Finale Training

[clagar777]

My school does not offer a course on Finale software training. What options do I have that aren't online courses elsewhere?

[SplatterTone]

The cuss words. Don't forget the cuss words. You'll need them.

[windshieldbug]

maybe a hand-holding session might actually be what you are after

... or a trunk-holding session. Why fix dirty old horns? Maybe you could branch out!

[Carroll]

I agree %100 with the notion that the best way is to jump in! I took a Finale course while in grad school. Unfortunately, the class met at the same time as marching band (which paid my assistantship) so I NEVER attended the class. The instructor would give me the assignments and I would figure them out. I ended up doing all of the copy work for the marching band and building some serious Finale chops in the process.

Pick a project and learn what you need for that project. Then pick another...

[djwesp]

My school does not offer a course on Finale software training. What options do I have that aren't online courses elsewhere?

You could just use Sibelius and be done quicker, and then spend the rest of the time drinking beer so dark and thick it sticks to the glass like syrup.




Seriously, when used correctly, Sibelius gives you a quality product. The playback on Sibelius, especially the drum plugins are incredible and the entry is much easier.

I could rant on, but i'm not in the mood to get blasted by the 13 squad.

[djwesp]

****Removed because of ambiguity****

[Carroll]

I've heard that Sibelius is much more "user-friendly" but I think the reason Finale is used more in the business is the ability to control basically every aspect of what the final product looks like.

Partially agree. However, the Sibelius product looks far from UNprofessional. It is still very presentable. I highly doubt many of the tubenet faithful, even most software input program users will ever be in that situation.

You can perform duties adequately on both. I'd venture to guess most Finale users do so because of Finale notebook and Finale requirements at their institution of education. Several schools now have distanced themselves away from Finale in the last few years because of its shotgun in a knife fight attitude.

I use it because the publisher of the composer I do copy work for prefers Finale. And I do expect to be able to control every aspect of the finale (Finale) output.

[djwesp]

I use it because the publisher of the composer I do copy work for prefers Finale. And I do expect to be able to control every aspect of the finale (Finale) output.

Maybe you misunderstood what exactly I was trying (poorly) to say.


In a PROFESSIONAL situation Finale is ALWAYS given the edge. BUT, most of us will NEVER been in that situation.

[SplatterTone]

ability to control basically every aspect of what the final product looks like.

For the casual user, this translates into: You must control every aspect because Finale is too stupid to do it for you. But I was permanently and forever jaded by acquiring Finale at Version 2.1 when it came on two floppies for Windows 3.1. It was a necessity to save at least every 5 minutes to keep from losing work.

Things have certainly improved, but the one thing that still drops my jaw is the continued need for those arcane ALT-number sequences. (at least as of Finale 2006)

I think my most accurate analogy for Finale is Alice Tinker on The Vicar of Dibley. Decently good looking, but sure is stupid.

[Carroll]

I use it because the publisher of the composer I do copy work for prefers Finale. And I do expect to be able to control every aspect of the finale (Finale) output.

Maybe you misunderstood what exactly I was trying (poorly) to say.


In a PROFESSIONAL situation Finale is ALWAYS given the edge. BUT, most of us will NEVER been in that situation.

And perhaps I was not clear, either. I will agree that Finale has capabilities beyond what most casual users need (but so does Sibelius). At the end of the day, try some downloads and find what works for you... then BUY it!

[tbn.al]

If you are going to be engraving for comercial interests, you have no choice but to use Finale. Which IMHO is reason enough not to get into that ratrace. I just got up from a 2 hour session with Sibelius and I am still in a relatively good mood. For what I do, editing and arranging for a church orchestra, I wouldn't go back to Finale. I left Finale for the Sibelius scanning feature but stay because it's is so intuitive. My stuff looks exactly like the Finale stuff I buy, but the program is so much easier on my blood pressure. Composition is a cakewalk compared to Finale, although I never get to do much of that anyway.