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Getting Finale files at the correct size for publishing in a PhD dissertation?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 11:52 am
by Andrew Harrison
Hello everyone,

I'm about to submit my PhD dissertation in music, and I'm in the process of inserting some musical examples (that I've done in Finale) into my thesis. These are a mix of some orchestral/ensemble written by me, as well as music written by other composers.

I've noticed that the musical examples of other composer's works that I've notated from scratch seem to be a lot bigger than the ones that I've extracted from my own ensemble scores. Given that I've got quite a few examples to put in, I wanted to find out how I can get the examples from my own pieces at the same size as the other ones.

The process that I'm using for extracting examples from my own works is:

1. hiding any unrequired staves on a particular page in the orchestral score (in Page View)
2. using the graphics tool to select a group of staves and then exporting them as a .jpeg file.
3. I'm also checking that the page size is set at 100%.

I'm really hoping that I can avoid copying out the required bars into new Finale files, as that will slow me down considerably. If anyone has any suggestions, that would be appreciated! I've attached a PDF of a couple of pages from the dissertation to demonstrate what I mean. You'll see that one example is quite a lot bigger than the other.

Many thanks,
Regards,
Andrew Harrison

PS. I have had to make the .png's very small to fit the requirements for attaching files. They may need to be zoomed to see what I am describing. Thanks!

Re: Getting Finale files at the correct size for publishing in a PhD dissertation?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:19 pm
by N Grossingink
Andrew Harrison wrote:
Fri Sep 13, 2019 11:52 am
3. I'm also checking that the page size is set at 100%.
In addition, make sure the system percentage sizing is the same among all the files you are using. That should make them all the same size.

Re: Getting Finale files at the correct size for publishing in a PhD dissertation?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:36 pm
by Andrew Harrison
Thanks N. I've just tried that, and unfortunately it doesn't seem to work. (Click on the '%' tool and then Resize staves to 100%). My orchestral scores still export as smaller-looking files.

I imagine there is something default in the back-end of Finale that automatically makes the staves smaller to fit onto a page when you are working in a large ensemble score (in my case, with 25 instruments), as opposed to working in a score with just two or three instruments? I just don't know where it is and how to change it...

Thanks again,
Cheers
Andrew

Re: Getting Finale files at the correct size for publishing in a PhD dissertation?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:38 pm
by Peter Thomsen
Andrew Harrison wrote:
Fri Sep 13, 2019 11:52 am
… 2. using the graphics tool to select a group of staves and then exporting them as a .jpeg file …
Instead of exporting as .jpeg, try exporting as a PDF file. *)
The file size will be smaller, and the resolution/quality will be the best possible, with no jaggies.

*) If you are using an older layout program, you may have to convert the PDF to EPS.
But all newer layout programs can import PDF.

Re: Getting Finale files at the correct size for publishing in a PhD dissertation?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:43 pm
by N Grossingink
With the % tool, click in the middle of the system, not on a stave or any notation - in a white spot. That will bring up the system sizing window. Change the percentage to 100%, or if you need a smaller percentage make sure all the examples are the same setting, along with 100% page size.

Re: Getting Finale files at the correct size for publishing in a PhD dissertation?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:58 pm
by Andrew Harrison
Thanks N. and Peter,

I seem to have figured it out. I went into Page Layout Tool and then to Resize Staff System. When I change the And Resize System to 100%, it puts them at the same size as the ones I put together from scratch. So that seems to be the answer...!

Thanks for your help.
Cheers
Andrew