This tool also provides the ability to reposition several classes of score object directly, and more recent versions of the software have implemented extensive contextual menuing via this tool.įinale automatically manages many of the basic rules of harmony and music notation, such as correct beaming, stem direction, vertical alignment of multiple rhythmic values, and established rules for positioning noteheads on chords.

A more generalized selection tool is also available to select large measure regions for editing key and time signatures, or transposing, among other uses. With the corresponding tool selected, fine adjustment of each set of objects in a score are possible either by clicking and dragging or by entering measurements in a dialog box.

On the screen, Finale provides the ability to color code several elements of the score as a visual aid on the print-out all score elements are black (unless color print-out is explicitly chosen). Thus, the operation of Finale bears at least some surface similarities to Adobe Photoshop. Several of Finale's tools provide an associated menu just to the left of the Help menu, available only when that particular tool is selected. Alongside these tools, additional controls are available to view or hide up to four superimposed layers of music that can be entered onto any particular staff, for purposes of organizing multiple contrapuntal voices on the same staff. Finale's current default music notation font is Maestro.įinale's tools are organized into multiple hierarchically organized palettes, and the corresponding tool must be selected to add or edit any particular class of score element, (e.g., the Smart Shape tool to generate and edit trill lines and dynamics 'hairpins' (so-named because the symbols resemble hair pins) the Staff tool to add and edit the parameters of individual staves). A Setup Wizard, an alternative method of starting a project, consists of a sequence of dialogs allowing the user to specify the instrumentation, time signature, key signature, pick-up measure, title, composer, and some aspects of score and page layout. The default Untitled document is a 31- measure piece for a single treble clef instrument.

Finale version 25