There are times when you may want to create a partial measure in a score. This is the exception to using complete measures, but in special circumstances, it can be the best option. It is often seen in older publications to save entering first and second endings. If you want to do this in Finale, follow the steps below.

Below is a screenshot from Handel’s Bourée via the IMSLP site. https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ImagefromIndex/130575/hfcn

I indicated where the partial bars are located in the score.Bourrée.png

The Pick-up measure should be entered as such when you create the score via the “Setup Wizard” window. You can also add a pick-up bar after the score has been created. See my blog post on creating a pick-up bar.

Finale partial 1.png

In the above example, enter a partial bar in bar 8
(link to the Finale Manual for Mac and Windows)

  1. Choose the Time Signature tool .
  2. Double-click in bar 8. The Time Signature dialog box appears.
  3. Set the Number of Beats to 3.
  4. Under Measure Region, specify the measure number of the bar. In this case, 8.
  5. Click More Options to expand the Time Signature dialog box.
  6. Check Use a Different Time Signature for Display.
  7. Set the Number of Beats to match the time signature, in this case 4, and click OK. 

    Finale partial 2.png

To create the second partial bar:

  1. Select measure 9.
  2. Repeat the steps above, this time create the measure with 1 beat. Finale partial 4.png

The bar numbers are not correct, as the partial measure is consecutively numbered. 

  1. Choose the Measure tool and double-click measure 8. The Measure Attributes dialog box appears.
  2. Uncheck Include in Measure Numbering and click OK.Finale partial 3.png

Create a second measure number 8 in parentheses.

  1. Choose the Expression Tool.
  2. Double-click in the measure after the numbered bar 8.
  3. Choose Technique Text. 
  4. Click “Create New Technique Text.”
  5. Enter: (8)
  6. Select the (8) text and change the font size to match the measure number, in this case, 10pt and Italic.
  7. Drag the (8) to match the other bar numbers. Finale partial 5.png
  • Enter the Backwards repeat bar at the end of the first bar 8.

I inserted rests in the partial bars in order to highlight them. When you create partial bars, a whole rest is displayed.

Finale partial 6.png