save to mp3

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musicus
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Post by musicus » Wed Mar 15, 2023 5:40 pm

I have created a Finale piece. I want to be able to play it back (audio) on CD. How
do I save the Finale file to an audio file such as MP3?
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motet
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Post by motet » Wed Mar 15, 2023 6:06 pm

A search for "mp3" in the manual provides the answer.

http://usermanuals.finalemusic.com/Fina ... hlight=mp3

Zoots
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Post by Zoots » Wed Mar 15, 2023 6:10 pm

Look under: File Export Audio File
and see if that helps.
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BuonTempi
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Post by BuonTempi » Wed Mar 15, 2023 7:14 pm

What the Help file doesn't explain clearly is that if you're using the Garritan samples, or Noteperformer, or any other VST/AU, Finale won't export as MP3, only as AIFF or WAV, and you'll have to compress it via some other app.
Screenshot 23.png

Finale will only save an MP3 if you're using the SmartMusic SoftSynth samples, which are very crappy.

But if you're planning to save to an actual Audio CD, then an AIFF file will be fine; it will just take more space.

AnneMillington
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Post by AnneMillington » Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:00 pm

Definitely export to .wav or .aiff, as you will get the best sound quality. Then if you want to convert to .mp3, which is compressed, you can do that with third party free apps, or even with Windows Media Player.

musicus
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Post by musicus » Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:34 pm

Thanks.
AnneMillington wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:00 pm
Definitely export to .wav or .aiff, as you will get the best sound quality. Then if you want to convert to .mp3, which is compressed, you can do that with third party free apps, or even with Windows Media Player.

musicus
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Post by musicus » Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:34 pm

Thanks.
Zoots wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 6:10 pm
Look under: File Export Audio File
and see if that helps.

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michelp
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Post by michelp » Wed Mar 15, 2023 10:41 pm

P.S. : if you want to make an audio Cd, you need wav or aiff files. MP3 files can be stored on a data cd.
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Post by musicus » Wed Mar 15, 2023 10:54 pm

Thanks.
michelp wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 10:41 pm
P.S. : if you want to make an audio Cd, you need wav or aiff files. MP3 files can be stored on a data cd.

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motet
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Post by motet » Wed Mar 15, 2023 11:52 pm

I didn't know that about not being able to record Garritan as mp3. There's really no technical reason why not, I don't think.

If you get Audacity, you can record whatever's playing through your computer's speakers and save that directly to mp3.

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motet
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Post by motet » Wed Mar 15, 2023 11:53 pm

(I think most modern CD players will play CD-Rs full of mp3's.)

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Post by BuonTempi » Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:56 am

motet wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 11:52 pm
I didn't know that about not being able to record Garritan as mp3. There's really no technical reason why not, I don't think.
Even the most powerful Pentium with 64 Mb of RAM and a fast ATA hard drive couldn't possibly render the audio in real time while simultaneously compressing the data and saving it to disk. I'm sure MakeMusic will review the decision at some point in the future.

And speaking of the 90s:
michelp wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 10:41 pm
P.S. : if you want to make an audio Cd, you need wav or aiff files. MP3 files can be stored on a data cd.
Burning MP3 files onto audio CDs was quite fashionable back in the day.

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Post by ebiggs1 » Thu Mar 16, 2023 2:10 pm

Musescore 4 export options!
mp3.jpg
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Post by Zoots » Thu Mar 16, 2023 2:17 pm

ebiggs, I wish you wouldn't post things like that :) !
I am a very lightweight (in terms of notation requirements, not body) user of Finale that I got to the full program via upgrade offers over the years. When I see things like that in free MuseScore I wonder if I'm beating my head against the wrong wall when I do my notation. I certainly don't need all the "I can fudge anything" and exotic editing options Finale provides to many of you.
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N Grossingink
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Post by N Grossingink » Thu Mar 16, 2023 3:39 pm

Zoots said: When I see things like that in free MuseScore I wonder if I'm beating my head against the wrong wall when I do my notation.
I'm a professional user (publishing) of Finale and I stopped beating my head against the wall at least 15 years ago. I've mastered the software insofar that I'm able to engrave the music I am assigned to my client's satisfaction with not too much effort. I've got all of the plugins (yeah, I know), know how to use them and how they interface with Finale. Sure, I could get software (Dorico, Muse Score) that has more built-in functionality. But I'm happy spending the extra time (not much) to get beautiful, predictable results.

I take it you use Finale to engrave more straightforward scores. I respectfully suggest that your knowledge of the software might be lacking in some areas. I'd suggest you watch Jason Loffredo's excellent series of videos on You Tube. He may offer solutions to problems you've been having.
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Zoots
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Post by Zoots » Thu Mar 16, 2023 4:00 pm

I certainly won't argue that I could fill in some blanks but when I see things in free MuseScore I wonder if putting the effort into learning a program that appears to come with enhanced ability (at least in some useful areas) makes some degree of sense. I'm not that naive that I think MuseScore doesn't have its issues too.
I understand your requirements and your Finale knowledge developed over time and how it allows you to do exactly what you require but isn't Finale missing the boat with it's lack of development in features that, especially new user, may find of interest? Aren't they interested in getting the "hook set" in beginners so they buy the product as their music career develops.
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motet
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Post by motet » Thu Mar 16, 2023 4:11 pm

BuonTempi wrote:
Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:56 am
motet wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 11:52 pm
I didn't know that about not being able to record Garritan as mp3. There's really no technical reason why not, I don't think.
Even the most powerful Pentium with 64 Mb of RAM and a fast ATA hard drive couldn't possibly render the audio in real time while simultaneously compressing the data and saving it to disk. I'm sure MakeMusic will review the decision at some point in the future.
Since playing back Garritan can save WAV data, there's no reason it can't convert that to MP3 when it's done playing and then delete the WAV data.

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Post by BuonTempi » Thu Mar 16, 2023 6:50 pm

motet wrote:
Thu Mar 16, 2023 4:11 pm
Since playing back Garritan can save WAV data, there's no reason it can't convert that to MP3 when it's done playing and then delete the WAV data.
My point was it's indicative of the glacial pace of development of Finale, when hardware limitations from the 90s are still relevant. (q.v. "Redraw Screen".) Any computer in the last 10 years should have no trouble bouncing to MP3 in real-time.
Zoots wrote:
Thu Mar 16, 2023 4:00 pm
isn't Finale missing the boat with it's lack of development in features that, especially new user, may find of interest? Aren't they interested in getting the "hook set" in beginners so they buy the product as their music career develops.
Finale does have a strong base in education (in the US, at least), and is likely to get fresh meat that way: but MuseScore is very appealing to the budget of both student and faculty. Couple that with a modern interface, familiar to those brought up with the iPhone, and I'd agree that the boat is sounding its horn, at least.

That's likely one of the factors in the recent price slashing -- $99 for academic, church, or military purchase, and for any upgrade. (And there's currently a $20 off fire sale, err.. promotion.)

It has to be said that most users on this forum have their long-service medals, and there aren't waves of newcomers swelling the ranks regularly. And users here have repeatedly suggested features for Finale that have been implemented in other products: non-contiguous selections; graphical MIDI editor; library manager; as well as effortless notation that doesn't requires 'fakery'.

MuseScore still has some way to go in terms of engraving and notation function: but it's moving at an astonishing rate.

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Post by dtoub » Thu Mar 16, 2023 8:58 pm

I'm old enough to remember when Finale did offer exporting to .mp3 in addition to .aif and .wav. Unfortunately, for reasons I don't remember, that got dropped not long afterwards. It saved a step, but wasn't mission critical. These days, I export to AIFF, import my file into iTunes and convert it to .mp3 or AAC after adding metatags and artwork. But it certainly would be nice to directly export to .mp3. I recall that it did take longer to export audio that way back in the day, but wasn't painfully long.
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Post by BuonTempi » Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:37 pm

dtoub wrote:
Thu Mar 16, 2023 8:58 pm
I'm old enough to remember when Finale did offer exporting to .mp3 in addition to .aif and .wav.
The What's New pages show that Saving as MP3 was introduced as late as 2005. Save As AIF/WAV was 2004. The earliest Help file I can find online is 2009, saying "Compressed audio files are not supported while recording with AU as the playback device".

I'm fairly sure that MP3 has always just been for non-VST/AUs. A revision of a new feature after 4 years isn't typical of MM. :lol:

Admittedly, I was wrong to suppose that the reasons were tech limitations of the late 90s, because MM didn't even get round to it for several years after -- by which time there were no excuses!

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Post by ebiggs1 » Fri Mar 17, 2023 2:40 pm

ebiggs, I wish you wouldn't post things like that :) !
Zoots,
You can take solace in the fact it is a good thing Musescore 4 is free because, IMHO, it is not ready for prime time...yet. It has a convoluted format that tries to do everything. It makes simple editing adjustments seem odd or at least not apparent. Perhaps being a Finale user for as long as there has been a Finale clouds my estimation of Musescore 4 but I won't be switching anytime soon. I will keep it on my computer to play with though.

BTW, just for kickers Sibelius can even make videos.
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ebiggs1
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Post by ebiggs1 » Fri Mar 17, 2023 2:51 pm

I understand your requirements and your Finale knowledge developed over time and how it allows you to do exactly what you require ...
Zoots,
Here is how I use Finale to make "acceptable" sounds files. I know some guys are going to jump in and claim they have a much better way but this is how I do it. You need two helper programs. NotePerformer3 and Audacity. NP3 isn't free but Audacity is.

Now load NP3 in Finale and export your Finale sound file. Use Audacity to convert it to MP3. The good thing using Audacity is you can enhance or edit the sound file. One thing I like ot do is use the Normalize tool in Audacity. It has a Graphic Equalizer too. Some basic stuff so you don't have to be an audio engineer to use it.

BTW, on this topic I would love it is MM redesigned the mixer. The one in Finale as is is a joke at best. The mixer included with
Musescore 4 is 100 times better.
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Post by dtoub » Fri Mar 17, 2023 2:59 pm

completely agree about the mixer in Finale. When I do any serious mixing I dump MIDI from Finale to Reason and go from there. Normalization is very useful indeed, including in Audacity. Much more appropriate than Amplify, which often screws up the balance and volume. And don't even get me started on Finale's antiquated MIDI Tool...
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