Fermatas in Finale: Have it Your Way

by Tom Johnson 2. August 2011 08:30


I recently visited Celina, Texas, to provide an all-day, hands-on Finale training for a group of music educators. These are great sessions because everyone can apply my suggestions and ask questions immediately.

I was in the process of outlining my “Eight Great Tips” and had just described Tip #7, how to add multiple articulations. My example was to put in a fermata on every staff of the score. To do so I selected the Articulation tool, held down the “f” key (a shortcut for “fermata”), and then drag-selected all staves in the score. Voilà! In one quick action every staff had a fermata on it:

Then one participant asked: “What if I want the fermata to appear ONLY on the top staff of the score, but to appear on all the linked parts?”

It’s easy. With the Selection tool, just drag-select all the fermata handles, then right-click on any of these handles and select “Unlink in all parts.” This indicates that you want something to be different between your score and your parts. Then drag-select all the fermata handles you’d like to hide in the score, right-click one of these handles, and de-select “Show”:

As a result, all but the top fermata in the score appear in gray on-screen (letting you know they’re hidden), and they will not print in the score. They do, however, appear and print perfectly in the parts.

Should you do this? My engraver friends might suggest that a fermata should appear on every staff, but hey, this is Finale – you can always have it your way! 

Have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Share them with us when we have a workshop near you, or let us know by clicking on “Comments” below.

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Customer Support Tips | General | Tom Johnson

Comments

7/31/2011 10:45:20 AM #

derek

Given recent comments on the Finale Windows Forum, what proportion of educators met in these music educator training sessions use Finale with their students as opposed to only for score preparation?

derek United States

8/7/2011 7:38:35 PM #

Andrew Griffiths

What's the best way to have them appear in empty bars? I seem to remember having to add a rest to the bar and even then they don't centre properly.

Andrew Griffiths United Kingdom

8/8/2011 3:14:14 AM #

Scott Yoho

Hi Derek,

I've just emailed Tom asking him to reply based on his experience at these sessions. Can you tell us which forum thread you're referring to? I took a quick look and it wasn't immediately clear to me.

Thanks, Scott at MakeMusic

Scott Yoho United States

8/8/2011 3:19:35 AM #

Scott Yoho

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the question. In Finale 2011 I place a real rest in the measure and attach the fermatta and it is centered. My recollection was that in earlier versions of Finale this may have required some positioning. What version are you using?

Scott at MakeMusic

Scott Yoho United States

8/8/2011 3:53:26 AM #

Scott Yoho

Derek:

Thank you for your great question. As I am married to a director of research at a major medical institution, I am immediatlly caught in the crosshairs on how to answer this question in a truly scientific manner. Still here goes.

In my qualitative findings, maybe:

1. 15% of Middle School and High School teachers use Finale WITH their students. General Music students may use it even more as Middle and High School students start using digital audio programs AFTER they learn form and function = notation.

2. 65% of College/University Music Educators use Finale with their students. Theory, Music composition, Musicology, Music History, etc. become more and more dependent on the communication system of notation versus digital audio.

Again these are qualitative findings only based on my personal experience.

All the best,

Tom Johnson
Finale Product Specialist
MakeMusic, Inc.

Scott Yoho United States

8/8/2011 7:08:52 AM #

derek

Scott,

The thread I was thinking of was
forum.makemusic.com/default.aspx?f=5&m=334575

Since Tom works with teachers who themselves use Finale, I wondered how many of these share the software with their students.

Tom,

Thank you for your helpful and detailed response. I always enjoy your blog posts.

--Derek

derek United States

8/15/2011 8:20:28 AM #

Scott Yoho

Hi Derek,

Man, that's quite a thread -- thanks for sharing it with us.

Best wishes,

Scott at MakeMusic

Scott Yoho United States

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