Need Finale help? PM Me!

[Olimar12345]

Thank you for all of our help! I'll play around with it tomorrow when I get a chance.

[Maelstrom]

I've got a quick question:
I'm working on a duet arrangement right now, but It'd be much easier if all the staves had their own channel (so, 4 channels in all), so I  could assign individual dynamics to each. How do I do that?
(Right now, I just have the first and second piano as separate channels)

[holland_oates89]

@Maelstrom: Assuming you're using Finale 2012 or later, the ScoreManager is your friend here:

1. Open your document.
2. Click Window > ScoreManager.
3. In the window that appears, you'll see both piano instruments displayed. Under the "Name" column, click the grey triangle next to the name of each instrument. The instrument expands to individual staves for right and left hand.
4. If you don't see a "Ch" column, click Customize View > Bank & Channel.
5. Under the "Ch" column, click the channel number of each individual staff and change it to channels 1 - 4.

[Maelstrom]

Nope.
I'm stuck with 2011. 
Any tips? (besides upgrade)

[ThatGamer]

In a piece I am arranging, I need to know how to add the tempo on the top left corner, for example, draw a quarter note and then =120. Probably something easy I just missed.

[TheMarioPianist]

In a piece I am arranging, I need to know how to add the tempo on the top left corner, for example, draw a quarter note and then =120. Probably something easy I just missed.

Since you are using Notepad, that is not possible. Even if you added a text box that said ♩=120, it would not have the same affect as a true tempo marking.

[ThatGamer]

Since you are using Notepad, that is not possible. Even if you added a text box that said ♩=120, it would not have the same affect as a true tempo marking.

Aw, darn. Guess this is one of those times where I really need you or MLF...

[Tobbeh99]

Hi I need help.

I want to mute certain notes BUT only on the repeat (the 2nd time). I'm using this for a D.C. al Fine and I want the notes after Fine to be muted.

Bespinben has used this in his arrangement of "016 - Despair: Light Arrangement" look it up on his Personal Arrangement Thread, I have PM'd him but it's taking him long to answer so I thought you might know how.

[holland_oates89]

@Maelstrom: 2011, eh? Alright, let me take a look when I get home from work. Ironically, I don't have 2011 on the computer I'm using right now.

@ThatGamer: In Finale, you can click the expression tool (looks like a mezzo-forte marking in the Main Tools Palette), double-click anywhere in the score, then in menu on the left of the window that appears, click "Tempo Markings." You can then click "Create Tempo Mark." You can choose how it looks using the Main tab of the Expression Designer window that appears, and you can click the Playback tab to actually set your tempo for playback. As TheMarioPianist correctly pointed out, I'm afraid this feature isn't available in NotePad. However, what most people do when using NotePad is use the text tool to create the marking. To do this, click the Text Tool from the Main Tools Palette. Double-click the score where you want your marking to appear. A text box will show up. Don't type anything yet. Instead, click Text > Font > Default Music Font (Maestro). Then, type a lowercase "q" to create the quarter note. From there, you can click Text > Font > Times New Roman (or whatever font you want to use) to change back to a text font, and type the "= 120" part. None of this will affect playback, so you'll still need to change your tempo in the Playback Controls window.

@Tobbeh99: Probably the easiest way to do this is to make or duplicate an expression (it could say "2x only" if you want it to appear in your score, or if you don't want it to appear, you can always hide it) that sets either key velocity (recommended for piano music) or Controller #7 (for sustaining instruments when using the Garritan sounds) to zero. After making this expression, select it from the Expression Selection window and click Edit. Click the Playback tab. Check the box that says "Play Only on Pass" and enter pass 1. So, you've made one expression that sets your playback volume to 0, and it is only processed the first time through the repeat. Next, make another expression that sets your dynamics to whatever value you wanted to use the second time around. For that expression, set Play Only on Pass to 2. Otherwise, in case you happen to be using the Jazz or Broadway Copyist document styles, there is an expression that does all of this automatically. I don't remember off-hand if that will work in the default (Maestro) document style or not.

[ThatGamer]

@Maelstrom: 2011, eh? Alright, let me take a look when I get home from work. Ironically, I don't have 2011 on the computer I'm using right now.

@ThatGamer: In Finale, you can click the expression tool (looks like a mezzo-forte marking in the Main Tools Palette), double-click anywhere in the score, then in menu on the left of the window that appears, click "Tempo Markings." You can then click "Create Tempo Mark." You can choose how it looks using the Main tab of the Expression Designer window that appears, and you can click the Playback tab to actually set your tempo for playback. As TheMarioPianist correctly pointed out, I'm afraid this feature isn't available in NotePad. However, what most people do when using NotePad is use the text tool to create the marking. To do this, click the Text Tool from the Main Tools Palette. Double-click the score where you want your marking to appear. A text box will show up. Don't type anything yet. Instead, click Text > Font > Default Music Font (Maestro). Then, type a lowercase "q" to create the quarter note. From there, you can click Text > Font > Times New Roman (or whatever font you want to use) to change back to a text font, and type the "= 120" part. None of this will affect playback, so you'll still need to change your tempo in the Playback Controls window.

@Tobbeh99: Probably the easiest way to do this is to make or duplicate an expression (it could say "2x only" if you want it to appear in your score, or if you don't want it to appear, you can always hide it) that sets either key velocity (recommended for piano music) or Controller #7 (for sustaining instruments when using the Garritan sounds) to zero. After making this expression, select it from the Expression Selection window and click Edit. Click the Playback tab. Check the box that says "Play Only on Pass" and enter pass 1. So, you've made one expression that sets your playback volume to 0, and it is only processed the first time through the repeat. Next, make another expression that sets your dynamics to whatever value you wanted to use the second time around. For that expression, set Play Only on Pass to 2. Otherwise, in case you happen to be using the Jazz or Broadway Copyist document styles, there is an expression that does all of this automatically. I don't remember off-hand if that will work in the default (Maestro) document style or not.

Thanks!

[Maelstrom]

I've got a quick question:
I'm working on a duet arrangement right now, but It'd be much easier if all the staves had their own channel (so, 4 channels in all), so I  could assign individual dynamics to each. How do I do that?
(Right now, I just have the first and second piano as separate channels)

Bump

[holland_oates89]

@Maelstrom: Thanks for the reminder! Since Finale 2011 doesn't have the ScoreManager, you have to get creative using the Instrument List.

Basically, each layer needs its own individual instrument in order to be assigned to separate channels. Fortunately, it's a pretty easy process:

1. Open your document.
2. Click MIDI/Audio > Instrument Setup > Instrument List.
3. In the window that appears, you'll see staves 1 - 4 (1 and 2 are the first piano, 3 and 4 are the second). Under the instrument column for Staff 2, click the violet triangle and choose "New Instrument" from the menu that appears.
4. An "Instrument Definition" window appears. By default, the instrument should be set to a "Program Change" patch, using 1: Acoustic Grand Piano for playback, so you don't need to change any of that. Set the channel to 2. Name the instrument "First Piano Left Hand" or something you can remember. Click OK.
5. Repeat this process for each other staff in the Instrument List, using channels 3 and 4 respectively.

Your instrument list should now show that every staff has a separate instrument - and is assigned to separate channels.

[mikey]

Holland Oates is a wizard

[ThatGamer]

Holland Oates is a wizard

Acrually, I believe they were singers in the 1970's.

[Maelstrom]

Thanks!
Worked perfectly.