Finale 2009 Now Shipped

It's funny how us Sibelius users have already had these features for about, I dunno, FIVE years! And ya'll have to buy a new one every year just to keep pace. It's such a dumb way to steal your money. Especially when there are no major updates.

I think it is even more dumb how you feel the need to smear software that other people choose to use. If Finale helps someone make great music, that's great. If Sibelius helps others make great music, that's awesome. There are other programs out there as well: Sonar, Reason, Logic, Pro Tools, Acid. They're all tools.

Keep your Sibelius and your snobbish attitude to yourself. Finale is impressive- just as Sibelius is. I personally don't use either program that much because other traditional DAWs meet more of my needs.

I'm confused about something. When I went to check out Finale 2009, it offered Garritan Personal Orchestra as something you can purchase on top of Finale. I don't understand, does that mean that Finale 2009 does not come equipped with Garritan?

I'm confused about something. When I went to check out Finale 2009, it offered Garritan Personal Orchestra as something you can purchase on top of Finale. I don't understand, does that mean that Finale 2009 does not come equipped with Garritan?

It's funny how us Sibelius users have already had these features for about, I dunno, FIVE years! And ya'll have to buy a new one every year just to keep pace. It's such a dumb way to steal your money. Especially when there are no major updates.

Here's one composer's opinion: The Website of Composer Jeffery Cotton: It Isn't Pretty Being Easy

Yes, I've seen this article. It's outdated because many of the notational errors mentioned in there have been fixed since Sibelius 3. Sibelius 5 fixed major slur mishaps and the hairpins are now customizable.

And FWIW, the slurs have worked beautifully for me. And you can adjust them as you please.

Gardener, what do you mean by "Compatability issues"?

Oh, just that my friends are all using Finale, and we need to exchange documents frequently.

It comes with a truncated version of Garritan.

I see. Fork over $200 more for more instruments. Oy. Looks like the Kontakt player has been replaced. I'll probably order Finale within the next week or so. There are friends of mine who harp on Sibelius' superiority, but I'm still on the learning curve for Finale. Only recently did I figure out how to insert grace notes and courtesy accidentals.

Yes, it ships with a good selection of instruments, and you have the option of buying many more from the 3rd party vendor. Playback in Finale is definitely superior to Sib.

Matthew, if you ever can't figure something out in Finale, ask the forum - one of us should be able to help no matter how obscure the question (well, unless it's a technical, computer-not-working type question...). Don't be shy ;)

I see. Fork over $200 more for more instruments. Oy. Looks like the Kontakt player has been replaced. I'll probably order Finale within the next week or so. There are friends of mine who harp on Sibelius' superiority, but I'm still on the learning curve for Finale. Only recently did I figure out how to insert grace notes and courtesy accidentals.

I think the point is that most of the garritan libraries, retailing for around $200 each, are STILL considerably less expensive than any other comparable libraries. And of course, there's the added advantage of the deep-rooted integration with Finale and Finale's considerable playback capabilities.

Just to put this out there I ordered 2009....

AND I CAN'T WAIT TO FINALLY HAVE A FRIGGIN VIBRAPHONE SOUND!!!!

Gah I felt like they were taunting me with all the stuff in 2008 but no vibraphone,btw my fav. instrument.

Matthew, if you ever can't figure something out in Finale, ask the forum - one of us should be able to help no matter how obscure the question (well, unless it's a technical, computer-not-working type question...). Don't be shy ;)

Thanks, Flint. I always try to figure something out on my own, or, heaven forbid, look through the user's manual to figure out how things work. However, I do have one problem that the manual didn't explain particularly well, and that's changing the clef part-way through a measure.

In Finale 2007 and earlier, I think there's a "create a movable mid-measure clef" checkbox in the clef dialog box, I think.

In Finale 2008 you have to select the passage where you want the clef to apply, beginning at the position in the measure where you want it to start. When you then select a new clef in the clef dialog box it will be placed at the position the selection starts and have a little anchor do move it around with. If you select whole measures it doesn't work, only if you select partial measures. (See also here: Where did the Mid-Measure Clef Go?! | Grand Finale Blog)

*SQUEAL* I checked UPS and my copy is out on the truck for delivery right now!

*SQUEAL!!!!!!!*

...should I upgrade to 2009...or...save my money to buy a $2000 piano?

...should I upgrade to 2009...or...save my money to buy a $2000 piano?

Get the piano.

:(...ok.

ho hum, i guess that finale 2009 will be here all year, whereas the piano may get sold any day now.

thanks for the advice :ermm:

:(...ok.

ho hum, i guess that finale 2009 will be here all year, whereas the piano may get sold any day now.

thanks for the advice :ermm:

Sorry...I'm just a huge advocate of pianos-as-compositional-tool and feel anything after Finale 2003 is totally usable for notational purposes...

;)

you know what my biggest problem with using the piano as a composition tool is?

I will being writing things on my manuscript...and then play what i think should come next...but, i dont stop playing...next thing i know, i have a fantastic piece...however, i cant remember it enough to write it down!

so...i should probably get a plugin for my keyboard into the finale i have right?

so...i should probably get a plugin for my keyboard into the finale i have right?

I think you just have to find a way record the audio. If you're on a laptop, it'll be much easier, since you can bring the computer where the piano is. On a desktop...that could be harder depending if the computer's in the same room as the piano, the length of the microphone cord, etc.

hmm yes, a laptop would be ample...but...is unfortunately nonexistant...and the piano is in my room, whilst the computer is in the room next door :(

ho hum...ill just have to get over my lazy 'at piano' composing-ness

If you're just recording to notate it you don't need good sound quality. I'm sure you can buy a cheap recorder/tape deck/whatever in a second hand store for almost nothing. Or buy one of these colourful Fisher Price tape recorders :D

Or try to restrain yourself and only play as much as you can remember and then write down :P

you know what, i actually have bought myself a voice recorder, but...it has no USB connection. So bummed about that. However, now im just making excuses...and clearly I do have means in which to be a prolific composer...

yes...i should restrain when at the piano too.

I went to the Brisbane, Australia official release thingo of Finale 2009 last night.

I'm so glad I went. Not because they have changed a lot in 2009 vs. 2008, but because the presenter did something in Finale that I didn't know you can do and made me want to cry with joy:

HE made simple-entry note durations enter able without a numerical keypad!!!

I spent about 10 minutes today getting the hang of it. I could write music in literally half the time as I used to! The click,click,click,click,click method to enter one note was giving me the grumps like you wouldn't believe and put me off the whole compositional process!

Now it works!

As for finale, I'm going to buy 2009 because I couldn't afford it when I was using it in high-school for music class (when I had no job and my parents weren't forking out $350 bucks for it) so I had to download it illegally. Had to deal with lots of glitches which were resolved in the later maintenance updates.

So I figure its time to do the right thing.

Also, someone mentioned Garritan Sounds as an extra?

The guy last night said that 300 VST instruments were included with Finale which included a mix of orchestral and jazz.

So anyone bought it and used it yet?

Chris :-)

damn, i knew i should have went to those things!

HOW ANNOYING!

Meh.

I wish I knew how to do that :(

(fast entry)

The entry thing is easy. Just click any of the notes (Crotchet, quaver) etc that you would normally click and the click which note in the composition etc you want to play that length for.

This automatically puts you in to the right mode.

Now it is a simple matter of using the numbers 1-9 on a numerical keypad to change the duration and the letter-name of the note to place it. So the key 'c' will enter a note into the nearest 'place' for a C to go.

If it is the wrong octave, press Shift + alt + up/down depending of which octave you want the note to go.

Then press the 'x' key followed by the number/letter of the expression to enter and expression. (To find these out look in the Expression tool window. You'll notice each expression has a bracketed letter/number after it)

That will enter an expression at the selected note.

Then use the '~' key to enter articulations the same way.

Right click for key/time signatures etc

Have fun!