Finale Forum

Any way to have Finale repeatedly loop play a section with a diminuendo, say, eight times?

I tried the following steps without success have no idea how to go about this. The so-called manual only confused me. (What is the difference between "repeat number" and "time through repeat"?)

1. Create forward and backward repeats in the section to loop.
2. Create an expression, named "Repeat until fade."
3. Description: 8,8,93 (93 is the first measure in the loop).
4. Playback tab -> from "Type" drop-down menu, select "SmartMusic Marker" and "Repeat End."
5. Effect: Set to value 8 -> OK.

8 Endings, or write it out.

Sorry, but I don't understand. Does writing something in the Expression "Description" field work like a script? Please share some detail.

Sorry for the difficult question.

I meant use the Repeat Tool.
Ist Ending could be 1-7, 2nd ending 8th/last time only.
If it's only for playback, add measures and copy the whole thing out.

Thanks for your patience. Finale once again proves that it includes non-functional features. I wish MakeMusic would stop upgrading and start fixing the myriad of bugs in the program. Finale offers the ability to create the repeats as an Expression; but the manual--a real insult--as usual focuses on the what and not the how. The parents of whoever wrote that piece of disaster deserve a refund from the school attended.

Sorry for the attitude. It's just that whenever I use Finale, I spend more time seeking workarounds than composing. But I'm learning that it is filled with features that don't work properly. Sigh!

I'll have to go with your suggestion and ignore the bogus claims in the manual.

I set it up just as described in the manual. It works perfectly. Too well, in fact. It went to nothing on the third pass . Obviously, I would need to spend more time tweaking the parameters, but the basic function is there.

Mike,

If you did have a dynamic in the first bar, you would need to make its playback set to pass 1. otherwise, it would bump back up to it original level on each repeat.

Zuill

OK, but it still works. If the dynamic was set to play only on pass one, wouldn't it then go down?

I would have thought Finale would have offered a macro "Repeat until fade," since it is so common.

Zuill, I understand Miker is using a MAC; so he cannot share his file. Can you share such a file, compatible with my 2012 version? I'm still in the dark. Are you guys assigning repeat commands to dynamics!?

miker wrote:OK, but it still works. If the dynamic was set to play only on pass one, wouldn't it then go down?

That's what I meant. After pass 1 it is then ignored. I wasn't clear, was I?

Zuill

Here's the file Mike created. I added the forte in bar 1, set to only play on pass 1.

Zuill

The manual intimates that the Expression Tool can be used to create a repeat until fade playback. Maybe it does, but I won't know until I figure how to reset my Preferences.

Miker, you did not use "SmartMusic Marker"; so you were looking at something else in the manual. I thought you managed to create a fixed duration loop, using an expression.

I thank you for the alternative, but I figured out what I consider a better workaround: it works perfectly and does not require fixed repeats.

In the attached file is what I wanted.

I used the Repeat Tool to get a repeat that happened as many times as I typed in.
Getting the Dim to be constant didn't workout, tho.

Using multiple repeat indications defeats the purpose of stating repeat until fade. The method I used renders the printed copy consistent with what you will find in music published by the major publishers.

Just double-click on the lower right measure handle and specify the number of times you want the section to repeat. In ths manner, a "simple repeat" is engraved, without mumbered endings that technically should not be used for such an assignment.

Download my attached file that I uploaded earlier. The hidden dim. has the notes gradually fade out. The latter will not work with a hairpin, only a dim.

Multiple Endings aren't necessary.
One Repeated Section can repeat any number of times.
I guess I don't get what you want here.
No problem.

I think we are saying the same thing, but something got lost in the communication. But I am glad you responded.

Cheers!