How to use – search this document for the keyword – to find what you are looking for.

• FINALE

• open from template

• create your own ensemble – double click on instrument to add
• keyboards
• piano
• strings
• violin I, violin II, viola, cello, contrabass
• woodwinds
• flute, oboe, clarinet in Bb, bassoon, contrabasson
• brass
• horn in F (2), trumpet in C, trombone, tuba
• percussion
•
• MENU OPTIONS

• FILE
• Open – will open a finale file, or even a MIDI file
• Save – saves as an “.mus” file
• Save as
• MIDI option- can then import it into Ableton or Logic
• * Extract Parts
• will then let you save each staff as a separate file, to hand out to your ensemble
• Export to audio file
• save as an aiff... or wav
• (XML )
• (another file format – similar to midi, but can be read graphically. Useful to move a
file between different notation programs)
• * Library – all the options, graphics, are compiled in a “library” - you can add your own
graphics within a finale (mus) file, OR you can save your library, and have a template of
your own style that you can load when you start any project. This allows for different
fonts, graphics, etc to be preloaded.
• EDIT
• add measures
• insert measure stack
• (command “I”) will insert a measure stack from the clipboard
• multimeasure rests
• UTILITIES
• Transpose
• * Transpose percussion notes (very useful)
• select the instrument you want
• * FIT MEASURES
• locks a certain number of measures per system – very useful
• MUSIC SPACING
 •*note spacing (commonly seen) (can be applied to a selected region) – cleans up
•beat spacing (by beat)
•time signature spacing (will space according to time signature) similar to beat spacing
• DOCUMENT
• PICKUP MEASURE
• display in concert pitch
• *PLUGINS (icon to the right of the window pulldown menu at top)
• measures
• merge measures (select measures to merge, will combine (USEFUL))
• note beam rest editing
• CHANGE NOTEHEADS... (I like making this a keyboard shortcut)
• scoring and arranging
• canonic utilities
• piano reduction
• TG tools
• easy tremolo
• TOOLS – access either from menu items or right click on a measure to reveal.
•
• “command” T – show/hide main tools
•
• - hold control and option together, press H, and assign the toolbar tool you want to that key.
•
• I usually do:
•
• H: selection
• J: speedy edit
• K: articulations
• L: smart tools (like slurs)
• F: dynamics
• ; : lyrics
• ' : simple edit

• TO USE, hold CONTROL then the key, then you can easily select
•

• SELECTION tool
• select a bars
• hold shift and select multiple bars
• double click a selected area it will select the entire column (all instruments within a
bar)
• double click on … anything.... finale will route you to the appropriate tool to edit...
usually...
• “right click” on a selected area to see options
• can copy/paste/cut measures, parts of measures
• insert a copied portion (command I)
• change barlines
• staff style
 • define staff style
• allows you to customize
• (can create a staff with no barlines, for example)
• can be applied to single measures
• also access time and key signatures
• insert
• insert measure stack (insert blank measures...VERY USEFUL)
• vs.
• insert (CAREFUL, it shifts everything else over...and only in one staff)
• REPEATS:
• can insert 1st and 2nd endings.
• select entire staff for entire staff by single clicking to the left of the clef
•
• magnifying glass
• click to zoom in (option click to zoom out)
• hand
• moves the page
•
• SPEEDY EDITITALIC NOTE:
• use cursor up down
• 8 double whole
• 7 whole
• 6 half
• 5 quarter
• 4 eighth
• 3 sixteenth
• 2 32nd
• 1 64th
• “=” tie
• period (dot)
• INSERT NOTES (shift “IO” toggles)
• if you add more beats than the measure allows, finale will let you know by
opening a dialogue box asking how you want to handle it...be very mindful of
this, it can default into messing things up – if you automate, by saying – delete
extra notes, or move notes to next measure)
• break beams /
• flip stems L
• accidentals shift and + or – to raise or lower, pressing + twice will give double sharp
• hide accidental Shift”*”
• hide note (shift “o”)
• triplet tuplet: hold option, press the number of tuplet, then press the subdivsional value.
• Example sixteenth note trips. Option 3. If you want to create
• convert to rest – shift delete
• Navigation speedy edit by measure
• move down (return)
• move up (shift return)
• move left right (shift) arrows)
 • SIMPLE EDIT
• NAVIGATING
• MOVING UP/DOWN CHORDS AND STAVES: COMMAND UP/DOWN
• COMMAND LEFT/RIGHT – MOVE TO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT
MEASURE
• SHIFT+NUMBER – select different layers
• you can also add notes with the mouse – either after or between notes
• the latter will shift the rhythmic scheme, and you may need to correct the
beaming
• ENTRY
• NOTES – use letter names
• shift+ up/down arrows for octave shift
• “+” for sharp “-” for flat “n” for natural
• number to add an interval (while a note is highlighted, pressing 2 will add the
note a diatonic second above the highlighted note
• to change rhythmic value : option + (2: 32 nd 3: x 4:e 5: q 6: h 7: w )
• to change the ENTRY RHYTHMIC value:
• TIES - “T” while a note is highlighted
• flip stem - “L”
•

• option+command+ shift + (2: 32nd 3: x 4:e 5: q 6: h 7: w )

• I usually hold option+command with my thumb...
• LAYERS (multiple voices on one staff)
• use command option (1,2,3,4) to move between layers...
• layer one on top ideally, then layer two will accommodate the stems
• Hide note (“h”)
• great for changing notes
• use letter name to enter... or move up and down with arrows
• use number to add an interval above the selected note
• hold option and number to change rhythmic value for entry
• shift arrow to change octave
• “n” natural “plus(+)” sharp “minus(-)” flat (hold shift to double flat or sharp)
• TIES “T”-
• rest (“R”)
• WILL ONLY LET YOU DO THINGS THAT STAY METRICALLY WITHIN THE
MEASURE
• can't fit 9 eighths into a 4/4 measure
• Navigation simple edit by measure
• hold COMMAND and arrows to move left right up down by measure
• hide note ('h”)
•
• bass clef: CLEF tool
• treble clef : STAFF ATTRIBUTES
• reveals the STAFF menu item
• CREATE NEW STAVES
• with setup wizard
 • rename staves (click on the name) – then change text, font
• reorder, re space
• edit groups
• click on the brace
• STAFF STYLES ((either from menu OR “RIGHT CLICK”)
• apply staff styles
• slash notation
• single line staff
• blank measure
• collapse
• define
• create your own
• “MEASURE” tool
• measure numbers
• define region
• can say how you want it to display (can be different than “actual”
• example – your page can start at m. 5
• have it display every measure, or beginning of each system
• change the size, font, style
• drag handles to size measures
• right click to see options...including
• bar lines
• double click a measure
• to show or hide time and key signatures
• change bar lines
• position notes
•
• KEY SIGNATURE– always set range
• when changing a region, options are:
• hold notes to enharmonic
• transpose to new key signature
• keep on same line, will change to new accidentals
• TIME SIGNATURE – always set range
•
•
• ARICULATION
• click the number of the assignment, hold the number, use the mouse to select the area, and
finale will add the articulation to everything you select.
• “A” accent
• “S” staccato
• “F” fermata
• “7” tremolo (sixteenth)
• “8” tremolo (32nd)
• can add finger numbers...
• create your own...
•
• EXPRESSION (mf) – dynamics, tempo, tempo changes
 • double click any assignment to open the dialogue box, you can then edit
• many assignments have a letter or number, example
• ffff fff ff f mf mp p pp ppp pppp
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
• hold the number, then single - click where you want it on the page
• double click and it will apply down the stack of measures vertically
• dynamics
• tempo
• tempo changes
• ritards, accel, you can change the rate of change
• can create your own expressions (at bottom, “create”)
• Assignable through metatool (see appendix)
• SMART SHAPE (slur)
• double click where you want it to start, hold and drag to where you want it to end
• Slurs:
• hold “s” , double click and hold on start note, then drag to the last note
•
• crescendi/decrescendi (hold < or > then double click and hold at start point, drag to end)
• can be modified by clicking on the shape
• press tab to move the “cursor” and can use arrows to move the start,stop, or
widen/narrow
• trills (hold “t” double click, hold and drag )
• 8va (hold “8” double click, hold and drag )
• double ended bracket
• PEDALING : hold “p” double click, hold and drag under staff ( will modify the
brackets up (like pedaling) toward the staff )
• smart shape options
• can deselect crescendo decrescendo horizontal by default
• * SELECT/MODIFY the default for the tool
• CUSTOM LINE ( can make your own shapes)
• PEDAL tool hold “P”
• “D” dashed line
• “P” pedal
• “G” glissando
• (can edit out the word if you like – go to smart shape options )
• LYRICS
• “type into score”
• (make sure you are on the right layer adjust layer by arrow up/down)
• hyphen
• adjust position
• notice the (four arrows to the left)
• adjust all
• move the farthest left arrow up down, will affect ALL words
• only on the selected staff
• adjust third arrow from the left, will only affect words on current staff
• CHORD TOOL (CM7)
• click above the staff to manually enter chord symbol
 • (it may ask you if you would like to add it to the symbol library, say yes and you will be
able to access it)
• double-click to access advanced functions
• there are numerous ways to manipulate within
• suffix (preprogrammed chord variations)
• NOTE MOVER
• use to highlight notes to move between staves
• PAGE FORMAT
• page size
• landscape vs. portrait
• REPEAT TOOL
•
• SPECIAL TOOLS
• break beams
• note location
• change notehead
• move beam angle
• tie tool (manipulate ties)
• INSERT GRAPHICS
• HYPERSCRIBE
• will notate what you play in (with a metronome click) – not perfect

APPENDIX!!!
– KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS – YOU CAN CREATE IN SYSTEM PREFERENCES
• System preferences
• Keyboard
• shortcuts
• App shortcuts (on left)
• Finale
• type in the exact name of the menu item, like: “Change Noteheads...”
• (must have punctuation and upper/lower case exact)
• then add your keyboard shortcut (must be unused or it will replace)
• I like using control option (more likely unuse)
• METATOOLS
• within a tool like articulations
• example:
• articulations
• hold “s” and click on a note to add a staccato
•