MIDI

Noteman says: If you need help setting up your MIDI system, consult Setting up your MIDI system in the Finale Tutorials.

MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is the computer language that computers and MIDI instruments use to speak to each other. Many core features of Finale operate on the MIDI standard framework.

Some of the common tasks involving MIDI include:

You have a wide range of MIDI driver choices and can send and receive MIDI on more than one instrument per port.

Finale supports CoreMIDI and gives you access to 64 Finale MIDI channels. Finale makes these channels available in four different sets, numbered 1-16, 17-32, 33-48, and 49-64.

Typically, one device is assigned to each set of channels, although you can assign more than one device to a bank of 16 channels which would allow you to send or receive information simultaneously on both devices for a single set of channels. By assigning more than one device to banks of channels, Finale offers you the advantage of “doubling up” MIDI devices during playback, particularly useful for comparing sound modules or creating layers of sounds.

About General MIDI

In addition to the basic structure of how MIDI works, the General MIDI specification defines MIDI instruments. Part of the reason General MIDI was established was to provide a standardized listing of sounds or patches. This standard was developed so that when you play the same ClosedMIDI fileA type of file written in a standardized format that can be understood by music programs from different manufacturers so that one file can be used in several different programs. For example, music created in any sequencer program can be opened by Finale and converted into written notation. on different MIDI setups, you'll hear roughly the same result. Many MIDI devices support General MIDI.

MIDI terminology

Technically speaking, Finale isn’t a sequencing program; rather, it has been designed primarily to produce notation. Still, it duplicates many functions of a sequencer. Many sequencing parameters can be controlled to affect playback of your score: Continuous data; Tempo; MIDI channels; MIDI files; Dynamics; Key velocity; Pitch wheel.

If you plan to use Finale as a quasi-sequencer, it’s important to recognize that Finale can play back any score in one of three very different ways:

  • Using a Human Playback style, Finale can automatically interpret expression markings, dynamics, ritardandi, accents, hairpins and more;
  • Using no Human Playback, Finale can play the score in a rhythmically perfect manner, lacking any of the irregularities in performance that give music a human feel;
  • Also using no Human Playback, Finale can play the score with any captured MIDI data as recorded with the HyperScribe tool.

Noteman says: If you want to capture this MIDI data when you record, choose MIDI/Audio > Quantization Settings and then click More Settings before you start recording in HyperScribe. Make sure Retain Key Velocities and Retain Note Durations are checked.

This third option relies on settings in the Playback/Record Options dialog box. All of the items beginning with Play recorded must be checked for Finale to play back the score using captured MIDI data, which is the actual, unquantized MIDI “recording” of a performance you created using HyperScribe tool such as key velocity information, ritardandi, and pedaling. What’s even more useful is that once you’ve transcribed such a performance, you can edit the notes, the dynamics, and other elements of the notated score; when you play the performance-data version, you’ll hear your changes incorporated into the original performance. Remember, the only way to hear playback as it was recorded (or without any additional continuous data) is to set Human Playback to None in the expanded Playback Controls.

Your MIDI setup is the physical configuration of all your MIDI devices and your computer. A typical setup consists of a MIDI interface, a computer, and the actual MIDI equipment such as keyboards, sound modules, wind controller, and so on.

A MIDI system is any part of your computer's operating system that handles communication between Finale (or any other software application) and a MIDI setup.

A MIDI interface is an external device that translates signals between your computer and MIDI instrument(s). MIDI interfaces can connect to your computer via USB, FireWire, or older serial ports.

A MIDI channel is a dedicated pathway through which MIDI information is sent and received in your MIDI setup. Finale supports up to 16 channels per MIDI device for a total of 128 MIDI channels. If you are using a USB interface that has at least four MIDI Out ports, you can use the maximum number of channels that Finale supports through your four (or more) external MIDI devices.

For optimal playback, it is recommended that each instrument in your score be assigned to a unique channel. Whenever you add new instruments with the Setup Wizard or ScoreManager, Finale assigns it a unique channel. See Configuring Instrument Playback for details regarding assigning Audio Units and MIDI sounds to instrument channels. To become a Jedi maestro by channeling your MIDI-chlorians, you will have to look further than Finale.

MIDI devices assign specific numbers, called program numbers, to different instrument sounds. Depending on the device, these program numbers could be anything; in the General MIDI specification, program 1 is a grand piano sound, program 41 is violin, program 74 is flute, and so on. Some of the more sophisticated sound modules contain many hundreds of sounds; however, General MIDI only defines the first 128 numbers (numbered 0 through 127).

Tip: To use the additional sounds “above” 127, renumber them as lower numbers, or set them manually on the instrument before playing back.

Noteman says: "Banks" in this sense refers to those programmed into your MIDI device. This is not the same as Finale banks, which are discussed in the next section.

To accommodate more than 128 sounds, many MIDI devices use banks of sounds. A bank is an isolated group of 128 patches, which are accessed by changing your “active” bank of patches to a new bank using a special controller message.

A patch combines this bank information with a program number to refer to a particular instrument sound. To have different patches play back at the same time, you need to use different channels with a specific patch assigned to each channel. For example, if you wanted to play back a piece for a trio consisting of flute, violin and piano, you would assign the piano staves to play back on channel 1, program 1; the flute staff to play back on channel 2, program 74; and the violin staff to play back on channel 3, program 41. These settings reflect the General MIDI program numbers discussed above. External MIDI devices do not necessarily use the General MIDI specification. Refer to your device’s documentation for a reference to its patches.

There are 128 Finale channels available for output. Because each instrument in Finale’s ScoreManager allows you to specify a unique channel and patch combination, you can define up to 128 different instrument sounds. Finale's channels apply not only to MIDI, but also to Audio Units playback, so both mechanisms are covered here, including the distinctions between the two.

Finale supports 16 channels per MIDI device or Audio Units bank. So, Finale groups its internal channels in eight fixed sets called banks: channels 1-16, 17-32, 33-48, 49-64, 65-80, 81-96, 97-112, and 113-128. Using the MIDI Setup dialog box (for MIDI) and Audio Units Banks & Effects dialog box (for Audio Units), you can assign each bank to the 16 channels on a particular MIDI device or Audio Units instrument plug-in. In the ScoreManager, you tell Finale which device should play that staff’s entries, and furthermore, which of the device’s channels Finale should use. Note that Finale assigns channels and devices/banks automatically whenever you begin a new document, add or change an instrument's sound, or choose MIDI/Audio > Reassign Playback Sounds.

Finale banks are handled differently depending on whether you are playing back using MIDI or Audio Units. If you are using MIDI (MIDI/Audio > Play Finale Through MIDI), each 16-channel bank is defined in the MIDI/Internal Speaker Setup Dialog box, making the assigned device available for each instrument in the ScoreManager under the Device column. If you select SmartMusic SoftSynth for Playback To, you will be able to choose from 8 banks of SmartMusic SoftSynth sounds under the ScoreManager Device column, as shown below, for a total of 128 channels.

MIDI Output and SmartMusic SoftSynth devices defined in the MIDI/Internal Speaker dialog box are available under the Device column in the ScoreManager when playing back through MIDI.

Notice, in the above example, both instruments are assigned to Channel 1, but because the instruments are assigned to different MIDI Output devices, they actually use different channels. In this case, the Oboe is assigned to SmartMusic SoftSynth 2 (meaning channel 1 for the Oboe is actually equivalent to bank 2, channel 1, which is Finale's 17th consecutive channel).

When playing back through Audio Units (MIDI/Audio > Play Finale Through Audio Units), each bank of 16 channels in the Audio Units Banks & Effects dialog box can have a Audio Units instrument plug-in can be assigned to it. The Device column of the ScoreManager, in this case, shows all Audio Units devices installed on your computer, as well as Finale's Sound Maps, which allow Finale to automatically link its instruments with Audio Units sounds.

The Bank column is available when playing back through Audio Units, which corresponds to the bank assigned to the device in the Audio Units Banks & Effects dialog box. Unlike MIDI, when playing back through Audio Units, the Device column displays Sound Maps and all Audio Units devices available on the computer.

When you change devices, Finale loads banks in the Audio Units Banks & Effects dialog box as required to accommodate banks that have been filled (used all 16 channels) or the selection of a different device, which requires its own bank. See Configuring Instrument Playback for information on assigning MIDI and Audio Units sounds to Finale instruments.

The Input Device and Output Device options in the MIDI Setup dialog box let you choose where you want MIDI information sent or received. The available devices vary, depending on the MIDI driver and device you are using.

Note that you can’t assign the same input or output device to more than one set of Finale channels—after all, each device only uses 16 channels. You can, however, select multiple devices for a set of Finale channels. This allows you to double the number of devices playing music in the affected staves. (To do this, hold down the SHIFT key when selecting your MIDI devices.)

Controlling MIDI channel assignments with expressions

To change a staff’s MIDI channel within a piece, you create an expression that’s been defined for playback as a MIDI channel number. This technique is especially helpful when you need to switch to a different organ patch, since the Pipe Organ instrument in the ScoreManager doesn't distinguish between different organ stops or mixtures.

  1. Choose the Expression tool icon.
  2. Click on, above, or below the note to which you want to attach the channel-change expression. The Expression Selection dialog box appears.
  3. Click Create. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
  4. Type the display text for the expression. You might want to call an expression that switches playback to channel 2 “To channel 2,” for example.

    To change the font, highlight the text, then choose Text > Font. If you want this marking to be invisible, don’t type anything at all.

  5. Click the Playback tab.
  6. Choose Type > Channel.
  7. Enter the channel number in the Set To Value box.
  8. COMMAND+click the OK button to return to the document.

Finale normally allows you to route each staff to a single MIDI channel. For some effects, however, you may want the staff’s contents transmitted on more than one channel—for example, if you want to mix the sounds from two different patches. To create this arrangement, you have to create an expression (which can be invisible, if you like) defined for playback. This marking’s playback definition involves the creation of a MIDI data dump.

  1. Choose the Expression tool icon and click on, above, or below the note at which the music should begin playing over additional MIDI channels. The Expression Selection dialog box appears.
  2. Click Create. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
  3. Enter the text (if any) for your data dump expression.

    To change the font, highlight the text and choose Text > Font.

  4. Click the Playback tab.
  5. Choose Type > Dump. The Playback Data Dump dialog box appears.
  6. In the Number of Units text box, enter 2 or 3 (depending on whether you want the staff’s playback routed to a total of 2 or 3 additional MIDI channels).

    A staff can play over up to three MIDI channels, including the primary MIDI channel you’ve established for the staff.

  7. In the first Data box, enter $FF.

    This code, including the dollar sign, is a special notation that tells your MIDI Instrument to prepare to receive additional MIDI channel information.

  8. In the next Data text boxes, enter one or two numbers, corresponding to the MIDI channels you want the staff’s playback routed to, minus one.

    In other words, if you want the staff to play over channels 5 and 6 (in addition to its primary MIDI channel), enter 4 in the second Data box and 5 in the third. Also be sure to delete the default “$00” value from each text box before entering your MIDI channel numbers. When Finale plays your score and reaches the expression you’re creating, it will reroute the playback to the MIDI channels you’ve just specified.

  9. COMMAND+click the OK button to return to the document.

Editing MIDI data

Noteman says: Edits made with the MIDI tool can greatly increase the file size of your document. Because Finale is recording key velocity, duration, and other data about every single note in the area you’ve changed, it’s possible to double the size of your document if you make MIDI tool modifications over large areas.

You can change any MIDI data in a document using the MIDI tool icon and the commands in the MIDI tool menu. For example, if the music you’re editing was recorded from a performance in HyperScribe and you selected one or more of the Retain options in the More Quantization Settings dialog box, you can use the MIDI tool to view and edit the MIDI controller information, such as key velocities, of the notes as you originally played them.

During playback, to hear any changes you make with the MIDI tool, ensure that the appropriate Play Recorded option is selected in the Playback/Record Options dialog box.

ClosedKey velocityStrictly speaking, key velocity refers to the pressure or force with which a piano-style key is depressed. A key velocity value can be used in MIDI to denote the attack tone or the volume of a MIDI event (although MIDI CC 7, Volume, is more common for the latter). In Finale, key velocity is generally interpreted as volume, with one notable exception being several of the Garritan Instruments for Finale., also called note velocity, is the MIDI data that describes how hard a key was struck. A note’s key velocity usually determines its volume, although key velocity can be programmed to affect other playback elements, depending on your MIDI keyboard. Usually (but not always), MIDI keyboards respond to key velocity information the same way a piano does: the harder the note is struck, the louder it sounds.

There are two ways to affect the key velocity of notes in your score. The quickest method uses the MIDI tool icon to directly edit key velocities, but this is solely for playback and has no visible representation in the document. The other method involves placing into the score standard musical markings that have been defined for playback (an accent, a forte mark, and so on); for information on affecting key velocity of single notes using score markings, see Articulations; Crescendo/Decrescendo; Dynamics.

Specifying key velocities does have one limitation: it can’t control the volume of a note after it’s been struck. For piano music, this is no problem. But imagine a long note played by a trumpet—the player can swell and diminuendo within the same note. To create this kind of effect, you can use a second volume-control method: MIDI CC#7; see Continuous data below for instructions on creating and editing this and other continuous controller data.

Finale can record the key velocity for every single note you play using the HyperScribe tool icon. You can also have Finale place dynamics in your score automatically based on the recorded MIDI key velocity by using the Auto-Dynamic Placement Plug-in. To control the overall volume of playback, see Mixer.

  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI tool menu appears.
  2. Choose MIDI Tool > Edit Key Velocities.
  3. Select the region containing the key velocities you want to affect:
    • If the region involves only one staff, double-click in the staff. The MIDI Tool dialog box appears, with the notes on the staff below and vertical lines (similar to a bar graph) representing the notes' current key velocities. Select either the handles of the note(s) on the staff or the corresponding vertical line(s).
    • If the region includes multiple staves, select the region by drag-enclosing, SHIFT+clicking to select additional measures, clicking to the left of the staff to select the entire staff, or choosing Edit > Select All.

    4. Noteman says: Finale stores the velocity value for each note as the difference in velocity from the default velocity value (the “Base Key Velocity”). You set the Base Key Velocity in the Playback Controls. Suppose, for example, that this value is 60. If a note displayed in the MIDI Tool dialog box has a velocity of 90, Finale simply remembers that its velocity is 30 more than the Base Key Velocity value. Why does Finale store velocity values this way? Because with this system, you can quickly and easily adjust the overall velocity (volume) level of your piece by changing the Base Key Velocity value. The dynamic nuances of your piece will be preserved—but the overall volume level will increase or decrease accordingly.

  4. Choose the appropriate command in the MIDI Tool menu:
    • Choose Set To to display the Set To - Key Velocities dialog box, where you can assigns all selected notes a specific key velocity value (0-127).
    • Choose Scale to display the Scale - Key Velocities dialog box, where you can create a smooth gradation from one key velocity value to another (ideal for crescendo effects), either using absolute values (0-127) or percentages of the existing values.
    • Choose Add to display the Add - Key Velocities dialog box, where you can alter the selected key velocities by a specific value (-127 to 127).
    • Choose Percent Alter to display the Percent Alteration - Key Velocities dialog box, where you can alter the selected key velocities by a percentage of their current values.
    • Choose Limit to display the Limit - Key Velocities dialog box, where you can specify a maximum and minimum key velocity value (0-127) for the selected notes.
    • Choose Alter Feel to display the Alter Feel - Key Velocities dialog box, where you have selective control over downbeats, offbeats, and backbeats, letting you alter each key velocity by an absolute value (-127 to 127) or percentages of the existing values (ideal for boosting the backbeat).
    • Choose Randomize to display the Randomize - Key Velocities dialog box, where you can change the existing key velocities of the selected notes by a random amount within a specified range (ideal for giving a more human “feel” to the piece; small numbers between 10 and 20 usually work best).
  5. Enter the desired values for the start and/or stop times and click OK.
  6. If the MIDI Tool dialog box is displayed and you want to hear the effects of your work along the way, choose MIDI Tool > Play.

    The Play command does not support Internal Speaker Playback on the Mac. Use the Playback Controls.

You can choose to include key velocity information when you record a performance with HyperScribe. For complete information on recording with the HyperScribe tool icon, see Recording with HyperScribe.

There are two ways to clear key velocity data entered with the MIDI tool or recorded with HyperScribe. When you do so, all selected notes are reset to a key velocity of 64 (halfway between 0 and 127).

  • Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI tool menu appears. Make sure Edit Key Velocities is selected in the MIDI tool menu, and double-click in the staff you want to edit. Select the region containing the key velocities you want to reset and choose MIDI Tool > Clear (or press DELETE).
  • Use the Selection tool icon to select the region containing the key velocities you want to reset. Choose Edit > Clear Selected Items to display the Clear Selected Items dialog box. Click None, select Performance data (under MIDI Data), and click OK.

Noteman says: For information on editing note durations to create swing playback, see Swing.

The terms start time and stop time refer specifically to the difference between the quantized duration of a note (that is, its starting and ending points when given its full notated value) and the actual recorded attack and release of the note, such as when recorded with HyperScribe. The start time is the difference between the actual (performed) attack point and the notated, quantized attack point. Likewise, the stop time is the difference between the actual (performed) release point and the notated, quantized release point.

Start and stop times are measured in very small rhythmic increments called ClosedEDUsEDUs, or ENIGMA Duration Units, are Finale's high-resolution measurement for the duration of notes and rests, defined as 1024 EDUs per quarter note. (ENIGMA Durational Units), of which there are 1024 per quarter note (see the Equivalents topic for more information.) Because they are offsets from quantized durations, they can be either positive or negative; stop time (a) below is a negative number because the note was released early, but stop time (b) is positive because it was released slightly after the beat.

  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI tool menu appears.
  2. Choose MIDI tool > Edit Note Durations.
  3. Select the region containing the start and/or stop times you want to affect:
    • If the region involves only one staff, double-click in the staff. The MIDI Tool dialog box appears, with the notes on the staff below, horizontal lines representing the notes' current durations from start time to stop time, and thin gray vertical lines representing the strict quantized notes. Select either the handles of the note(s) on the staff or the corresponding horizontal line(s).
    • If the region includes multiple staves, select the region by drag-enclosing, SHIFT+clicking to select additional measures, clicking to the left of the staff to select the entire staff, or choosing Edit > Select All.
  4. Choose the appropriate command in the MIDI Tool menu:
    • Choose Set To to display the Set To - Note Durations dialog box, where you can give every note in the selected region the same start or stop time in EDUs. In this way, you can shorten or delay all notes by the same amount.
    • Scale to display the Scale - Note Durations dialog box, where you can gradually shorten or lengthen the start or stop times of the selected notes from one value (in EDUs) to another.
    • Add to display the Add - Note Durations dialog box, where you can alter every selected note’s start or stop time by a specified positive or negative EDU value.
    • Percent Alter to display the Percent Alteration - Note Durations dialog box, where you can increase or decrease the selected note durations by a percentage of their current values—ideal for creating a staccato effect for the selected music. This is the only command that directly affects the total durations of the selected notes instead of their start and stop times.
    • Limit to display the Limit - Note Durations dialog box, where you can set a maximum and minimum start and stop time value for the selected notes, in effect pulling the beginning and ending of each note closer to the beat. You can think of the Limit command as a form of quantizing.
    • Alter Feel to display the Alter Feel - Note Durations dialog box, where you can change the start and stop times of Downbeats, Other Beats, and Backbeats. For some interesting uses of the Alter Feel command, see Swing.
    • Randomize to display the Randomize - Note Durations dialog box, where you can alter the selected notes’ durations by a random amount, giving the music a less quantized, more human feeling. You might enter an EDU value of 1/16 (or less) of the predominant rhythmic values in the music; to subtly soften the rhythmic precision of an eighth note (512 EDUs) passage, for example, you might type 32 into the Start and Stop Times boxes.
  5. Enter the desired values for the start and/or stop times and click OK.
  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI Tool menu appears.
  2. Choose MIDI Tool > Edit Note Durations.
  3. Select the region in which you edited start and stop times.
  4. Drag the first source measure so that it’s superimposed on the first target measure. The start and stop times are copied onto the notes which fall on the same rhythmic location as source notes.

    If the first target measure is not on-screen, press COMMAND+C and scroll until you see it. Click the first target measure and press COMMAND+V.

When you "erase" start and stop time data from a region, you’re erasing the difference between the notated attacks and releases of the notes and the actual attack and release points (as recorded in HyperScribe or edited with the MIDI tool). In short, you’re restoring the playback of the selected region to a straightforward, “perfect” rhythmic feel.

  • Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI Tool menu appears. Make sure Edit Note Durations is selected in the MIDI Tool menu, and double-click in the staff you want to edit. Select the region containing the start and stop times you want to reset and choose MIDI Tool > Clear (or press DELETE).
  • Use the Selection tool icon to select the region containing the start and stop times you want to reset. Choose Edit > Clear Selected Items to display the Clear Selected Items dialog box. Click None, select Continuous data (under MIDI Data), and click OK.
  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI Tool menu appears.
  2. Select the region you want to sound more legato. See Selecting music for more information.
  3. Choose MIDI Tool > Edit Note Durations.
  4. Choose MIDI Tool > Percent Alter. The Percent Alteration - Note Durations dialog box appears.
  5. Enter 105 for Stop Times and click OK. Play the document to hear your changes.

Continuous data is MIDI information that’s not related to individual notes. Usually the term refers to devices on your MIDI keyboard that modify the notes in some electronic way: volume and sustain pedals (and other MIDI controllers), pitch and modulation wheels, channel pressure (aftertouch), and breath controllers are some examples. You can record any continuous data when you use HyperScribe to transcribe your music; furthermore, using the MIDI tool, you can graphically edit this data.

Continuous data is displayed in a slightly different format when you look at it in the MIDI Tool dialog box. Instead of thin vertical or horizontal lines, you see a graph of solid gray or black. There’s a small gap in this graph at each barline. This doesn’t mean that the data is absent at that point; this is just to help you identify measure boundaries. Note, too, that the notes in the display no longer have handles. That’s because controller information is independent of the actual notes being played—for example, you can press a piano pedal even during a measure of rests. Therefore, you specify where you want to insert a controller message by dragging through a sliver of the graph area.

  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon.
  2. Choose MIDI Tool > Edit Continuous Data. The View Continuous Data dialog box appears.
  3. Specify the continuous data you want to edit. If the continuous data type you want to edit is listed in the dialog box, select it from the pop-up menu (Sustain Pedal, Modulation Wheel, and so on). If not, click the Listen check box and play the controller. Finale enters the correct controller number in the text box automatically.
  4. Click OK (or press RETURN).
  5. Select the measures whose continuous data you want to edit. Click to select one measure, SHIFT+click to select additional measures, drag-enclose to select several on-screen measures, click to the left of the staff to select the entire staff, or choose Edit > Select All. If you want to edit only a few measures on a single staff, select them, and then double-click the highlighted region to enter the MIDI Tool dialog box. Drag through the display area above the notes whose continuous data you want to edit.
  6. Choose the appropriate command in the MIDI Tool menu (the units and value ranges depend on the specific MIDI controller you are editing):
  7. Enter the desired value(s) and click OK.

Because continuous data consumes memory and disk space, you may opt not to record all types of this data when you use HyperScribe. You can specify which types of continuous data to include when you record a performance with HyperScribe. For complete information on recording with the HyperScribe tool icon, see Recording with HyperScribe.

Once you’ve either captured MIDI data or edited MIDI data in the score (using the MIDI tool), you can copy this MIDI data to other staves or other parts of the score. For example, if you’re creating a piano piece in which the sustain pedal should be pressed at the beginning of each measure and released at the end, you only have to create this pattern of MIDI controller data once using the MIDI tool. Thereafter, you can simply copy the “pedaling” data from that one measure to any other measures in the score.

  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI Tool menu appears.
  2. Choose MIDI Tool > Edit Key Velocities, Edit Note Durations, or Edit Continuous Data.

    If you choose Continuous Data, the View Continuous Data dialog box appears so that you can specify which kind of MIDI continuous data you want to edit. Click the appropriate button (Sustain Pedal, Modulation Wheel, and so on), or enter the continuous data number in the text box. Click OK.

  3. Select the region containing the playback data you want to affect.
    • Click to select one measure.
    • SHIFT+click to select additional measures.
    • Drag-enclose to select several on-screen measures.
    • Click to the left of the staff to select the entire staff.
    • Choose Edit > Select All.
  4. To erase the selected MIDI data type from the selected region, press DELETE, or use the Selection tool to clear Continuous Data.
  5. To copy the selected MIDI data type to another region, drag the selected region so that it’s superimposed on the first target measure. If the first target measure is not on-screen, scroll until you see it. Then, while pressing CONTROL+OPTION simultaneously, click the first target measure. The Paste Multiple dialog box appears (unless the first target measure is directly above or below the first source measure).
  6. Type the number of times you want the material (horizontally) copied. Click OK (or press RETURN).

When you “erase” MIDI data, you’re erasing variations from the default value of the particular MIDI data you’re editing. For example, if you erase key velocity data from a region, you’re effectively restoring the default velocity value (such as 64) to every note in the region. The same is true of continuous data values.

  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI Tool menu appears.
  2. Choose MIDI Tool > Edit Continuous Data. The View Continuous Data dialog box appears.
  3. Specify the continuous data you want to erase. If the continuous data type you want to erase is listed in the dialog box, select it from the pop-up menu (Sustain Pedal, Modulation Wheel, and so on). If not, click the Listen check box and play the controller. Finale enters the correct controller number in the text box automatically.
  4. Click OK (or press RETURN).
  5. Double-click in the staff you want to edit. Select the region containing the continuous data you want to reset and choose MIDI Tool > Clear (or press DELETE).

As you move the pitch wheel up or down (on MIDI keyboards so equipped), the pitch of the entire keyboard shifts up or down by an amount you program on the MIDI keyboard itself. Finale records and plays pitch bends (the smoothly graduated, continuous shift of pitch that occurs when you use the pitch wheel). You can also edit pitch bends that you’ve recorded, and you can even insert expressions whose playback definitions involve the use of the pitch wheel. Remember, though, that pitch bends will be performed differently on different MIDI devices, since the pitch bend range is set on the device itself.

  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI Tool menu appears.
  2. Choose MIDI Tool > Edit Continuous Data. The View Continuous Data dialog box appears.
  3. Select Pitch Wheel and click OK.
  4. Select the region containing the pitch wheel data you want to affect:
    • If the region involves only one staff, double-click in the staff. The MIDI Tool dialog box appears, with the same display as editing continuous data. Drag through the display area above the notes to select the region.
    • If the region includes multiple staves, select the region by drag-enclosing, SHIFT+clicking to select additional measures, clicking to the left of the staff to select the entire staff, or choosing Edit > Select All.
  5. Choose the appropriate command in the MIDI Tool menu:
    • Choose Set To to display the Set To - Continuous Data dialog box, where you can specify a uniform value (-8192 to 8191) for the pitch wheel level.
    • Choose Scale to display the Scale - Continuous Data dialog box, where you can create a gradual change in pitch wheel values (-8192 to 8191) over the selected region. This is the most common command for pitch bends.
    • Choose Add to display the Add - Continuous Data dialog box, where you can add a positive or negative amount (-16384 to 16384) to the pitch wheel level throughout the selected region.
    • Choose Percent Alter to display the Percent Alteration - Continuous Data dialog box, where you can change the pitch wheel values in the selected region by a percentage of their original amounts.
    • Choose Limit to display the Limit - Continuous Data dialog box, where you can specify a maximum or minimum pitch wheel value (-8192 to 8191) for the notes in the selected region.

If you create a pitch bend that isn’t quite calculated correctly, you may discover that, during playback, the pitch of your MIDI keyboard never fully returns to normal. That’s because the pitch wheel, via MIDI, gets “stuck” partway out of its at-rest position. If this happens, drag through part of the graph area of the MIDI Tool dialog box (at the place where you want the pitch wheel to be returned to its at-rest position), choose MIDI Tool > Set To, enter 0, and click OK.

See To erase (reset) continuous data above.

The following instructions show you how to create an expression that produces a smooth pitch bend, from the pitch wheel’s at-rest position to its top position and back down again. Remember, though, that pitch bends will be performed differently on different MIDI devices, since the pitch bend range is set on the device itself. Finale includes a ready-made pitch bend expression that lasts for the duration of a quarter note. To use it, load the library called Pitch Bend Expression in the Miscellaenous folder into your document and assign the "pitch bend" expression where needed.

  1. Choose the Expression tool icon. Click on, above, or below the note to which you want to attach the marking. The Expression Selection dialog box appears.
  2. Choose the Miscellaneous category and click Create Misc. Expression. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
  3. Type “Pitch bend” or whatever text you want to appear in the score, if any, at the location of the pitch bend.

    To change the font, highlight the text, and then choose Text > Font.

  4. Click the Playback tab.
  5. Choose Type > Pitchwheel.
  6. Select Execute Shape and click Select. The Executable Shape Selection dialog box appears.
  7. Click Create. The Executable Shape Designer dialog box appears.
  8. Click Shape ID. The Shape Selection dialog box appears.
  9. Click Create. The Shape Designer appears, where you'll be designing an executable shape.
  10. Choose Shape Designer > Rulers and Grid. The Rulers and Grid dialog box appears.
  11. Under Measurement, select Eighth Notes. Type 4 in the Grid Marks Every: ___ 8th notes text box and click OK.
  12. Choose Shape Designer > Show > Grid.
  13. Choose View > 25%.

    When you use the Shape Designer to create a pitch bend, the range of pitch wheel values is from -8192 (pitch wheel at the bottom of its range) to 8191 (pitch wheel at the top of its range). The pitch wheel’s value when it’s “at rest” is 0. Because these values are so large, you’ve just reduced the Shape Designer display so that you’ll be able to see the entire shape in the window at once.

  14. Choose the Shape Designer's Hand Grabber tool and drag so that the small white circle (origin) is closer to the lower-left of the drawing area.
  15. Choose the Multiline Tool .

    To use the Multiline tool, you drag to create the first line segment, click at each subsequent corner, and then double-click to complete the shape. To make your shape match the dimensions of the one pictured here, observe the H: and V: numbers as you move the cursor, and place your mouse clicks according to the table below. Of course, you can always drag individual points into position, using the Selection tool, after you’ve drawn the shape.

  16. Draw the shape as shown:

    You should have a tall, upside-down V. This Shape Expression first bends the pitch wheel up, and then back down to its original position.

  17. Click OK and Select. You return to the Executable Shape Designer dialog box.
  18. In the Level Scale boxes, enter 128:1.

    Remember that a pitch wheel’s actual “maximum” value is 8191. By multiplying the height of the shape you drew by 128, you’re telling Finale to make the pitch bend 128 times more pronounced; if you didn’t, you probably wouldn’t even be able to perceive the pitch bend.

  19. In the Time Scale boxes, enter 1:4.

    The shape you drew was 32 eighth notes long, which creates a smoother sounding pitch bend. Changing the Time Scale ratio causes the pitch bend to last only 1/4 as long (a whole note); enter 2:1 to make it last twice as long, and so on.

  20. Click OK, Select, OK, and Assign to return to the score.

    Listen to the pitch bend in playback. If you want it to be less pronounced, decrease the Level Scale (or change the maximum pitch bend interval on your MIDI keyboard). If it lasts too long, decrease the Time Scale.

Finale both records and plays back the MIDI data that allows a MIDI device to change ClosedpatchesParticular instrument sounds within a MIDI channel. Consists of a simple program change or a combination of bank and program changes. during playback. A patch can be as simple as a program change message, but it might also include bank change information, which may be required on certain MIDI devices to access all available patches (refer to your device's documentation for full information). You can edit this data using the MIDI tool icon, and with Finale’s ScoreManager, you can create sets of your favorite channel/patch combinations and select them, by name, from the Sound pop-up menu (if MIDI/Audio > Play Finale Through MIDI is selected).

Finale begins numbering its patches at 1, but not every MIDI instrument begins the numbering of its programs at 1 (some begin numbering at 0). Therefore, if you find that the numbers you enter in the following examples change your MIDI instrument to a program number that’s one off, remember to change the numbers accordingly by adding 1. (If your MIDI instrument isn’t responding to the program changes, make sure that program changes have been “enabled,” for those synthesizers having such a control.)

The easiest way to set up patches is to select the instrument you want from the General MIDIpop-up menu. This will automatically setup the Bank Select and Program Change for that instrument. If you prefer to setup specific Bank Select and Program Change information using the text boxes, the directions below provide more information.

  1. Choose MIDI/Audio > Play Finale Through MIDI.
  2. Choose Window > ScoreManager. The ScoreManager appears. If you want to assign a program to a certain layer of a staff, click the triangle next to an Instrument name; the list expands to show you individual layer assignments.
  3. In the Sound column, select the MIDI sound you want to assign to each staff. If the MIDI sound you want does not appear in the Sound column, click the drop-down arrow and choose Edit Patch. The Set Patch To dialog box appears.
  4. Here, you can indicate the bank and program changes by choosing an option from the Patch pop-up menu and then entering the appropriate bank numbers. The ScoreManager gives you a great deal of power over MIDI channels and patch assignments. Click OK.
  5. Choose Document > Playback/Record Options.
  6. Ensure Send Patches to MIDI Device on Playback is checked and click OK.

In Finale, you can add mid-score instrument changes automatically, along with an expression that applies a patch change when using MIDI (or Audio Units) for playback. The following instructions tell you how to manually create an expression marking that produces a patch change during playback when MIDI/Audio > Play Finale Through MIDI is selected. If you don’t need a visual indication to appear in the score, you may find it faster to use the MIDI tool to create patch changes (see To set up patch changes using the MIDI tool, below). If you’re using QuickTime for playback, you’ll need to define the patch in the ScoreManager in order for the patch change to work.

  1. Choose the Expression tool icon.
  2. Click on, above, or below the note at which you want the patch to change. The Expression Selection dialog box appears. If you’ve previously created the patch change marking, double-click it. The expression appears in the score, where you can adjust its position (see below).
  3. Click Create. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
  4. Type a patch change indication (“To Clarinet,” for example). You can label the patch change any way you like, or you can leave the text box empty (if you want no graphic marking at all).
  5. Click the Playback tab.
  6. Choose Type > Patch.
  7. The Patch pop-up menu appears, choose the type of patch change needed, select the appropriate Bank and Program changes.
  8. Press RETURN three times.

    Depending on your playback settings, you may need to begin playback at a measure prior to the patch change for it to take effect. To avoid this problem you can set Finale to “chase” the patch changes up to the point where you’re beginning playback. That is, Finale quickly scans the piece all the way from the first measure, noting (and transmitting to your MIDI keyboard) any patch changes along the way, so that playback always begins using the current patch. See To ‘chase’ patch changes before playback below. Chase only supports playback in non-scrolling mode.

  1. Choose Window > Playback Controls. The Playback Controls appear.
  2. Click the expand arrow, and then Playback/Record Options. The Playback Options appear.
  3. Click Playback/Record Options.
  4. Choose Dynamics and Markings > Chase from Measure 1, then click OK.

    When you click a measure in the middle of a piece to begin playback, Finale takes a moment to scan your piece and “chase” any patch change markings that occur earlier in the piece up to the measure you clicked. In this way, Finale can keep track of any patch changes it encounters along the way, so that playback always begins with the correct current patch.

  1. Choose the MIDI tool icon. The MIDI tool menu appears.
  2. Double-click the measure in which you want the patch to change. The MIDI Tool dialog box appears.
  3. Click the Patch Change icon . On the left side of the MIDI tool dialog box you see a scale of continuous-data values—in this case, patch numbers—from 1 to 128. Unless you’ve already created patch changes with the MIDI tool (or recorded them during a Transcription Mode performance), the window is empty. You’ll specify where you want to insert a patch change by dragging through a sliver of the graph area.
  4. Drag through a small horizontal section where you want the patch change to occur. Keep in mind that the actual patch change will occur at the beginning of the region you select. It really doesn’t matter, therefore, how much of the window you highlight; the patch change will be inserted at the far left edge of your highlighted region.

  5. Choose MIDI Tool > Set To. The Set Patch To dialog box appears.
  6. Enter the appropriate Bank and Program numbers you want the staff’s playback to switch to. Click OK (or press RETURN). You return to the MIDI Tool dialog box. Part of the graph area is now gray. That’s because you’ve just inserted a patch change that’s in effect from the point you selected to the end of the piece. Repeat the entire process at other points in the score where you want the patch to change (for example, if you want the patch to change back to the original patch).

See To erase (reset) continuous data above.

Troubleshooting MIDI playback

On rare occasions, you may encounter a situation called MIDI lock in which your MIDI controller or synthesizer is “stuck” on a certain note or chord. Choose MIDI/Audio > All Notes Off to send an “all notes off” message to every note of every channel.

If you’re working with a very notationally dense score, you may at times find that your computer gets overwhelmed by the amount of MIDI data it’s asked to play. If your score has many chords, consider using the MIDI tool > Randomize command to offset the note attacks (start times) slightly from each other—not enough to hear, but enough so that your MIDI system doesn’t have to handle so many notes being struck precisely together.

If you notice Finale missing notes or instruments during playback, a Audio Units instrument plug-in may be exhausting your computer’s resources. To test this possibility:

  1. Choose MIDI/Audio > Play Finale Through MIDI.
  2. Choose MIDI/Audio > Device Setup > MIDI/Internal Speaker Setup. The MIDI Setup dialog box appears.
  3. From the Playback to pop-up menu, select SmartMusic Softsynth.
  4. Click OK and play the document. If the dropouts don't occur, then there is likely a problem with the Audio Units plug-in that was being used for playback.

Inter-application MIDI routing

We’ve provided basic instructions for setting up Finale to work with the CoreMIDI system of OS X in Setting up your MIDI system, as well as for Configuring MIDI in OS X. In addition, there are two methods to virtually route MIDI communication between applications on your computer: you can either use inter-application MIDI or an IAC driver.

When a program supports inter-application MIDI (e.g. Finale, Digital Performer, Unity DS-1, etc.), you can instruct it to publish its virtual drivers/ports. Details on how to enable these virtual ports/drivers are provided by the manufacturer of the application. (To do so in Finale, check Enable Inter-Application MIDI in the MIDI Setup dialog box). Once these virtual drivers are enabled, they can be selected as a MIDI Input and/or Output in other MIDI applications that support inter-application MIDI.

If you have published another program’s virtual ports/drivers, you can choose that device for output in Finale’s MIDI Setup dialog box. In the case of Digital Performer for example, you would select "DP Input" in the MIDI Output Device list in Finale. In Unity DS-1's case, you would select "Unity Destination".

When one of your MIDI applications does not support inter-application MIDI, you may be able to link them using an IAC Driver. The IAC driver is OFF by default in OS X, therefore you will first need to configure it. To do so:

  1. In /Applications/Utilities/, open the Audio MIDI Setup control panel.
  2. Click MIDI.
  3. Double click the IAC Driver icon to get the IAC Driver Properties window.
  4. Expand the window by clicking on the More Information arrow.
  5. Click the Ports button in the lower section.
  6. Make sure that you see at least one IAC Bus 1 port in the list. If not, click the Add Port button.
  7. In the upper section, check Device is Online.
  8. Click APPLY.
  9. Close the window.
  10. Quit Audio MIDI Setup.

Now, in your MIDI Applications, select the IAC Driver for MIDI input and/or output. In Finale, when you choose MIDI/Audio > MIDI Setup, you will see "IAC Driver IAC Bus 1" listed under moth MIDI Input and Output. If you use the "IAC Driver IAC Bus 1" for Output in Finale and you select the IAC Driver for input in a software sampler/synthesizer (like Reason) or MIDI sequencer, Finale communicates with that software and send its MIDI data to it via the IAC Bus.

MIDI sync

MIDI sync signals, often referred to as Song Pointer data, consist of a stream of MIDI data that allows two sequencers or computers to perfectly synchronize their playback or recording (providing both are equipped to interpret this data). Finale can both transmit and receive MIDI sync data; in other words, you can either use Finale to drive external sequencers so that they all play back together, or you can record new music in Finale (or listen to a playback of a Finale document) along with the tempo track of a sequencer that’s sending MIDI sync data. Finale also supports MIDI clock signals as well as SMPTE MIDI Time Code (MTC).

Finale sends MIDI sync (Song Pointer data) when you’re using the Playback Controls. Send MIDI Sync must be selected in the MIDI Setup dialog box. Follow these instructions if you want Finale to be the “master” device and an external sequencer to be the “slave” (in other words, Finale is providing the synchronization signal).

  1. Choose MIDI/Audio > MIDI Setup. The MIDI Setup dialog box appears.
  2. Click Send MIDI Sync To, and then click the pop-up menu and select the program you wish to send MIDI sync to. Click OK (or press return).

    From now on, Finale transmits MIDI sync any time it plays back your score. If you have connected your Mac to an external sequencer (or another computer) configured to interpret this kind of MIDI message, it will wait in “pause” mode until Finale begins play, at which point the two will play in synchronization.

Follow these instructions if you want Finale to be the “slave” device and an external sequencer to be the “master” (in other words, the external sequencer is providing the synchronization signal).

  1. Choose Window > Playback Controls if they are not already visible.
  2. Click the expand arrow to show all the playback options. Uncheck Scrolling Playback and click OK.
  3. Choose Document > Sync and Video Options. The Sync and Video Options dialog box appears.
  4. Select MIDI Sync, and then click OK. Finale now waits for a MIDI sync signal from the external sequencer. Once the external sequencer begins to play, Finale automatically “syncs up” to it, playing precisely together with it, even if you jump forward or backward in the external sequence.
  5. Click Play. Finale waits for the MIDI sync data from the other MIDI device before playing the music.

Normally, when you’re transcribing music in HyperScribe, you tap a key or pedal to provide Finale with a tempo reference. If you’re using HyperScribe to transcribe music being played by an external sequencer, however, the sequencer can provide the tempo reference by itself by transmitting MIDI sync signals. Finale supports MIDI clock signals but does not receive SMPTE, MIDI Time Code, or MIDI Machine Control.

  1. Choose the HyperScribe tool icon. The HyperScribe menu appears.
  2. Choose HyperScribe > Beat Source > External MIDI Sync. Proceed with the usual HyperScribe preparations, concluding by clicking the first measure in which you want the transcription to appear. Finale waits in pause mode until it receives the MIDI sync signal, at which point it automatically “syncs up” to it, transcribing the music as it goes. No tapping is needed.
  1. Choose MIDI/Audio > MIDI Setup. The MIDI Setup dialog box appears.
  2. Select Send MIDI Sync. Click OK (or press RETURN). You may also choose Time Tag > Click Output > Send MIDI Sync; Finale transmits this information instead of an audible click.

Noteman says: SMPTE stands for the Society of Motion Picture Television Engineers (see www.smpte.org). This group has defined cooperating standards called SMPTE time code which is used to synchronize film, video, or audio material. Finale supports the MIDI Time Code (abbreviated MTC), which is the MIDI representation of SMPTE. For Finale’s purposes, MTC is used to synchronize Finale playback with external movie players and editors.

While MIDI Sync synchronizes via relative time (24 clock messages per quarter note), MTC synchronizes via absolute time (sending “Quarter Frame” messages based on a SMPTE frame rate of, for example, 30 frames per second). Finale supports the sending of MTC, which means other devices capable of receiving MTC can sync with Finale. The device to which MTC will be sent, and whether or not to send MTC, can be set in the MIDI Setup dialog box. Whether or not to send MTC can be specified by checking or unchecking Send MTC under the MIDI/Audio menu. Additional MTC settings can be configured in the Sync and Video Options dialog box under the Document menu.

  1. Open Finale as well as the other MTC-compatible device. Some examples of products that can be set to receive MTC are Cubase, Pro Tools, and Digital Performer.
  2. In Finale, choose MIDI/Audio > Device Setup > MIDI/Internal Speaker Setup. The MIDI Setup dialog box appears.
  3. For MIDI Out, choose a driver that supports MTC. If your existing MIDI driver does not support MTC, try using MIDI Yoke which can be found at www.midiox.com/myoke.htm.
  4. Click OK. Set your other MTC-compatible device to receive MTC using the same driver you selected in Finale’s MIDI Setup dialog box.

    The location and wording of these settings varies depending on the product. Consult the product’s documentation for details.

  5. In Finale, click Play. When you play, pause, stop, rewind, or fast forward using Finale’s Playback Controls, the device receiving MTC responds accordingly.

 

MIDI reference

At any time, you can immediately send bank and program changes or specific controller data to a connected MIDI device.

  1. Choose MIDI/Audio > Send MIDI Value. The Send MIDI Value dialog box appears.
  2. Under MIDI Channels, select whether to send the message on all MIDI channels or on a specific MIDI channel.
  3. Select the type of MIDI data to send.
  4. Enter the value(s) you wish to transmit.
  5. Click Send.
  6. If you want to send another message, repeat steps 2 through 5. Otherwise, click Done.

This list contains all the General MIDI ClosedpatchParticular instrument sounds within a MIDI channel. Consists of a simple program change or a combination of bank and program changes. numbers and names. Finale’s ClosedSmartMusic SoftSynthA set of General MIDI sounds included with Finale. The SmartMusic SoftSynth is provided both as a soundfont for MIDI playback and as a plug-in for Audio Units playback. is a General MIDI SoundFont containing these patches. The patches in General MIDI are organized into groups which are used for all channels except for channel 10, which is used for percussion.

Group Patch Number Name
Piano 1 Acoustic Grand Piano
2 Bright Acoustic Piano
3 Electric Grand Piano
4 Honky-tonk Piano
5 Electric Piano 1
6 Electric Piano 2
7 Harpsichord
8 Clavi
Chromatic percussion 9 Celesta
10 Glockenspiel
11 Music Box
12 Vibraphone
13 Marimba
14 Xylophone
15 Tubular Bells
16 Dulcimer
Organ 17 Drawbar Organ
18 Percussive Organ
19 Rock Organ
20 Church Organ
21 Reed Organ
22 Accordion
23 Harmonica
24 Tango Accordion
Guitar 25 Guitar (nylon)
26 Acoustic Guitar (steel)
27 Electric Guitar (jazz)
28 Electric Guitar (clean)
29 Electric Guitar (muted)
30 Overdriven Guitar
31 Distortion Guitar
32 Guitar Harmonics
Bass 33 Acoustic Bass
34 Electric Bass (finger)
35 Electric Bass (pick)
36 Fretless Bass
37 Slap Bass 1
38 Slap Bass 2
39 Synth Bass 1
40 Synth Bass 2
Strings 41 Violin
42 Viola
43 Cello
44 Contrabass
45 Tremolo Strings
46 Pizzicato Strings
47 Orchestral Harp
48 Timpani
Ensemble 49 String Ensemble 1
50 String Ensemble 2
51 SynthStrings 1
52 SynthStrings 2
53 Choir Aahs
54 Voice Oohs
55 Synth Voice
56 Orchestra Hit
Brass 57 Trumpet
58 Trombone
59 Tuba
60 Muted Trumpet
61 French Horn
62 Brass Section
63 SynthBrass 1
64 SynthBrass 2
Reed 65 Soprano Sax
66 Alto Sax
67 Tenor Sax
68 Baritone Sax
69 Oboe
70 English Horn
71 Bassoon
72 Clarinet
Pipe 73 Piccolo
74 Flute
75 Recorder
76 Pan Flute
77 Blown Bottle
78 Shakuhachi
79 Whistle
80 Ocarina
Synth lead 81 Lead 1(square)
82 Lead 2 (sawtooth)
83 Lead 3 (calliope)
84 Lead 4 (chiff)
85 Lead 5 (charang)
86 Lead 6 (voice)
87 Lead 7 (fifths)
88 Lead 8 (bass+lead)
Synth pad 89 Pad 1 (new age)
90 Pad 2 (warm)
91 Pad 3 (polysynth)
92 Pad 4 (choir)
93 Pad 5 (bowed)
94 Pad 6 (metallic)
95 Pad 7 (halo)
96 Pad 8 (sweep)
Synth effects 97 FX 1 (rain)
98 FX 2 (soundtrack)
99 FX 3 (crystal)
100 FX 4 (atmosphere)
101 FX 5 (brightness)
102 FX 6 (goblins)
103 FX 7 (echoes)
104 FX 8 (sci-fi)
Ethnic 105 Sitar
106 Banjo
107 Shamisen
108 Koto
109 Kalimba
110 Bag Pipe
111 Fiddle
112 Shanai
Percussive 113 Tinkle Bell
114 Agogo
115 Steel Drums
116 Woodblock
117 Taiko Drum
118 Melodic Tom
119 Synth Drum
120 Reverse Cymbal
Sound effects 121 Guitar Fret Noise
122 Breath Noise
123 Seashore
124 Bird Tweet
125 Telephone Ring
126 Helicopter
127 Applause
128 Gunshot

 

There are two additional alternative General MIDI patches on bank 1, Piano and Violin (all other SmartMusic SoftSynth patches reside in bank 0). These are the same piano and violin patches that were included with Finale 2005 are available when SmartMusic SoftSynth is chosen as your MIDI Out device in the MIDI Setup dialog box. To create an instrument using one of these alternative patches, do the following:

  1. Choose MIDI/Audio > Play Finale Through MIDI.
  2. If the ScoreManager isn’t visible, choose Window > ScoreManager.
  3. Under Sound, click the pop-up menu for the staff you want to assign to the 2005 Piano or Violin and choose Edit Patch. The Set Patch To dialog box appears.
  4. Click the Patchpop-up menu and choose Bank Select 32, Program Change. The Bank Select 32 and Program Change text boxes should be available.
  5. In the Bank Select 32 text box, enter 1.
  6. In the Program Change text box, enter 1 for the Finale 2005 Piano and 41 for the Finale 2005 Violin.

If you want to change this instrument back to any of the standard General MIDI patches, first change the Bank Select 32 text box back to 0.

The following diagram shows the relationship between pitch names and MIDI Note numbers.

See also:

MIDI files