Perhaps the book

“Finale 2014: A Trailblazer Guide”

by Mark Johnson

?

Anyway, you can also ask questions in the forums.

Thanks for answering, Peter.   It's nice to know there's someone actually out there. :-)

When I do have a specific question I do ask it - so far a couple times in forums and some to the tech support folks. 

Part of the problem is what to ask and how to ask it -- & when you're sitting in front of the computer trying learn a bit and get further along, asking questions and waiting for answers isn't very rewarding.  Whether it's digging through the online manual or waiting for folks to notice the question and answer, the Learner-User is sitting in front of the screen watching their hour for working on this ooze away. 

I'm one of those strange people who actually do read, or at least skim through, all the main manual sections before I start working on something - whether it's an Ikea cabinet or a new software program. Possibly it's my experience as an indexer -- of the old print type books. 

A searchable PDF would be better than the online version because you could scan the area around the search result to see if you were at least on the right track, and perhaps get an idea for better search terms from the context. 

When I bought the software on June 5th, I had hoped to do my homework for my sax lessons on it that day! Over a month later and I'm still trying to get the basics.

I thought of of the Trailblazer Guide-  & searched the forums - 

Apparently there's been a significant number of substantive changes since then. 

It looks like the situation is the same as a year ago. Check Joel Taylor's question & comments, along with Mike Halloran's comments here - 

https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115000636187-The-manual-and-other-documentation-is-there-an-index-a-table-of-contents-a-page-with-links-so-that-it-s-easy-to-read-the-entire-manual-

And two years ago -- same problem.

The answer here is basically go to the online manual -- that is go from inside Finale via the help menu -- but that gets you to the same manual

https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115000198847-can-I-download-a-user-manual

If there's no hope of a good manual, say searchable pdf or e-book, there is a way to make things better. A really good Table of Contents and a good index could significantly improve the online manual -- this business of having to take multiple jumps just to get to the place to do the search is really frustrating. Then, as likely as not, you've guessed wrong and have to go to a different place to search again. 

summed up, I guess the answer about a Finale 25 manual is - no there isn't one. At least not now. 

Have you looked at the Quick Reference Guide in the Help Menu? You could probably even print it out, since it is a PDF file.

What you have listed is a frequent complaint. 

I know my way around the Help files but, frankly, they are nowhere near as good as a .pdf file that can be searched quickly. Going in and backing out of page after page is ridiculous. Having said this, once you get used to it, things work pretty well (but not as good as a searchable .pdf file.

When Apple released Logic 9 many years ago, they tried what CodaMusic (now MakeMusic) did. It lasted a few weeks before the avalanche of user complaints resulted in Apple rereleasing the documentation in .pdf. MakeMusic is not Apple, however, and the Finale documentation is challenging. I'm being kind.

Back in the day, you could order a print copy of the manual. I did that once.

What I got was a 2" thick book printed 4 pages to the 8.5" x 11" sheet pf paper, both sides. Talk about useless ... even with a magnifying glass on a stand.

Hi Y'all!

JAV: - I've printed it out twice -- first copy has notes and circles and highlighting all over it-- so that simply reading it was distracting. 2nd copy has fewer notes, etc. I hope that means some of it has moved into my head. 

Mike - Yes, a PDF with no proper indexing is as bad or worse than an unindexed book! -- and without a table of contents to give it structure, you're flying blind!

Perhaps in an e-book format? or of course searchable PDF that lets you annotate and add to the meta indexing....

I think that Make Music ignores these complaints because the specific user eventually learns the software and goes away -- and the newest complainers will go away too when they learn it.  I think following that course loses the company marketing and customer relations advantages. 

In some ways it is far more aggravating to have to go through so many screens to get to a proper search page.  the online manual has a pretty presentation but poor functionality.

At least add a google advanced search page... or make one for people who want information fast, without multiple jumps.

I suspect that MakeMusic's on-line manuals, like this forum, are all tied into their Zendesk CRM (customer relation management) system, and since they seem committed to this forum software in spite of its defects, we are out of luck expecting a manual in a more convenient format. Your difficulty reading screen output, Cavan, puts you at an additional disadvantage. I am sorry we (and probably MM) cannot be of more help.

At one point, I consider making a searchable .pdf of the 25 Help files. If one has Acrobat Pro (a I do) it’s easy but there are a few reasons why I don’t:

1. Though easy, it is incredibly time consuming. Someone without access to the source files would have to go into every page, save as .pdf and index it. 

2. To do it right, one has to be able to track changes and update the file accordingly. Without inside access, you are essentially repeating step 1. Life is too short. This, BTW, is the excuse that MM uses for not having a searchable .pdf manual.

3. To post such a file without express, written permission from MM is a Copyright violation. Those who aware of what I do know I definitely cannot go there. 

4. The biggest reason: MakeMusic should be doing this already—it’s not our job. We should be able to access it online, Command f and quickly scroll through all the pages with the search words we enter till we fing the page we’re looking for. Using the Print menu, it could be saved to disk if the user wants.

MM is not even keeping up with correcting and updating the current online version, AFAICT.

For what it's worth: I started with Finale back in 1992. In those days when you got the new big box of floppy disks, there was also something of manual with examples, lessons, etc. It was really helpful. Then as Finale matured I bought a lot of books: Finale Power!, The Finale Primer, Finale 2012: A Trailblazer Guide, Finale: An Easy Guide to Music Notation, Finale for Composers....and probably others I don't remember. What I do remember is this: NONE of them was up to the task of answering all my questions, clarifying every aspect of this monstrously complex software. There are still things I struggle with (actually, a lot of things), aspects I still don't understand, and things I just won't ever get right. These books are all relatively superficial and the online User Manual can be just as vague and hard to use. Fortunately, there are other people out there online and in person who are whizzes and have been extremely helpful and friendly answering questions. Maybe it's time for a new comprehensive book - but it will be really big! And then have another about all those useful plugins from TG Tools, Patterson, etc. I still reference some of my old books from time to time, although much of what is in them no longer applies. But competing programs are in no better shape, and maybe it's the changing software industry that you don't see so many user manuals and For Dummies books anymore. 

Are there equivalent, fully informed books about other apps? Photoshop, or anything else? Apps have gotten so complex that I don’t see how there could ever be a manual covering more than the basics. You could probably compile an entire shelf of pamphlets, covering each jot and tittle, but I can’t see a single publication that would cover it all.

No, there aren't and that's my point - and I think outfits like Microsoft learned a long time ago that no one reads these books cover to cover anyway, so why print them? But when you need the help, they can be useful. Finale has so many options and user needs and methods are so disparate that I don't know how a 100% comprehensive book could be written. Even programming books are not as thorough as they once were.

Cavan, I have no idea if this would be possible for you, but have you thought of trying to find someone in your neighbourhood who could give you Finale lessons? The strong point of instructional videos is that they actually show you how to get things done. They are the next best thing to having an expert explaining how to perform certain tasks. Since you're unable to watch Finale's tutorials, how about trying to find a tutor, at least to get you started and afterwards to troubleshoot?

I have no idea where the experienced local Finale users might be - there probably are some. I may find a way to locate a few, but they would need to be willing to donate the time. 

Martin -- I actually DO read manuals - if not cover to cover, at least most of them. And when they're available in a readable form, I do so BEFORE I start work on the software, or on building the IKEA cabinet. In fact, I got a new sewing machine recently, & I did in fact read that whole manual before I even plugged it in.   I don't usually read the trouble shooting section before I need it. But there are very few pages of a manual that I don't read.    -- I've read that Quick Reference guide 3-4 times already. and keep wishing it went further. 

About the fact that a book can't cover everything -- I wouldn't expect it to. Possibly the things covered in online video tutorials and the I'm new stuff.  This can give enough background to make it easer to use the online manual or to ask questions effectively. By having it in print I could review it as often as necessary. And the book could point directly at the section in the online manual where the details are. If it's an e-book, there could be actual links to the details.  That way one need not spend the first half of your learning time cruising the online manual to see if you can find what you need. 

Even if I could watch the videos, they're a hard sort of media to refer to when a detail or two needs refreshing. Not a good format for quick reference.

The brief Quick Reference Guide is the sort of thing that would be useful -- just expand it to cover the online tutorials. The labeled screenshots and explanations of what things do are valuable! -- And the picture stays still for as long as needed.  If you think of the book/print/e-book form of a manual as actually a fuller reference guide,  that's more of what I had in mind. Concepts, overviews, screenshots, scenario-examples -- and specific links to the online manual for the detail.

The main thing missing from the quick reference guide is material dealing with the basics of audio setup - and a glossary or set of definitions or explanations about why my midi keyboard isn't a plug and play peripheral (& other basic topics in audio). I thought it would at least make some sound when plugged in. that's how clueless I am about the audio side.  After all my QWERTY keyboard types when plugged in.  So I looked up how to make it work and everything I found was in words that made no sense to me.

For those who weren't around early --  many issues with the  online manual can be addressed with a well structured table of contents and good professional indexing of the online manual. There are many professional indexers  and thesaurus builders out there -- I was one before retirement.  

It seem to me that those things might be possible to increase the ease of use for the new person. The thesaurus + index help with the what do I call it problem newbies have -- not knowing what or how to ask is a barrier.  The thesaurus side of indexing pulls together all sorts of words that might be used (as a guess) when looking for something -- then points the search engine to the actual word or phrase used and displays that term for the user while the index is collecting the material filed with that main entry term. 

The problem faced now with the current manual is the same as the person who has problems with spelling. Dictionaries are generally for people who know how to spell something.  So aren't very useful for the spelling challenged.  But parents, teachers, and others continue to tell kids to look the word up in the dictionary to learn the right spelling. 

That's sort of what I'm being told when I'm not given tools to find the words to ask the questions or do the searches. & that's what the thesaurus side addresses. 

Back to Vaughn's idea -- I will try to find some local who wants to tutor/mentor me through the initial phases of the learning curve. 

So anyone with Finale connections in the Austin, Texas area .... 

Aloha y'all!

Cavan

Finale used to send a Visual Guide to show the terms they use to describe certain musical situations. Then they made it on-line and clickable. Now it is no more. If I have time, I will try to scan it, but I'm not sure I can post it in a high enough resolution to be usable. At least with the Visual Index, folks knew what to search for in the (online) documentation.

Sorry about the quality; the PDF is much better but can't be posted here. Perhaps MM could make a version of it available elsewhere on their site.

JAV- Sorry not to acknowledge your help earlier -- after I'd left the note about looking for local help I sort of gave up for a bit.  Then Finale went into cold storage for a while since I'd upgraded to Mojave & Finale 26 wasn't out yet.  I upgraded to 26 during the TMEA convention in Feb, and am ready to try again!

So I'm starting over in the sense that my memory has overwritten most of what I'd learned earlier.

Fortunately your helpful suggestion about visual index inspired me to find the current version  --  https://usermanuals.finalemusic.com/FinaleMac/Content/Finale/Visual_index.htm.  --

Thanks so much for that inspiration!

Now to dig out all the information that a non-midi-person, non-audio software-person, non-multiple-software-connecting-person needs to know about the interrelationships of Finale itself, additional sound libraries (Garritan & others), & where that Aria bit fits in. & I also suspect that it matters where the various components, files, helpers, etc actually are in the computer file structure -- which for me includes iCloud and OneDrive.  I think I may have put some things in unexpected places, and that's why I'm not getting the sound I expect. 

As I re-read this I was reminded of old component-based stereo systems - the ones that you got a special cabinet for - with shelves for a tuner, an amplifier, turntable, speakers, etc.  They used to have schematics showing how each thing hooked into the other. I think that's what I need!

thanks again,

C

I generally install everything in the default locations suggested by the install programs and use additional drives for my data files if necessary.

by "additional drives" do you include cloud-based drives?

Or only local drives whether internal, external, or NAS?

The other thing that may be holding up correct function is mixing of v25 & v26 items. I found in the manual that the defaults are taken from the latest installed version, whatever that version is.  So I want to be sure I get v25 completely uninstalled. 

thanks!

I do not use cloud-based drives for file storage, only for file transfer.