IWBNI it were possible to attach the left or right endpoint of a given smart shape crescendo or decrescendo to a given expression that is a dynamic marking (e.g. mp, mf, ff, etc.). As it is now, the starting and ending points of a hairpin are attached to positions within a measure of a staff.

In addition to allowing one to position hairpins quickly and uniformly relative to dynamic markings, this feature would eliminate the need to reposition hairpins relative to adjacent dynamic markings after the length of a measure is changed. Note: Since hairpins and expressions are positioned relative to beat positions, the distance between expressions and hairpins changes when the length of a measure is changed.

This could be implemented by adding the following controls to the Text Expression Designer and Shape Expression Designer dialog boxes:

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Text Expression Designer Dialog Box and
Shape Expression Designer Dialog Box

Attachment Points for Hairpins:

Left: H: _____ V: _____
Right: H: _____ V: _____
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Also, the following option could be added to the Smart Shape Placement dialog box:

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Smart Shape Placement Dialog Box

[ ] Snap and Attach Hairpins to Expressions

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If the checkbox option Snap and Attach Hairpins to Expressions is selected, a hairpin endpoint that is dragged and dropped onto a given expression would be automatically snapped to the appropriate attachment point of the expression in the same way that objects are snapped to a grid point. The Right (Left) attachment point would be used in the case when the hairpin is located to the right (left) of the expression. Also, when creating a hairpin, one could double click an expression and drag the mouse to the right (left) to have the left (right) endpoint of the hairpin be snapped to the right (left) attachment point of the expression, automatically. When the endpoint of a hairpin is dragged and dropped on a point that is not on an expression or when a hairpin is created by double clicking a point that is not on an expression, the affected endpoint of the hairpin would be measure-attached as in the current version of Finale.

If a given hairpin is created when the checkbox option Snap and Attach Hairpins to Expressions is not selected, both endpoints of the hairpin would be measure-attached as in the current version of Finale. Later, if the option Snap and Attach Hairpins to Expressions were selected, the endpoints of a hairpin that has been created in this way could be dragged and attached to expressions as needed.

A given hairpin endpoint that has been snapped to a given expression would be attached to the expression. That is, if the expression is moved for any reason, the position of the hairpin endpoint would be changed automatically and, after the expression has been moved, the hairpin endpoint would to be positioned at the attachment point of the expression. For example, if the expression were dragged, the hairpin endpoint would be moved along with the expression. Or, if the music were respaced and the expression were moved as a result, the hairpin endpoint would be moved along with the expression. Conversely, if the control point in the lower middle region of the bounding rectangle of a given hairpin were dragged, all expressions to which the hairpin is attached would be moved as well.

To indicate the expressions to which a given hairpin is attached or will be attached, expressions would be shown in reverse video in the same way that a given note is shown in reverse video when the endpoint of a smart shape slur is dragged over the note. For example, when the left or right control point of a hairpin is dragged over a given expression, the expression would be shown in reverse video. Or, when a given expression is double clicked to create a hairpin, the expression would be shown in reverse video.

To break the attachment between a given hairpin and expression, one could drag the endpoint of the hairpin away from the expression. Also, a menu item called Detach Hairpins could be added to the context menu that is displayed when a given expression is right clicked. This menu item could be used to break the attachment of all hairpins that are attached to the expression. Note: Existing attachments would not be broken automatically when the state of the Snap and Attach Hairpins to Expressions option is changed from checked to unchecked.

Created: July 7, 2000
Last Updated: July 7, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b