Finale Forum

Hello,
I recent bought Finale v26 (26.2.1.458 on Windows 10). Mostly I've been happy with it, but I'm having real problems with files from the old version. So far, I tried to play back a file that used the built-in instruments for Finale (Garritan); I haven't even tried importing files that use other VSTs, although I'm sure that will be even more complicated.
Here's what I've experienced so far:
1) The Garritan ambience is missing.
2) The balance that I had set for instruments is gone.
3) Overall, the sound of a file that was good in 2010 is now the typical amateurish computerish sound one often hears, although that may be largely due to 1) and 2).

I'm thinking the strategy might be to just always use 3rd party reverb, and take a screenshot of the old Instrument lists as a starting point for rebalancing all the instruments. I'm not sure if this is the best way or if there are other things to consider. Alternatively, I might go to all external VSTs as long as I have to redo the mix anyway.
I'm just wondering if others have come up with strategies that work well for them.
Thanks,
-Jonathan

Look under Audio Units and Effects.
There's a new Matrix reverb, and Wet/Dry settings.
Check the Mixer and Score Manger to make sure they are giving you what you want.
Also Device Set-up.

Thanks for your help. I was able to see that the reverb effects in the Aria player affect the whole bank, and interestingly, the volumes from my old file did copy over. The trouble is that the raw instruments themselves are at different levels, so I have to tone down especially the harp a lot lower than it was in the old version. But the other big thing I'm noticing is that it replaced all the tutti strings with solo strings. So I had to manually change each one individually to the tutti string version. This was the main thing that was making it sound awful until I manually switched it. Does anyone know of any trick so that it maps section strings from the old file to section strings in the new file?

Garritan Ambience has been discontinued; so when you convert a MUS file to a MUSX, you will need to deselect Garritan Ambience in the new document; otherwise Finale will nag you with the notice each time you open the converted document. I think the Garritan Ambience box has been kept for this purpose.

For a more faithful conversion, try saving the old document as an MusicXML file then then save it as the regular, MUSX document. You may need to audit the converted document for such things as articulations moved out of place.