ReWire Playback Settings dialog box

How to get there

  1. While in ReWire mode, choose Window > Playback Controls.
  2. Click on the Playback Settings button on the Playback Controls.

What it does

In this dialog box, you can define Finale’s handling of a number of playback variables. The following options are available to control playback while using Finale in ReWire mode:

  • Device to ReWire Master Tempo. Check this option to use your DAW's tempo instead of Finale's tempo map during playback. If this option is selected, your DAW ignores any marking that has tempo data in your Finale file.

    This option is deselected by default. It is important to note that playback will not work correctly if there is a tempo track in your DAW and Finale is controlling the tempo.

  • Human Playback Style: From this drop-down list, you can choose a playback style such as romantic, jazz, blues, or classical. Finale uses the style chosen to emulate a human performance during playback. Adjustments to the MIDI performance data in tempo, note duration, key velocity, and other MIDI attributes are applied throughout Finale’s performance. When any Human Playback Style is chosen, all other MIDI data deliberately applied to the document ,including data added with the MIDI and Expression tool, is ignored in favor of the Human Playback settings. The Human Playback performance will include existing expressions, Smart Shapes,and other markings in its interpretation based on the style chosen. These settings also apply to saved MIDI files (*.MID) and SmartMusic Accompaniment files (*.SMPX). You can turn off Human Playback by choosing None from this list. Choose Custom to open the Human Playback Custom Style dialog box where you can configure custom Human Playback Settings.
  • HP Preferences. Click this button to open the Human Playback Preferences within the Preferences dialog box, where you can control how Human Playback handles existing MIDI data and make additional settings.
  • Swing: Swing Values. This control allows you to apply a swing feel to the entire piece. If you’ve created an Expression with a Swing effect, the expression will override this control. Click on the Swing Values drop-down list to select from several levels of swing or type the percentage of swing in the text box (0% = no swing, 100% = standard swing). For more details, see Swing Playback.
  • Base Key Velocity. This number, on a scale from 0 (silent) to 127 (very loud), establishes the overall key velocity setting for the playback of your piece. (Key velocity is usually equated with volume, but not always. Finale calculates the effect of dynamic markings (expressions) based on this number. In other words, you can make the piece generally softer by decreasing this number (but individual dynamics within the piece will still override the playback control settings).
  • OK • Cancel. Click Cancel to return to your score without making any changes to the dialog box. Click OK (or press enter) to confirm your playback settings and return to the score.