A video tutorial series teaching a comprehensive understanding of Finale Music Notation Software
6. Taming Time Signatures
6-1 Taming Time Signatures Lesson 1 (Basic)
The basics of entering and changing Time Signatures in Finale.
Covered in this video - 6/8 vs 6/8 (as 2 dotted quarters vs 6 individual 8th notes), 4/4 and 2/2 vs common time and cut time, and rebar-ing vs not rebar-ing music for a Time Signature Change when there is music present.
Finale V26.1
6-2 Taming Time Signatures Lesson 2 (Intermediate)
Discover the magic of Finale’s “Show As Another Time Signature” option.
Also covered in this video - The ins and outs of Composite Time Signatures, finding the outer limits of Finale’s Time Signature Tool and creating a cadenza bar.
Finale V26.1
6-3 Taming Time Signatures Lesson 3 (Basic)
Pickup Measures
Create pickup measures including ones with odd durations (like 5 8th notes) that are not available as preset options. There’s also a hack for creating a mid-piece pickup measure.
Finale V26.1
6-4 Taming Time Signatures Lesson 4 (Advanced)
Customization and Large Time Signatures
Document Options for Time Signatures to customize positioning and fonts.
Also covered in this video - creating larger Time Signatures and creating oversized Time Signatures for scores.
Finale V26.1
6-5 Taming Time Signatures Lesson 5 (Advanced)
Alternating Time Signatures
Learn how to create Alternating meters like the 6/8+3/4 in West Side Story’s “America”.
Also covered is a hack for replacing the + sign with parenthesis.
Finale V26.1
6-6 Taming Time Signatures Lesson 6 (Advanced)
Independent Time Signatures
Independent Time Signatures with concurrent barlines. (Finale’s native way and easy to do.)
Independent Time Signatures with staggered barlines. (It’s a complicated hack so get some popcorn!)
Finale V26.1
6-7 Taming Time Signatures Lesson 7 (Intermediate)
Metatools
Although they’re hidden, Metatools are available for time signatures in Finale. Learn how to use them and program them.
Finale V26.1
6-8 Taming Time Signatures Lesson 8 (Advanced)
Free Time
Free Time, or Open Time Signatures, in Finale, is something that requires a lot of knowledge about not only the Time Signature Tool but also Measure Attributes and Staff Styles. Conceptually, Free Time conflicts with Finale’s basic Frame structure, so Finale needs to be tricked into displaying something that looks like Free Time but really isn’t. Fortunately, there is enough flexibility in Finale to manipulate and hide Time Signatures and Barlines; the trick is that you just need to have complete mastery of all of that! Once you do, you can literally create ANY type of Free Time or Open Time Signature scenarios that you can think of. At (31:44) I’ll even show you how to create the “X” time signature often used for Open Time Signatures.
Download this PDF here if you want to try your hand at recreating the sample that you see me working with in the video.
Finale V26.3