
By Jonathan Feist
Writing
Music with Finale is an online course aimed at helping musicians
of all levels to use Finale to create clear notation very quickly.
In twelve weeks, it covers the tools necessary for most types
of notation, from lead sheets to rhythm-section and orchestral
arrangements.
If youve ever had another musician perform your music,
you have likely been reminded of the great distance between
the printed page and human musical expression. The simple dots
and lines of notation are put to the extraordinary service of
communicating our subtlest and most sublime ideas. The way that
notation is executed has a direct effect on the magic that ensues:
whether a sound is a consonance or a dissonance, whether the
crescendo begins before or after a downbeat, and even the general
impression of whether a piece seems technically easy or complex.
The ability to create clear music notation quickly is essential
for any musician who prepares music to be performed by others.
Increasingly, musicians are turning to high-end notation software
such as Finale to prepare their notation. They are often surprised
to discover that such programs are among the most difficult
to learn of any software that they have ever encountered.
The reason for this is that music notation is such an extremely sophisticated form of communication. Those of us who grew up reading notation
may lose sight of this, but it is a deceptively complex language,
where hundreds of symbols, standards, and direction are used
to communicate subtlearguably mysticalideas. Beyond
communicating standard notes and rhythms, in music notation,
we can tell our readers to play lightly or quickly, to put their
second finger on the third stringeven when to breathe.
The world of articulations is vast, with special symbols for
each instrument. Roadmap directionssegnos, codas, repeat
endingsare so common in published music, but so vaguely
understood by so many practicing musicians.
To support this depth of vocabulary, notation software must
be similarly deep. And this means that learning to use these
software tools takes time, and training beyond what the best
software manuals can provide. Every musicians notation
needs are different. A choral director will use different symbols
than does a hip-hop bassist. Finale supports all such symbols,
but learning how to use them effectively isnt always easily
evident.
Beyond the beauty and clarity of the notation that Finale can
produce, Writing Music with Finale shows how to leverage Finales
incredible tools for speed. Twenty years ago, when we were using
pencils, transposing a lead sheet meant rewriting it from scratch.
Preparing parts for an orchestral score could mean weeks of
painstaking copying. Finale lets you accomplish either
of these tasks with a few mouse clicks.
The course covers these topics and many more. Each week culminates
in an assignment focusing on notation from each students
personal work, so that they can put the techniques in service
to support the music of their own lives. Guidance from the instructor
further helps the students personalize their experience and
learn about the types of notation that are most relevant to
their own work.
Students come from a variety of backgrounds, and with a variety
of needs. Composers, teachers, choir directors, and musicians
of all types have found this course to be helpful. Some students
arrive accustomed to only reading a small subsection of notation,
such as vocal music or guitar tablature. Others hold post-doctoral
degrees in music, and are learning Finale as part of their career
path towards becoming professional engravers. This diversity
of level and focus greatly enhances the group learning experience,
and students of all levels have found the materials to be relevant
and helpful.
The online environment is perfect for learning Finale. In addition
to explanatory text, screen shots, and hands-on practice exercises,
screen videos show you exactly how to perform tasks. And the
various communication mechanisms facilitate conversations with
other students and with the instructor.
Beyond the technique of navigating the software, Writing Music
with Finale addresses seldom discussed topics of how to prepare
a professional looking score. It is a musicians approach
to using the software, considering how the exact placement of
symbols will affect how they are interpreted. It is a complete
look at the process of preparing professional quality notation,
and its many students have found it a uniquely effective way
to leverage Finale in their music making.