[Dixielandjazz] Sibellius or Finale or Encore?

Tue Oct 11 12:28:43 PDT 2005

I'm not a fan of Finale (2002).  I import midi files and break them into
horn parts.  Not a problem but adding in chord symbols is a real drag as is
trying to put slash bars in one part with chords above them. (as in writing
an intro for horns and chord comp part for piano and banjo with slashes)
This is a typical jazz application and it just doesn't work very well and is
really time consuming.  When you play it back it sounds like a three year
old playing simple triads.  Plunk Plunk Plunk.  They don't hold long enough
to actually hear what you have put in.  It's almost like pizzicato.  It
would be helpful if it held the chord for the full duration but it doesn't.

I'm not a strong piano player and I really like to hear what I've written
and Finale really does not do a good job in playback.  I can live with it
but I would like to have something better.

It's also difficult to change the size of the type on chord symbols.  That's
not a biggie but it would be nice if you could globally change the size.

The next thing that really doesn't work is the scan feature.  I have three
scanners and the program will not accept files (tif) from any of them as
it's supposed to do.  You are supposed to be able to scan in a page of music
and then have it played in band in the box playback engine.  I don't know if
that works because I never got that far.

Maybe someone will either tell me what the problem is or what program will
do what I want it to do hopefully without spending another $400.

Basically, I want to: Import a Midi file. Break it into parts. Transpose
those parts for various instruments,  change key if I want.  Add chord
symbols to all parts properly transposed.  Put in slash marks with chord
symbols above the slash marks.  Hopefully print a part from the program
without extracting the individual parts causing lots of files to be
generated.  I would like to be able to scan in a part and have the program
recognize it

I find Finale to be really cranky doing these things.  It takes me forever
to do even a basic arrangement for three horns and rhythm.

Larry Walton
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dave at creolejazz.com>
To: "Dixieland Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 7:29 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Sibellius or Finale or Encore?

> There is sort of a subtle debate (and sometimes not too subtle) between
> notation software users as to which program is best. I'm pleased to learn
> that Don uses Finale, too. I started just a couple of years before you,
Don,
> and have had every version upgrade since. Although, I don't have 2006 yet.
>
> The truth is that whichever program you start with and use is the one
you're
> going learn and like. Yes, Finale is complicated in some ways, but its
depth
> allows you to have complete control over every aspect of your output. If
> that's the kind of control you want, you can't beat Finale. If you just
want
> simplicity and don't really care to much what the final result is, choose
a
> simpler (and cheaper) alternative.
>
> And contrary to one post on this subject, the .pdf manual that comes with
> Finale is extremely helpful, user friendly, and complete and is updated
with
> every upgrade. At least that is my opinion. I'm always able to quickly
find
> out how to do what I need to do.
>
> Check out this link for an interesting, recent comparison of Finale vs
> Sibelius.
>
> http://www.jefferycotton.net/info.asp?pgs=hairpin
>
> These comparisons come up every now and then and I find them interesting.
>
> I know we've strayed from your original question. Sorry about that.
>
> Dave
> =================
> "It's a treat to beat your feet."
> The New Creole Jazz Band
> Dave Gravatt
> 417-877-8811 (home)
> 417-894-8557 (cell)
> http://www.CreoleJazz.com
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Don Mopsick" <mophandl at landing.com>
> To: "'DJML'" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 1:21 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Sibellius or Finale or Encore?
>
>
> >I have been using Finale for Windows since 1995. A lot of changes for
> > the better since then. I am using version 2005b. I know the program so
> > well by now that I feel I can do anything I need to do with it. I even
> > did some very complicated copy work for a solo piano score for Dick
> > Hyman, the most challenging in my career as a copyist. I have done a
> > total of 3 full orchestra scores, all were "Pops" charts for jazz band
> > and symphony orchestra.
> >
> > Yes, the learning curve for Finale is a long one, but the rewards are
> > great once you learn it. The newer versions have some very handy
> > time-saving improvements, like the Staff Tool which can turn regions of
> > measures into repeats, slashes for blowing, or rhythmic notation. I can
> > usually turn out a chart for a 7-piece jazz band of about 125 measures
> > in length in about 4-5 hours, including printing out the parts and
> > scotch taping them together.
> >
> > There is a built-in sequencer with MIDI which I find very useful for
> > clam-checking the score before extracting the parts.
> >
> > The graphics tool allows one to export the finished parts in a number of
> > leading graphics formats like .tif. I have never gotten the scanner
> > music recognition software to produce any useable results.
> >
> > Sometimes you can get a significant discount on Finale if you can prove
> > that you are a music or jazz educator.
> >
> > I have seen the output of the other notation programs. Nothing beats
> > Finale. There is a special "jazz font" available that makes it look like
> > a conventional copyist with a traditional Osmiroid ink pen, but that
> > reminds me too much of Berklee School of Music. So I just stick with the
> > more formal font. Looks just fine, and muisicians never complain about
> > the clarity.
> >
> > I have found that printing from Finale works best with a laser printer.
> >
> >
> > mopo
> >
> >
> > Don Mopsick, Riverwalk Webmaster
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
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> >
> >
>
>
>
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