Writing a book of short piano pieces - separate Finale files or one file?

[Andrew Harrison]

Hi Finale people,

I've got a quick question. I'm planning on composing a book of short piano pieces (probably around 1 page each). Would it make more sense to do these as separate Finale files, or as one file?

Thanks,
Andrew Harrison

[motet]

I don't know that there's a right and wrong answer, but I guess I might do one file. I don't see a reason to split it up, and having everything in one place would likely be more convenient. Assuming you want to show measure numbers, you'll need a measure number region for each piece. Is there a limit to the number of measure regions?

[Peter Thomsen]

… Is there a limit to the number of measure regions? …

I seem to recall some old reports about problems in a document with many, many measure number regions.

Once I created a document with 18 measure number regions, and that worked without problems.
Unfortunately I have never tried a higher number of measure number regions.

Depending on the number of pieces you might consider splitting up into two Finale documents, with first half and second half of the pieces.
Or three documents, with one third in each.
Or …

[Bill Stevens]

I have done both the Finale and PDF route, but found compiling PDF's into a booklet the approach I prefer.

::: Bill

[ebiggs1]

Personally I would do a separate file for each. But I agree there is probably no right or wrong. I suspect you would have a easier road if they all were separate. You could make a master file and use it for each page if you want them all to look alike.

...but found compiling PDF's into a booklet the approach I prefer.

Me too! And one reason I think separate is best.

[motet]

I find as I go along I add expressions, articulations, make Document settings, page formatting, etc. If everything is together, then all pieces automatically benefit from that. If they're separate, then you have the chore of making the same changes in many places.

As far as my worry about too many measure number regions, how many pieces will you have? I guess I would proceed on the assumption that it's probably OK. If not, you can always break it into two files.

I do break up operas by acts, mainly because there are thousands of measures involved and the possibility of running into the frame limit of 32,767, but that's not a worry with piano (you'd have to have 16,000 measures).

[Andrew Harrison]

Thanks everyone. Motet, I tend to agree with you - I'm not keen on having to make multiple changes across different files if I can avoid it.

In terms of the number of pieces, I imagine there will be about 15 one page compositions. So that's 15 measure regions, I assume.

As people have stated, I can always break it into two separate files, if needs be.

Regards,
Andrew