How to achieve Finale's “Speedy Entry” in Sibelius

In a previous article titled “How to achieve Finale's “Speedy Entry” in Dorico”, I introduced how to achieve Finale's “Speedy Entry” (without using a MIDI keyboard), which was one of the most efficient ways to input notes in an environment without a MIDI keyboard, in Dorico. This time I’m going to introduce the Sibelius version of that setting.

In Sibelius, if you do not use a MIDI keyboard, notes are basically entered using alphabetic input (using the CDEFGAB keys to specify the pitch), but depending on the user settings, you can enter notes by specifying the pitch with the up and down arrow keys on your computer and the note value with the number keys, just like in Finale.

1. Setting up pitch specification with up and down arrow keys

This is the initial state of the Sibelius preferences, set to enter alphabetic input.

If you want to input in the same way as Finale's Speedy Entry (without using a MIDI keyboard), go to “Preferences > Note Input > Note Input Options > When Inputting Notes” and check “Specify pitch, then duration” and also check “Use QWERTY keyboard” under “To specify pitch before duration”.

At the same time, it's a good idea to change the following settings as well.

• Check “Move caret with arrow keys”: This will allow you to move the caret left and right with the left and right arrow keys.

• Change “To enter a quarter note (crotchet) type” to “5 on Keypad”: This will allow you to enter quarter notes with the number 5 key, just like in Finale.

In “To specify pitch of shadow note”, “Use letter names (A-G)” will allow you to enter the C major scale with the CDEFGAB keys, and “Use piano arrangement (A=C, S=D, D=E etc.)” will allow you to enter the ASDFGHJ keys, but since Speedy Entry uses the up and down arrow keys to specify pitch and does not use either of these, it doesn't matter which setting you use.

2. Set shortcuts for accidentals

The above is how to specify pitch, but next you will specify sharps, flats, and naturals using keyboard shortcuts.

If you are using a laptop, the number keys in the upper left corner of the QWERTY keyboard are used to add intervals by default, so if you want to use them to specify note values, you will need to select “Laptop Shortcuts” as the current set in “Keyboard Shortcuts”, just like in Finale.

Therefore, first go to “Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts” and duplicate the existing “Laptop Shortcuts” and change the name to something easy to understand for you.

Then set your own shortcuts there. You can specify any key that is easy to use for you. In my case, I set it to the following keys located as close to the top right on the keyboard.

[Mac]

• Sharp: ¥

• Flat: ^

• Natural: -

[Windows]

• Sharp: \

• Flat: -

• Natural: Alt + N

In the default settings of Sibelius, ties are added by pressing the Enter key on the numeric keypad after entering a note, but this cannot be done on laptops that do not have an Enter key, so it is a good idea to assign shortcuts such as control + T on Mac, or Alt + T on Windows.※

[※2025/5/16 Update] I later found that you can also enter/delete ties with the fn key + return key on a MacBook. However, this may behave differently depending on the Mac model and macOS, so if this doesn't work, try setting a shortcut.

By the way, if you connect a MIDI keyboard and want to use the same input method as Finale's Speedy Entry (using a MIDI keyboard), check “Use MIDI keyboard” under “To specify pitch before note value”.

[※2025/6/13 Update] When using the above method to input notes, if you press the 0 key to convert the input note to a rest, it seems that there are cases where no notes are input from then on and only rests are input, or only whole rests are input regardless of note value. In this case, the problem can be solved by specifying the pitch with the CDEFGAB keys and then inputting with the number keys.

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Most music notation software allows you to specify pitch by connecting a MIDI keyboard when entering notes, but the method of entering notes using only the QWERTY keyboard of a computer without using a MIDI keyboard varies from product to product.

In Sibelius and Dorico, the standard method for specifying pitches when not using a MIDI keyboard was the CDEFGAB keys, but since the keys are widely distributed, it took some practice to operate quickly and accurately.

Finale's high-speed step entry (without a MIDI keyboard), which allows you to specify pitches using only the up and down arrow keys, was an excellent feature in this respect, but as mentioned above, both Dorico and Sibelius allow you to use almost the same input method by user settings.

Anyone who was worried about whether they would be able to input notes in Sibelius or Dorico as comfortably as they have in Finale can now switch to either product with peace of mind.