We need more info:

Do you need staggered barlines?

Try to be specific.

The better we understand, the better we can help.

I am having the same problem. Let's say I want my solo to be in 12/8 but I want the other instruments to be in common time or 4/4 for 16 measures. I want the solo to show 12/8 and I want to be able to arrange in 12/8 while the other staves are in 4/4 and I want to be able to arrange in 4/4. Does that make sense?

I am using version 26. The purpose of the 12/8 and the 4/4 measures over each other is, each is being counted in four. One staff just needs more notes than the other staves. Right now when I highlight the one staff to change the time signature, it causes all my staves to change. I don't want that. I only one the one to change (to 12/8).

So you want a kind of "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring" (Bach) setup.

Yes I would like that. Sort of like a La Folia setup (Corelli).

Ronnie Carthan,

If I understand you correctly, the barlines are not staggered - right?

So that one measure of 12/8 in the solo equals one measure of 4/4 in the other staves - right?

1) Set the real time signature to 12/8.

Now you can enter the music in the solo.

2) For each of the other staves, use the Staff Tool, and in the pane {Independent Elements}, select Time Signature.

3) Now you can make each of the other staves 4/4.

Thanks Peter. Actually when I went to bed last night I was telling my wife about my problem. She went on Youtube and found a guy by the name of Nick Mazuk. It's a very good video. I couldn't wait to get downstairs this morning. Thanks again!! https://youtu.be/iWVWSz8MkYw

Ronnie Carthan,

Generally it is recommended that you make the biggest time signature the “real” time signature.

In your case the 12/8 time signature is bigger than the 4/4.

By making12/8 the “real” time signature, and 4/4 the “independent” time signature you will get less problems with the music spacing - since Finale will space the 12/8 time, and “stretch out” the 4/4 time.

This is not what Nick Mazuk does in the video, but we do see not any music spacing in the video.

That is good to know as well. Yes Finale should have video on this subject and other subjects as well. e.g. when I came across the tuplets with 10 32nd notes I was not sure as to how to enter it in quick entry. But thanks again for getting back with me. I am now finished with my score and extracting parts, editing and sending out via email. I love Finale.

… I am now finished with my score and extracting parts, editing and sending out via email. I love Finale …

If I understand you correctly, you are sending PDF files out via email - right?

My first guess would be that there is no need to extract parts.

Instead, use the linked parts, and create PDF files from the linked parts.

Work smarter, not harder!

Never tried that before. My pattern is to extract so I can make sure the parts look right. Sometimes rehearsal letters and text are on top of each other. I could be wrong but if I use linked parts and create PDF files, sounds like the same amount of time and energy. But not sure. Do we have a video on how to use linked parts to create pdf files? Have you ever had a page with just one measure on it or two or three? Does the linked parts fix that? When I extract I can fix that. Today I had four pages. I was able to reduce that to three pages. Rehearsal letters were too close to the right of the page. I was able to correct that. Page turn was not good on some of the pages. I was able to correct that. Does linked parts correct all those nuances in Finale? I am always willing to learn something new.

Ronnie Carthan,

Linked parts reside inside the Finale score document.

The extracted parts are based on the linked parts.

Extracting parts is just extra (unnecessary) work.

Instead, view the linked parts, and edit the layout there.

You can create PDF files directly from the linked parts.

To view/edit a linked part:

Document menu > Edit Part > …

Finale has had linked parts since Finale 2007.

Correct a wrong note in the score, and the wrong note is automatically also corrected in the linked part.

Extracted parts are not linked to the score.

Correct a wrong note in the score, and you will have to, also correct the wrong note in the extracted part.

Today it is seldom necessary to extract parts.

Okay I will try it out. Fifteen years is a long time to miss out on that. I have always heard about linked parts but never understood it because I guess the parts were not linked or I just didn't understand. I will go to Document menu > Edit Part to see what I can see. Thanks again for the information.

Okay Peter, this is what I discovered. I went yo Document menu > Edit Part with the score I just finished with. You tell me. When I have more than one page of music I always use the Text icon to add the name of the instrument on the other pages so they don't get lost when printing out multiple pages. So I edited the 2nd violin part and things were looking good until I went back to the score. When I changed the name of the text to Violin I on the violin part the name changed on the score to Violin I as well. Not good. The Expression tool fonts changed color on me. Not bad, but the Text tool information didn't work in my favor. Seven parts, seven different names, all changing when I change only one part. Now I can always delete the Text but that's not gonna happen. In other words, extracting parts are fine. It doesn't hurt anything and you have more control of what you are doing with individual parts. Well, so far anyway, unless you can come up with a way for me to defeat the text changing on all the parts. It seems like it goes back to the score. I will do another part just to make sure. If you understand what I am talking about, and you have a solution, I am here. 

This time I discovered the my Solo Violin text was not only on the solo violin part but the Violin I part was now showing Solo Violin and the score was now showing Solo Violin. So I can only assume that all the other parts, the Viola, the Cello and the Bass all had Solo Violin on them as well. I think I will stick with extract until I understand how to keep that from happening. Like the independent staves and time signatures. I'm not familiar with correcting that. Is there a Text Tool Attribute window somewhere? This is intriging.

Ronnie Carthan,

1) Take a good look in

Window menu > ScoreManager > File Info

Note what is typed in the text field

{“Score Name” Insert}

2) The feature that will solve your problem, is here:

Text menu > Inserts > Part/Score Name

This text insert will display differently in the score and the linked parts.

In the score the Text Insert will display whatever is typed in the File Info field {“Score Name” Insert}.

In the parts the very same Text Insert will display the Part Name.

To examine/edit the Part Names:

Window menu > ScoreManager > Instrument List

Unfortunately Peter when I click on the Text icon and go to the Text menu > Inserts they are all greyed out. If a click the little square on my footer text that I don't want to change, and proceed to the text menu > inserts they are still all greyed out. When I go to Window menu > ScoreManager > File Info it appears the Score Name is for the Score only. As you can see, day three and I still haven't gotten a solution for the text problem. Just going to these locations in Finale is not causing the information to turn on so they can be used. So what do I have to do next? Do I click in the little square and highlight the text and then go to the menu with Inserts? I am still working with what you said about linked parts but so far it has not sold me on the process. As I stated before, is there any video to any of these methods you are telling me about? I'm all for working smarter, not harder but this little exercise has definitely proven to not be smarter for me if you are understanding what I'm saying. No disrespect intended. Your instructions are very clear. They just are not working when I execute them for me.

My second report. I finally got the Text menu > Inserts to activate! I had to click on the little square and highlight the text. But this is what happened! You will never believe what happened. So I'm on the 2nd page right? My footer is: La Folia - Violin I

I highlight La Folia - Violin I, go to Text menu > Inserts and I can see Part/Score Name lit up. I click on it and the TITLE of La Folia on the 1st page changes to Violin I and my footers changes to Violin I as well!! I did a Ctrl Z to undo. Do I have time for this? Do you have time for this? Why would my footer on page 2 have anything to do with my title on page 1? I think I will stick with extractions for now Mr. Thomsen. Thanks anyway. I think I gave it a good try. 

You can't make this stuff up!
But thanks for all the help you gave. 
Chuck Carthan