-
THE FINALENUMERICS FONT
GARY GIMMESTAD
DAL SEGNO MUSIC SERVICESFINALE TUTORIALS
-
PREFACE
i
The 2012 release of the Finale Numerics Font has finally enabled
music
theorists, music educators, thoroughbass practitioners and
Schenkerians to
create beautiful and vivid Finale documents with tools and
materials
designed for their unique purposes. Its a very welcome addition
to the
program. However, the Finale User Manual documentation for the
new
font is incomplete as of this writing (January, 2013). In
addition, there are a
few errors as well as difficulties with determining the vertical
positions of
characters in the Character Set tables and in the Character
Viewer.
This primer repeats (and reorganizes) much of the information
given in
the User Manual regarding the Finale Numerics Font. It also
provides some
missing information, corrects errors, offers unambiguous
Character Set
tables, and attempts to shine a little light on the logistics of
the fonts user
interface.
My hope is that this eBook will help you to better understand
the Finale
Numerics Fonts features and functions and that it will ease the
way to
creating great-looking analysis and figured bass documents.
The Finale Numerics Font 2012 Gary Gimmestad, Dal segno Music
Services
All rights reserved
Finale is a registered Trademark of MakeMusic, Inc.
-
CHAPTER 1
SETUP
CHAPTER 1 TOPICS
ENABLING THE FINALE NUMERICS FONT
DOCUMENT OPTIONS
-
The Finale Numerics Font (FNF) can be used in any context in
which any standard font can be used including non-Finale
programs. For example, I can include harmonic analysis
symbols
in a Pages document by switching to the FNF and typing a
series of harmonic analysis figures:
I vi ii^4 V& I IV|V
If a Finale document requires both normal lyrics and figured
bass or analysis, youll obviously have to change fonts for
Lyrics
during the engraving process. However, if there are no lyrics
in
the score the best strategy is to set the default Lyrics font
to
FNF in Document Options.
Assign the Finale Numerics Font to Lyrics
1. Create a document with the Setup Wizard or open a Default
document.
2. Press + + A to open the Document Options window (or select it
from the Document Menu).
3. Select Fonts from the Document Options main menu.
4. Set the top dropdown menu to Verse and click the Set
Font button to the right to open the Font window.
5. Select Finale Numerics Font from the Font menu and
click OK in both open windows.
ENABLING THE FINALE NUMERICS FONT
3
SECTION 1
-
Set Lyrics Options
1. Select Lyrics in the Document Options menu.( + + A or select
it from the Document menu)
2. Uncheck Use Smart Hyphens.
3. Click the Word Extensions button to open the Word
Extensions window.
4. Uncheck Use Smart Word Extensions.
5. Click OK to save the changes and close both windows.
SECTION 2
DOCUMENT OPTIONS
4
-
CHAPTER 2
FNF CHARACTERS
CHAPTER 2 TOPICS
NORMAL AND ZERO-WIDTH CHARACTERS
MODIFIER KEYS
THE FNF TOOLBOX
SINGLE AND MULTIPLE-KEYSTROKE CHARACTERS
PRE-SLASHED NUMERALS
PIVOT CHORD DIAGRAMS
-
There are two basic character modes in the FNF:
1. Normal characters that appear in the fonts selected size
and which are set on the Lyrics baseline in the same way as
Lyrics. This is a limited set of alpha and punctuation
characters which can be typed normally:
A B C D E F G H I N P V
: ? . /
a b c d e f g h i o r t v
Note: The + and - characters are listed with the normal
characters
in the User Manual but they are actually entered as
zero-width
characters.
2. Zero-width characters, many of which can be stacked:
Small and full-size Arabic numerals (with or without carets)
Small and full-size accidentals
Plus, minus, diminished and half-diminished symbols
Pitch alteration slashes
Custom-slashed Arabic numerals
Tilde-created spaces ( ` )
Dashes
Parentheses and brackets
NORMAL & ZERO-WIDTH CHARACTERS
6
SECTION 1
-
Cursor Behaviors and Functions
Horizontal Motion
The spacebar moves the cursor to the next available note or
rest; it functions as it does when entering normal lyrics.
When entering either normal or zero-width characters,
pressing the tilde key ( ` ) advances the cursor one
character
space to the right. An entry made in the new cursor position
is attached to the same note or rest and allows the addition
of more characters or hard spaces to that syllable.
Note: The normal hard space keystroke combination ( + Spacebar )
is disabled when using the FNF.
The normal (non-zero-width) characters operate exactly as
they do when typing lyrics with any standard font; the
cursor
moves to the next position after the character has been
entered.
Vertical Positions
By definition, typing a zero-width character does not cause
the
cursor to move after the character has been entered; it
remains in its original position so that other characters
figured bass numerals, accidentals, dashes, etc. can be
placed
in the same horizontal position in one of three vertical
positions.
Modifier Keys
There are two modifier keys that effect vertical positioning
of
zero-width characters in a three-tiered stack:
Top
(Shift)
Bottom
(Option)
If no modifier key is used in when typing a zero-width
character, the character will be placed in the middle
position.
SECTION 2
THE FNF TOOLBOX
7
-
The most frequently used zero-width characters are entered
as
single keystrokes with (or without) vertical-positioning
modifier keys.
Small Numerals
Small numerals are entered at face value.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
Note: Number Pad numerals do not respond to the vertical
position
modifier keys in the FNF. They appear as small zero-width
numerals
in the middle vertical position. Therefore, a good rule of thumb
is to
avoid NumPad numbers when using the FNF.
Small Accidentals
< Z > X
n Y U W
Plus, Minus, Diminished and Half-diminished Symbols
lm L
m M j J
k K
Pitch Alteration Slashes
s S
Dashes
q Q
SECTION 3
SINGLE-KEY CHARACTERS
8
-
FNF characters occupy space in exactly the same way that a
single word or syllable does in normal Lyrics entry. As music
is
spaced and re-spaced, syllables remain tethered to their
host
notes or rests but their internal spacing remains fixed. Thats
as
it should be but it works against the typical use of dashes
in
harmonic analysis which is to show contrapuntal motion
typically the resolution of a dissonance or suspension:
V^4``Qq``%3
More dashes and spaces can be added to occupy the space
between the suspension and its resolution but, as you will
discover if you try it, its problematic in a couple of ways.
Therefore, I recommend attaching the resolution figures to
the
resolution notes. Once music spacing is permanently set, you
can draw SmartShape lines between the numerals as below.
9
-
All but one of the remaining characters and symbols in the
FNF
are entered with keystroke combinations.
Full-size Numerals
+ + (n)
Full-size Accidentals
n = n < = < ( + , ) > = > ( + . )
= + + L
= + + J
Numerals with Carets ( )
Small numerals with carets above them are entered with two
separate keystroke combinations; one for the caret and one
for
the numeral. The order of entry doesnt matter for small
numerals with carets but, because the order does matter for
full-size numerals with carets, error can be avoided by
entering
the caret first in either case.
The caret is always entered with the apostrophe / double-
quote key.
Upper position: Caret: +
Number: + (n)
Middle position: (n)
Note: Small numerals with carets cannot be entered in the
bottom
position.
Full-size numerals with carets are entered with two separate
keystroke combinations.
1. (Caret) + +
2. (Number) + + (n)
SECTION 4
MULTIPLE-KEY CHARACTERS
10
-
Parentheses and Brackets
The FNF includes small parentheses and brackets which can be
entered in any of the three vertical positions.
`^4` `^4`
For Small Parentheses, the letters A, B and C designate top
to bottom positions. Modifier keys designate left and right.
= left
+ = right
Top
+ A = = + + A
Middle
+ B = = + + B
Bottom
+ C = ` = + + C
For Small Brackets, the letters D, G and F control position
from top to bottom and the left / right modifier keys are
consistent.
= left
+ = right.
Top
+ D = `` = + + D
Middle
+ F = = + + F
Bottom
+ G = = + + G
11
-
There are also Mid-size Parentheses and Brackets
which occupy either the two upper or two lower positions.
The
logic is consistent with the small parentheses and brackets
entry:
Top + Middle + H = ``` = + + H ^4`
Middle + Bottom + O = ``` = + + O `^4`
Top + Middle
+ P = ``` = + + P `^4`
Middle + Bottom
+ T = `` = + + T
`^4`
Note: Apparently + + T is mis-assigned in Finales code. (The
error is reproduced here).
Finally, there are Large Parentheses and Brackets which
span all three positions:
+ R = `` ` = + + R `^4`
+ V = `` ` = + + V `^4`
12
-
Pitch Alteration Slashes
A fixed-position pitch alteration slash can be added to any
zero-width numeral in any of the three vertical positions
either before or after entering the number by typing an S.
However, because the angle and position of the added slash
is
fixed, the result can be less than desirable for legibility.
The FNF offers a much better looking alternative with a set
of
pre-slashed numerals. They require somewhat complicated
two-part key strokes that are not conducive to memorization
but are worth the extra effort. The tables below are a
remedy
to the Finale Character Set tables which dont clearly
indicate
vertical positioning.
Note: In some cases the first set of keystrokes in a pair will
produce
a wrong character on the screen; the second half of the
operation
will complete the correct entry.
Top Position
R + E --- + E
+ N --- + N
+ U --- + O
+ U --- + U
+ E --- A + ` --- A
+ I --- A
+ U --- A
+ N --- A
SECTION 5
PRE-SLASHED NUMERALS
13
-
Middle Position
+ E --- E + ` --- E
+ I --- E
+ U --- E
+ E --- I
+ ` --- I
+ I --- I
+ U --- I
+ N --- N
Bottom Position
+ E --- O
+ ` --- O
+ I --- O
+ U --- O
+ N --- O
+ E --- U
+ ` --- U
+ I --- U
+ U --- U
14
-
The Finale User Manual gives scant attention to explaining
the
procedures for using the shapes that define pivot chord
relationships. The one example given (admittedly the only
one
most of us would use) is straightforward because all of the
characters sit on the Lyrics baseline. Chord symbols that
need
to appear below the baseline must be entered in separate
verses and lowered into position.
There are six shapes which can be combined to create pivot
chord diagrams. Theyre displayed in a single row so that you
can see how they each relate to the baseline. The FNF
keystrokes are displayed below each figure.
| \ [ ] { }
| \ [ ] { }
The first four characters are designed so that they align
with
Roman numerals in particular ways. Remember that Roman
numerals are normal characters; the cursor advances to the
next position after entry. The pivot chord shapes, however,
are
zero-width characters. Therefore the order in which you
enter
the characters is key. Here are some examples of the
possibilities:
V | = V| | V = |V
IV | V = IV|V ii ] = ii]
Note that in the third example the vertical line on the
angled
figure lands to the right of IV and in between the normal
space
between the IV and V.
SECTION 6
PIVOT CHORD DIAGRAMS
15
-
These characters can be combined to create a staircase
series.
The design below was created with this series: [ { ] } }
[```{`````]}```}
In order to create the staircase as you see it above, the
sequence required several tilde spaces between some
characters and no space between others. In order to create a
similar design in Finale, you either have to attach the
characters
to separate notes or use the tilde space to add additional
characters to an entry. As with FNF dashes, the horizontal
connectors are not practical in the context of varying music
spacing and the positioning of syllables beneath their hosts.
So,
as with the dashes, a more practical solution is to enter
SmartShape lines as the horizontal connectors (after music
spacing is set).
Note: In the Finale User Manual, the keystroke series that
creates the
design above is incorrect. It should be as given above.
16
-
Editing or deleting characters or whole syllables with the
FNF
does not conform to normal Lyrics editing!
Undo ( + Z) eliminates the entire syllable and not the last
character entered.
With the FNF, the Delete key is the de facto Undo operator;
it cancels entries in reverse order. Consider this series in
which the order is represented as left to right entries:
V 4 ^ (to create V^4 )
If, after the 2 is entered, I realize Ive entered the wrong
inversion, pressing the Delete key three times will remove
the
numerals one at a time in the order 2, 6, 4.
Note: The screen does not fully redraw after using Delete in
the
above manner. Dont be tempted to force a redraw; it will pop
you
out of the current syllable.
With the FNF, initiating an Undo ( + Z) after entering the 2 in
the example above would delete the entire syllable.
Once the cursor has exited a syllable the reverse-order
Delete sequence isnt available.
Clicking a note to access a syllable to correct individual
characters results in a highlighted selection of any normal
characters (a Roman numeral, for example). If there are
zero-
width characters to the right of the normal character,
pressing the right arrow key will move the cursor to the
numeral position and allow you to edit only the numerals.
And, in fact, the order of entry is sticky and pressing
Delete
will work exactly as above.
SECTION 7
EDITING WITH THE FNF
17
-
In a syllable containing two or more vertical stacks (as in
the
example below) clicking on a note will highlight the normal
character and pressing the right arrow key will move the
cursor to the horizontal position where the last character
was entered and, once again, reverse-order delete is
enabled.
The right and left arrow keys can be used to move back and
forth between entry points but because of the redraw issue
and the lack of vertical reference to which character in a
vertical stack is currently live, its a very dicey
proposition.
As the Finale Numerics Font continues to evolve this eBook
will be updated to reflect additions or alterations to the
font
and to the Finale User Manual. Your feedback on this project
is
welcome and encouraged.
Please direct your comments to:
[email protected] you!
Go to the next page for news of upcoming eBook publications.
18
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]
-
19
COMING SOON . . .
SCHENKER & FINALEA New Dal segno Music Services Finale
Tutorial
Visit Dal segno Music Services for information on
customized classroom and individual Finale instruction.
http://www.dalsegnomusicservices.com/http://www.dalsegnomusicservices.com/
