I don;t want finale to change the music spacing of notes when typing chords

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Agustin Conti Edited June 03, 2023 03:51

ok, So I have a great line evenly spaced on a system and it is time to input some chords above...it turns out that finale ChangeS the length of the notes based on the length of the information on the chord? Wth! why! and most important how to change that..I have been looking for that feature with no luck..I want a CMaj7(#11)/B Chord over a crowded 8 bar bass line evenly spaced and when placing the chord on the first beat of the bar (3/4) the rest of the notes get moved right after the chord was Typed like if wanted to add chords to every quarter note automatically! well that is not the case..the chord is good for 4 bars and I want the chord input NOT to ALTER in any way the note spacing underneath. HOW do you do THis? thanks. See pics.

Finale 26.3 on Mac Big Sur

12 comments

Date Votes

PETER THOMSEN Posted June 03, 2023 05:03

Document menu > Document Options > Music Spacing

In the pane

Avoid Collision of

de-select the option Chords

Agustin Conti Posted June 03, 2023 05:16

Great ! thanks so much man.

Agustin Conti Edited June 03, 2023 05:27

Well, it worked well for Slash chords, nice!..applying music spacing after deselecting the option Chords in the avoid Collision pane, but NOT so when applying the same treatment to a bass line. wondering why.

Too bad this would have been a massive tip and timesaver for me. ..

PETER THOMSEN Posted June 03, 2023 05:59

Take a look at

Document menu > Document Options > Music Spacing

In the {pane / pop up menu}

Manual Positioning

what menu item is chosen?

Agustin Conti Posted June 03, 2023 16:52

Oh, it is set to ignore.

MIKE ROSEN Posted June 03, 2023 17:36

Try setting it to incorporate.

Agustin Conti Posted June 03, 2023 17:37

I see the options thanks!

MICHEL HERR Edited June 03, 2023 22:36

And I would suggest to define the Alternate Bass as Subtext (= Chord over bass note). Not only this would follow the usual conventions, but it would take less horizontal space.

Agustin Conti Posted June 03, 2023 23:23

hi Michel, I don't understand what you are saying 'subtext;???

MICHEL HERR Posted June 03, 2023 23:28

Agustin Conti Posted June 03, 2023 23:40

Great Tip Michel!, this provides a way to write the alternate bass a bit below the chord which is the right way to write inversions. In my case it did not help much with saving space (2nd example in pic) but it looks better (having the bass note slightly below) ALSO great is the Under option which provides a way to write polychords (3rd example) !! I struggle with this before and had to use the Text tool with many more steps involved specially after any change! THANKS!!

MICHEL HERR Edited June 03, 2023 23:52

Strangely, the space before the slash looks too big. Maybe because of that chord suffix library, because it is not always the case.

And the Maj7 chain is long, I personally use the triangle, again to save space horizontally.

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