Finale and MIDI

Is there a way to get Finale to play more than 16 channels? The current song I'm working on uses 25, and the only way to listen to them all is if I save it as a .wav file (which can get tedius after a while). Is there a way to get all 25 to play in Finale without having to save as a music file?

If not, don't sweat it. I'll just compose the lines for strings on the flute (violin I and II), piccolo (violin), oboe (viola), Bari Sax (Cello), Tuba (Bass) lines... and then copy+paste. xD! I have my ways. That's how I do it, but I was just wondering if there was a way to do it elsewise. Hope this doesn't sound lazy or selfish...

EDIT: Also, in this one passage I have, I let the dominant chord play twice in the bassline (cellos, bass, tuba, bari sax, bass clarinet, etc.). It plays once on beat 1, and again on beat 3. Should I make the first chord the dominant, and second chord a dominant 7th? Should I make the first chord dominant, and the second chord just an inversion? Should I make the first chord suspended and the second chord the dominant chord? Or is there something else.

The song is in G Minor, and I'm working with D chord (yesh, I'm a sucker for harmonic minor). Also, in a 8-measure theme, it's the 7th measure. I tend to do most of my musical ideas/themes in 8 measures. Usually it's i, iv, i, V7, i, iv, (some version of v/V), i.

BUMP!

Shouldn't this have been moved? :unsure:

Moderation: And it has now been moved. Title also adjusted to reflect the subject.

Let's see what I can answer for you...

Is there a way to get Finale to play more than 16 channels? The current song I'm working on uses 25, and the only way to listen to them all is if I save it as a .wav file (which can get tedius after a while). Is there a way to get all 25 to play in Finale without having to save as a music file?

If you're using Finale 2006, it should easily be able to do this, even with the GPO instruments. Note, though, that if you use the GPO, you can only use every other group of eight channels - 1-8, 17-24, 33-40, and so on. (This isn't exactly true, but I don't feel like going into the details.) I don't think Finale 2005 and earlier can handle more than 16, though I could be wrong.

EDIT: Also, in this one passage I have, I let the dominant chord play twice in the bassline (cellos, bass, tuba, bari sax, bass clarinet, etc.). It plays once on beat 1, and again on beat 3. Should I make the first chord the dominant, and second chord a dominant 7th? Should I make the first chord dominant, and the second chord just an inversion? Should I make the first chord suspended and the second chord the dominant chord? Or is there something else.

It's hard to know without knowing the chords that are heard on the 2nd and 4th beats. Also, it's ultimately up to your preference, unless there's some special case I'm not aware of.

The song is in G Minor, and I'm working with D chord (yesh, I'm a sucker for harmonic minor). Also, in a 8-measure theme, it's the 7th measure. I tend to do most of my musical ideas/themes in 8 measures. Usually it's i, iv, i, V7, i, iv, (some version of v/V), i.

Interesting. This could be effective with some excellent melodic material and figuration, but you will eventually need to branch out. I mean, even Mozart used submediant chords! Find a good book or teacher from which you can learn some solid music theory. The more you broaden your horizons, the better you'll become!

Thanks on all that! Actually, my music theory only went up to using I, IV, and V chords for major keys... and i, iv, and v chords for minor keys... most of the other stuff I learned to use, I learned through experience of writing.

Anyway, the song I'm talking about, I'm having a major block, and I'm gonna post it under writer's block (I think that's where it goes).

And I'm using Finale 2004... so, nope, no GPO (as far as I know).