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Document Options-Multimeasure Rests dialog box

How to get there

You can access the Multimeasure Rest options from a number of places, depending on whether you’re setting up global values for multimeasure rests, extracting parts, or creating and editing multimeasure rests in your music.

Choose Document > Document Options and select Multimeasure Rest to change the default settings for multimeasure rests.
In Scroll View, select one or more staves with the Staff tool, then choose Edit > Special Part Extraction.
Choose Document > Manage Parts > Part Creation Preferences, then click Multimeasure Rests.

What it does

Use the Multimeasure Rest dialog box to define how Finale will display multimeasure rests for the score or parts. In this dialog box, you can set up the appearance of newly created multimeasure rest measures in the score. Here, you will be define the initial appearance of each multimeasure rest Finale creates. (Finale also uses the multimeasure rest settings from the Document Options when you create a multimeasure rest by choosing Create from the Multimeasure Rests submenu in the Measure menu.) To change the appearance of an existing multimeasure rest, use the Multimeasure Rest dialog box.

Select. The shape for the multimeasure rest itself is identified by the number in the text box next to the Select button. If a number other than zero appears in the text box, a rest has already been selected. If a zero appears in the text box, click Select to enter the Shape Selection dialog box, which contains the shapes available in this file. Click Select if you want to select an existing rest shape. If you want to create your own shape, click Create in the Shape Selection dialog box to enter the Shape Designer.
Adjust Start Point • Adjust End Point. Use these values to adjust the start and end points of the shape used for the multimeasure rest. Changing these values lengthens or shortens the shape. You usually won’t need to change these settings, but you may find them useful if you have a cautionary clef sign that appears in the multimeasure rest grouping. Enter positive values to shift the shape’s start or end point to the right; enter negative values to shift the start or end point to the left.
Update Automatically. With this box checked, Finale automatically redistributes multimeasure rests to show measures containing notes added within the measure region of a multimeasure rest. (Notes can be entered into one of these measures in Scroll or Studio View where multimeasure rests are not visible). With this box checked, multimeasure rests will never overwrite notation. If this box is not checked, notes can appear in Scroll or Studio view, but be hidden by a multimeasure rest in Page View. Note that Finale does not automatically re-create multimeasure rests if the notes are deleted.
Number Adjustment: H: • V:. Set the horizontal and vertical position of the rest number by entering values (in measurement units) in the Number Adjustment fields. Enter a positive value in H: to move the number to the right. Enter a positive value in V: to raise the rest number higher on the staff.
Start Numbering at ___ Measures. There are certain cases in which you may not want a number to appear over a multimeasure rest. If you have a section that’s vamping, for example, you may prefer to have no number appear, then add an expression that says to vamp a certain number of times, or until a singer or instrument comes in. This value is also useful when you’re notating rests with symbols instead of a shape. Standard notation practice advises using symbols for rests that are less than nine measures. If you don’t want a number to appear over the symbols, enter "9" in this text box. A number will only appear on rests of nine or more measures.
Measure Width. The value in this text box specifies the minimum width (in measurement units) of a multimeasure rest measure. Rests may actually be stretched somewhat wider when Finale justifies the systems on a page. You can also use the Measure tool to adjust the measure width of a single measure right on the score.
Use Symbols for Rests Less Than ___ Measures. Select this option if you want to use the alternate symbolic style of notating rests instead of using a shape. You can use a combination of double and whole rest symbols. Finale defaults to nine measures as the maximum for using symbols, adhering to standard practice. If you prefer to use the symbolic style and don’t want numbers to appear over the rests, be sure to change the Start Numbering at ___ Measures text box to reflect the number of measures for which Finale should display a number over the rest.
Space Between Symbols. This value (in measurement units) controls the distance that appears between each rest symbol when you’re using the symbolic style to notate multimeasure rests.