Steve,

I only have 2010, so I'm not sure about any later versions, but here is what I can tell you:

In 2010 at least, one can use Hyperscribe to record MIDI Events in real time. There are a few things to do first - like you have to go into the Hyperscribe and MIDI Menus and make some settings. Basically, if Human Playback is on, it over-rides any other messages, so you have to set that to "None" first.

They way Controller Keyboards work with their host applications is, either the Controller is programmed to send particular messages on particular Knobs/Buttons/Sliders (KBS hereafter) or the software can "learn" what messages these KBSs send and respond accordingly.

Finale responds to General MIDI messages. It records Note Messages. It can also record Control Change (CC) Messages, and Patch Change (PC) Messages.

These make up the bulk of most "everyday" MIDI messages people use and most often send from Controllers.

Note Messages are what you think they are.

PC messages tell the playback device (A synth, virtual synth, GPO, etc.) to change from one sound to another.

CC messages are the biggie - these are things that often change over time - volume or expression, pedalling, pitch bend, and so on.

Even in 2010, Finale can definitely *record* and *play back* these changes from Hyperscribe. For decades now, you've also been able to enter "playback enabled" markings in your score to *send* these messages as well - for example, a Crescendo wedge will send CC7 (Volume, or it might be CC11 which is Expression) messages over time, from X to Y to gradually increase in volume. Likewise, you could set pedal markings to include CC64 (Sustain Pedal) information. You could make "pizz" include a PC message to change a sound.

What Finale can't do TMK (unless any of the other versions do this) is take CC messages in and then put the relevant marking in the score.

For example, we should be able to pedal while recording and have the software automatically put in the appropriate pedal markings. It is 2017 after all. But I don't know of any software that does this.

Now, many controllers come with software that will let you assign specific types of Messages to specific KBSs. For example, mine is right now set up so Slider 1 sends CC 73 (Attack) messages. When I went into Finale and chose "Listen" and moved that slider, sure enough it listed it as CC73.

But I could, with the software, change that S1 to CC7 if I wanted to. But what happens is, when I move it and Finale is in "Listen" mode, it "hears" CC7 and it knows that's volume.

Now, how GPO responds is another issue. The Controller sends CC7, and Finale records it. No worries. But GPO (or whatever synth you use) has to respond to CC7 as well. GPO does. In fact, you can see on p. 72 of the P04 Manual (A Guide to Garritan) which CC Messages GPO responds to and how it behaves (or rather, how particular instruments behave, because it varies) when it receives the message.

GPO only responds to about 7 messages, so you wouldn't need a controller with too many KBSs. But you might prefer a controller that allows you to *assign* certain CC#s to certain KBS. For example, by default, it's doubtful that any pre-programmed map is going to have CC22, or even CC16 assigned to any KBS.

To get the most out of GPO, you should *absolutely* learn what these CC messages do and how to control them either via the controller or via Finale!!!!!

I'll also add that Finale will let me assign a key to select a Note Value in Speedy Edit. So, for example, rather than pressing "4" on the numerical keypad for 1/4 note (or whatever it is), I can press a Middle C and it will then select 1/4 note in SE. It too can "listen" and learn which note you push.

Ordinarily you would play probably a really high or low note that you'd be unlikely to be notating - so say A0 (lowest of 88 keys) would be a whole note, and Bb0 would be a half note, and B0 would be a 1/4 note, and so on. There are a couple of other functions you can assign in that window.

The only downside it it's NOTE messages it responds to, not CC#s. So you can use a note - or, as I did in my case - a Button on the Controller to send that Note (which my controller's software allows me to program) but you'll also HEAR that note when you select it. It won't get recorded, but it is kind of annoying. I was able to set the Velocity on my Controller to 1, meaning it's barely audible, but it's still an ignorant way to design it (but I understand why they did it that way, they should just allow other message types as well).

Finding a Controller that's "pre-mapped" to Finale might limit your choices (if there's even any available) but finding a Controller that's *assignable* is far easier and gives you a lot more choices.

The limitation is actually with Finale itself, but since it's GM and does contain most of the most important messages, any controller should work with it as long as you can "customize" your controller to send the messages you want it to.

Again, later versions of Finale may have more features now, so it may allow more (or more intuitive) control but the basic principle remains the same - get a controller that's assignable, and you can make it work with anything.

HTH,

Steve