If you don't need playback, I have a quick fix for you, but if you want it to playback, I can run you through how to do it you just won't be able to use a MIDI keyboard for the percussion input.

Hello CJ Garcia. Thank you for responding. Playback is not necessary so the quick fix will do,

Many thanks,

Aldo

If I understand your post correctly, then all you really need to do is go into the Clef Tool (from the main tool pallet), select the staff you want to enter percussion notes into, double click, and select the percussion clef.


If you want to make your own percussion map with specific noteheads and what not, then here's an article on that: http://www.finalemusic.com/blog/setting-custom-percussion-staff-finale/

Thank you so much CJ!

I have Finale v25 . I'm trying to create a harp ensemble piece with percussion.  All I need are the X's for note heads.   I tried the Clef Tool but the percussion clef does not result in the X's that I can find anywhere using a simple entry for quarter and eighth notes. I reviewed the article on the percussion map with specific note heads.  It's very involved.  Is this as simple as it gets? Any help is appreciated!

You can use either the Change utility, or JW Change to change the notes to X-noteheads.

Yayyy!   It works!  Thank you Mike. One creates the music first and then selects the desired notes to change to percussion with the change utility.  I was hoping a clever person had figured this out.  

Much appreciated:)

Glad I could help!