Finale question

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I still don't understand because you lumped your description and assumption in one statement that included both of us. And again, I would not be adequately served by another notation program...BELIEVE me...

Who uses latin in regular english!??? I thought the poster was referring to salsa...

Brooke, relax. Pgym wasn't referring to your "stated priorities and projected notational activities," he was speaking to Steve Marcus (whom he quoted in the post). "Pace" in this context means, "with all due respect to." You and Alex C were encouraging him to go ahead and learn Finale, so pgym was merely speaking to that (and pointing out that he respectfully disagrees with the two of you).

[pierso20]

I still don't understand because you lumped your description and assumption in one statement that included both of us. And again, I would not be adequately served by another notation program...BELIEVE me...

Who uses latin in regular english!??? I thought the poster was referring to salsa...

Brooke, relax. Pgym wasn't referring to your "stated priorities and projected notational activities," he was speaking to Steve Marcus (whom he quoted in the post). "Pace" in this context means, "with all due respect to." You and Alex C were encouraging him to go ahead and learn Finale, so pgym was merely speaking to that (and pointing out that he respectfully disagrees with the two of you).

No need to be more relaxed than I already am. I was in a terrible mood at the time AND being so, couldn't seem to comprehend the grammatical structure of the sentence. My bad.

[BVD Press]

And again, I would not be adequately served by another notation program...BELIEVE me...

I am curious why you think Sibelius would not work for you?

[pierso20]

And again, I would not be adequately served by another notation program...BELIEVE me...

I am curious why you think Sibelius would not work for you?

I wouldn't work for me because I already know how to use Finale with great ease. I can produce excellent product with minimal effort. Yes, it took me a while to learn how to do so, though I suspect a lot of that was 1) not using the manual much until recently and 2) not spending enough time to adequately learn it until recently.

I have also been using Finale since my first "bootleg" copy, Finale 95. So why change if I am producing a quality product with ease? Of course, should I "upgrade" newer versions and find that they are terrible, I would consider making the change. As of now, there is no big need.

I think the biggest problem with most people trying to use the notation is that they need results NOW and yes, you can't just walk into finale and figure it out on your own. You NEED the manual. But in all honestly, most functions that are useful to the amateur user are VERY easy to use. Maybe I'll create a walk-through post on how to effectively use Finale.

BTW, I was also referencing that I would not adequately be served by a program other than Finale or Sibelius. Those are really the "big 2".

[Rick F]

I've used Finale for about 9 years - but I'm still on the 2001 version (I really need to upgrade). Since I know Finale pretty well, I'll probably stick with their product, but think I might be able to get along with "PrintMusic" version.

One thing that I spend a lot of time on when 'cleaning up' with Finale is what I call 'dynamics crash'... where I have to move the pp or f around either side of crescendos and diminuendos and away from notes. I hope that in later versions of Finale this has been improved?

I see that Sibelius has addressed this in what they call "Magnetic Layout" where this is done automatically. This is a nice feature.

[sloan]

I have also been using Finale since my first "bootleg" copy, Finale 95.

As a computer programmer, I wonder how you feel about "bootleg" copies of your music?

[pierso20]

I have also been using Finale since my first "bootleg" copy, Finale 95.

As a computer programmer, I wonder how you feel about "bootleg" copies of your music?

Well considering I was 8 years old at the time, I don't think the thought occurred to me.

I own two version of finale right now, 2007 and 2008, both of which I paid for.

[pierso20]

I've used Finale for about 9 years - but I'm still on the 2001 version (I really need to upgrade). Since I know Finale pretty well, I'll probably stick with their product, but think I might be able to get along with "PrintMusic" version.

One thing that I spend a lot of time on when 'cleaning up' with Finale is what I call 'dynamics crash'... where I have to move the pp or f around either side of crescendos and diminuendos and away from notes. I hope that in later versions of Finale this has been improved?

I see that Sibelius has addressed this in what they call "Magnetic Layout" where this is done automatically. This is a nice feature.

You CAN do this with finale. Somewhere in the menu is an avoid collision setting in which you can define how close or far the items should be. Of course, the main issue for my folks is finding it.

The snap feature is really nice, though from what I was reading, I think Finale 2010 finally has this feature.

[BVD Press]

You CAN do this with finale. Somewhere in the menu is an avoid collision setting in which you can define how close or far the items should be. Of course, the main issue for my folks is finding it.

The snap feature is really nice, though from what I was reading, I think Finale 2010 finally has this feature.

No, No and No. Finale has a feature that is supposed to avoid collisions for certain items, but it does not work, never has worked and unless the 2011 version is different will continue not to work.

I am guessing you are referring to defining dynamics, articulations, etc. manually. For example: One can make two accent marks. One for normal notes and one defaulted slightly higher or lower to avoid slurs.*

No clue about the snap feature you refer to?

Moving up from 2008 to 2010 will probably save a bunch of time while editing. Rick moving up from 2001 will definitely save some time!

Would love to see a walk-through for Finale! The more material to help others learn the program the better!

Sibelius and Magnetic Layout: SImply put and my humble opinion, probably the most important advance in music notation in the last decade or more. WIthout this feature, Finale will have no shot of attracting new customers to their product.

*Sibelius does this automatically. Add the slur and then the accent or the accent and then the slur the order won't matter as it adjusts for you.

[sloan]

Lacquer or Silver? (raw brass?)

[Alex C]

I am curious why you think Sibelius would not work for you?

Pace, non Nobis Pacen, pax eternum and peace out.
Sibelius will not work for me because the engraving jobs I do often require that I submit the Finale scores, not just a pdf or printed parts. Also (RIP) I've learned Finale so well that friends and acquaintences call me the Finale ninja... I ain't gonna give that up.
Namaste. aloha and paix.

[sloan]

I am curious why you think Sibelius would not work for you?

Pace, non Nobis Pacen, pax eternum and peace out.
Sibelius will not work for me because the engraving jobs I do often require that I submit the Finale scores, not just a pdf or printed parts. Also (RIP) I've learned Finale so well that friends and acquaintences call me the Finale ninja... I ain't gonna give that up.
Namaste. aloha and paix.

I hope you tack on a significant surcharge for this service.

[BVD Press]

For all of you waiting for Finale 2011:

http://finalemusic.com/Finale/New.aspx

I have not looked at it closely yet, but from what I see MakeMusic/Finale has not addressed the Magnetic Layout feature that Avid/Sibelius introduced last year. Good luck to MakeMusic in marketing this new version because they are going to need it without this feature.

[sailn2ba]

Can one use free timing, as in Gregorian chant (modern notation), in any of these programs? I've been unable to do so with PrintMusic.

[J.c. Sherman]

I own Finale Allegro, and it's a very useful program. When I looked at the differences between full Finale and Allegro, there wasn't anything on the upgraded list that even remotely interested me, so Allegro was a good choice.

HOWEVER, I was really ticked, and have been, about upgrades. I bought mine approximately 11 seconds before a new version. And they thought offering to upgrade my new $150+ purchase for another $60 was fair. Almost to spite them, I've kept this version and used Notepad (and now, since it's no longer free) reader on another computer to view other's more contemporary formats.

When they apologize I'll upgrade... HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!

J.c.S.

BTW: You can use unmeasured music in Finale... but it's a royal pain in the rump!

[Todd S. Malicoate]

BTW: You can use unmeasured music in Finale... but it's a royal pain in the rump!

I couldn't disagree more. You simply put in the desired time signature of the "free" bar (17/4 or whatever it would be) and then hide it in the measure attributes. You can also easily do the dotted bar lines there. Piece of cake.

Finale 2011? No, thanks. I'll continue to stick with 2002 which quite literally does everything I need. Magnetic layout? No thanks, I'll move them myself.

[sloan]

BTW: You can use unmeasured music in Finale... but it's a royal pain in the rump!

I couldn't disagree more. You simply put in the desired time signature of the "free" bar (17/4 or whatever it would be) and then hide it in the measure attributes. You can also easily do the dotted bar lines there. Piece of cake.

Finale 2011? No, thanks. I'll continue to stick with 2002 which quite literally does everything I need. Magnetic layout? No thanks, I'll move them myself.

Fountain pens? No, thanks. I'll stick with hand carved quills.

[pierso20]

BTW: You can use unmeasured music in Finale... but it's a royal pain in the rump!

I couldn't disagree more. You simply put in the desired time signature of the "free" bar (17/4 or whatever it would be) and then hide it in the measure attributes. You can also easily do the dotted bar lines there. Piece of cake.

Finale 2011? No, thanks. I'll continue to stick with 2002 which quite literally does everything I need. Magnetic layout? No thanks, I'll move them myself.

Yep, I wrote a piece in free bar design. Which you can do the way you suggested, OR you could make the bar 1,000,000/4.

I use 2008 and just got an email about 2011...doesn't look any different than 2010...or 2009....or 2008. So no switch yet. I would CONSIDER switching when they come out with a magnetic layout...BUT knowing how software works, it'll be "glitchy" and probably cause more work than it fixes. It's not really that hard to just move the stuff as you go.

[rocksanddirt]

Torrents, gentlemen.

That is all.

Amen to that!

stealing is stealing. whether money from a bank, or software from a developer.

[J.c. Sherman]

BTW: You can use unmeasured music in Finale... but it's a royal pain in the rump!

I couldn't disagree more. You simply put in the desired time signature of the "free" bar (17/4 or whatever it would be) and then hide it in the measure attributes. You can also easily do the dotted bar lines there. Piece of cake.

Finale 2011? No, thanks. I'll continue to stick with 2002 which quite literally does everything I need. Magnetic layout? No thanks, I'll move them myself.

Guess I'm easily irritated - that seams a pain to me... would rather hit the "don't put any bars in" button. Like mid-measure repeats should have a "put double bar here" button

J.c.S.