SPACING CHORD SYMBOLS

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Jon Thingvall Posted February 17, 2019 16:10

Win 10, Finale 2012

In jazz charts with a lot of chords in a measure, I've had a problem with them bunching up in Scroll view. However, I seem to have stumbled on a way to increase the width of a measure in Scroll view to accommodate a lot of chord symbols. Then I lost it, though, and can't remember how it worked.

I thought I was using the Staff tool, and hitting the spacebar. It was shuffling the symbols to the right, and working really well. But I couldn't repeat the results, so am wondering if anyone knows what I'm talking about.

Although I can increase the measure size when I go to Page view, it would save a lot of time if I could just have the original score in Scroll view with readable chords.

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PETER THOMSEN Posted February 17, 2019 16:36

Two things to do:

1) Go to

Preferences - Edit

In the pane Automatic Settings, de-select {Automatic Music Spacing}.

You can always, manually, Apply Music Spacing to a selected region.

(While you are in Preferences - Edit, you also might like to de-select some of the other automatic settings that do “things” automatically, without asking you for permission)

2) Scroll View.

Measure Tool.

Select the empty measures from the end of the document back to the first empty measure after the music you have already entered.

Double-click the selected.

In the Measure Attributes, enter a larger Width, and click OK.

Since you have de-selected {Automatic Music Spacing}, the new, larger measure width will stay put.

Jon Thingvall Posted February 19, 2019 00:17

Thanks, Peter. I'll probably use the first suggestion, but it's good to know about the second option, too.

I wish Finale would be able to "Apply Chord Spacing to Current Part/Score," because all the options you suggested, and the ones I've tried, are just workarounds. It's a shame, because, usually, the music spacing is perfect.

PETER THOMSEN Posted February 19, 2019 18:30

… all the options you suggested, and the ones I've tried, are just workarounds …

I am not sure I understand.

What is your definition of “workaround” ?

I know the options I suggested, but what are the ones you have tried yourself?

Jon Thingvall Posted February 20, 2019 02:43

I really can't remember. They were a little detailed, and it was a while ago.

The de-selecting works great!

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