1) I suppose that you are aware of the sub-menu in the View menu?

(View menu > Out-of-Range Notes > …)

2) When it is importing a MusicXML file, Finale imports into its Default Document which is located here *):

~/Library/Application Support/MakeMusic/Finale/Music Files/Default Files

*) To get to the Library, from the Finder, hold down the Option key, and use the Go menu.

You can add your own Finale document to the folder Default Files, and tell Finale to use this document as its Default Document:

Finale menu > Preferences > New

Enter into the top field the full name of your document.

Having Finale turn notes yellow is a useful courtesy (so long as you have entered the settings you want) but there is no substitute ultimately for knowing the actual ranges of the instruments (or having a helpful reference nearby).

:-)

Thanks for your notes!

Yes, I have the out of range note level set to Advanced. I'd set it to virtuoso if I could.

And if you'll notice on the image -- I have the ranges of the instruments in square brackets (entered as text) near the beginning of each stave.  Those are just general ordinary ranges, not extremes.

I also have Kent Kennon's orchestration book as well as bookmarks for the Wikipedia page for each instrument in case I need a quick look at something.  -- Also to lists of the transposing instruments as I'm learning 2 B♭ transposers - soprano and tenor sax -- and 1 E♭ -- Alto Sax. 

When it comes to the specifics of instruments I also have my spouse who plays 8 brass instruments, the pipe organ, piano, and other keyboards. Actually our copy of Kent Kennon's orchestration book was given to my spouse by Kent Kennon a very long time ago.  And the kids play strings.... I have a very long way to go to catch up with any of them.

--

About how to import into an open document -- what I found about it said nothing about having to have it be a document that replaces the defualt doc in the actual library directory.  -- Exactly the sort of thing I needed to know before beginning that attempt. 

It sounded like all I had to do was have a document open - one with no notes in it yet. And to check the option to have Finale import the music xml to the currently open document. 

I did know where the default files are because that was in the installaton information. (yes, I read that stuff as well as manuals...)

One question I had that wasn't answered in the installatoin files information  was where you could or couldn't have those files. Specifically can they be in your cloud storage? -- I work from a MacBook Pro and from an iMac --  and it would be nice to have to make only one set of default files and set up only one set of custom ensemble combinations. I save the actual Finale Documents to the cloud, but am wary of putting the default and regularly needed default and system files in the cloud unless this is known to work.

Thanks so much for answering!

Cavan

By the way - I'd still like to know why those in-range beginner notes show as out of range when my level for out of range is set to advanced.

And the related items mentioned in my original post.  Such as could the problem have been in the music xml file itself? or how it was imported? Even though the notes look to be in the correct place on the stave, could they be read by Finale in a different way?

… I have the out of range note level set to Advanced. I'd set it to virtuoso if I could …

If you set the Out-of-Range Notes to None, then Finale will not display any Out-of-Range Notes.

… I save the actual Finale Documents to the cloud, but am wary of putting the default and regularly needed default and system files in the cloud unless this is known to work …

I doubt that it will work, if you put “the default and regularly needed default and system files” in the Cloud.

But you should probably ask the folks in MakeMusic’s Tech Support.

Glad to hear the Kennon book on orchestration is still in use. The copy I used when I studied orchestration as a teen is still a go-to reference, although my edition is likely much, much older than Cavan's.