Help with Layers

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Issac Clarke
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Post by Issac Clarke » Thu May 19, 2011 2:39 am

Hi, I am trying to rewrite a song in Finale Songwriter, and am having trouble working in layers. This particular piece is done in layers, and I am having trouble tell what is in what layer and what is in another. It looks like measures 1,2,3,5,8,9,10,11,13,and 23 are all done in layers. My question is how many layers, (I think 2 possibly 3) and what set of notes are in one layer and what set are in another.
-Chris-


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miker
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Post by miker » Thu May 19, 2011 4:29 am

Where's the file?

Remember that you must zip the file to upload it to the forum.
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Issac Clarke
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Post by Issac Clarke » Tue May 24, 2011 3:09 am

I figured out that I needed to enter the notes in different layers using the voice one and two feature of the speedy entry tool. I must add that I am now using Finale PrintMusic 2011. I would zip the file but unfortunately I do not have winzip and even if I did I would not know how to zip the file using the new 7zip.

I clicked on the speedy entry tool and a white box appears on the measure I am trying to add then I tried to click on the rest I wanted form the menu on the the left, and when I clicked to add it to the white box that appeared it just disappeared, so I am unable to enter what I want. I really do not know how to use the speedy entry tool voice one and voice two feature. I looked online on a site and is all it gives is a very confusing layout of the number keypad and how to use that to enter the note values and rests.

Again I am at a complete loss on how to enter the notes in using the Speedy Entry tool. I am very frustrated right now.
-Chris-

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miker
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Post by miker » Tue May 24, 2011 4:31 am

Are you using a MIDI keyboard to enter your notes, or the computer keyboard, or a mouse? With Simple, it's, well, simple. If you insist on using Speedy, I can't help you, because I don't use it.

I'm sure that there are instructions on your computer how to zip a file.

Have you worked your way through the tutorials and videos? Finale is NOT an easy program to learn, just by pushing buttons.
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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Tue May 24, 2011 5:34 am

Issac Clarke wrote:...I must add that I am now using Finale PrintMusic 2011. I would zip the file but unfortunately I do not have winzip and even if I did I would not know how to zip the file using the new 7zip.

I clicked on the speedy entry tool and a white box appears on the measure I am trying to add then I tried to click on the rest I wanted form the menu on the the left, and when I clicked to add it to the white box that appeared it just disappeared, so I am unable to enter what I want. I really do not know how to use the speedy entry tool voice one and voice two feature...
When you are using Speedy Entry Tool, don't click on the palette with notes, and don't click on the palette with rests, since both palettes belong to the Simple Entry Tool.

Since you are clicking with the mouse, I presume that you aren't using a MIDI keyboard to enter your notes?

The main difference between Simple and Speedy is the order "rhythmic value"/"scale step":

In the Simple Entry Tool you first specify the rhythmic value, and then the scale step (and the scale step triggers the note entry).

In the Speedy Entry Tool you first specify the scale step, and then the rhythmic value (and the rhythmic value triggers the note entry).



Therefore:
To enter a note with Speedy Entry Tool, position the crosshair on the desired scale step.
You can move the crosshair up/down with the arrow keys on the computer keyboard.

Next, specify the desired rhythmic value by hitting the correct number key.
To enter a whole note, hit the number 7 key.
To enter a half note, hit the number 6 key.
To enter a quarter note, hit the number 5 key.
To enter an eighth note, hit the number 4 key.
&c.
(The numbers are the same in the Simple Entry Tool, By The Way)

You can turn a note into a rest, by hitting the Backspace key.


When using the feature "Voice 1/Voice 2", first enter the bigger note value, e. g. a half note.
By default, you are always in Voice 1, unless you explicitly "launch" Voice 2.
Therefore the half note is in Voice 1.
Speedy Entry Tool shows this with a "V1" in the upper left corner of the entry rectangle.

Go back to the half note, and "launch" Voice 2, by hitting the ' (feet) key.
Speedy now shows a "V2" in the upper left corner of the entry rectangle.
Enter in Voice 2 the notes that should play at the same time as the half note in Voice 1.
NB: Voice 1 and Voice 2 are in the same layer (probably Layer 1).
This means that you can enter a tie between a V1 note and a V2 note.


There are many goodies in both the Simple Entry Tool, and the Speedy Entry Tool.
What I have mentioned here, is just a little bit.
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miker
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Post by miker » Tue May 24, 2011 2:46 pm

Peter,
I think that in even in Speedy, the OP should be using layers, not voices. MM does a pretty bad job of differentiating between them, going so far as to use the term "voices" interchangeably with "layers."
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Issac Clarke
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Post by Issac Clarke » Tue May 24, 2011 7:02 pm

Well I downloaded winzip, and got the file zipped. Before I was having trouble with it because I was using 7zip instead of winzip, never used that program before. I have attached the file so you can see. I got the first measure entered, but am having trouble with the second.
Attachments
Zelda.zip
(53.1 KiB) Downloaded 318 times
-Chris-

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miker
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Post by miker » Tue May 24, 2011 7:54 pm

There are no layers involved at all in the first four measures. In measure 5, the triplet on beat two would be in layer two; the rest is all layer one. Layers 8-11 also involve a second layer.

Nothing there is particularly complicated. If you work through the tutorials, you should be fine. Also, watch the videos. They tell you specifically how to do exactly what you want.
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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Tue May 24, 2011 9:53 pm

"Zelda" is a typical example of keyboard music.

Most of the time you can enter everything in Layer 1.

For the few occasions (about 5 % of the document) where you have two simultaneous rhythms in the same staff, you can either enter the extra rhythm in Layer 1's "Voice 2", or you can enter the extra rhythm in Layer 2.

When there is as little "polyphony" as 5 %, I personally tend to stay in Layer 1, and use Voice 2.

But that's a matter of taste.
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Issac Clarke
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Post by Issac Clarke » Thu May 26, 2011 12:36 am

Okay, So I got the song rewritten, it was easy to tell what was in one layer and what was in another. That Speedy Entry Tool works great!! Now is all I am having trouble with is getting my 5th stave bass clef notes not to cut off the bottom page when I am printing.
-Chris-

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miker
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Post by miker » Thu May 26, 2011 1:06 am

Make sure that the page size selected on screen is the same as the one selected in the Print dialogue.
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Issac Clarke
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Post by Issac Clarke » Fri May 27, 2011 5:44 am

The Paper size is Letter 8.5x11 in Finale, and the printer size is the same as well. I don't know whey it keeps cutting off the bottom measure.
-Chris-

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miker
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Post by miker » Fri May 27, 2011 2:12 pm

Can you post the file?
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Issac Clarke
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Post by Issac Clarke » Fri May 27, 2011 5:26 pm

Okay, here is the PDF.
Attachments
zelda.zip
(24.89 KiB) Downloaded 322 times
-Chris-

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miker
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Post by miker » Fri May 27, 2011 9:34 pm

Chris,

The PDF won't help me. I need the .mus file to check the settings.

Does it work if you print the PDF?
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Issac Clarke
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Post by Issac Clarke » Sat May 28, 2011 2:10 am

I always convert my .mus files to PDF then print.
Attachments
Zelda.zip
(46.15 KiB) Downloaded 307 times
-Chris-

Issac Clarke
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Post by Issac Clarke » Sat May 28, 2011 2:31 am

Never mind, I just printed the file and it printed fine, last time though it cut it off, not sure why.
-Chris-

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