How do I change an instrument's default settings? [SOLVED]

[Gilberto Rey]

Hi all,

I have learned that classical guitar is notated with a treble-clef with an 8 under it to indicate it is a transposing instrument (one 8va).

In ScoreManager, -Add instrument/Plucked Strings/Classical Guitar, I always need to change clef and transposition when I add a classical guitar to my score. I also don't want to delete the Instrument names for Score and Parts every time (I don't need them). Nor uncheck the Auto-Number-Style.

Fig. 1

I want these settings in ScoreManager always:

Fig. 2

I have tried to save these changes in my default template file but to no avail. So it has to be somewhere else inside Finale. I have been using Finale almost everyday since version 3.7 and I think I remember that, in previous versions, there was an Instrumentlist.txt ?? file where one could edit the instruments. I can't find that file (or similar) in Finale 27.

Hence my question here: where do I change how an instrument appers and behaves in ScoreManager in Finale 27?
PS.: thanks to all for your superb support here! I have learned so much from you guys!

[miker]

I started with New > Setup Wizard, and started with two blank staves. In Score Manager, I changed the clef and instruments, and unchecked Number Automatically. (I hate that, too.) I saved it as a template named My Guitar. When I went to New > From Template… and opened it, it was just as I left it. What are the steps you are taking?

[Gilberto Rey]

Hi miker,

No, as I wrote, I have tried to save it as a template but when I open it to add a classical guitar, the settings in ScoreManager is the same as always... same (wrong) clef, same Instrument name and Auto number style...
Have yóu tried to add an instrument to that template?

[miker]

How does this open for you?

[Gilberto Rey]

It opens ok but if I add a classical guitar to your file, it opens with all the settings that I don't want! Clef is wrong, octave is wrong.
Please try to add a classical to it and you'll see what I mean.

[miker]

I guess I'm not clear on what you want. Why do you have to add it from the list? Why not add a blank staff, make the changes, and save it?

Is the classical guitar the only instrument you want, or do you want the two staves?

[Gilberto Rey]

Miker,

I could do that, but isn’t this what Scoremanager is for? Adding instruments to your existing template…
I have a template with a solo classical guitar (correctly set up) but sometimes I want to add one or more guitars. Why can’t I simply open Scoremanager and expect it to be a breeze but have to go through several steps to get a staff with the correct clef, no staff names and the correct octave?
Where is that stored in Finale?
Another example: let’s say I never use an accordion… I would like to have the option to delete it in the instrument list in Scoremanager. (Not that I would, but… let’s say…)
Again, this is not a template issue but a setting in Finale as such.
Classical guitar is notated with a treble clef with an 8 under it and no transposition! IMHO Finale has it all wrong.

[miker]

Gilberto,

Finale changed the way instrument settings are stored back in 2014, if I recall correctly. Or maybe, 2012. They are no longer available to us as simple text files. You could make a feature request to have the clef and transposition corrected. (It took them at least 10 years to make a simple correction to the Ukulele, so don’t hold your breath.) The Auto-number default is another thing I’ve been complaining about since they introduced it.

I’m afraid that the tech side of Finale is a lot less responsive than it used to be.

[Gilberto Rey]

miker,

If no one else is chiming in, I’ll have to accept your last reply… and I’m afraid you are correct. Only a software engineer can change these settings. Bummer. Well, as I said, I have been using Finale for many years and will survive this too but it’s annoying nonetheless.
Thank you for your efforts.Appreciated
Gilberto

[motet]

The instrument definitions are in a file called Finale.instruments. On my system, that's in the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Finale 2014.5\Resources. It's an SQLite database. If you have at least some technical chops, you can probably edit it with an SQLite editor. There are various free ones around. If you use Firefox, I think there's an SQLite editor add-on.

[Gilberto Rey]

Motet,
Thanks. I’ll check that out as soon as I am on my PC again. Let’s hope it’s the same in Finale 27!

[Gilberto Rey]

So, I downloaded SQLiteStudio but I don't understand anything in the Finale.instruments file that I found in the folder you mentioned motet. It's like Chinese to me.
I give up and accept that it's, unfortunately, something I have to live with.
Thanks all for your help!

[motet]

If you upload the Finale 27 version of Finale.instruments here, I'd be happy to make the change for you. You can save a copy of the old one in case it doesn't work. You would like that instrument to get the treble clef with an 8 under it, and transposition set to none (since the clef is now doing it), is that right?

If you decide to upload Finale.instruments here, you might have to zip it first to get the board to allow it.

[Gilberto Rey]

If you upload the Finale 27 version of Finale.instruments here, I'd be happy to make the change for you. You can save a copy of the old one in case it doesn't work. You would like that instrument to get the treble clef with an 8 under it, and transposition set to none (since the clef is now doing it), is that right?

If you decide to upload Finale.instruments here, you might have to zip it first to get the board to allow it.

Wow! Thank you motet. You have no idea how grateful I am. If you can do this, I owe you a beer.
Yes; treble clef with 8 under, no transposition and no Staff Names (full or abbreviated) on the "Classical Guitar" ( the last if you can... that is).
I'm on a PC...
I'm in Europe and it's getting late. If I don't reply I am probably sleeping and dreaming of a better ScoreManager.

[motet]

OK, here you go. It seems to have worked.

[Gilberto Rey]

motet,

It works! Perfect! Thank you! Am I impressed? Yes! Thank you! I am so grateful! I owe you that beer!

Now I'm getting greedy: I tried to do this in the free https://sqlitestudio.pl/ but it looked like gibberish.
Is there a software you can recommend, that is more usable for a non-software developer? I am regarded as intelligent and I can do webpages using html so I am not a noob. There are still things I would like to do with ScoreManager. miker mentioned turning off Auto-Number-style. I agree. Also adding more different guitar tunings...

Well, I will not use more of your time and I am extremely grateful for your help.
Gratefully,
Gilberto

[motet]

I used this: https://sqlitebrowser.org/

When you go to open the database and browse for Finale.instruments, look for "All files," not just "SQLite database files." Once open, click the Browse Data tab, then look at the "instruments" table. If you click the instrument_field header it will sort alphabetically, which makes it easier to find your instrument.

From there on you have to just guess what all the elements mean. To turn off auto-numbering, try changing the number_style element for that instrument to "none" (which seems to relate to the autonumber_styles table). The transposition seems to be in half-steps.

Adding an instrument seems harder. In addition to adding a row to instruments, there seems to be other tables that have to have parallel entries.

[Gilberto Rey]

motet,

Thank you again! I just downloaded it and will have a look at it. Thanks for the instructions how to get started. If I find out some useful stuff that might be useful for others, I will post a Finale.Instruments file here later.

Cheers!