Audio and audio files
Finale's audio options include the ability to add an audio track to your document suited for either recording a live performance or inserting an external audio file. Additionally, any document can be saved as an audio file using the same high-quality results you hear during playback.
Noteman says: Finale does not include any audio editing capabilities. To make changes to an audio file itself, use an audio editing product. (Pro Tools, Sonar, and Cubase are examples of audio editing products).
Wave, AIFF, or MP3 files can be loaded into a Finale document's audio track. To add an audio track to a Finale document and add an audio file, see To import an audio file (below). To record audio in real-time with HyperScribe, see To record an audio track. The Mixer controls and Studio View Staff Controls that are used for controlling staff volume, panning, and other playback parameters also apply to audio tracks. See Studio View.
Noteman says: Finale can use VST sounds when saving as audio, although the file is recorded in real-time, and is not in a compressed (MP3) format.
You can save a Finale document as a standard Wave file (for burning to a CD), or as a compressed MP3 (for storing on your computer or transfer over the Internet). See To export an audio file (below). Finale generates the audio file based on the MIDI performance of the Finale document. For sound, Finale uses a General MIDI SoundFont installed to the Finale/Audio Support folder named “synthgms.sf2.” (See Finale Installation Details for specific folder locations on your computer). This file contains the sounds used to ‘record’ the audio file. To use a different General MIDI SoundFont, choose MIDI/Audio > Device Setup > MIDISetup, click SoftSynth Settings, and click Select to open a different SoundFont.
To burn audio files to a CD, follow the instructions included with your CD burning software to organize the files into tracks and burn them to a recordable CD.
To import an audio file
Noteman says: Imported MP3 audio files must have a sample rate of 44.1 kHz.
- Choose View > Studio View. Audio tracks are only visible in Studio View.
- Choose MIDI/Audio > Audio Track > Add Audio Track. An empty audio track appears beneath the TempoTap staff.
- Choose MIDI/Audio > Audio Track > Load Audio. The Open dialog box appears.
- Navigate to the desired audio file and click Open. The Audio Clip Attributes dialog box appears, where you can adjust the start point of the audio file in the score, or specify at what point to begin/end the audio file (the portion you would like to play).
To sync your music to tempo changes in the imported audio file, see To record tempo changes with TempoTap.
To export an audio file
If you are exporting audio files for practice or educational purposes, using the Share feature in Finale v27 is strongly recommended. Sharing is based on the SmartMusic platform and offers many more interactive capabilities than a standard audio file. Please see Share and www.smartmusic.com/features for more information.
- Review playback. The audio file created by Finale is generated from the MIDI performance, so changes to the document’s MIDI data will apply to the generated audio file.
To export a specific region, in the Playback Settings dialog box, check Observe Playback Region when Saving to MIDI or Audio File, and the specify the region you would like to export in the options above.
- Choose File > Export > Audio File. The Save As Audio File dialog box appears. Here, you can choose to generate a standard, or compressed audio file.
- Choose the destination folder and click Save. Finale generates the audio file and saves it to the specified folder.
Tip: Human Playback settings apply to saved audio files, so all generated audio files sound the same as the document played from Finale. To use MIDI data added deliberately (with the MIDI tool for example), set Human Playback to None in the Playback Settings dialog box. To edit Finale’s MIDI performance manually (instead of using Human Playback), you can use the MIDI or Expression Tool. See MIDI tool and Expressions.
To add a click track to an exported audio file
You can use Click and Countoff to hear clicks representing the tempo in your document for playback and/or recording. However, if you plan to export an audio file of your document with a click track, you must follow these steps.
- In the ScoreManager, click the Instrument List tab.
- Click Add Instrument and choose the sound you want for the click track (e.g. Percussion > Claves or Drums > Snare Drum). A new staff appears in your document.
- Using Simple Entry or Speedy Entry, enter the desired click track rhythm in the first measure of the new staff.
- Choose the Selection tool
and click the first measure of the new staff to highlight it.
- Choose Edit > Copy (or press CTRL+C).
- Click the empty second measure of the new staff to highlight it.
- Choose Edit > Paste Multiple (or press CTRL+ALT+V). The Paste Multiple dialog box appears.
- Next to Paste Horizontally, choose To the end of the score.
- Click OK.
- Listen to the playback of the file and edit the click track staff as necessary; when you are satisfied with it, export an audio file.
See also:
To record an Audio Track
