Guidebook: Finale and GPO [Input Thread]

Hey guys,

So you just got Finale and it came with GPO, or you have Finale and the full version of GPO - and you pop open the program hoping to find some clear, direct, easy-to-understand instructions for use. Simple, right? Not really...it turns out that there IS no single, concise manual where you can find everything you ever wanted to know about using these two programs together.

As some of you will already know, I have decided to address the aspects of using Finale and Garritan Personal Orchestra together in the form of a book; a manual for every user.

During the writing process, I want to keep this thread open for your input - after all, it's for users. So if you've ever had any issues using the program, any questions you couldn't find an answer to, this is the place to put them. Post them all in this thread and they'll be addressed in the book.

Thanks guys, I will also post the first bit when it's done just to give you all an idea of the formatting and the structure. As a general idea, I plan to have it like a textbook of sorts, only nice and user-friendly; with score examples and Mp3 and MUS files to accompany it in a convenient package (with the book itself being in PDF format for convenience).

I hope you'll find it useful when I'm done

Wonderful idea, Marius. I know everyone here with Finale 2006-2007 and GPO will benefit. GPO can really be frustrating as hell when you're confused on how to do something. This will hopefully save many forum-mates hours on end doing the following:

a) cursing
b) throwing objects at the computer
c) emailing GPO's tech support - which often takes days for a reply, in which A and B and increased exponentially
d) threatening to "give up" and "surrender" to the god of GPO.

Shalom.

well, if you don't mind, I can input a bit of my own experience with Finale and full GPO, however, it will be with Finale 2006 (I have 2007, but feel that its version of HP is still lacking in integration with full version GPO).

The most important thing I can say is make sure your score is visually as complete as possible. HumanPlayback was designed to take into consideration a number of notational score items:

• staff names
• clefs (particularly for percussion)
• phrase markings (especially for woodwinds)
• bowings (for strings)
• dynamics
• articulations

the more of the above-listed items you can include, in as clear and logical a fashion, the easier time of it HP will have in interpreting your music.

HP's integration within Finale and with GPO allows it to select the appropriate samples for different dynamics.

A detail that is sorely lacking from the Finale user manual is one related to articulations - in particular, trills.
You can get perfect playback of trills, notated in whatever way you need, if you assign them properly from the articulation tool.
The first thing that needs to be done (and generally, I open a default document and resave it as the maestro font default.ftm file) is to change the fonts for your trill symbols. Those trills can be found at the following locations:

• replace the "tr" symbol by the following - EngraverFont Set, symbol number 217 (this will match the other trills we are setting up)
• create (or replace) a "tr-b" symbol (trill flat) from the Engraver Font Extras font set (character - NOT shape!) symbol number 60
• "tr-#" from the Engraver Font Extras font set, symbol number 44
• "tr-natural" from the Engraver Font Extras font set, symbol 46

* note, these are "characters" and not "shapes". you must check the appropriate check box when creating these. And you must redefine them for both "when placed above" and "when placed below the note", or they will not play back properly.

Will do, your help is appreciated, Michel!

This is the best thread I've found on any forum in a month. Thank you, so very much! I'm sure this will benefit many (as well as save Marius from my endless questions).

Did you know that when you Google "setting up gpo full with finale 2007", this is the first result?

Oh- I think a section on percussion would be very beneficial.

Hahaha, that's pretty hilarious I guess I better get writing then...stupid exams.

Thanks for somewhat reviving this thread David and for leaving you suggestions; it gives me an excuse to update people.

So far, things are coming along nicely and as soon as another two weeks pass (exam time), I expect to start posting this guidebook up chapter by chapter so people don't have to wait for my schedule to start reading.

Oh and David, There WILL be a percussion section...an elaborate one; let's try to remember who's writing this thing, shall we?

Thanks again!

Excellent idea!!!


I know this is obvious, but it's so critical: Write as if the audience has an IQ of 90 and knows absolutely nothing else than what Finale and GPO are supposed to do.

In other words, you should explain everything not only in absolute and seemingly infinite detail, but in precise and clear language so everyone can understand everything easily and the first time through without having to double take once.

It's laborious and extremely tedious, but it shows how much you're willing to help out.

it might also be an idea to treat Finale 2006 and Finale 2007 as completely different animals... for example, with Fin'06 you need to do a couple of little tricky things to get percussion to play properly, while with Fin'07 it's completely different.

It just occurred to me, Marius: It's just as well you can't write the guide yet (sorry about your exams, though ); I don't think there's any real point until they've released the 2.0 versions of the Garritan software; you'd have to update the material, anyway.

Very true, yes. Thanks guys