F25 on macOS Sierra: arco/pizz switching is better than in previous versions (IMHO) but there are still weird moments of "stuck" registration between the two when using HP. I can't identify any regular rhyme or reason between the sections that work correctly and those that don't. This should still be viewed as a bug which hasn't been solved by MM for a decade or so.

I am having the same problem on Finale 2014.5 with MacOSSierra! I tried setting up an entirely new orchestral score to deal with it bit it simply transferred the same problem! I want to send an MP3 to enable a soloist to hear the score. This is really inconvenient!

Hi All,

This certainly can be frustrating - Human Playback is great as long as it is working as expected! In the event that HP is not swapping keyswitches as indicated, we have some other ways of manually augmenting Human Playback's interpretation of your score. You can find that information in this knowledge base article: Having trouble with Finale's playback interpretation (Human Playback®)?

There is a section in that article called "Pizz/arco and problems with other keyswitches" that would address this particular issue.

Hope this helps!

Sadly the suggestion on that "HELP" page doesn't help.

The solution offered only applies at the END of the composition process, and quite rightly suggests first doing a MIDI dump so you can edit HP MIDI data easier. (Finale's MIDI editing system is brutally primitive, and sometimes doesn't work at all on F25).

What I, and the others need, is to have HP behave properly while we're composing. You should know that creating a keyswitch MIDI dump should not be done while HP is active, as it confuses the system. Do you have any solution that works? And if you say "turn of HP", I will scream.

Hi Carl,

In that case, try following the steps just leaving HP on and not applying HP. While that article focuses generally on handling playback issues toward the end of the scoring process, using the edited pizz/arco expressions with HP on may help during the process.

If this does not work, please use the Submit a request link above to get some additional help! We can definitely take a look at one of the Finale files in question and help further if needed.

I certainly agree that it would be best if HP would interpret these markings correctly automatically, and it usually does. I know that our developers work hard to make this so, but I also know that Human Playback, while useful, is not always a perfect science. So, when HP does not work as expected these workarounds will help take your score's playback the rest of the way to the finish line.

Hoping this helps!

Thanks for the quick response, Lawson.

Over the last 28 years I've submitted maybe 4 Support Requests concerning failed playback of pizz/arco. No solution was provided for any of those specific cases, and I didn't bother reporting it for the middle decade or so. We users have been advised repeatedly, in consecutive versions of the User Manual, and via Support Feedback, to never use MIDI dump commands while HP is enabled. Are you saying that advice is now superseded?

Hi Carl,

I totally see where you're coming from. In all honesty, it depends on the circumstances. Just editing the expressions of pizz and arco so they act as MIDI data dumps should not adversely effect Human Playback, but only help it along.

That being said, and sort of the heart of this whole thing, is that Human Playback handles an immense amount of variables at once, and sometimes the unforeseen can occur. So, if this doesn't work out, let's take a look at the Finale file! The best way to do that right now, if the issue persists of course, is to submit a support request and work directly with one of our agents. 

I would expect that this should work fine, so please let us know how it goes! If you are worried about the file for any reason, go ahead and save a new version of it (File > Save As) on which to try this change.

I am using KS instruments in a sting quartet, and they all work fine changing from arco to pizz and back--excpet for the viola! Nothing I do seems to stop the viola getting stuck on pizz and never going back to arco. I've spent ages trying to solve this. I've copied and pasted from other parts, I've deleted usic and started again--nothing works.