Showing posts with label Fermata Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fermata Friday. Show all posts

Friday, January 27, 2012

Fermata Friday: Finale's Set-up Wizard

Finale makes it easy to start your score. With the Set Up Wizard you can specify your instrument ensemble, name your score, choose your key, meter, and tempo, and more. Access the Set Up Wizard from the Launch Window.


There are four pages to the Set Up Wizard window. In the first you can choose your ensemble from a template on the left (if you often write for the same instrumentation, save a template to this list to speed things up for next time!), and specify your document style: Engraved for more formal looking scores, Handwritten for lead sheets (this style looks like the Real Book). You can also choose your page size and layout (you can print letter, legal or tabloid in the Learning Center).


Page 2 is where you create your ensemble. Choose an instrument set at the top, and the instrument families are on the left, then add your instruments from the second column. Double-click the instrument or click Add. To save your ensemble as a template for the previous page, click Save Current Ensemble.



Next page, name your piece, add the composer name, etc.

Lastly, choose your meter, key, tempo, pick up measure (if applicable) and number of measures (this can easily be changed later if you don't know yet how many measures).


That's it, now just write the music! You can get in-depth training with Finale at the Learning Center. Sign up for one-to-one tutoring, or software training sessions.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Fermata Friday: Making Simple Entry Simpler and Faster For Laptop Users

In Finale there are couple different ways to get the notes on the page, Simple Entry, Speedy Entry and Hyperscribe. All of which have their ups and downs relating to which setting you’re using them in. To get the most out of Speedy Entry and Hyperscribe you’re probably going to want to have a keyboard with a numeric pad and midi keyboard handy that you can plunk out the notes on. So, what do you do when you’re stuck using a laptop without all the other stuff?

The best way to optimize your speed (when using a laptop) with simple entry is to change your shortcut settings to the laptop default.

Select the simple entry tool in the Main Tool bar and then grab the Simple tab.



Once there click on “Edit Keyboard Shortcuts...” from here you can select which shortcut table you’d like to use. 



Once the Laptop Shortcut table is selected you’ll notice the main difference between the default shortcuts and the laptop ones is that the number keys at the top of your keyboard now control the rhythmic value of the notes (1 being a 64th note etc etc.) being entered while typing the letter of the note name will enter the note onto the page. Other key commands remain the same like T for tie, period to add a dotted value to a note and R for turning notes into rests.

-by LC Tech Blog contributor Marcus Bagala

Friday, October 14, 2011

Fermata Friday: Creating Kicks Over Time in Sibelius

If you have any experience using Finale, you’re probably well aware that creating kicks over time is not exactly an intuitive process. Thankfully, Sibelius has a bit of a different approach to this ever so common notation.

To start, select layer 1 on the keypad and enter your “kicks” on the first space above the staff.




Next, switch to layer 2 on the keypad and enter four quarter notes on the middle line of the staff.




Now, select the quarter notes you just entered and hit ⌥⇧3 (option+shift+3).




Voilà! You now have slash notation under your “kicks”. The only thing you may have left to do is select any rests and nudge them up a bit.

-by LC Tech Blog contributor Michal Skrzypek

Friday, September 30, 2011

Fermata Friday: Working With the Keypad in Sibelius

Sibelius offers time-saving shortcuts (and many of them!) with keyboard shortcuts. Learn the keypad shortcuts, and you will work much more quickly. Be aware that the numeric keypad doesn't exist on the laptop keyboard, so if you plan to use Sibelius a lot, it is recommended that you get a USB keypad, or a full size keyboard. With an iPhone or iPod touch you can purchase an ap called NumberKey. You can also come and work in the Learning Center with our full size keyboards.

Show or hide Sibelius' keypad palette window with the icon button.


The keypad corresponds to the numeric keypad, so that Enter inputs a rest, 4 a quarter note, 9 a flat accidental and so on. Enter your rhythmic value, then use your MIDI keyboard to choose the pitch.

The strength of the keypad in Sibelius is that there are 6 different layouts that can trigger different items.

Enter in less common notes, tremolos or change beaming, common articulations, jazz articulations and less common accidentals. Use F7 - F12 to change between the layouts.

Once you become proficient with the keyboard shortcuts, you can enter most anything without using the mouse or trackpad at all.

-by LC Tech Blog contributor Chris Fitzgerald