8va (r.h. only)

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RICK DAILEY Posted September 16, 2021 12:37

I am creating a Finale version of a very old manuscript score of mine for voice and piano. Throughout the score the piano has a number of high two note, two octave parts. Here is an example of exactly how the hand-written score was done with one exception: "8va" was written as "8va (r.h. only)" indicating that the right hand was to be played an octave higher but the left hand played as written:

I have tried numerous other ways of displaying this two note, two octave part. One was that the left hand part was moved down an octave and another that it was left in the bass clef which was changed to a treble clef. No matter how I have attempted to do this in Finale I always prefer the original handwritten score. Can anyone provide a suggestion of a good way to do this so that a pianist would immediately understand without any confusion?

5 comments

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PETER THOMSEN Posted September 16, 2021 13:18

… No matter how I have attempted to do this in Finale I always prefer the original handwritten score …

Then notate it as in the original manuscript:

RICK DAILEY Posted September 16, 2021 14:12

I should have noted that I tried to do what you suggested but could not determine that it was possible after searching the manual and web. How is this done?

PETER THOMSEN Posted September 16, 2021 14:33

… How is this done? …

If I understand you correctly, the issue is the layout with the line

8va (r. h. only) - - - - - - -

- right?

You can create the line with the Smart Shape Tool’s sub-tool Custom Line Tool.

Hold down CTRL, and click the Custom Line Tool’s icon (I am not sure what the icon looks like in your Finale version, perhaps a hexagon?).

You get to the dialog box Smart Line Selection where you can create a custom line with

- a beginning text of your choice - like e. g. 8va (r. h. only)

- a dashed line

- a hook at the end of the dashed line

RICK DAILEY Posted September 16, 2021 15:22

Thank you. Is there any way of making it actually play the notes an octave higher like the regular 8va does when using MIDI?

PETER THOMSEN Edited September 16, 2021 16:24

… Is there any way of making it actually play the notes an octave higher like the regular 8va does when using MIDI? …

As Far As I Know, the Custom Line Tool does not have the ability to cause playback effect.

However, I suspect that you do not care, what is causing the playback effect.

I would add the regular 8va (which does play back), and hide it.

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