Accidentals

1. Choose the Simple Entry tool . The Simple Entry Palettes appear.
2. Click the icon representing the desired note’s duration.
3. Click the Sharp Tool or Flat Tool .
4. Click the staff. A sharped or flatted note appears where you clicked. Also, after entering a note, press the LEFT ARROW key to select it. Then, use a keystroke to apply an accidental. Press + to specify a sharp, - to specify a flat and N to specify a natural.
5. After entering a note with the caret, press + to add a sharp or - to add a flat.

• Double-click the Half Step Up Tool or Half Step Down Tool ; then click the note. Use the same technique to add accidentals that raise or lower a note by two half steps (that is, to double-flat or double-sharp a note).
• OPTION click a note or enter a note with the caret, and then press numpad + to increment up a half step or numpad - to increment down a half step.

1. Choose the Simple Entry tool . The Simple Entry Palettes appear.
2. OPTION-click the note with an accidental, or enter a note with the caret. The note is selected.
3. Type P. To remove the parentheses, type P again.

1. Choose the Simple Entry tool . The Simple Entry Palettes appear.
2. OPTION-click the note or enter a note with the caret. The note is selected.
3. Type COMMAND+SHIFT+- (hyphen). To toggle between hiding or showing the accidental, hit COMMAND+SHIFT+- (hyphen) again.

A courtesy accidental, also called a cautionary or reminder accidental, is one that, according to the rules of accidental occurrence, isn’t strictly necessary before a note. But there are times when the composer wants to remind the player that an accidental is (or is not) in effect for a particular note. For example, in a measure containing several E accidentals, the first E in the next measure often has a courtesy natural attached, even though the E is technically canceled in the new measure. See also Cautionary Accidentals Plug-in.

1. Choose the Simple Entry tool .
2. OPTION-click to select the desired note. Notes just entered are selected automatically.
3. Press P. Finale adds a parenthesized courtesy accidental. Press P again to remove the parentheses.

1. Choose the Speedy Entry tool . Click the measure containing the accidental. The editing frame appears.
2. Position the insertion bar and crossbar on the note in question. Use the arrow keys or the mouse.
3. Press the asterisk (*) key. The accidental disappears (or, if there was no accidental, one now appears).

   The note’s pitch, however, doesn’t change; Finale still plays it back as though the accidental were visible.

1. Choose the Speedy Entry tool . Click the measure containing the accidental.
2. Position the insertion bar and crossbar on the notehead in question. Use the arrow keys or the mouse.
3. Press the + key to raise the note’s pitch, and the – key to lower it, by half steps. Press these keys repeatedly to add up to seven sharps or flats to a note.

   Press the OPTION key as you do so to change all subsequent notes on the same line or space in the measure.

1. Choose the Special Tools tool . The Special Tools Palette appears.
2. Click the measure that you wish to edit.
3. Choose the Accidental Tool . Handles appear on any accidentals in the measure.

   If the handles are obscuring the accidentals you want to move, deselect Special Tools > Show Handles.

4. Drag any handle. If you’ve made the handles invisible (by deselecting Show Handles), drag the accidental itself. If you want to undo any accidental repositioning you’ve done, click the accidental’s handle and press DELETE. To drag the handle vertically, double-click on the handle and check Allow Vertical Positioning.

A courtesy accidental, also called a cautionary or reminder accidental, is one that, according to the rules of accidental occurrence, isn’t strictly necessary before a note. But there are times when the composer wants to remind the player that an accidental is (or is not) in effect for a particular note. For example, in a measure containing several E accidentals, the first E in the next measure often has a courtesy natural attached, even though the E is technically canceled in the new measure. See also Cautionary Accidentals Plug-in.

1. Choose the Speedy Entry tool , and click the measure in question. The editing frame appears.
2. Click the notehead for which you want the accidental displayed. You can also position the insertion bar and crossbar on the notehead using the arrow keys.
3. Press the asterisk (*) key. If there was no accidental on the note, a courtesy sharp, flat, or natural now appears. (If there was an accidental on the note, it’s now hidden. Press the asterisk key again to restore it.)