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.

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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

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Fermata Friday: Writing Lyrics Without Notes in Finale

There are occasional situations where it is handy to have lyrics under slash notation, or something other than notes. Finale does not allow for this, so here is a workaround.

First, put in the notes with Simple Entry, Speedy Entry or the Hyperscribe tool. The rhythmic phrasing is all that matters, not the pitches themselves, as we will be hiding the notes.

         

With the Simple Entry or Speedy Entry tool, push the  “H” key.  You can see the note is hidden.

Put some chord and lyrics using Chord Tool and Lyrics Tool.

Of course, you can put Slash Notation too.

 

...and there you have it! Note-less lyrics.

-by LC Tech Blog contributor Jungmin Lee

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