library of score expressions for brass mutes, string performance

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ANTONIO GARCIA Posted June 18, 2019 21:27

Hi. I use Finale 25 on Mac High Sierra. Though a longtime Finale user, I've only recently upgraded to Finale 25 and thus the world of keyswitches. I prefer to activate keyswitches via placement of visual Score Expressions that trigger the actions. So I have now learned how to create effective muting and opening of brass horns via Expression->Playback->Dump and entering in numbers that correspond to the appropriate keyswitches. It occurs to me that there may be an existing library of brass-muting Score Expressions, as well as a similar library of string-bowing Score Expressions, already out there that I could download, rather than custom-creating all of that myself by referring to a controller-listing in a given manual (JABB and GPO in particular). Do any such pre-fab libraries exist for use? Many thanks, Tony

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Jeffrey Turner Edited June 19, 2019 02:10

Tony, if you're using the Garritan libraries, you don't have to do anything. Human playback techniques are included for the various mutes and string techniques already. They don't use the dump expressions, rather the techniques are pre-made in Human Playback Preferences telling Finale which keyswitch when you add the word "Pizz." for instance.

ANTONIO GARCIA Posted June 19, 2019 13:07

Hi, Jeffrey. Many thanks for taking the time to reply. The above was in fact the basis for why I'd purchased the Garritan libraries almost a year ago. However, in my own use the keyswitches have _not_ been activating via score expression (with Human Playback on). Several months of e-mail-only tech support, swapping files, etc. did not solve the problem; and as you'd imagine, that was very frustrating. Only yesterday, when I actually got to speak with a Finale tech who walked me through the Dump settings, did Finale turn on and off the mutings as marked in a score expression. I don't pretend to know why this is the case; I am new to the keyswitching scenario. But no Finale tech was able to make the given brass instrument sound straight-muted and then not via existing score expressions; only the Dump-setting has worked. So now I'd best run with that, as no other approach has worked. Hence my question. Best, Tony

Jeffrey Turner Posted June 19, 2019 13:41

Tony,

That's very strange that tech support couldn't get this to work. I just did a quick test, I loaded the Trumpet KS from the jazz instruments in the default Finale instruments, I entered some notes, then I just created some expressions: Cup mute, Harmon mute, Open. There were no special dump settings or anything changed about playback and they just worked without a problem.

The only thing different is that I did this using Finale 26, not 25. But I'm glad you found a solution for yourself.

ANTONIO GARCIA Posted June 19, 2019 15:21

Thanks _very_ much for taking the time to run tests. I cannot explain it either; I can only state that yesterday was the first time since using Finale 25 earnestly in January that I could create a muted and then unmuted sound with a score expression; neither I nor any Finale tech could do so. So this Dump-approach seems to be the only avenue I have, which is why I'm seeking any existing pre-programmed library of score expressions that have Dump parameters already set with them for mutings and for string particulars. Many thanks again! --Tony

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