Change instruments on multiple staves at once?

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montedoro44
Posts: 144
Joined: Sat Feb 29, 2020 4:21 pm
Finale Version: 27
Operating System: Windows

Post by montedoro44 » Fri May 22, 2020 5:01 pm

Is it possible to change instruments on several staves at once? A typical case for me: change a 4-voice part-song to a French horn quartet.


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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6601
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by Peter Thomsen » Fri May 22, 2020 5:55 pm

With the utility* you can only change one instrument at a time.

Thus, changing “a 4-voice part-song to a French horn quartet” takes four steps.

*) Utilities menu > Change Instrument…
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

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Michel R E
Posts: 702
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:16 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2012, 25, 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Michel R E » Fri May 22, 2020 9:01 pm

the "change instrument" utility isn't meant for that kind of change, however. It's intended for the use of doubling/auxiliary instruments (for example flute 2 to piccolo, or oboe 2 to english horn.)

if you simply want to change a part song into a horn quartet, then go to the Score Manager (in the Window menu), and change the instruments from there. It's a very simple process.
User of Finale since version 3.0 on Windows.
Now using a mix of Finale 2012, Finale 25, and 26.1
GPO, Garritan Solo Stradivari violin, Gofriller Solo Cello.
XSamples Chamber Ensemble.
Absolute convert to NotePerformer3.

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motet
Posts: 8226
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:33 pm
Finale Version: 2014.5,2011,2005,27
Operating System: Windows

Post by motet » Sat May 23, 2020 1:01 am

Even changing four instruments should only take a minute or two.

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