Switch Percussion Map mid-score

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DAN CAVANAGH Posted February 20, 2021 00:29

Hi all:

I'm stymied here. Trying to switch a percussion map on one staff mid-score (writing an involved wind symphony piece, and each player (i.e. each staff) plays multiple sets of instruments, each involving their own percussion maps, etc.). Change instrument doesn't work for this when you're going between a "percussion" instrument and a "percussion instrument".

My question is this: you used to be able to use a staff style to define a percussion map for just that staff style, but that functionality is no longer in there. Now you are required to use "Utilities->Change Instrument" but that doesn't work when you're going between, for example, Orchestral Toms and a custom-defined instrument (in this case, a set of pipes and brake drum).

Any ideas on how I might accomplish this? I'm afraid this has become a limitation of Finale but I'm open to having my mind changed here.

I guess I can always do it without proper sound playback (easy to make look accurate) and MIDI it up properly in Logic or something but this seems like something Finale should be able to do. Those for whom I'm writing the piece have asked for good playback.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

-Macbook Pro, OS 10.15.7 Catlina, Finale 26

7 comments

Date Votes

TED BOLISKE Posted February 20, 2021 15:22

Dan,

This should work as you've said. Utilities -> Change Instrument, then in Score Manager for the 'New Instrument' staff, assign the Percussion MIDI Map and Percussion Layout. If you've created a Custom MIDI Map and matching Layout those should appear in their proper locations. If you're still unsure or have further questions feel free to reach out. I've been creating Percussion MIDI Maps and Layouts and Finale template files for over 20 years.

DAN CAVANAGH Posted February 20, 2021 17:04

Thanks, Ted, for your reply. Alas, the reason I posted is that it doesn't work following those exact instructions.

I've also been using MIDI maps and layouts since a long time ago (like the late 90's), and this is a new issue to me. Granted I haven't had to do one for like 5 years, but something is not working as expected. I think this has something to do with sending out to a custom AU (I'm sending this particular staff to Omnisphere to get some metallic sounds). Other staves this doesn't seem to happen with. I'll find a workaround.

J ADRIAN VERKOUTEREN Posted February 20, 2021 17:17

This is admittedly a work-around. Have you tried putting the two percussion instruments into separate instruments in the Score Manager and then using Manage Parts and Hide Empty Staves to combine them?

DAN CAVANAGH Posted February 20, 2021 17:19

Thanks, yes, that's basically what I've come to at this point as well. Appreciate that suggestion. Can't wait to lay out the final score :O

TED BOLISKE Posted February 20, 2021 17:19

Interesting that Omnisphere would be the problem. I've not worked with it, just Kontakt and other NI AUs. You'll have to let me know when you work out a solution.

DAN CAVANAGH Posted February 20, 2021 17:24

It could certainly be something corrupted in the file itself, as when I try this in a default document, I don't seem to have the issue, but I also don't have a ton of complex perc layouts etc. in a new document. There's something up. The old "delete preferences" trick may be warranted, but for now it's working. Thanks. In my younger years Id' be more apt to figure out what the actual issue is - but now I just want to get on with writing :)

Thanks all. If I find anything else out I'll be sure to update this thread.

DAN CAVANAGH Posted February 23, 2021 18:18

Wanted to share the official response from tech support. It essentially is a design limitation, and the fact that I was trying to change the staff at the beginning after I had stuff later on related to manual percussion maps, etc (even though I was only highlighting the parts I wanted to change at the beginning - it still changes everything).

---After clicking Reply, please type above this line.---

Your request (Ticket# 350558: percussion midi map switching/instrument changes involving mm. #1 (*not mm. 1)) has been updated. To add additional comments, click the 'Reply' button in your email client and type your response.

Austin W. (MakeMusic)

Feb 23, 2021, 9:32 AM MST

Dan,

Thanks for your feedback. I'll make sure it's recorded. In your case, you had manually chosen a sound, MIDI map, and percussion layout, so those settings needed to be selected again after changing the instrument from the first measure. However, I think using the Change Instrument utility from the first measure would still work reasonably well in most situations where default sounds and standard notation rather than percussion notation were used. I'll record your feedback and close this ticket.

Have a great day,

Austin W. | Customer Support Representative | MakeMusic, Inc.

DAN CAVANAGH

Feb 22, 2021, 4:44 PM MST

Great. Thank you, Austin, this will help get it back. I might suggest that it was very confusing to get to that point, perhaps Finale can be a bit smarter if you are changing the first measure after it's been setup already. For what it's worth. Thanks again.

Dan

Austin W. (MakeMusic)

Feb 22, 2021, 4:41 PM MST

Hi Dan,

Thanks for contacting MakeMusic Customer Support.

I followed your steps on my end, and I see where you're running into difficulty. It doesn't have to do with the pickup measure necessarily because you'll get the same results if you use a full measure at the beginning rather than a pickup. The issue is that the Change Instrument utility is designed primarily for mid-score instrument changes, so the assumption is that the instrument listed in the ScoreManager starts at the first measure and then changes to another instrument at a later measure. When you select the first measure (or pickup in this case) and use the Change Instrument utility, then the Change Instrument utility works backwards. In your case, it will set the Blank Staff as the main instrument in the ScoreManager from the first measure, and the staff shows a change to Percussion 5 at measure 56. I believe this is in line with how the Change Instrument utility was designed, so I will not label it a bug at this point.

Basically, the way it's intended to work is that you would write out the Blank Staff part at the beginning first and then switch to Percussion at measure 56. However, it should still work with what you have currently. Go ahead and follow the steps as you laid out and change measures #1-55 to Blank Staff. Then press Command+K to open the ScoreManager. Expand the Name column for Staff 7, and you'll see Percussion 5 at the bottom. Select Percussion 5 and click the Settings button next to Notation Style: Percussion. Then select the correct Percussion Layout (Pipes and Brake Drum). After you've selected the correct percussion layout, the notes from measure 56 onward should be transposed automatically and match what you had written initially. You may also have to reassign the correct Sound and Percussion MIDI Map in the ScoreManager.

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