Rehearsal letters

Rehearsal letters (or numbers, or other marks) are added as expressions and as such can appears at the same measure in all staves of a full score. In other words, you can choose to display the marking, for example, above only the top staff of the full score, but also on every part. (See Score List dialog box for more details).

If you want your rehearsal marks to be based on their measure numbers, see Measure numbers for an alternate method of creating rehearsal numbers.

To create a rehearsal letter

1. Click the Expression Tool  .
2. Hold down the rehearsal letter's metatool key (e.g. "A") and click a measure. You can also simply double-click a measure to open the Expression Selection dialog box where you can choose from a list of rehearsal letters.  

Note: To easily add a rehearsal letter to your score in Simple Entry, press the X key with a note selected and then press the rehearsal letter’s metatool key or press Return to choose from a list. See Simple Entry Tool. You can also use the Expression Tool to easily add expressions. See Expressions.

To create and add a custom rehearsal letter

1. Click the Expression Tool  .
2. Double-click on or above the measure at which the letter is to appear. The Expression Selection dialog box appears. If you see the letter in the scrolling list, double-click it and skip to step 8.
3. Choose the Rehearsal Marks category to display the rehearsal marks. To create a new rehearsal mark based on one of Finale's existing rehearsal marks, select one, click duplicate, then click Edit.
4. To create a new rehearsal mark from scratch, click Create. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
5. Type the letter (or number). The rehearsal mark font specified for the rehearsal mark category is applied automatically (see Category Designer).
6. If you wish, choose a shape for an enclosure and then click Edit. The Enclosure Designer dialog box appears. Choose the shape you prefer from the list of geometric enclosures. Drag the top handle to make the enclosure taller or shorter, the right-side handle to make the whole enclosure bigger or smaller, and the middle handle to position the enclosure around the letter. You can also change the line thickness, which is measured in points (72 per inch). (You can also use a different shape enclosure here by selecting it from the Shape popup menu. The second text box holds a decimal place. Click OK to exit the Enclosure Designer.

Note: Enclosed rehearsal numbers may not look the same when printed by a PostScript printer as they appear on the screen. You may need to experiment to find the correct adjustment; in the meantime, remember that the Show PostScript Preview command (in the View Menu, only in Page View) will help you preview the printed output before you commit the score to paper.

7. Click OK twice. You return to the Expression Selection dialog box.
8. If you want to display the letter in specific staves, click the Edit Categories button to open the Category Designer dialog box.
9. Here, you can use the Score List options to select or define the desired Score List. See Score List dialog box for more information.
10. Click OK and then Assign to add the rehearsal mark.

To move or delete a rehearsal letter

1. Click the Expression Tool  .
2. Drag the handle to move the letter; select it and press delete to remove it. If you want to edit the letter’s Score List click the Edit button.