Staff names

You can actually specify two names for every staff in a document: a full name (such as Trumpet 1 in B), which appears in the first system of the document, and a second name (often abbreviated, such as Tpt. 1), which appears on all subsequent systems.

To create or edit a staff name

Finale always displays handles on each staff name you enter. If you don’t enter a staff name, but want all staff name handles to appear, make sure that Show Default Staff Names is selected (a checkmark appears next to the command) in the Staff Menu. If Show Default Staff Names is not selected, no staff name handles will appear for unnamed staves. When the command is selected, Finale displays handles on all staff names including a staff’s default, non-printing name, which is enclosed in square brackets.

  1. Click the Staff Tool  image\Staff_Tool.gif. The Staff Menu appears.
  2. Option-click a full or abbreviated staff name handle. The Edit Text window appears.

Note: You can also access the Edit Text window by clicking the Edit buttons for full or abbreviated staff names in the Staff Attributes dialog box. For more information, see Staff Attributes dialog box.

  1. Type a new staff name in the window, or make changes to an existing staff name. Change fonts and styles using Finale’s text editing; see Text and Edit Text window for details.
  2. Click OK to confirm the name.

To reposition staff names (globally)

These instructions show you how to set the default position for all full and abbreviated staff names, except for those names that have been positioned individually. You can override the default positions on a staff-by-staff basis. See “To reposition staff names (individually).”

  1. Click the Staff Tool  image\Staff_Tool.gif. The Staff Menu appears.
  2. Choose Full Staff Names or Abbreviated Staff Names from the Set Default Name Positions submenu of the Staff Menu. The Position Full Staff Name--Default or Position Abbreviated Staff Name--Default dialog box appears, depending on your menu selection.
  3. Specify the alignment of the staff name by choosing Left, Right, or Center from the Alignment popup menu. Finale automatically selects the matching setting (Left, Right or Center) from the Justification popup menu.
  4. Optional: Specify the justification for multi-line names by choosing Left, Right, Center, or Forced Full from the Justification popup menu. You may need to change the justification for multi-line names.

Note: choosing Full justification will currently have the same effect as choosing Left justification, since each line is treated as the end of a paragraph.

  1. Drag the name in the display area to adjust its position, or enter new positioning numbers into the H: and V: text boxes, then click OK. In the currently-selected measurement units, the H: value determines the horizontal distance between the beginning of the staff name and the left edge of the staff. The V: value determines the vertical distance between the top of the staff name and the top line of the staff.

Tip: If your changes don’t appear to take effect, display the Staff Attributes dialog box and make sure that the Position checkbox is not selected. Or, select the staff name handles and press clear.

To reposition staff names (individually)

The instructions in “To reposition staff names (globally).” show you how to set the position for all staff names at once. You also have control over the position of each individual staff name.

 

Tip: You can create a group for an instrument that uses two staves, then Finale will automatically center the group name between the two staves. For details, see Groups—To group staves.

  1. Click the Staff Tool  image\Staff_Tool.gif. The Staff Menu appears.
  2. Drag the handle of a full or abbreviated staff name to reposition the staff name on-screen.
  3. To specify the exact positioning of a staff name, click the staff name handle, then choose Full Staff Name or Abbreviated Staff Name from the Position Names submenu of the Staff Menu. (Or, option-shift-click the staff name handle.) Finale displays the Position Full Staff Name or the Position Abbreviated Staff Name dialog box.
  4. Specify the alignment of the staff name by choosing Left, Right, or Center from the Alignment popup menu. Finale automatically selects the matching setting (Left, Right or Center) from the Justification popup menu.
  5. Optional: Specify the justification for multi-line names by choosing Left, Right, Center, or Forced Full from the Justification popup menu. You may need to change the justification for multi-line names.

Note: Choosing Full justification will currently have the same effect as choosing Left justification, since each line is treated as the end of a paragraph.

  1. Drag the name in the display area to adjust its position, or enter new positioning numbers into the H: and V: text boxes. The H: value determines the horizontal distance between the beginning of the staff name and the left edge of the staff. The V: value determines the vertical distance between the top of the staff name and the top line of the staff.
  2. Click OK when you have entered the position settings.

Tip: To revert the position of the full or abbreviated staff name to its default position, select the staff name handle and press clear. (Or, make sure that Position is not selected in the Staff Attributes dialog box.)

 

Note: You can also position an individual staff name from the Staff Attributes dialog box. Click the Position button for the full or abbreviated staff name to display the appropriate Position dialog box. For information about the Position settings in the Staff Attributes dialog box, see Staff Attributes dialog box.

To set the initial font for staff names

  1. From the Document Menu, choose Document Options and select Fonts to set the initial font for new names that you create. The Fonts options appear, listing various elements for which you can set the default font.
  2. Choose Staff Names (Full) from the Text popup menu.
  3. Click the Set Font button next to the Text popup menu. The FontFont dialog box appears.
  4. Set the initial font, size, and style to use when creating full staff names. Click OK to confirm the changes.
  5. Repeat this process for abbreviated staff names—Choose Staff Names (Abbreviated) from the Text popup menu.
  6. Click OK to confirm your changes.

To set the font for staff names (globally)

See Change Fonts Plug-in and Global Staff Attributes.

To hide a staff name (full score)

  1. Click the Staff Tool  image\Staff_Tool.gif. The Staff Menu appears.
  2. Select a staff, then choose Edit Staff Attributes from the Staff Menu. (Or, double-click a staff, a staff handle, or a staff name.) Or, choose Edit Staff Attributes from the Staff Menu without selecting a staff. The Staff Attributes dialog box appears. To display the attributes of another staff, choose the staff from the Staff Attributes for popup menu. (Or, use the arrow controls to select another staff.)
  3. In the Items to Display section, click Staff Name in Score to deselect it, then click OK. Finale remembers the staff name, but hides it until you click the Staff Name in Score checkbox again. This setting controls whether the staff names you enter will appear on your printed score. Default names enclosed in square brackets only display on-screen; they never appear on your printed score.
  4. Click OK to confirm your changes.

image\btn_Table_of_Contents64.gif