How to define playback using rit. marking

Discuss playback problems, including VST, Garritan, MIDI, etc.

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MegRobinson
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:28 pm
Finale Version: 26.3
Operating System: Mac

Post by MegRobinson » Mon Feb 13, 2023 6:06 pm

When I place a rit. over a measure, I want to be able to define the length over which the ritard will occur, and the speed of the ritard. I am putting this at the end of a harp piece and want it to start to slow the tempo a few measures before the ending. I want to be able to have it play back properly with the ritard at the end.


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motet
Posts: 8225
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Finale Version: 2014.5,2011,2005,27
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Post by motet » Mon Feb 13, 2023 6:10 pm

The rit. should be written where the slowdown begins--or am I not understanding you?

There is a way to specify a tempo "shape," but I haven't used it. MIDI tool, maybe?

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Djard
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Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:23 am
Finale Version: Finale 26
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Post by Djard » Mon Feb 13, 2023 7:07 pm

From my personal manual...notes compiled from experience and different sources.
***
In the example below, we will create the expression of
"ritardando." where the tempo is to slow down for
3 beats. This tempo alteration mark will be saved
for future use, which can be edited if so desired.

1. Window (upper text menu) -> Playback Controls
-> Playback Settings (speaker icon) -> from
"Human Playback Style" drop-down menu, select,
say, "Classical -> OK. The "Classical" option is
better than "Standard" as it properly respects
the bar line or first beat in a measure as
accented.

2. Expression Tool ("mf" icon in upper menu)
3. Double-click on note from which you want to
start slowing the tempo.
4. Tempo Alterations -> Create Tempo Alteration.
5. In "Description field, you may type "Gradual
slowing for 3 beats."
6. In "Text" field, type "rit." (without quote
marks), using "Times New Roman 12 italic."
7. Playback tab -> uncheck "Match playback to
metronome...".
8. In "Type" drop-down menu, select "Tempo" and
"Eighth Note."


EXECUTE SHAPE

Now we will draw a shape, which will
correspond with the rate of decrease in
speed of tempo. Note that the shape is
executable, the parameters will actually
affect playback. BUT YOU WILL STILL NEED
TO ENTER TARGET SPEED AT END OF THE SET
DURATION (i.e. enter a hidden tempo mark
at end of the duration of the rit.).

9. Execute Shape -> Select -> Create -> Shape
ID -> Create.
10. ShapeDesigner (upper text menu) -> Show ->
Grid.
11. ShapeDesigner -> Show -> Origin.
12. Shape Designer -> Rulers and Grid -> check
"Eighth notes" -> "Grid Marks Every: "2" 8th
notes" -> OK.

NOTE: Every point on a horizontal grid line
represents duration of one 1/4 note (2
x 1/8th as specified in last step).
Every point on a vertical grid line
represents 1 beat per minute (BPM).

Horizontal: Duration
Vertical: Speed (BPM)

So the coordinates of 3 dots to the
right (duration) and 5 dots down (speed
decrease) would mean that the tempo will
slow down by 5 BPM over the course of 3
beats as in a measure of a waltz.

If the initial tempo is 100 BPM, the
tempo will slow to 95 at the end of the
3rd beat. This decrease is small, but we
will multiply the figure later. See
"Execute Shape (info)" in this section
for additional info.

13. Click on 'hand grabber' icon in upper menu
and drag center circle to upper left corner
of panel (if circle disappears, Cancel ->
Create -> start again).
14. Select Draw Tool [ \ ] from upper menu.
15. Click on circle & hold down mouse button ->
drag the line horizontally 5 spaces from
center circle (5 x 1/2 beats = 2-1/2 beats)
then 7 dots (BPM) down.
16. OK -> Select.
17. Set parameters as follows:

Shape ID: Leave whatever number appaers,
otherwise Finale will not show
a preview of the shape.

Time Scale: 1:1. A setting of 2:1 would
have the tempo 7 BPM slower
than started at the end of the
5th beat. A setting of 1:2
would shorten the duration by
50% (i.e. to 1.25 beats) as
Finale samples the shape twice
as often (once every sixteenth
note), which offers a smoother
rit. Sampling the entire shape
in half the time therefore
shortens the duration.

Level Scale: This setting multiplies the
amount of ritardation. 8:1
will multiply the rit. by 8
BPM--i.e. for every grid point
your shape falls, the tempo
will decrease by 8 BPM.

Sample Rate: 1. SR is the number of times
Finale reads the shape. If
you enter 2, Finale will only
change the rate every second
time the shape triggers a
change, ignoring the samples
in between.

Use List: No. But if you want Finale to
"notice" specific samples that
you specify, select Use List.
A dialog box appears, letting
you enter a series of numbers,
one in each text box (if there
are more than four values in
your list, use the right and
left arrows to scroll to
additional text boxes; but you
can’t enter more than six).
The numbers you specify here
tell Finale which samples of
the Executable Shape you want
it to register for playback
purposes.

Use List can produce interesting
effects if the Executable Shape
governs pitch or Restrike Keys.
(Restrike Keys is one of the
playback definitions you can
assign to any expression; the
note to which it’s attached is
struck over and over again at a
rate specified by its Time Scale
setting.) By creating a sample
list and entering your values
carefully, you can create a
Restrike Keys expression that
plays a certain rhythm. Suppose,
for example, your Restrike Keys
shape is applied to a whole note,
and has a Time Scale of 1:1 (it
restrikes the note every eighth
note). If you click Use List and
enter 3, 3, and 2 in the first
three boxes, the affected whole
note would play back with this
rhythm

Repeat Count: 0. But there may be times
when you want the Executable
Shape you’ve just defined to
repeat itself several times.
For example, if you’ve just
designed a custom trill that
lasts for only a quarter note,
but you want to create a
trilling whole note, you can
tell Finale how many extra
times you want the shape
played by entering the number.

Log all: No. But when sampling your shape,
Finale generally only produces
an audible playback change for
a sample when its value changes;
a Restrike Keys expression whose
shape is a horizontal line won’t
restrike the note at all because
Finale doesn’t notice any
changes in the line’s vertical
value. If you want such a shape
to generate a sample at each
eighth note, whether its value
has changed or not, select "Log
All."

Quit at end of Sample List: No. But if
you’ve specified a sample list
by selecting "Use List," and if
the shape is long enough to
produce more samples than the
highest number you’ve entered
in the Sample List, Finale will
ordinarily start over at the
beginning of the Sample List in
deciding which samples to
"notice." If you’d rather have
Finale respond only once to the
specific samples named in the
list, and not to repeat the
action, select this option.

18. OK -> Exit back to your score. See "Insert
Ritard." in this section for adding the
effect to your score.

NOTE: Regardless of what the manual says, you
may still need to insert a (hidden) tempo
mark, like "a tempo," where you want
the rit. to end.

19. Create a variety of tempo alterations. The
shape of the graph to some extent will
identify the rate of decrease in tempo,
allowing you to choose one more appropriate
rall. rit. or riten.

Below are some shapes I use. I kept the
horizontal (duration) and the Level Scale
(multiplier at 4:1) constant, so that the
slope in the thumbnail of the shape would
give me an idea of how gradual the decrease
in speed. But sometimes I still need to
look the shape, such as for slopes that I
created for longer durations.

NOTE: "Grid marks every 2 Eighth notes"
will only count every two dotes as a
beat if under Playback tab, the tempo
is set to "Eighth Note." If set to
"Quarter Note," every dot will be 1
beat and the effect more dramatic.

Rall.
H: +6 (3 beats duration)
V: -5
TS: 1:1
LS: 8:1

Poco rall.
H: +6 (3 beats duration)
V: -4
TS: 1:1
LS: 8:1

Riten.
H: +5 (2-1/2 beats duration)
V: -8
TS: 1:1
LS: 8:1

Rit.
H: +5 (2-1/2 beats duration)
V: -7
TS: 1:1
LS: 8:1

Poco rit.
H: +5 (2-1/2 beats duration)
V: -6
TS: 1:1
LS: 8:1

MegRobinson
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:28 pm
Finale Version: 26.3
Operating System: Mac

Post by MegRobinson » Mon Feb 13, 2023 8:14 pm

Wow--so many details on this question. I really appreciate it. I will look through your suggestions and try the different approaches you recommend. I did not expect such thoroughness. Many thanks!

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Djard
Posts: 916
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:23 am
Finale Version: Finale 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Djard » Mon Feb 13, 2023 10:30 pm

You're welcome.

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