Articulations

Articulations indicate performance information including the style of attack, delay, and manner or extent to which notes are connected or disconnected. These indications are represented by accents, staccato marks, or harmonic symbols, for example.

Articulations are generally added with the Articulation tool

or Simple Entry tool

, but can also be applied to notes with the Selection tool

. You can also use the Selection tool to quickly and easily move or delete articulations.

They are positioned in relation to that entry either above or below the note/entry.

Note: See Adding articulations for a step-by-step tutorial overview on adding articulations.

In Finale, articulations can be applied either one note at a time (see To put one articulation mark in the score), or to a whole group of notes at once (See To apply an articulation to every note in a region). Finale will automatically center the markings, if you wish, and place them the proper distance from the noteheads; you’ll even hear their effect on the music when you play it back.

The Articulation tool is also used for creating and editing the appearance of these markings. Each consists of a single character (letter) from any font or a shape; most of the time, you’ll want to use Finale’s Maestro music font, in which all the characters are musical symbols.

An articulation must be attached to a note (or a rest); you can’t insert one into an empty measure. The marking maintains its position relative to that note, even if you transpose it; in fact, the symbol will automatically flip to the opposite side of the note if the stem changes direction, and even switch to a different symbol if the new stem direction warrants (as when a fermata symbol flips upside-down).

Most markings commonly regarded as articulations fall into Finale's definition; however, some markings that are used to articulate musical passages, such as slurs and dynamics, are added with different tools (see Slurs and Expressions respectively).

Working with articulations globally (by document)

Working with articulations by region

Adding one articulation mark in the score

Moving or deleting an articulation

Changing the articulation character

Designing an articulation

Defining an articulation for playback

Applying an articulation to every note in a region

Erasing articulations from a region

Centering and repositioning existing articulations

Quickly changing an articulation

Copying articulations

Copying markings based on a rhythmic match

Creating an articulation metatool

Removing an articulation from the list