Create Handbells Used Chart Plug-in

How to get there

  1. Choose the Selection tool icon and select the region of the document containing notes you want to include in a handbell used chart (or press COMMAND+A to select all).
  2. Choose Plug-ins > TGTools > Create Handbells Used Chart.

What it does

This plug-in creates a ‘handbells used’ chart automatically based on all pitches discovered in a region selected with the Selection tool. The chart can be a single treble clef staff or grand staff.

The chart can be added to the beginning of the document as is standard practice for handbell scores.

  • Insert measures for chart at beginning of document. Check this option to instruct Finale to create a new measure at the beginning of the document to be used as the Hand Used chart.
  • Create chart beginning in measure number __. Enter the measure you wish to insert the hand used chart. If the measure specified is not empty you will be prompted to choose to overwrite the measure. This text box is only available if the above option ‘Insert measures for chart at beginning of document’ is unchecked.
  • Display on Grand Staff. Check this option to display the chart on both staves of a grand staff. If this option is not checked the chart will always appear on a single staff in treble clef. When the chart is displayed on a grand staff the default split point is Db5 (notes of Db5 or above appear on the treble clef staff).
  • Set split point. To specify an alternative split point, enter it here (C5 = Middle C). This is the lowest note that will display in the treble clef staff.
  • Staff Size Percentage. Here, enter the size (as a percentage of the regular staves) you would like to display staves in the handbells used chart.
  • Display number of octaves and bells. Check this option to automatically add a text expression above the chart that displays the number of octaves and bells used.
  • Display enharmonic versions of same pitch separately. Check this option to display both spellings of the same pitch in the chart. For example, if an F sharp and G flat are both notated in the document and in the selected region, both of these spellings will appear in the chart.
  • Display each special notehead separately. Check this option to display special noteheads, such as diamond handchime noteheads, in a separate sequence. If this option is not checked, special noteheads are represented s regular noteheads in the bells used chart.
  • Use separate measure for each special notehead. Check this option to place the sequence of special noteheads in its own measure. The special notehead sequence will appear in a separate measure after the regular bells used chart with the exception of diamond noteheads (open/closed) which will appear in the same chart regardless of this setting.
  • Display pitches in octaves. Check this option to group multiple notes vertically if they are an octave apart. Pitches are only displayed in octaves on the treble clef staff.
  • Start octaves with pitch. Here you can specify the lowest pitch you wish to display bells used in octaves.
  • OK • Cancel • Defaults • About. Click OK to generate the bells used chart based on your settings. Click Cancel to dismiss the dialog box without making any changes. Click Defaults to restore this dialog box to the default settings. Click About for more information on the TGTools collection of plug-ins.