Best practice for wind parts in large orch piece
Moderators: Peter Thomsen, miker
Greetings,
Been using Finale for 28 years or so now, but still haven't conquered this one and I wonder what the collective wisdom can offer.
I am writing an orchestral fanfare for large orchestra - winds are in 3s.
As is traditional, I want to have my Fl 1+2, Ob 1+2 etc. on one staff in the score (it is likely I won't need to expand any into a two-stave scenario in this piece).
In my mind, I've decided that since the piece is short, the best thing to do is just make the score how I want it, and then making a duplicate score where I add staves for the seconds. And in truth, the dream of truly "linked parts" more often than not is just that (it's just so much trouble to keep the score and parts in one functional document).
That said - is there any best practice around this. Do any of you have this figured out in a deep way? It's always seemed weird to me that Finale doesn't deal with this very common situation. (unless they do and I'm ignorant of something!)
Thanks.
Been using Finale for 28 years or so now, but still haven't conquered this one and I wonder what the collective wisdom can offer.
I am writing an orchestral fanfare for large orchestra - winds are in 3s.
As is traditional, I want to have my Fl 1+2, Ob 1+2 etc. on one staff in the score (it is likely I won't need to expand any into a two-stave scenario in this piece).
In my mind, I've decided that since the piece is short, the best thing to do is just make the score how I want it, and then making a duplicate score where I add staves for the seconds. And in truth, the dream of truly "linked parts" more often than not is just that (it's just so much trouble to keep the score and parts in one functional document).
That said - is there any best practice around this. Do any of you have this figured out in a deep way? It's always seemed weird to me that Finale doesn't deal with this very common situation. (unless they do and I'm ignorant of something!)
Thanks.
Dan Sonenberg
www.danielsonenberg.org
Finale 25.5
iMac Retina 5k, 27-inch, 2017. 32gb ram, and OSX 10.13.6 and MacBook pro 2018, 13", 2.7GHz Intel Core i7, 16gb ram, OSX 10.13.6
Vienna Ensemble Pro, Logic X, and lotsa samples
www.danielsonenberg.org
Finale 25.5
iMac Retina 5k, 27-inch, 2017. 32gb ram, and OSX 10.13.6 and MacBook pro 2018, 13", 2.7GHz Intel Core i7, 16gb ram, OSX 10.13.6
Vienna Ensemble Pro, Logic X, and lotsa samples
- Michel R E
- Posts: 702
- Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:16 pm
- Finale Version: Finale 2012, 25, 26
- Operating System: Windows
I've always made two (three actually) versions of any of my orchestral scores:
1) the conductor's score (full score) with instruments consolidated by pairs, etc...
2) the "parts" score, where all instruments have their own individual staves, and the orchestral queues are in place.
This way, I REALLY don't have to worry about any changes in one part affecting another, or my score.
and just so you know:
3) a playback score, which has each instrument on an individual staff, including percussion instruments, and where I can fudge with notation to get better playback.
1) the conductor's score (full score) with instruments consolidated by pairs, etc...
2) the "parts" score, where all instruments have their own individual staves, and the orchestral queues are in place.
This way, I REALLY don't have to worry about any changes in one part affecting another, or my score.
and just so you know:
3) a playback score, which has each instrument on an individual staff, including percussion instruments, and where I can fudge with notation to get better playback.
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.
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.
This makes sense - and basically conforms to what I've been doing - was just hoping maybe there was a better way!!
Dan Sonenberg
www.danielsonenberg.org
Finale 25.5
iMac Retina 5k, 27-inch, 2017. 32gb ram, and OSX 10.13.6 and MacBook pro 2018, 13", 2.7GHz Intel Core i7, 16gb ram, OSX 10.13.6
Vienna Ensemble Pro, Logic X, and lotsa samples
www.danielsonenberg.org
Finale 25.5
iMac Retina 5k, 27-inch, 2017. 32gb ram, and OSX 10.13.6 and MacBook pro 2018, 13", 2.7GHz Intel Core i7, 16gb ram, OSX 10.13.6
Vienna Ensemble Pro, Logic X, and lotsa samples
-
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2016 6:48 pm
- Finale Version: Finale 25.5, 26.2
- Operating System: Mac
I second Michael's process. I start with a full score that has individual lines for every instrument. From that, I create a playback score as he described, and also condense some of the pairs of instruments onto single staves to create a conductor score. It's a bit of a pain to keep track of all the changes and make sure they all get into all three scores (red pens come in handy), but it's the only way I've found to create the score, parts, and mockup they way I want them.
-
- Posts: 760
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:34 am
- Finale Version: Finale 26, 27.4.1
- Operating System: Windows
There's much to be said for Michel's method, I think. I've had such advice as to split the wind pairs on to two new staves in one and the same document, and then hide them in page (print) view, but that would mean a lot more staves and an endless scrolling up and down when allocating cues (in Scroll View of course) - for example. I too feel much more free when working with separate conductor's and parts scores. I really doubt that you would save time or grey hairs keeping everything in one document.Michel R E wrote:I've always made two (three actually) versions of any of my orchestral scores:
1) the conductor's score (full score) with instruments consolidated by pairs, etc...
2) the "parts" score, where all instruments have their own individual staves, and the orchestral queues are in place.
This way, I REALLY don't have to worry about any changes in one part affecting another, or my score.
Finale 26.3, 27.4.1
Windows 10
Windows 10
-
- Posts: 760
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:34 am
- Finale Version: Finale 26, 27.4.1
- Operating System: Windows
Also good advice, in my experience. "Red pens" - or, copy all changes immediately to the other score(s)! Don't wait.bkshepard wrote:It's a bit of a pain to keep track of all the changes and make sure they all get into all three scores (red pens come in handy), but it's the only way I've found to create the score, parts, and mockup they way I want them.
Finale 26.3, 27.4.1
Windows 10
Windows 10
- Michel R E
- Posts: 702
- Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:16 pm
- Finale Version: Finale 2012, 25, 26
- Operating System: Windows
I just made some massive revisions to an older score, my 1st symphony, and simply did not have the time or energy to start correcting the pre-existing score/parts.
So in this case, I actually think it will be faster for me to create new a score and parts for the work.
However, I generally immediately make changes from one score to the other when I bring revisions to a work.
So in this case, I actually think it will be faster for me to create new a score and parts for the work.
However, I generally immediately make changes from one score to the other when I bring revisions to a work.
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.
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.