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We used to have a kludge to resize chord symbols without destroying their manual kerning. We could assign it to a hidden rest in another layer, then resize the rest so the chord symbol resizes along with it. Now that chord symbols attach to beats, there is no easy way to resize a chord symbol. Changing the font size of that specific suffix is no good, because the kerning does not adjust with the font size change. It also changes ALL examples of that suffix, so you would have to duplicate it first. Then there is also the problem of the size of the chord name (letter AND alteration), which cannot be changed without changing ALL the chord letter names and alterations.

 

The Utilities>Change>Chords...Scale Chords command ruins manual kerning. Stacked suffixes collide and overlap when made larger, and stay spread out when made smaller.

Change Chord Suffix Fonts in the Chord menu is worse than useless, turning all my custom suffixes into garbage. I don’t even know how this is SUPPOSED to function, but it ruins everything I try it on.

 

A client who sends a jazz lead sheet back with a simple request "Make the chords larger" requires more time to edit each suffix than creating the original lead sheet did! This is supposed to be something that computers do easily.



In Music Spacing, avoiding collisions between chord symbols is useless when checked in Music Spacing options (too large a space created and Finale doesn’t know when a note or rest has or doesn’t have a chord on it),

It would have been SO great also if the Chord Suffix Creation box was resizable, along with the contents. That tiny, fussy little screen has given me so many headaches over the years. Making the nudge arrows work in this screen would be a godsend, too.

Inability to create a chord like C over Bb7 with a horizontal line between them (C over Bb is easy, the suffix on the Bb7 makes it impossible).

Nobody seems to know what setting affects the thickness of the slash when writing slash chords like C/E., nor how to adjust the spacing of slash chord items (I find them much too spread out.)

If you are Typing Into Score, and hit C:0 because you don't know how to type your suffix on the C chord, you STILL don't have the Create button in the Chord Suffix Selection box! You have to go through a multi-keystroke path to get to the SAME dialogue box, except WITH the Create button in it. ARGGHH! Is it really so hard to add the Create, Edit, Duplicate, Delete, Move Down and Move Up. buttons to this dialogue box? It would save us SO much time (especially those of us who use a lot of strange new suffixes, like in much modern jazz.)

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Hi Christopher:
Great ideas. I couldn't agree more. (FIN-4135) captures the story. A massive overhaul is needed. Sorry to cause so much pain and frustration using the current tool.

 

Cheers,
Michael Johnson
VP, Professional Notation
MakeMusic

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Does this work for Printmusic 2014?

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Lou, what are you asking? NONE of these things work, nor have they worked, in the last several versions of the full Finale, so how could they work in Printmusic, which has fewer features, not more?

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What I have done to solve this is create an additional staff, with a custom staff style that hides everything (except chords), put the chords in that staff, size the staff as needed then drag the staff to get the chords where you want them. I sometimes use this to add a second set of (alternate) changes in a smaller size above the primary changes on a lead sheet.

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I have also have many problems with chord symbols.  One of those is chord positioning in relationship to beats in the measure.  It seems that the selection box defines where Finale considers its position related to beats.  The problem is that the box is at the chord suffix instead of the root letter name.  That could work if it is necessary that the box is positioned there but the software should include compensation in its calculation data that concludes that the root letter will be left of the selection box.  Because of this situation, after I have entered the chords, I have to select the chord box and then reposition the chord to get the root letter above the correct beat.  It adds extra time to my work that would not have been necessary if Finale could have realized that this is not correct and written their software to compensate to avoid this error.

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Joe, in the Chord menu, check "Left Align Chords". This frankly should be the default. I turned this on in my default document so I never have to touch it again. I don't know why anyone would ever use "Centre Align".

But in any case, "left align" is only better than "centre", but not perfect. In reality, the chord root name (C or C#, for example) should be centred over the middle of the beat, and the suffix should trail off to the right. Left Align does not give good results when the chords are very large, which is wanted sometimes.

There should also be an "avoid collisions" function that knows when there is no chord on the next beat.

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Thanks Chris.  I will try that.

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Couldn't agree more with needing the ability to type in polychords with the chord tool (currently, I create an expression with the top chord underlined).

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I think that since I've been using Finale, many, many versions ago, there was always a problem with the chord fonts and suffixes part of the program. Many people in the wedding and entertainment industry need this feature to draw up pdf charts for their songs. It saves a lot of weight in the bag so to speak. At one time I was carrying around two suitcases of sheet music that weighed about 50 pounds. But, I digress, the chord tool has always been a problem to use, and wedding and entertainment acts who play all different types of pop and foreign pop/ethnic music need a way to have this feature work right for them, especially when they are looking at a repertoire of over 1,000 tunes.

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Without specifics that you want to see, this is not a very useful suggestion for Finale developers. There are so many different systems of chord notation that the category is fraught enough. Specific requests are crucial.

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Adrian, 

I think that the problem is complex the way that Finale handles chord notation. Don't forget, this notation also is audibly played back. I think that if they dropped that feature they may have a better chance with the chord notation aspect of the program. After all, the majority of use is to get chord charts done, not hear them.

 

Pete

 

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… Don't forget, this notation also is audibly played back. I think that if they dropped that feature they may have a better chance with the chord notation aspect of the program. After all, the majority of use is to get chord charts done, not hear them …

 

You can disable Chord Playback:

Chord menu > Enable Chord Playback (de-select this)

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