 | Useful Finale Shortcuts |
This is a very Windows-focused guide, and I imagine that any Mac equivalent would use COMMAND instead of Control or OPTION instead of Alt. If someone wants to make a separate post with the relevant shortcuts for Mac or any potential differences between Finale versions 2014/v25/v26/v27, then please feel free to do so! This is a non-exhaustive list covering the majority of general use cases, but you can find a master list of shortcuts though MakeMusic's manual. I noticed that many people are unaware about these shortcuts, so hopefully this would be a nice reference post for whenever you happen to recall that shortcuts exist without knowing the exact key sequence.
Keyboard Shortcuts and Special Mouse Clicks (WIN / MAC) | Metatools (WIN / MAC)
User-sourced Google Doc with relevant shortcuts [source]
Non-English keyboards like Swiss-German keyboard layouts have different keymaps, so some of these shortcuts may use different characters or have no alternate mapping. Unfortunately I do not know how to get around this for everything, but I found that there are ways to manipulate some of the other pre-existing shortcuts either within the program through menu options or externally through the FINALE.INI file in your local files. If you just want to figure out which shortcuts are even available, then most of them should be present under their respective dropdown menu sections.
Customized Speedy Entry Keymap [Windows only?]
Editing Simple Entry shortcuts (WIN / MAC)
Getting your way around the program
Layers
This is useful when you have frequent usage of multiple layers. Separating layers in particular would help with modifying specific layers without affecting the other concurrent layers (e.g. you might want to raise Layer 1 by an octave, but not Layer 2; or Layer 2 has a lot of staccatos while Layer 1 does not).
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Isolating and modifying individual layers
| Key(s) | Command | |
| Shift+Alt+[1-4] | Select Layer | |
| Shift+Alt+S | Show Active Layer Only |
Measure Distributions
| Key(s) | Command | |
| U | Unlock systems | |
| L | Lock systems | |
| Ctrl+M | Fit measures | |
| Up/Down Arrow | Move the selected piece of music up/down a system |
Playback
If you just want to quickly know how a certain chord or passage sounds, you can use any of these shortcuts. Just note that the quick playback options outside of Playback Controls do not properly play certain modifiers such as tempo alterations, Smart Shape lines, tremolos, and etc. Playback controls must also be closed in order for the first four options to work.
While hovering your cursor over the desired staff:
| Key(s) | Command | |
| Ctrl+Space | Play the notes under the cursor for all staves (drag mouse across music) | |
| Ctrl+Shift+Space | Play the notes under the cursor for the current staff (drag mouse across music) | |
| Space+Left Click | Play the song starting from the clicked measure. Click anywhere to stop | |
| Space+Shift+Left Click | Play the selected staff starting from the clicked measure. Click anywhere to stop | |
| Alt+D+P | Play the song through Playback Controls |
Text
If you don't use template files for whatever reason like me, then this is for you! Finale's default text alignment is out of sorts with what NinSheetMusic sheets typically follow (read: Text alignment and page margins guide by Latios212), so these shortcuts are a quick way to position each text box handle alongside the margins as per the Formatting Guidelines.
| Alignment | Left | Ctrl+Shift+[ | ||
| Center Horizontally | Ctrl+Shift+' (apostrophe) | |||
| Right | Ctrl+Shift+] | |||
| Top | Ctrl+Shift+\ | |||
| Bottom | Ctrl+Shift+- (minus) | |||
| Justification | Left | Ctrl+[ | ||
| Center | Ctrl+' | |||
| Right | Ctrl+] | |||
| Size | Increase | Ctrl+Shift+. (period) | ||
| Decrease | Ctrl+Shift+, (comma) | |||
| Style | Bold | Ctrl+Shift+B | ||
| Italic | Ctrl+Shift+I |
Window Options
| Key(s) | Command | |
| Ctrl+= | Zoom in | |
| Ctrl+- (minus) | Zoom out | |
| Ctrl+U | Force rebuild window (good for resetting visual bugs) | |
| Ctrl+W | Close current file window | |
| Alt+F4 | :thinking: this is safe to use because the application window doesn't close without the save file prompts for all unsaved files |
Notes: accidentals, beaming, and more!
These are some handy shortcuts when using the Simple Entry and Selection tools. I personally use note interval shortcuts the most for repetitive bass rhythms and chord structures.
While the notes are selected:
Accidentals (Simple Entry)
| Key(s) | Command | |
| + | Turn the note into a sharp | |
| - | Turn the note into a flat | |
| N | Turn the note into a natural | |
| Shift+= | Turn the note into a double sharp | |
| Shift+- (minus) | Turn the note into a double flat | |
| \ or Alt+E | Change pitch enharmonically (e.g. could respell C# as Db) | |
| P | Toggle parentheses for courtesy accidentals | |
| Ctrl+Shift+- (minus) | Show/Hide accidentals |
Beaming/Misc. (Simple Entry)
| Key(s) | Command | |
| / | Break/Join beam | |
| Shift+/ | Use default beam position | |
| Alt+Shift+Up/Down Arrow | Cross-staff beams (w/ selection tool instead of simple entry tool) | |
| L | Flip stem | |
| Shift+L | Use default stem position | |
| Ctrl+F | Flip tie | |
| T | Tie to next note | |
| Shift+T | Tie to previous note | |
| H | Hide note or rest | |
| R | Toggle note to rest | |
| Alt+G / Ctrl+G | Toggle grace note (if note is selected, use alt; if not, use ctrl) | |
| 9 or Numpad 9 | Create tuplet | |
| Alt+[1-8] (numpad) | Change duration by 64th to double whole note respectively | |
| [1-8] (numpad) | Change duration for the next inserted note | |
| Ctrl+Up/Down Arrow | Move note selection up or down within a chord |
Note Intervals (Simple Entry)
| Key(s) | Command | |
| [1-8] (number row only) | Add note the interval above (unison through octave) | |
| Ctrl+Shift+9 (number row only) | Add ninth above | |
| Shift+[2-9] (number row only) | Add note the interval below (second through ninth) | |
| Shift+Up Arrow | Change pitch by one octave up diatonically | |
| Shift+Down Arrow | Change pitch by one octave down diatonically |
While the passage is selected:
Note Intervals (Selection)
| Key(s) | Command | |
| 6 | Transpose one whole step down (second interval diatonically) | |
| 7 | Transpose one whole step up (second interval diatonically) | |
| 8 | Transpose one octave interval down | |
| 9 | Transpose one octave interval up | |
| Ctrl+Shift+[6-9] | Program transpositions |
While the box handles are selected:
Handle shortcuts for expressions/articulations/smart shapes
| Key(s) | Command | |
| Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H | Hide expression/articulation/smart shape | |
| F | Flip articulation direction | |
| U | Revert to automatic/default articulation direction | |
| Backspace | Reset handle position |
Metatools
Metatools are programmable keyboard shortcuts used to input commonly used markings. They are a HUGE time saver whenever you're inputting a lot of uniquely placed/non-repetitive expressions, smart shapes, and etc.
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The Articulation Selection dialogue box
The Articulation Selection dialogue box
Notice how most boxes include a letter or number on the top right corner? Those are the corresponding characters you need to press and hold while entering metatools. I believe they are limited to one character each, so you cannot combine two characters like "FL" to represent falls. I think they are also limited to the English alphanumerical characters [A-Z 0-9], and cannot be programmed with characters from other alphabets like ñ.
Creating New Metatools
There are two methods:
- On an open dialogue box, simply click on the marking/cell of your choice and press Shift+[A-Z 0-9] (any alphanumerical character) to assign a new shortcut
- With the current tool of your choice selected, press Shift+[A-Z 0-9] to trigger the dialogue box, and then pick the marking/cell that you wish to associate with that shortcut
Using Metatools
With the selected tool in place, simply hold the alphanumerical character and press on any note or staff, OR drag the cursor across multiple notes in order to apply the metatool across every note. The latter method is great for multiple staccatos/tenutos/etc. in a row because it skips the "Apply Articulations" dialogue box. Smart Shape metatools require dragging in order to place the desired length for the marking (e.g. if you want to place a crescendo, then hold '<', click on the first note, and drag your cursor all the way to the last note you wish to crescendo to). I personally have to double click before dragging smart shape metatools, but I think that might just be a quirk of using a touchpad.
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Entering articulations and dynamics through metatools.
Sheet Featured: "Fanfare Collection" from Mario Kart 8
Entering articulations and dynamics through metatools.
Sheet Featured: "Fanfare Collection" from Mario Kart 8
Note that the following are sourced from the default metatools. Many of these shortcut letters are pretty intuitive
Articulation Metatools
| Key(s) | Command | |
| A | Accent | |
| R | Arpeggio/rolled marking | |
| F | Fermata | |
| V | Marcato | |
| M | Mordent | |
| K | Inverted Mordent | |
| S | Staccato | |
| E | Tenuto | |
| W | Tenuto Staccato | |
| Z | Accent Staccato | |
| 9 / ( | Open Parenthesis "(" | |
| 0 / ) | Closed Parenthesis ")" |
[close]
Expression Metatools
| Key(s) | Command | |
| [1-9/0] | Fortissississimo to Pianissississimo respectively (e.g. 3 would be fortissimo and 0 would be pianissississimo) | |
| E | Accelerando | |
| R | Ritardando | |
| T | A Tempo | |
| Q | 8va | |
| W | 8vb | |
| L | loco |
[close]
Smart Shape Metatools (slurs/pedal markings/glissandos/etc.)
| Key(s) | Command | |
| S | Slur | |
| < (i.e. comma) | Crescendo | |
| > (i.e. period) | Decrescendo | |
| T | Trill | |
| 8 | 8va or 8vb | |
| F | Glissando (textless) | |
| P | Pedal (Ped + '*' lines) |
[close]
See the Finale Metatools page (WIN / MAC) for more detailed descriptions regarding time/key signatures, clefs, and more!
Using Filters to copy repeated markings
With the power of filters, you can copy over articulations, expressions, pedal markings, and more without altering (most) of the pre-existing markings that you entered beforehand. This is very efficient whenever you write in articulations after entering all of the notes, or whenever you want to include proper pedal playback.
Selection Filter GUI
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Drop-down menu to get to Edit Filter
Drop-down menu to get to Edit Filter
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The Edit Filter dialogue box. In this example, only Markings are selected
The Edit Filter dialogue box. In this example, only Markings are selected
[close]
You can customize the active boxes to your needs. For example, by only checking Chords & Fretboards, you could easily copy a repeated chord structure over to a new set of measures. Only checking Articulations would allow you to transfer staccatos/accents/etc. over to another measure that already has dynamics and crescendo hairpins. If you are copying over arpeggio markings, then it might also be useful to check "Extra space" under Measure Settings so that it copies any additional space added to the beginning of the measure.
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A gif showcasing selection filtering for Articulations, Extra Space, and Smart Shapes (assigned to beats).
The extra space only copies over when the entire system is selected, and does not return when Undo/Redo-ing mass paste assignments.
Sheet Featured: "Messenger -piano-" from Steins;Gate 0
A gif showcasing selection filtering for Articulations, Extra Space, and Smart Shapes (assigned to beats).
The extra space only copies over when the entire system is selected, and does not return when Undo/Redo-ing mass paste assignments.
Sheet Featured: "Messenger -piano-" from Steins;Gate 0
| Key(s) | Command | |
| Alt+Ctrl+F | Toggle selection filter | |
| Shift+Alt+Ctrl+F | Edit selection filter |
Bringing it altogether!
> How are all of these shortcuts relevant to my daily usage of Finale?
It may seem like a lot of information, but the arranging process is much smoother once you get used to using common shortcuts. You spend more time writing the correct notes as opposed to fighting the program across multiple menu options and dialogue boxes
. The following gif is an example of quick assignments using some of the techniques described above.You cannot view this attachment.
A gif showcasing Articulation metatools, unique selection filtering for Articulations, and Transpose shortcuts.
Sheet Featured: "Combat -Destiny-" from Triangle Strategy
A gif showcasing Articulation metatools, unique selection filtering for Articulations, and Transpose shortcuts.
Sheet Featured: "Combat -Destiny-" from Triangle Strategy
TL;DR
> This is overwhelming, there are too many shortcuts to keep track of
I hear you. If nothing else, then just use transpose shortcuts to quickly shift the highlighted passage by some interval (Ctrl+Shift+[6-9]) and metatool shortcuts for entering simple articulations/expressions like staccatos and dynamics ([A-Z 0-9] + Left Click on note/staff; e.g. S with the articulation tool or [0-9] with the expression tool for staccatos and dynamics respectively). Those are the two most frequent shortcuts that I use on a day-to-day basis.
That's all, and good luck! I hope this is of use to people who have the full version of Finale. Maybe someone can make a reply with all relevant shortcuts for Finale Notepad, but Notepad isn't worth using any longer than necessary in the first place.
