How to write a music book?

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kokkolos
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 10:55 pm

Post by kokkolos » Thu Sep 30, 2010 12:23 pm

Hello!
I'm going to write a book (manual) for musicians.

Can Finale does that?

If not, Are there some software that allow to insert text and score part ?

Regards


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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6601
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Thu Sep 30, 2010 1:46 pm

It's doable with Finale.
You can move systems around on the page, and you can add text blocks where you want them.
Controlling both music notation and text from within the same program (= Finale) can seem convenient.



However, if you want to produce a professional looking result, you should rather use a professional page layout program (like e. g. Adobe InDesign).
(I would not use a text processor like Microsoft Word - making page layout with Word can be "a challenge" :wink: )

You can create the music examples in Finale, and "print" them to .pdf files that you can insert in your page layout program.

Instead of printing to .pdf you can also export the music examples with Finale's Graphics Tool.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

kokkolos
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat May 15, 2010 10:55 pm

Post by kokkolos » Thu Sep 30, 2010 1:52 pm

Peter Thomsen wrote:It's doable with Finale.
You can move systems around on the page, and you can add text blocks where you want them.
Controlling both music notation and text from within the same program (= Finale) can seem convenient.



However, if you want to produce a professional looking result, you should rather use a professional page layout program (like e. g. Adobe InDesign).
(I would not use a text processor like Microsoft Word - making page layout with Word can be "a challenge" :wink: )

You can create the music examples in Finale, and "print" them to .pdf files that you can insert in your page layout program.

Instead of printing to .pdf you can also export the music examples with Finale's Graphics Tool.
what's finale's graphics tool?

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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6601
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Thu Sep 30, 2010 2:08 pm

Finale's Graphics Tool has an icon with geometric shapes.
See the attached image (look in the lower right corner).
Attachments
MainToolPalette.jpg
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Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

AxLoMaFi
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2016 3:04 pm
Finale Version: 2014.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by AxLoMaFi » Sun May 29, 2016 3:10 pm

Which would be better for a music textbook, InDesign or Pagemaker?

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miker
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Finale Version: Finale 27.4
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Post by miker » Sun May 29, 2016 3:33 pm

Since Pagemaker was discontinued in 2004, and replaced by Indesign, I would think that Indesign is the better choice for current operating systems.
Finale 27 | SmartScorePro 64
Mac OS 13.2.1 Ventura
Copyist for Barbershop Harmony Society

Raputtak
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Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 8:18 pm
Finale Version: Finale 25.5.0.290
Operating System: Windows

Post by Raputtak » Sun May 29, 2016 4:43 pm

I wrote a banjo primer using MS Word. I experienced no problems with formatting stuff. I copied music from Finale using the graphics tool. Double click and drag, then Export selection. Paste into Word. Word treats it as an image. It will wrap text around the image.

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