Tab slides

Tab slides are lines that indicate the finger should remain on the string and slide from one note to the next. In Finale, these are added as note-attached Smart Shapes you can add with the Tab Slide Tool (in the Smart Shape Palette). See the topics below for information regarding how to add and edit tab slides.

To create a tab slide

  1. Choose the Smart Shape tool icon. The Smart Shape Palette appears.
  2. Click the Tab Slide Tool . Move the cursor until the tiny arrow points to the starting note.
  3. Double-click where you want the tab slide to begin; on the second click, hold the button down and drag diagonally. Release the mouse when the tab slide has the length and angle you want.

    To create a tab slide between two consecutive notes, just double-click the mouse on the first note. Finale places the tab slide on the adjacent notes.

    If the Smart Line Selection dialog box appears, you may need to create a tab slide. See Custom lines for creating Custom Line Smart Shapes.

To define tab slide placement settings

  1. Choose the Smart Shape tool icon. The Smart Shape menu appears.
  2. Choose Smart Shape > Smart Shape Placement. The Smart Shape Placement dialog box appears.
  3. Choose Smart Shape type > Tab Slide.
  4. Drag the tab slide end point vertically and horizontally until the tab slide attaches to the notes the way you want it to attach to notes of that type in the score.

    Instead of using the mouse, you can enter values into the text boxes using the measurement unit you’ve selected.

  5. Drag the other end-point of the tab slide to adjust it.
  6. Click Reset at any time to return the tab slide to Finale’s built-in settings.
  7. Click OK (or press ENTER) when you’re ready to save the new settings, or click Cancel to cancel any changes you made to the settings.

All tab slides that you create from now on will use these Tab Slide Placement settings. The settings also apply to tab slide end points that haven’t been manually adjusted in all existing tab slides.

To change which tab slide is assigned to the palette icon

  1. Choose the Smart Shape tool icon.
  2. Choose Smart Shape > Smart Shape Options. The Smart Shape Options dialog box appears.
  3. Choose Line Style > Tab Slide. Click Select. The Smart Line Selection dialog box appears.
  4. Select the Smart Shape to be used when clicking the Tab Slide Tool.

    You can also type the number of the Smart Shape into the text box next to the Select button in the Smart Shape Options dialog box to change the selection.

  5. Click OK.