New post
Avatar
0

Hello,

I haven't used Finale in a while and while I work on reacquainting myself with it, I have a project to get started on. I am currently using v27 on Windows.

I have an existing arrangement in Finale for Brass Ensemble and would like to use it as the basis of making an arrangement for concert band in the "Flex-Band style. This means basically taking each of the 5 parts and creating a version that is playable by other instruments in that range. Part 1 is currently Trumpet 1. I need to copy this and create the part for Flute/Piccolo. Clarinet can double the current trumpet part. 

What is the simplest way to do this? I feel like using a copy of the existing brass ensemble arrangement, somehow adding the necessary instruments and copying parts over makes the most sense but am not quite sure the best way to do that. I would like to be able to add instruments under each appropriate part.

So Part 1 would would start with the existing Trumpet 1 part and would now be Trumpet/Clarinet 1 and add a Flute/Piccolo part which would be grouped together. 

Part 2 uses the existing Tpt 2 part to create Trumpet/Clarinet 2, Alto Sax 1

Part 3 etc...

Any suggestions on how to do this are greatly appreciated. Meanwhile I will continue researching and experimenting.

Thanks!

Eric

10 comments

Date Votes
Avatar
0

If I understand what you want to achieve, here is what I would do :

Create a new score, with as many staves as the instruments needed :

Bb Trumpet + Bb clarinet 1

Flute + Piccolo

Bb Trumpet + Bb clarinet 2

Alto Sax 1

etc...

In the Scoremanager, define each staff for the appropriate instruments (with transposition, etc...).

Copy staff 1 from the old score and copy it to the Trumpet 1staff (or Bb Trumpet + Bb clarinet 1).

Copy staff 1 from the old score and copy it to the Flute + piccolo staff (check if the range is ok, otherwise transpose 8va up)

Staff 2 -> BbTrumpet + Bb Clar 2

Staff 2 -> Alto sax 1

Etc...

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

Thank you, Michel. Do you know if there is a way to duplicate a staff? 

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

AFAIK, there isn't. You just create a new staff (Add Instrument), set up its parameters in the Scoremanager, copy the contents of the first staff and paste them into the second one.

(If there are time or key signature changes in the original piece, you may have to copy the first piece with al its staves -complete measure stacks- in a preliminary step so they are transferred to the new file. Then clean up)

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

There's going to be a lot of copying and pasting when doing this. I would approach it in two steps. Start with a copy of your original score. Add 5 blank staves for flex parts 1 thru 5. Create your arrangement for the basic flex staves. After the arrangement is complete now add additional blank staves for the transpositions.

 

For part 1 create a C treble part, a Bb treble, an Eb treble part and maybe an F part.  Do that with the other flex parts creating the appropriate transposition. Once that's complete, check the ranges in your parts and make adjustments.

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

Thank you Jeffrey. This is essentially what I ended up doing. There was a bunch of things for me to learn as I went, which was great, and also a bunch of program quirks to work around, but I was able to get the basics done fairly quickly.

I quickly learned how to reorder the staves and to use grouping but the grouping feature is erratic. Each time I added a staff, moved it up in the score and joined it to a group, Finale applied random groups everywhere and I would have to go in, try to find them and edit or delete them. It is really strange.

I was amazed to use the Tab feature for Bass. It was great how it automatically worked by pasting the tuba part in. I then had to learn how to get it to play certain positions, but that was not bad.

One trouble I am having is getting the score to fit on the page. No matter how I reduce it in Page Settings, the display is the same, even after I Redraw Screen. Any ideas?

The last and really frustrating quirk is Finale automatically starts itself after I close the program!!! Sometimes it will happen once after closing but at other times it happens several times in a row. Very strange!

I appreciate all of the help from form members. Thank you for sharing your insights.

 

 

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

After entering parameters in the Page Format window, go to Page Layout -> Redefine Pages.

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

Eric said: One trouble I am having is getting the score to fit on the page. No matter how I reduce it in Page Settings, the display is the same, even after I Redraw Screen. Any ideas?

 

Instead of Page Settings, resize your page with the % tool. Depending on where you click, you can reduce page, staff, or note sizes.

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

Thank you Michel. Is there a fit to page option or do I need to just experiment manually with scaling?

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

Thank you Mike. I will give that a try.

Comment actions Permalink
Avatar
0

The resize tool worked well and seems handy. Still a bit of trial and error for sizing but not too many steps.

Comment actions Permalink

Please sign in to leave a comment.