Dotted notes

See also Augmentation Dots and Simple Entry.

To dot a note

1. Click the Simple Entry Tool . Click the measure you want to edit. The editing frame appears.
2. Hold down Alt and click a note to select it. You can also press the right and left arrow keys to move forward or back through notes (see Simple Entry Tool).
3. Press the period (.) key. The note is now dotted. By pressing the period key again, you’ll add a second dot, and so on. You can add up to ten dots to a note. (If Finale tells you There Are Too Many Beats before you’re finished editing this measure, turn off Jump to Next Measure in the Speedy Menu by choosing it.)

To remove a dot from a note

1. Click the Simple Entry Tool . Click the Eraser Tool in the Simple Entry palette.
2. Click the dot to remove it. There are many methods you can use to edit note durations - see Simple entry and Speedy entry for more details.

To change the position of all dots

1. From the Document Menu, choose Document Options, then select Augmentation Dots. The Augmentation Dot options appear.
2. Enter a new value in the Space Between Dot and Note text box. This value determines how far away the dot will be from the note. The higher the number, the farther to the right the dot will be (and the more space there will be between dots when there is more than one). The units are whatever you’ve selected using the Measurement Units command (Edit Menu).
3. Click OK (or press enter).

To change the position of a single dot

1. Click the Special Tools Tool  . The Special Tools Palette appears.
2. Click the Dot Tool  .
3. Click the measure you want to edit. A handle appears on each dotted note.
4. Click on the handle of the dot you want to move and drag it to its new position. Or,
5. Double-click the handle of the note whose dot positions you want to change. A dialog box appears, where you can enter positioning values for this dot. The units are whatever you’ve specified using the Measurement Units command (Edit Menu).
6. Enter new values for the dot placement variables. The Horizontal and Vertical Offsets represent distances you want added to the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the dot, respectively, as measured from its default position. A higher Horizontal Offset value means farther to the right; a higher Vertical Offset value means upward. (A change of 6 points moves the dot one space [the distance between two staff lines].) The Inter-dot Spacing sets the distance between the dots of a note that has more than one dot.

To undo individual dot positioning

1. Click the Special Tools Tool  . The Special Tools Palette appears.
2. Click the Dot Tool  .
3. Click the measure you want to edit. A handle appears on each dotted note.
4. Click the handle of the note whose dot you want to restore to its original position.
5. Press Delete.