Need better sounds!

General notation questions, including advanced notation, formatting, etc., go here.

Moderators: Peter Thomsen, miker

Post Reply
bj nick
Posts: 681
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:10 am
Finale Version: v26, NP3
Operating System: Windows

Post by bj nick » Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:54 pm

(Windows 10 PC, Finale 26.3) Hi, used to use Finale all the time, haven't in years, now getting back into it. My basic playback sounds are really poor, and I have a built-in limitation right now that my CPU is only i.3.....so I couldn't use really high-level sounds even if I wished to spend the money. At some point I'll be getting a new desktop with state of the art CPU etc, but for now I'd like to get at least tolerably good sounds.....that don't sound like a 1990 Casio keyboard. Can someone recommend decent sounds I could acquire/purchase that would suffice for now?
Finale v. 26, Windows 10, NP3, Garritan Instruments for Finale


User avatar
zuill
Posts: 4418
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:35 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2011-v26.3.1
Operating System: Windows

Post by zuill » Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:55 pm

Finale v26.3 has the GIfF sounds. Are you saying those won't do?

Zuill
Windows 10, Finale 2011-v26.3.1
"When all is said and done, more is said than done."

bj nick
Posts: 681
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:10 am
Finale Version: v26, NP3
Operating System: Windows

Post by bj nick » Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:57 pm

Hi, I don't know yet....26.3 is installing as we speak. I haven't changed a thing; just installed Finale after many years, and the sounds that are used with playback are terrible.
Finale v. 26, Windows 10, NP3, Garritan Instruments for Finale

bj nick
Posts: 681
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:10 am
Finale Version: v26, NP3
Operating System: Windows

Post by bj nick » Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:09 pm

Installed 26.3, opened a piece, sounded the same. Maybe I haven't set things up correctly? Under sounds, "VST" is checked.....
Finale v. 26, Windows 10, NP3, Garritan Instruments for Finale

User avatar
miker
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:28 pm
Finale Version: Finale 27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by miker » Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:14 pm

Did you install the Garritan sounds? IIRC, that’s a separate install.
Finale 27 | SmartScorePro 64
Mac OS 13.2.1 Ventura
Copyist for Barbershop Harmony Society

bj nick
Posts: 681
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:10 am
Finale Version: v26, NP3
Operating System: Windows

Post by bj nick » Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:17 pm

I'm guessing I didn't.....how do I go about it? I'm sitting here trying to research it, I'm sure this is the issue, that I never installed it. Just checked Midi/audio--> Sound map--> Garritan isn't there....so if you can tell me where to get it, I'll install it and I'm sure it will be fine. I appreciate your help!
Finale v. 26, Windows 10, NP3, Garritan Instruments for Finale

bj nick
Posts: 681
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:10 am
Finale Version: v26, NP3
Operating System: Windows

Post by bj nick » Tue Jul 07, 2020 8:22 pm

Okay, I think I'm good....I found the "install Garritan" procedure, assigned sounds to Garritan rather than the standard synth sounds, and it's fine....I just did it for flutes, since this was a flutes-only piece.....I assume it'll be the same process for the other instruments as I start using them. Thanks for steering me in the right direction!
Finale v. 26, Windows 10, NP3, Garritan Instruments for Finale

User avatar
apkyburz
Posts: 179
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:50 am
Finale Version: 26 (+TG, Pattsn, JW)
Operating System: Mac

Post by apkyburz » Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:38 pm

Personally, I think guys from Wallander did a great job with NotePerformer. Can definitely recommend!

User avatar
Michel R E
Posts: 702
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:16 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2012, 25, 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Michel R E » Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:54 am

I second the mention of NotePerformer3.
I plays VERY well with Finale, and sounds amazing.
And it's hundreds of dollars cheaper than many other equivalent libraries.
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.

thomsmit57
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2016 8:37 pm
Finale Version: Finale 27.4
Operating System: Mac

Post by thomsmit57 » Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:34 pm

Garritan sounds that come bundled with Finale are pretty good. And you've already paid for them. Yes, it is a separate install, but not hard, at least for a Mac user. Don't know about Windows.

But I will also attest to NotePerformer3 as being very good and reasonably priced.
Brass sounds blow Garritan's away. Even Winds sound better.
Strings are on a par with Garritan. My only quibble about NP3 is the piano sound; tinny and dirty, like a saloon piano that you would hear in a Western movie. Unless that's the piano sound I'm looking for, I just swap Garritan's Steinway back in when I need to.
Guitarist, Composer, Arranger, Publisher, Engraver
Finale 27.4
iMac 27" running Big Sur 11.6
Logic Pro 10.7, Korg M1 (vintage 1980s)
www.thomasmithmusic.com

User avatar
apkyburz
Posts: 179
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:50 am
Finale Version: 26 (+TG, Pattsn, JW)
Operating System: Mac

Post by apkyburz » Fri Jul 10, 2020 6:50 pm

Michel R E wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:54 am
And it's hundreds of dollars cheaper than many other equivalent libraries.
Michel, don't say it too loud, Wallander might be listening! :D

blueshift
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2018 10:58 pm
Finale Version: 27.2
Operating System: Mac

Post by blueshift » Fri Aug 12, 2022 11:40 am

thomsmit57 wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:34 pm
Brass sounds blow Garritan's away.
This depends on what you are expecting your audio to do. I write brass quintets - five solo instruments - for organizations whose budget only permits this, and having tried a number of libraries (and wasted the attendant amount of money) I have found only the Garritan brass solo instruments to sound anything like what my subscribers are going to get. For my particular use, I have found a remarkable amount of detail, clarity, and precision I have yet to discover in any other library.
Finale 27.4.1 (since 2.6.3)
MacOS 14 Sonoma
MacMini i7x6 64gb RAM
GPO5 / GCPO / EW Symphonic Choirs / KONTAKT / stray sfz
Cubase / Studio One

bj nick
Posts: 681
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:10 am
Finale Version: v26, NP3
Operating System: Windows

Post by bj nick » Fri Aug 12, 2022 12:40 pm

This is really interesting to hear. I have barely used any brass sounds at all, funny since I was a trumpet player most of my life. Mainly doing woodwinds/strings these days, and I have to say the NP3 sounds are excellent, especially flute and strings - they seem better than a lot of expensive samples I've heard. But it's good to hear this about the Garritan brass sounds. I'll have to check them out.
Finale v. 26, Windows 10, NP3, Garritan Instruments for Finale

Post Reply