to make an audio file -

[hermanding]

finished a short little piano piece of mine. have it on file as a notation file. but, i also would like to save it as a sound file. someone on the forum told me long ago before i had the software that sound files can be saved as either .aiff or .mp3. mp3 would be perfect for iTunes and for downloading to a cd.
i noticed that there is a special save button in the file menu for audio files with selections of .aiff or WAV.
anybody got ideas on how to save it as .mp3 and just how to go about it? i would look in the user manual - but as those would see from looking at another thread of mine about the manual, i can't see the manual at this time.
i appreciate all opinions and suggestions very much
ding

[Peter Thomsen]

File menu > Save Special > Save As Audio File...
A directory dialog box appears.

At the bottom of the directory dialog box there are two radio buttons:

Standard Audio File
Compressed MP3 File

Clicking the latter radio button will give you what you need.

Peter

[hermanding]

i do not have these buttons at the bottom when i try the special save.
the two buttons i have and can choose from are
to save as an AIF file or
to save as a WAV file.
No option for .mp3 is on this dialog box at all.

is this some kind of difference in Finale2008 - which i have?
thank you Peter for your help and atención
ding

[Peter Thomsen]

Sorry, I thought that you had the Mac version of Finale.
Obviously you have the Windows version of Finale.

You will need third party software (f.x. iTunes) to convert the audio file to .MP3 format.

Peter

[hermanding]

version of finale2008 and tbe two buttons allow aif and wav only. it runs on this machaine - a pro quad.
on this very small piece that i notated, i went on and did tbe save special on the .mus as an .aif file.
iTunes will not accept dragging the .aif file into it at all in order to convert to .mp3.
then, i tried to make a .wav file from save special. on the import into iTunes to convert to .mp3, iTunes will not accept the .wav file either.
SO.. we copied both wav and aif files to a cd and took the cd to another MAC - an eMac - to try importing on ITS iTunes. its iTunes said no way also.
Then, we had the software Toaster look at the two files. Toaster gave the same msg for both - they are either NOT audio files OR are not in the format they claim to be.
it would seem that finale2008 is not saving the audio files as .wav or .aif - even though it says it is.
do you run finale2008?
i appreciate your comments very much
ding

[Peter Thomsen]

This is really strange.
The Mac version should have the audio file format options .aif and .mp3.

My copy of Mac Finale 2008 has the options .aif and .mp3, and my copies of Mac Finale 2007 and 2006 also have the options .aif and .mp3.

The option of saving as .WAV is Win Finale only, so it sounds like you have Win Finale 2008 installed on your Mac.
The Finale 2008 installer DVD is a hybrid DVD for both Win Finale and Mac Finale.

It sounds like something has gone wrong during the installation of Finale 2008 on your Mac.


Here's a different approach:
If Finale 2008 can play back the .mus Finale file, then you can record the playback as an audio file with the free program Audacity:

http://download-audacity.org/?gclid=CP_ ... EgodJRj7BA

Audacity records the audio in real time, so it takes 5 minutes to record a composition with a duration of 5 minutes.


Peter

[hermanding]

thank you peter. i will look at audacity
it seems this is a mac installation. for instance, in the midi/audio menu, there is nothing for VST settings - using native instrument AU settings, which people tell me is for MAC and not windows.
is there anything you could point me to on your finale2008 screens that would be an indiccation that it is a MAC finale2008 and not a windows?
thatt said - both files will not read on toaster, which says they are eithef
not sound files or are not in the format they say they are.
your ideas are always appreciated.
ding

[Peter Thomsen]

...is there anything you could point me to on your finale2008 screens that would be an indication that it is a Mac Finale2008 and not a Windows?...

Since Apple now uses Intel chips, it's possible to run both Mac OS and Windows on an Apple computer.
But Windows Finale can't run in Mac OS, and Mac Finale can't run in Windows, at least not without special emulation software.

When you are running Finale 2008, take a look at the Operating System (not Finale, but the screen appearance outside the Finale document window).

If you can see a blue Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen, in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then you are running Mac OS.
All Mac programs have their menu bar located at the top of the screen.
The blue Apple icon is the Apple menu, available in all Mac OS programs, including Finale.
Next to the Apple menu you should have the "Finale 2008" menu.
If you go to
Finale 2008 menu > About Finale...
you should get an info window with basic information about your copy of Finale.

If you don't see the blue Apple icon, then you are probably running Windows.
Another indication of Windows is the Windows Start menu at the bottom of the screen.

Peter