Finale 2014 Tempo Settings Don't Work

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

Moderators: Peter Thomsen, miker

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synester101
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Finale Version: Finale 2014
Operating System: Windows

Post by synester101 » Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:13 pm

Hey yall.

I often use the tempo settings that come with the Playback Settings toolbar, and for whatever reason, the tempo its playing at is COMPLETELY wrong. Its way slower than it should be; almost half time but not quite. For example, I have it set to Quarter note = 120 to start, but its playing back at exactly 66 BPM. NOT 60, which is really confusing. It seems totally uncalibrated, and its completely throwing me off. Id be glad to provide any necessary info and settings if need be. Somebody help me!


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motet
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Post by motet » Sat Dec 08, 2018 10:01 pm

Do you have a tempo mark at the beginning of the piece? That trumps (you'll pardon the expression) the playback controls.

tenortwo
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Post by tenortwo » Tue Jan 15, 2019 2:15 am

I am having the same problem, the playback tempo is very slow relative to the tempo marking in the Playback Controls. I do have a tempo marking at the beginning of the piece but it is set the same (in my case, qtr note = 184). I understand that Playback controls are third in line, tempo marking at the beginning of the piece is second in line, and the dominant condition is the Tempo Tool (I believe I have this correct). My issue with Tempo Tool is when I click on the Tools dropdown, "Tempo" is not one of the choices. How do I check this to see if I have set something that overrides both the tempo marking of the piece and the Playback Controls tempo?

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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Tue Jan 15, 2019 5:53 am

tenortwo wrote:… How do I check this to see if I have set something that overrides both the tempo marking of the piece and the Playback Controls tempo?
I would
- make a duplicate copy of the Finale document, and test the duplicate copy with the following steps:
- Selection Tool,
- Select All,
- Edit menu > Clear Selected Items…
- In the dialog box Clear Selected Items, click “None”, and next select “Tempo Changes” (-> OK!)

If - after you have cleared Tempo Changes - the playback tempo behaves properly, then you know that the document contains “something, that overrides both the tempo marking of the piece and the Playback Controls tempo”.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

tenortwo
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Post by tenortwo » Tue Jan 15, 2019 5:37 pm

Thank you for your response. I did all of the steps you recommended and it still plays back very slow, not at the tempo noted in the expression at the top of the music or the tempo marked in Playback Controls (both qtr note = 184). Any other ideas? This is baffling me. I am, admittedly, a new Finale user but I'm still confused by this.

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michelp
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Post by michelp » Tue Jan 15, 2019 7:26 pm

Just in case, did you check that box ?
 
tempo.jpeg
Michel
MacOsX 12.7.4, Finale 27.4.1 & 26.3.1, Mac Mini Intel Dual Core i7 3Ghz, 16 Go Ram. Azerty kb. MOTU Midi Express XT USB, Roland Sound Canvas SC-88vl, MOTU Audio Express. 2 monitors (27"' pivot, 24'"), JW Lua, RGP Lua

tenortwo
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Post by tenortwo » Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:36 pm

Could you help me find that dialogue box? I'm having trouble. I'm very new to Finale.

tenortwo
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Post by tenortwo » Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:40 pm

I found it. No, that box is not checked. Should it be?

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zuill
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Post by zuill » Wed Jan 16, 2019 3:20 pm

If you can provide us a sample file, I'm sure we can help troubleshoot.

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

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michelp
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Post by michelp » Wed Jan 16, 2019 3:51 pm

The box should be checked if your expression contains a number (tempo value). Finale will use that value as a reference for playback.
Michel
MacOsX 12.7.4, Finale 27.4.1 & 26.3.1, Mac Mini Intel Dual Core i7 3Ghz, 16 Go Ram. Azerty kb. MOTU Midi Express XT USB, Roland Sound Canvas SC-88vl, MOTU Audio Express. 2 monitors (27"' pivot, 24'"), JW Lua, RGP Lua

tenortwo
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Post by tenortwo » Wed Jan 16, 2019 6:56 pm

Thank you to all who pitched in to help. Ultimately, in the Expression Selection dialog box, I clicked on the expression that I added (qtr = 184), clicked Edit under Tempo Marks, and, rather than have Match Playback to Metronome Marking Text checked, I left that unchecked and checked Set to Value under the effect (with 184 set and Tempo Type above set at Quarter Note).

This worked!

But I tested clicking Match Playback to Metronome Marking Text also, and that did work, too. I think part of the issue was I was clicking Assign in the Expression Selection Dialog box after clicking OK in the Expression Designer Dialog box, instead of cancelling out of the Expression Selection dialog box.

So they both worked. Again, thanks for everyone's help. I'm starting to understand how some of these features work.

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miker
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Post by miker » Wed Jan 16, 2019 7:10 pm

Not to worry. As we often say, the first ten years are the hardest!
Finale 27 | SmartScorePro 64
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Copyist for Barbershop Harmony Society

Don Jordan
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Finale Version: Finale 27.3.0.137
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Post by Don Jordan » Tue Jun 06, 2023 5:42 am

I have Finale v. 27 and I'm having the same issue. In this case the tempo is set to quarter note = 72, but the score plays back at one-third of this speed i.e. 24bpm. I've followed all the steps above that tenortwo used, but it makes no difference. The tempo is also set to 72 in the Playback Controls window. Can you help, please?

BTW, I didn't understand michelp's question: "Just in case, did you check that box ? tempo.jpeg"

Was this the box in "Clear selected items" under Edit?

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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:52 am

Don Jordan wrote:
Tue Jun 06, 2023 5:42 am
… I didn't understand michelp's question: "Just in case, did you check that box ? tempo.jpeg"

Was this the box in "Clear selected items" under Edit?
Yes.

If everything else fails, attach the Finale .musx document here, for the gurus to examine.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

Don Jordan
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Post by Don Jordan » Fri Jun 09, 2023 10:08 am

Thank you. I opened the file and it played at the correct tempo. I have no idea what happened. The wheels move in mysterious ways.

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