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Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 1:17 pm
by songbird52
Finale 2014 Version 25. Windows.

I can change the instrument by going through Utilities although I don't get the full option instrument list that way. I can change the instrument via Score Manager but never see the option to choose from which measure I want the instrument to change. The result is that the instrument change begins from the first measure not mid score. Any ideas?

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 3:06 pm
by zuill
To change the instrument mid-score, select he measure at which you want the change to occur and apply the utility. If you want just a range (say 10 measures), choose that range and apply the utility.

Zuill

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 12:03 pm
by songbird52
To clarify things this is the process I go through. Firstly I highlight the bar where I want the instrument to change, then I go to Utilities and see that I am only offered a limited list of instruments to change to (which doesn't include a string selection). I then (with the measure where I need the change to occur still highlighted) I use Score Manager. I change the instrument to the one I want (strings) and check my score. I find the instrument change occurs from the beginning of the piece and not from the measure I have highlighted. If I can't work out how to do this I shall have to add a string section and cello section, copy the harpsicord section into the string parts, then cut out the string parts and glue them into the keyboard part when I want to print out the harpsicord section as a whole. Any ideas?

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 3:10 pm
by zuill
It sounds like you might be trying to do this with a grand staff instrument, like piano (or maybe harpsichord, because you mentioned that). If that is the case, there are ways to get what you want, but it might depend on the specifics of your score. If you could post a small sample file we could probably show you a way to do it.

Zuill

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Sun May 05, 2019 6:37 am
by songbird52
It would be helpful if you could remind me how to send you part of my score. I have done this in the past but I do not remember how I did it. In the meantime I will try.

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 2:17 pm
by songbird52
Herewith the part of the score where I want to change the instrument from Harpsichord to strings.

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 2:37 pm
by zuill
It can be done by choosing another 2 staff grouped instrument available in the list. Then, change the sound to strings. Also, change the group name to Strings for the full name and St. for the abbreviated name, so the next system will have the proper name. I created a quick demo.

Zuill

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 4:28 pm
by songbird52
Thank you for that. However my success was limited. When I went to Utilities and changed the instrument to Piano, all worked well with the instrument change taking place at the highlighted bar. However 'Utilities - Change Instrument' doesn't offer 'Strings' as a choice, only 'Plucked strings'. If I highlight the appropriate bar and go to 'Score Manager' and use the more comprehensive instrument choice, the instrument is still changed to Strings from the first bar/measure. How can I persuade 'Utilities - Change instrument ' to offer me a full instrument list?

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 5:08 pm
by zuill
In my file, click on the little triangle next to Staff 1 and scroll down. When you find where the changed instrument is indicated, in the column where the sound is chosen, you'll see that Strings is chosen there. You can do the same in your file.

Zuill

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Tue May 14, 2019 10:24 am
by songbird52
Really sorry about this but I do not see any triangle anywhere on your score so I am not sure what you mean. Sorry to be so dense but you will realise by now that computers are 'not my thing' and I do struggle quite a bit. On the plus side, with help, I usually get there in the end.

Regards
Songbird 52

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Tue May 14, 2019 11:58 am
by michelp
The triangle is not in the score, but in the ScoreManager window, left of the staff. It allows you to see all the Layers, etc... but also the Instrument change (at the bottom) and the region it is applied to. In the following image, the Bb clarinet changes to Flute in bar 9. Then back to Clarinet at bar 22.
instrument_change.jpeg
instrument_change.jpeg (126.87 KiB) Viewed 13733 times
P.S. via the Customize View button/menu, you can add the column showing the start measure.
 

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 1:15 pm
by songbird52
Change the word 'dense' to 'terminally ignorant'. I can press the correct buttons ( that is the limit of my 'Finale' understanding ) and I can see all the layers etc. but I don't know how to proceed from there. If you can bear it, could you possibly just tell me which buttons to press and in what order from the very start of trying to change the instrument ? The more basic you can be, the better. Apologies for my lack of 'nous'.


Regards and thanks,
Songbird 52.

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Wed May 15, 2019 1:29 pm
by michelp
First select the region of the staff where the new instrument is used (or the first measure if it goes to the end), then Utilities menu -> Change Instrument. Select an instrument there.

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 11:14 am
by songbird52
I can't do that because when I go to 'Utilities - Change Instrument' I am given a very limited number of options. I want to change from Harpsichord to strings and the only string option Utilities gives is plucked strings. If I can get the full menu of instrumental options from 'Utilities' I could do as you suggest.

Regards and thanks.
Songbird 52.

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 12:08 pm
by michelp
This comes from the fact that you start with Harpsichord, a group of 2 staves. If you want to change instrument, Finale proposes to you some other 2 staves groups, like the plucked strings using 2 staves (harp) etc.... Not a string ensemble.
You may have to use a workaround. An idea : add string staves, and hide them when they are not in use.

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 12:08 pm
by songbird52
Surely Finale is sophisticated enough to simply change the keyboard setting to strings and have it play back accordingly. For all sorts of reasons I don't want to have to add staves for the rest of the piece and hide them for the first 20 bars or so. If that is the best that can be done I suppose I shall have to live with it.
Thank you for all your help.

Songbird 52.

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 12:52 pm
by michelp
Other solutions, not using "Change Instrument" at all :

Apply the group "Harpsichord" just to the region in which it is used. After that region, a new group can be created and named "Strings".

• Then create an expression (even hidden) in which Type is set to change the sound patch. Apply it in each staff.

• Or write the strings in another Layer and in the Score Manager, give them another channel and a string patch.

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 3:09 pm
by zuill
songbird52 wrote:Surely Finale is sophisticated enough to simply change the keyboard setting to strings and have it play back accordingly. For all sorts of reasons I don't want to have to add staves for the rest of the piece and hide them for the first 20 bars or so. If that is the best that can be done I suppose I shall have to live with it.
Thank you for all your help.

Songbird 52.
Did you look at my file?

Zuill

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 5:08 pm
by engelbach
The problem with using the Utilities Menu for Change Instrument is that you then have to create a separate Text Expression to put in the score.

I just create a Text Expression and in Playback I assign the channel that the new instrument is on. One step.

Using different layers of the same staff doesn't work, as Finale doesn't recognize Expressions and Articulations in the layers. This is a bug that I have been after them to address for years.

Cheers,
Jer

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 5:12 pm
by motet
Does this help?

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2020 12:26 am
by engelbach
motet,

That dialogue box does not function properly. It has no effect on playback of the individual layers.

I've notified MakeMusic of this to no avail.

Cheers,
Jer

Re: Change instrument mid score.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:45 am
by michelp
At first sight, I don't see this mentioned in this thread, but obviously, try different midi channels for each layer.