Need playback of scordatura tuning

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Djard
Posts: 916
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:23 am
Finale Version: Finale 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Djard » Sun Aug 04, 2019 9:23 pm

I have chosen Garritan Electric Guitar KS as the instrument to play though VST and set HP as "Standard." I then followed the steps below to enable the scordatura tuning (6th = D) to play back C#2, when a guitar bend with the tremelo arm lowers the bottom string an additional semitone.

Guitar is written an octave higher than it sounds, so the IPN for the lowered bass string in the range is C#2.

1. Plug-ins (upper text menu) -> Scoring & Arranging -> Check Range.
2. Select as follows...

Instrument: Electric Guitar
Range Class: Advanced
High Note: C#6
Low Note : C#2
Display at Concert Pitch: No

3. Check ("No out-of-range notes were found").
4. OK -> I then select "Electric Guitar" again, but the parameters are reset to the default of C#6 for the High Note and E2 for the Low Note. Playback of the C#2 note in the score remains silent, even if I exit "Check Range" window without altering the new new settings.

Unless I am overlooking something, Finale prohibits extending the range of the guitar.

The accompanying manual for my v2012 states that "To adjust the range to a different experience level, choose View > Out-of-Range Notes > [experience level]." But no such option is available in any View drop-down menu.

Can someone help me figure this out?


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David Ward
Posts: 814
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 4:48 pm
Finale Version: F 25.5 & 26.3
Operating System: Mac

Post by David Ward » Mon Aug 05, 2019 9:43 am

I suspect that to extend the playback sound downwards you'll need to modify the relevant .sfz file, which on a Mac is a text file in Applications > Garritan Instrments for Finale > Programs. it will be somewhere equivalent on Windows. It then gets a bit arcane. I've done it, but would rather not try to instruct someone else in what to do, other than to say make sure you have a copy before you modify anything. I'm sure someone either here or at MM will be able to help.
Finale 25.5 & 26.3
Mac 10.13.6 & 10.14.6

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Djard
Posts: 916
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:23 am
Finale Version: Finale 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Djard » Mon Aug 05, 2019 7:14 pm

Thank you David,

I managed to get the Finale soundfont for guitar to play C#2 by playing through MIDI, but the cost was losing all the Garritan sounds that I prefer.

The Polyphone sfz editor is said to simplify the customization of the sfz files, so I downloaded the qpp will try my hand at editing the sound.

Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me, but I thought there is a feature in Finale that lets you assign pitch to places in the staff; maybe I am confusing the ability to assign percussive instruments to places in the staff?

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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6603
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by Peter Thomsen » Mon Aug 05, 2019 7:43 pm

Djard wrote:… I thought there is a feature in Finale that lets you assign pitch to places in the staff …
The problem here is not “assign pitch to places in the staff”, but rather “extend the tonal range of a VST instrument”.

Unlike playing through MIDI, a VST instrument can only play inside its defined tonal range.
Notes above or below the instrument’s tonal range do not play back.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

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Djard
Posts: 916
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:23 am
Finale Version: Finale 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Djard » Tue Aug 06, 2019 3:50 am

Thank you Peter.

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