expand mixer window

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Michael M Posted January 04, 2019 06:46

I would like to submit a request for a feature that I would like Finale to
consider improving (important when working with larger scores).

Although the Mixer isn't limited to 16 channels+Master, it is very
awkward to work with it if one has more channels. It is if course
possible to scroll to the right with the little arrow on the bottom, but
it is extremely slow and cumbersome, rendering it basically useless.
Even if one has scrolled to the end on the right side, once the mixer has
exited, when returning to it (still in the same file), it is back to its
original state and one needs to go again through this awkward scrolling
procedure.
Since Finale seems to be fairlly concerned with improving playback
features, this should really be updated or re-thought, so that the mixer
can be expanded easily, and stay in that configuration, in order to enable
the user to change levels, mutes and solos on the fly.

See this forum thread, where this was also discussed:
https://www.finaleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17292

Perhaps it is only a problem in Windows. I have also checked it with
Finale 26 and it exhibits the same problem.

Regards,
Michael

11 comments

Date Votes

KENTARO SATO Posted January 08, 2019 14:42

I second this suggestion.

The current mixer is very slower and seems not to take into users with 4k or other large monitor into account.

Also, it would be great if the mixer has certain "playback sets" like remembering certain combination of solos and mutes.

MIKE ROSEN Posted January 08, 2019 15:27

It's a Windows-only problem. It should be fixed. And NOT by breaking it on the Mac!

Owen Marks Posted January 08, 2019 23:24

Would love to see the ability to add mixer "presets" on a document-by-document basis. (Kentaro Sato also mentioned this as part of a different question, so I wanted to give it it's own "platform". :)

I do a lot of big band arranging, although my request would make sense for anyone who does any ensemble writing. If I want to hear, for example, just the trombones I need to bring up the mixer and solo each trombone individually; I have several different solo/mute sets of that type that are useful while checking voicing. It would be a great timesaver if I could set up my presets ahead of time and then just select them as needed.

Michael M Edited January 09, 2019 11:17

Yes, it would be nice to have this as a feature of the mixer. I don't know how you have set up "...several different solo/mute sets..." but there are some pretty good solutions as work-arounds with scripts. See this thread: https://www.finaleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17366

MICHEL HERR Edited January 09, 2019 14:06

A related request : as I have already expressed in another "Feature request", It would be useful to be able to program some groups of instruments in the mixer. Not only to solo/mute them with one click, but to be able to adjust a group volume globally, with one slider, even on the fly during playback.

Michael M Posted January 09, 2019 15:08

Of course this would be good to have in the mixer (but I wouldn't hold my breath to see that implemented...).In the meantime, if you carefully assign instrument groups to different banks (up to 8) in the score manager, you can control levels of these banks on the fly with MIDI/Audio > VST Banks & Effects.

MICHEL HERR Edited January 09, 2019 15:18

Unfortunately, this wouldn't be possible, as I use Midi playback (with an external module).

Mike Richardson Posted January 10, 2019 18:16

yes, this would be nice. Sometimes I make several instrument tracks, using the same instrument, so I can make one track lower volume, create more realistic drum set tracks for example. So I like how Finale handles 20 or more tracks, and having the mixer remember last position sounds cool. Also, I notice the mixer sometimes resets to some weird panning default, whenever I use a ftmx template file, which has all my instruments already selected. Sometimes the Snare drum is default panned to the RIGHT, so I center it using the Mixer. Then when I make a new song, and use the Template file, I have to re-pan almost every track. The volume level on each track does stay how I have set them however.

Mike Richardson Edited August 12, 2019 19:23

yes, I am reviewing this old post, but to be sure, to the original title of the post, Expand mixer window. for me, expand it Vertically. Should I submit a new enhancement request? I think this thread here is good. I use the File->Export-to WAVE feature to make audio tracks. So the mixer fader levels get exported also and this is why I would like it to be easier. I have tried a work-around attempt to try the keyboard UP arrow but it does NOT allow me to increment the MIXER FADER either! Do you agree that sliding the mixer fader with a mouse is cumbersome since the window is so SMALL (on Windows)?

MIKE ROSEN Edited August 12, 2019 18:21

Mike Richardson, have you tried making the volume adjustments in the score manager, rather than the mixer? It will give you much finer, numerical settings.

Having said that, I agree that some form of automation would be nice. I use the mixer extensively to create learning tracks for my choir. So, typically, I would have 4 parts and piano. Now, I use the mixer to:

1. Slide Soprano volume to top, and pan full left.

2. Slide Alto, Tenor, and Bass to 50 (more or less), and pan full right.

3. Export audio.

4. Repeat for the other parts.

So it would be nice if I could speed up the process of changing the mixer settings individually. I don’t know enough to write Finalescripts or use JW Lua.

Mike Richardson Edited August 12, 2019 19:23

cool, and as a reminder, the topic says window size. Automation, I think might be good also, and maybe should be duplicated in a new post, in case this window size doesn't encompass automation... Or perhaps the original post is ...to Expand/Enhance automation. sort of, yeah, being able to slide the (instrument) volume (with manual effort) using the mouse drag is what I want.

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