Short Blog for Shortcuts

​So, there are a ton of extremely powerful tools for creating scripts and other functions for Finale, Sibelius, Dorico and others.  These are, generally speaking, geared to and created for the power users, who use these programs for a living.  Great examples of these are Keyboard Maestro (great for creating macros of any kind), NYC Music Services Notation Express, and the forthcoming JetStream controller for Finale.  I would highly, highly recommend all of them and have used, or will use, them all.
 
However, long before any of these came out, I wanted to not only write macros (which I did in FinaleScript and still do and love it) but also remap some keyboard functions for these programs.  My goal was to find ways to keep me hands on the keyboard and have functions in easy reach, as it were, and stave off the dreaded condition of carpal tunnel.  Thankfully, there are some simple methods to remap keyboard shortcut functions on both PC and Mac and with a little trial and error, they can make your workflow much smoother and faster.
 
For Finale:
 
On PC:
 
To go Plugins/TG Tools/Menu Shortcuts
 
From here you can assign new keyboard shortcuts to many of the tools, plugins and functions in Finale.  This is a tool I’ve cherished for years because I never have to use the mouse to selection a specific tool to work in.  Play around with all the different modifiers and combinations you can come up with for the functions you use the most and see how it will increase your efficiency.
 
On Mac:
 
The TG Tools Menu Shortcuts plugin is not available on Mac.  However, there are a few ways of achieving the same functionality:
 
1.  Go to you System Preferences/Keyboard/Shortcuts
2.  From there click on “App Shortcuts”
3.  Add Finale and then try a shortcut to a specific tool or menu function. 
 
This method tends to work better for tools and other “main” functions.
 
For triggering things like different plugins or sub-menu items, its actually easier to create a FinaleScript with will pull up the function you want and assign it a custom keyboard shortcut.
 
Again, there is plenty of trial and error in either methods, but the results are really satisfying when you get them just right.  Be warned, when/if you update to the next version of Finale (maintenance updates usually don’t interfere with these functions) you may have to reassign/test your scripts or modified keyboard shortcuts again as occasionally menu functions and locations do change.
 
 
For Sibelius:
 
One of the many nice things about Sibelius is this kind of customization is build right into the file menu and is available on the both PC and Mac right out of the box. 
 
Just go to File/Preferences/Keyboard Shortcuts.  Here, you’ll find just about every menu function in the ribbon listed and its current keyboard shortcut (if any is assigned).  From here, you can change them to any combination you want. 
 
 
Give is a try.  For a time, I actually changed a lot of the default Sibelius keyboard shortcuts to mimic similar functions or tools from Finale, just to see if it would work.  And it did!  It actually made learning Sibelius much easier for me back in the day when I started Engraver’s Mark Music since I could rely on a similar set of keyboard shortcuts not matter what program I had to use for a given client.
 
These seemingly simple changes can greatly improve your knowledge of either program and make them just that bit more manageable.  In this time of uncertainty and extended home office hours, a nice project like this will yield serious dividends.  As always, if you have a question or a project you need help on, get in touch with us through our Contact Page and we’ll be happy to assist!