Change instrument, keep staff name?

[montedoro44]

Is it possible to change instrument for a staff, beginning to end, but retain the staff name? The closest I can get is to insert a new m1, then use Change Instrument beginning on m2. But then when I zap the new m1, the new name appears.

[zuill]

You can keep the staff name but change the chosen sound in the Score Manager or in the VST windows. However, if you mean changing to a different transposition, then do it the other way around. Change the staff to the instrument (including transposition), then change the name in the Score Manager.

Zuill

[montedoro44]

Thanks for responding so soon, zuill!

My typical need is to transpose blank (C) staves or already marked for some C instrument (voice, flute, etc.) to F for French horn. I want my staff names to be simply 1, 2, 3, 4. But later I want to, say, convert for a Bb clarinet quartet, or some Eb instrument quartet, or other same-key quartet, while retaining the names 1, 2, 3, 4. If I understand you, I can either change instruments 4 times and rename 4 times, or else change instrument sounds (that's very quick, using the code numbers) and use the transposition process on the lower-right of Score Manager 4 times.

My hope, to simplify the repetitious clicking, is that it is possible to disable automatic staff change of name when selecting instrument.

I submitted a related question at the same time -- is is possible to change say, 4 blank staves to 4 French horns all at once? That's part of the time-consumption here. These aren't big problems -- just wondering if I am missing a convenience for what I'm doing a lot of.

[zuill]

I just realized you are posting on the SmartMusic forum. Maybe SmartMusic can do what you want. I don't use SmartMusic, so you'll have to wait for a SmartMusic expert to reply here.

Zuill

[montedoro44]

Sorry if I am in the wrong place -- of the choices I see at https://www.finaleforum.com/ should this issue have gone to General Finale Help ? I have Finale v.26.2, that's all I know.

[zuill]

Yes. The SmartMusic forum is for those using SmartMusic.

Zuill

[montedoro44]

I appreciate your friendly chiding. I didn't/don't know if SmartMusic is a subset or a superset of Finale. I will be more circumspect.

[miker]

Start with a blank score of as many staves as you want. Use Score Manager to label the staves 1, 2, 3, etc. Save it as a template.

When you want to work with it, open it as a new document. Go back to score manager, change the sounds and transpostion.

Honestly, though, I don't see where that's any faster than simply setting up the new document with the instruments you want, and changing the Staff Name. Transposition will be automatically set. You can still save each document as a template for future use. You want a Horn piece? Open the Horn template that you set up. Trumpet? Open your Trumpet setup.

[montedoro44]

Thanks, miker. I do have a horn quartet template, and I can make for other instrumentation. There is still a bit more to do this way though, like copying/rewriting title & composer, formatting parts. With all the controls Finale has, I thought that disabling auto-staff naming would exist, and that I couldn't find it. The Global Staff Attributes plug-in is so close -- it lists the (full) names of the staves, spread-sheet fashion, but it won't let me tinker with them, only select/deselect.

[montedoro44]

I recently sent a longish list of dream improvements to wherever such things should be sent. Maybe they will make some changes. IMO, aside from toggling Enable/Disable Auto Staff Name, the best approach is to for Finale to allow users to make all these changes on a little spreadsheet.

[miker]

Thank you for this thread, I have the same question and found this when I searched. Hope you are all doing great here. apex roofing

If you continue pulling up old threads and adding irrelevant comments, you will be banned. No further warnings.