Is this what you mean? I did it by duplicating, and then editing, the eighth note swing symbol.

It should look more like this:

Maybe better I think with 2 brackets indicating triplets.

Okay, here's what I did. I actually tried this first, but I wasn't happy with it. Because of the way the font character for the triplet bracket and number is set up, there is a slight gap in the beam connecting the eighth to the sixteenth. I just couldn't get rid of it. I'm going to send a note to Finale's font guy, and see if there is anything he can do to improve it.

Got it! It involved adjusting the tracking of that triplet bracket glyph, to move it closer to the left, which let the beams connect.

Many, many thanks to Mark Adler at Finale, who walked me through it, and taught me a few things in the process.

Hi Mike,

Could you give a step by step detailed description? And is it possible to send a Finale file?

Would appreciate this...

Thanks,

Arno

Arno,

It would be a true pain in the butt to write out a step-by-step. I'm planning to write it up as a tutorial, with pictures and all, but that will have to wait until I have the time and motivation.

Meanwhile, though, I'm happy to send you a Finale doc that has it inserted.

But Arno,

As soon as you receive the e-mail from Mike, I suggest you edit your post to remove your e-mail address (for security reasons).

(Pull down "Post Options" to find the Edit option.)

Mike,

Looking forward to the tutorial. I usually just write "swing 16ths" after spending too much time trying to get it right!

Finale 25.3, Mac OS10.10, PT11

Mike,

I'll let you be the guinea pig for the first reading! Send me an email to wawoodman at aol dot com, and I'll shoot it over to you.

Traditionally, sixteenth notes aren't swung.

I'm just the copyist! I'll let you guys decide if it's right or wrong.

Now here's the BIG question for me: can anyone get this to manifest in Human Playback, so that the playback swings the 16ths?  I'm going nuts trying to get a region (not the whole piece) to play swing at all, much less the way I wish (which is with swung 16ths).  Any and all help would be tremendously appreciated!       ~MK

Matt,

Without going up to the office and actually trying this, set your time signature to whatever/16 notes. Then, in the expression window for the swing symbol, set playback to swing, and assign it a number. Try 100 to start, and adjust it from there. Apply that where you want it. When you get to where you want it to stop, create a new expression: swing off, or straight sixteenths, whatever. In that one, set the playback swing to 0.

No joy, I'm afraid, Mike.  What's really puzzling me is this:  I've tried selecting the area (with the Selection Tool) wherein I desire the swing effect, then choosing Plugins > Playback > Apply Human Playback, choosing the settings I want in there and hitting Apply.........but nothing happens.  THAT, I think, is what is the core issue.  Thoughts on that?

I can't even find that plugin. Where is it?

I got it to work, without the plugin. I set the time signature to 8/8.

Send me an email at wawoodman at aol dot com, and I'll send you my sample file.

The Apply Human Playback plug-in no longer exists in Finale 25

At least not in the default set included with the program..

...which explains why I couldn't find it. Thanks, Adrian!

Apply Human Playback is available from the MIDI Tool  menu, as of 2014.5

Cheers,

Michael Johnson

VP, Professional Notation

MakeMusic

Thanks, Michael.

Hi Mike, could you please send me the finale file with the swing notation so I can cut and paste it into my score? Thank you so much.

Done! And, for your security, please remove your e-mail address!

This Forum software MUST be changed, to allow private messaging or emails.

This just seems like complicated workarounds to something which should be automatic. Please just program the expression tool's commands properly in the next update to make it effortless, this shouldn't even be an issue. I've been trying to figure out this playback thing for a half hour, I'd be done a major chunk of my arrangement by now!

This is a User support board. Feature requests should be posted here:

https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/topics/200449177-Finale-Feature-Requests?sort_by=recent_activity

Hey Mike, would you mind sending me the file with the sixteenth swing notation as well? I tried to do it myself but I'm struggling with the triplet bracket and the beam gap... Thank you in advance!

On the way!

Hey MIKE ROSEN

I'm super glad I found you. Can you please send me the swing expression you created for me to load into finale? I am working on a project for a record label that is releasing this weekend and I cannot get this figured out. You would save my day!

Thanks in advance.

Thanks again. Please let me know if there's anything I can do for you.