New post
Avatar
3

Hi There,

From many of the Finale users I've talked to, there's one feature that would make Finale 10x better (not exaggerating, it will literally save hours per piece).

That would be both automatically aligning dynamics/hairpins and making sure they don't collide.

Here's what I mean:

  • Dynamics/hairpins should never collide with notes
  • They should always be on the same height within a local area
  • Hairpins should never collide with dynamics

The first two bullets are achievable through the TG Tools "Align/Move Dynamics". However, it is a very tedious task to go through entire orchestra scores and parts with that tool. Even with macros to speed up the process.

That's because simply aligning the dynamics/hairpins doesn't guarantee it won't collide with the staff.

As to the last bullet, it is great that the hairpins automatically snap to notes and beats. But if there is a dynamic or some other expression, it should be offset. Still snapping, but not colliding.

I'm sure both of these are harder to code than they are to write, and you may already be working on them for Finale 26. It already goes along with the theme of the 3 sneak peaks. But I wouldn't be surprised if simply adding this feature to Finale would make many current users eager to upgrade. Even without the normal discount.

5 comments

Date Votes
Avatar
1

About hairpins not colliding with notes or dynamics I'm entirely for that. 

About dynamics/hairpins always being on the same height in a local area, I'm not so sure - if I got you right? I've come to think that a fairly consistent distance between notes/staff and dynamics/hairpins/expressions is just as important. Meaning, I would have to judge from case to case, when to prioritize putting dynamics etc. on a line (even in a local area), or to keep the distance of every element at a fairly consistent distance from notes/staff. I think the latter is quite important to the overall "tightness/looseness" of the layout.

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
1

In my opinion, this is THE FIRST problem that the Finale team should solve once and for all (and without using plugins!). This is a basic feature of music notation! We struggle for years with dynamics and hairpins collisions!

It's even incredible that in Finale hairpins and dynamics are two separate tools. This is clearly due to the fact that the software thinks of hairpins as graphic signs attached to measure (or beats), while dynamic signs are text expressions. In musical terms, these two "signs" notate the same parameter. 

So, how to solve that? Surely, the team should find a standard way to write dynamics associated with hairpins, something like in Dorico. In Dorico you can write dynamic evolution on a "virtual line" attached to the staff and write (let's say): p < f >p on a selected passage and the software does everything. If one moves the music or the dynamic, the hairpins follow accordingly This is because hairpins and dynamics are the same tool...and this is RIGHT, they musically are!

There is another possibility to do that in Finale by using smart shapes...but we miss a step: in smart shape with a custom line, one can attach a text to the music (or to a note) and create lines in between. One can also define the precise distance between the text and the line. So far, with a custom line in smartshapes, one can only create lines, dashed lines or copy a character. If the team would add the possibility to create the two kind of hairpins for crescendo and diminuendo, this would solve this problem.

Of course, this would oblige the user to create several custom lines with many dynamics signs. But everything is almost there...

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

There is a solution. SInce MM doesn't see this as necessary or a nice feature to have, fortunately talented people like Jan Angermüller, does. His Perfect Layout plugin will correct everything. Just compose and let Finale and MM put things wherever it wants to. When done run the plugin Perfect Layout and all is, well........perfectly laid out. No collisions and everything set to industry standards. 

Send him a musx file; he will run PL on it and return it for you to see how well it works. I have no idea, they gotta be out of their minds, why MM shuns this type of development and improvement. It should be in Finale right form the box.

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

Hi Ernest,

yes, of course, one can use plugins and I know Perfect Layout...but this should be a basic/normal feature of a music notation software. 

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
1

Should be is true. We all mostly agree except MM. And, since MM doesn't see fit to include something like PL, you need to do the next best thing and rely on plug-in creators to do the task. The fantastic plug-in JW Change should be standard in Finale instead of the lame Change that MM puts there. There are others, too.

For some reason MM saw fit to include TG Tools and Patterson but not other just as important plug-ins. Go figure!

Comment actions Permalink

Please sign in to leave a comment.