » Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:54 pm

Maybe using the CAPS-LOCK approach? Or, use Simple for that one chord?

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bkshepard
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Post by bkshepard » Tue Jun 30, 2020 5:44 pm

It would be cool if in Speedy Entry you could use the sustain pedal to "hold" a big chord while you take your hands off to press the numeric key for the note entry. I've been known to press the numeric key with my nose out of desperation at times in this situation!

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miker
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Post by miker » Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:12 pm

In this case, Simple wins!
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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:37 pm

You have to carefully press all the MIDI keys at once, but yes. Speedy CapsLock does the same thing, though.

Tomas E
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Post by Tomas E » Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:43 pm

motet wrote:
Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:37 pm
You have to carefully press all the MIDI keys at once, but yes. Speedy CapsLock does the same thing, though.
Really? I'm pretty sure I tried that one earlier today. I must try once more.
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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:46 pm

It does. Press CapsLock, then 5 for a quarter note, say, then play the chord.

Tomas E
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Post by Tomas E » Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:04 pm

motet wrote:
Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:46 pm
It does. Press CapsLock, then 5 for a quarter note, say, then play the chord.
Now I know what I did last time, and why it didn't work. I thought I could play the notes separately and when finished hit zero, but then the cursor jumped to the next measure. It must be all keys at once with caps-lock. 👍
Windows 11, Finale 27.4.1

Tomas E
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Post by Tomas E » Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:04 pm

This is how I think I'm going to do:
The caps lock may be better for let's say a single big chord of whole notes. If there are a lots of big chords it's easier to just put the bottom or top note in to begin with, to get the rhythm right, and then go through them a second time, adding the rest of the notes using the arrow keys.
Windows 11, Finale 27.4.1

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