count-in measure

[jazzmot]

I'm using PrintMusic 2007. My piece is for teaching purposes and I would like to have the first measure of the piece be a count-in measure using a click sound. Just a simple quarter note for each beat would be fine. I thought a patch change would do it, but can't find any info regarding patch changes. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[michelp]

Don't you have a click and countoff window to define a click just for countoff ? Not sure in PrintMusic.
I don't know if PrintMusic offers the possibility to use text expressions with effect on playback (In the full Finale, in the expression designer window, select Playback->Type->Patch). Miker will tell you if he reads this.
Another way would be to create an additional staff (percussion) just to play the countoff.

[jazzmot]

There is something called HyperScribe that allows one to define a recording tempo and click but I am entering the notes manually into the staff. If I could change the first measure to a different instrument, I could accomplish what I need but can't figure out how to do this. Your idea of adding another staff would work too, so thanks for this suggestion.

[miker]

The easiest way is to assign a different instrument (I tried it with a woodblock) to an unused layer. In the instrument list, hit the down arrow in the first column, and you will see how to get access to those layers. Then, in whichever layer you want to use, click the down arrow, and select New Instrument. In the next screen, assign it a new channel, and a new instrument in the General MIDI field.

In your first measure, switch to that layer, enter your quarter notes. Then, go back to layer one, and go!