Additional Information about

Finale for Windows

Finale Read Me, November 2022
Copyright © 2022, MakeMusic, Inc.

IMPORTANT: Read this document before you begin working with Finale; you may want
to print a copy of it to keep with your Finale information.

This file contains important information about Finale not included in the User Manual,
as well as information about converting older files into the new version's format. Please
note that Finale files cannot be opened in versions of Finale prior to 2014 without being
converted to a different format.

The Read Me contains the following sections:

Running Finale
New Features in Finale
Fixes in Finale

You may also visit www.finalemusic.com for updated information about Finale and
information on new releases.

Running Finale
System Requirements
Windows 8.1/10/11 (64-bit Intel or AMD processors only). 4 GB of RAM minimum.
1280x800 minimum monitor resolution. High-speed Internet connection required for
download, authorization, updates, sharing features, and help resources. 1 GB hard
drive space required for software with an additional 8 GB hard drive space required for
Garritan Instruments for Finale. ASIO, DirectSound, or WASAPI audio supported.

The system requirements listed are current as of release but are subject to change.
Visit www.finalemusic.com/system-requirements to see the most up-to-date system
requirements.

Installing Finale
If any previous version of Finale has been installed on the machine, Finale recommends
that you restart your computer and log on as System Administrator before installing.
This will prevent erroneous font warnings.

We recommend that you install Finale, and any other software, when logged in as
System Administrator.

If you encounter problems during installation, we recommend that you do the following:

1. Turn off any programs running in the background. Virus detectors can often
prevent Finale from installing necessary files and updating the registry. Rest
assured, your Finale installer does not contain any viruses.
2. Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open the Task Manager. Click on the Details tab (if
this tab is not visible, click More details). In the Details tab, click User name
 to sort the running programs by user ID name. This lists every process that is
running on the system.
3. Under the User name column, look at all of the processes in the Name column
associated with your account name. Right-click each one, choose End task, and
click End process. Do this for every process assigned to your name except
Taskmgr.exe, explorer.exe, and System Idle Process.
4. Close the Task Manager.
5. Check your system tray (lower-right corner of the screen) for any running
programs, especially antivirus software, which can interfere with proper
installation of programs. Right-click each and choose Quit.

User Manual
For full, up to date documentation on how to use Finale, choose Help > User Manual.
Finale opens the User Manual using your default browser and accesses the latest online
content from MakeMusic’s servers.

To download the manual for offline use, visit the Finale Knowledge Base.

Authorizing Finale
The first time you launch Finale, you will be prompted to authorize. To authorize a
single copy of Finale, click Authorize Now to open the Authorization Wizard (or,
choose Help > Authorize Finale). Follow the on-screen instructions to authorize your
copy of Finale. If you choose not to authorize, you will be prompted to do so each time
you launch Finale. If you do not authorize within thirty days, printing and saving are
disabled until you choose to authorize.

Note that the Computer ID and Authorization Code are computer specific and will only
work on the given computer installation. Your copy of Finale can be authorized on two
computers simultaneously, and, with an Internet connection, authorization can be
moved from one computer to another at will. Choose Help > Deauthorize Finale to
open up a free slot. Your copy of Finale can now be authorized on a different computer.
When you deauthorize, printing and saving are disabled until authorization has been
restored.

If you make a change to the computer (such as replacing the hard drive or
motherboard, or installing a new operating system), then you will need to re-authorize
the installation. If you no longer have access to the computer or hard drive that
previously had an authorized version of Finale installed, go to www.makemusic.com
and click My Account. Log in, click the My Software button, and click Manage
Authorizations. Here, you can delete authorizations on machines no longer in your
possession. If you have deleted the maximum number of authorizations from your
account, you will need to contact the Customer Support Team online at
www.finalemusic.com/support with your serial number and the location or computer
name for the specific installation in question. If the software is not reminding you to
authorize when you run the program, then the registration/authorization has been
successfully completed.

Installation Details
To accommodate the autonomy of each of a computer's multiple users, and to prevent
permissions issues, Finale installs its components to various locations on your hard
drive depending on their function and required accessibility. See Finale Installation
Details in the User Manual for more information.
Finale TrialThe Finale trial is available as a download from our website. The trial
version is identical to the full version, but does not include the Garritan sounds or
music files. After the 30-day trial period, printing and saving are disabled. To purchase
the full version of Finale, along with all sounds and features, choose Help > Purchase
Finale. Trial users: after purchasing, another download is necessary to acquire the
Garritan sounds and music files.

Contacting the Finale Customer Support Team

For Finale support, visit www.finalemusic.com/support.

Converting Finale 2012 (and earlier) documents into Finale documents

Finale 2014 and later have a different file format than earlier versions and will open
and convert older versions' documents, giving them the default title UNTITLED.MUSX.
We recommend saving a newly converted document with a different name than the
original file, keeping the older unconverted file as a backup. If you do want to save the
file using the same name, choose Save As from the File menu. Finale Maintenance is
run automatically to check for any errors while opening old files as long as Clean up
file data is checked in Edit > Preferences > Open (checked by default).

Running older versions of Finale

Finale 2012 (and earlier versions) for Windows or Mac cannot open any standard Finale
2014 or later files. To open a Finale 2014 or later document in an earlier version,
choose File > Export > Finale 2012 (for Finale 2012 only) or File > Export >
MusicXML (all other versions). Finale for Windows includes the MusicXML importer
back to version 2003, and then back to 2000 using software available separately.
Finale for Mac supports MusicXML import back to version 2006, and back to 2004 (OS X
only) using software available separately. See www.musicxml.com.

Finale Preferences File

The Finale Preferences file contains many program settings, from the configuration of
your tool palette to the display colors you select. Finale does not share the preferences
file with older versions of Finale. Finale will automatically load the new Finale default
settings upon launching Finale for the first time. To use Finale's default settings at any
time, simply reset your Finale Preferences file by choosing Edit > Preferences and
clicking the Reset All Preferences button. A new preferences file will be generated
the next time you start Finale.

Keep in mind that older versions cannot read the newer version's preferences.

New Features in Finale 27.3

Eight of Jari Williamson’s plug-ins now install natively with Finale, have been updated to
work correctly with SMuFL-compliant fonts, and also contain fixes for several
outstanding bugs and crashes.
Many Special Tools are now available while editing voiced linked parts.
More Finale native plug-ins are now active while viewing linked parts and when using
voiced linked parts.
The Latin Percussion plug-in now contains SMuFL-based support files.
The AlphaNotes plug-in can now use SMuFL-based characters.
The Automatic Dynamics plug-in now only works with SMuFL-based fonts.
MusicXML
Embedded PDF graphics are now exported and imported.
All text inserts are now exported, including date, time, file date, performance time, file
name, double flat, double sharp, and pass number.
TAB clefs no longer export a line element.

Fixes in Finale 27.3

Voiced linked Parts.
Grace notes in voiced linked parts are now spaced correctly.
Stem directions in voiced linked parts now face the correct directions.
Second and unison note spacing is now accounted for correctly in voiced linked parts.
Plug-Ins.
The Score System Divider plug-in now works correctly with SMuFL fonts.
The Create Handbells Used Chart plug-in now displays modified noteheads correctly
when used in a SMuFL-based document.
The Create Handbells Used Chart plug-in displays the correct number of bells used
again.
The Check Regions for Durations plug-in no longer overlooks some incomplete or
overfilled measures.
Slurs.
Manual adjustments made to slurs in linked parts now retain these edits after closing
and reopening a document.
Creating a two note slur where an articulation is present, no longer unlinks the
articulation from the score.
Saving. Human Playback preferences can now be edited/saved if the user account
name contains a unicode character.
Preferences. Exiting Finale with the Speedy Entry tool selected no longer turns off
Automatic Update Layout.
ScoreMerger. ScoreMerger no longer discards the abbreviated name of parts when
merging parts into a score.
FinaleScript. Using the "default clef bass" command in FinaleScript no longer causes
a crash.

New Features in Finale 27.2

All of Finale’s standard Document Styles have been updated to use SMuFL-compliant
music fonts.
Added two new Document Styles using the Finale Ash and Finale Engraver fonts.
The Jazz Default Document has been fully revamped in collaboration with musician
Darcy James Argue and now uses SMuFL-compliant Finale Jazz Font.
All of Finale’s default documents now use SMuFL-compliant fonts. Legacy versions are
still included.
The new font Finale Jazz Text Lowercase has been added.
The Finale Jazz font now includes new and updated chord suffix characters, including a
variety of parentheses.
The Share dialog now displays the email addresses of the users the document is
currently shared with.
The Share dialog has been updated to reflect the simultaneous public-private state that
can occur due to playlist sharing in SmartMusic.

MusicXML
Fixed an issue where batch export can fail on some systems.Parenthesized music text
expressions now retain parentheses on export.Enclosed measure numbers are now
exported as rehearsal numbers. Files with Special Part Extraction now export more
accurately.Text on blank pages at the end of a score is now imported.Chord symbols
are exported and imported more accurately.Exact duplicate measure-attached Smart
Shapes are no longer exported.

Fixes in Finale 27.2

Multimeasure Rests. Multimeasure rest symbols are now correctly aligned when
using handwritten SMuFL-compliant music fonts.
Symbol Selection. When using the Search field in the Symbol Selection dialog box the
SMuFL categories now remain alphabetised.
Stem Connections.
Fixed an issue where some stem connections would be offset for specific noteheads
when converting from a legacy font to a SMuFL font.Fixed an issue where other stem
connections in a measure would be misplaced when altering a notehead in that
measure. See Stem Connections.
Documentation. The Finale User Manual has been updated with more accurate
information and other continued improvements.
Printing. Fixed an issue where documents may print with incorrect margins.

New Features in Finale 27.1

It is now possible to convert legacy non-SMuFL MakeMusic fonts in documents
to SMuFL-compliant music fonts.
Human Playback now recognizes expressions and articulations that use SMuFL-
compliant fonts.
The TG Tools Easy Harmonics, TG Tools Easy Tremolos, Create Coda System, and Drum
Groove plug-ins have been updated to use the correct characters in SMuFL fonts.
The Symbol Selection dialog box character grid can now be navigated with the arrow
keys.
New libraries using the SMuFL-compliant Finale Maestro music font have been added
for Accordion (articulations), Accordion Register (text expressions), Figured Bass (text
expressions), Guitar (articulations), Guitar (smart lines), Guitar (text expressions),
Ornaments (articulations), and Accidentals (articulations).
Fixes in Finale 27.1
The Symbol Selection dialog box now filters out blank and unused character slots.
Articulations created with the Petrucci and November fonts now play back correctly
after closing and reopening a document.
The Reset and Reset All buttons now work as expected in the Clef Designer when using
SMuFL-compliant music fonts.
Very large MusicXML files can now be successfully imported.
Exported MusicXML files now correctly capture tempo data in metronome marks, even
if playback is not set in the text expression.

New Features in Finale 27.0

Sharing
Easily create a free SmartMusic account to start using sharing in Finale.
Securely log in to your SmartMusic account without leaving Finale.
You can limit who you share your music with by specifying individual email addresses.
You can share your music without specifying recipients by creating a unique URL link.
You can control whether your recipients are able to download a PDF of your shared
music.
You can also choose to upload your music to the Content Manager web app without
sharing.
Finale automatically maps your music's instruments for upload but also gives you the
freedom to choose them yourself.
Finale exports your music to MusicXML behind the scenes so that the maximum
amount of document information is retained for viewing and playback in the
web apps.
The current sharing status of your music is displayed in the Sharing dialog box.
Uploaded music can be updated or deleted (unless it is being used in an assignment
template).
Uploaded music can be managed, shared, and edited via SmartMusic's Content
Manager web app.

Fonts & Characters

Finale now installs with the SMuFL-compliant fonts Finale Maestro, Finale Broadway,
Finale Jazz, Finale Engraver, and Finale Ash ("legacy" versions of Finale fonts are
still installed).
Finale's engraved default document and document style now use the SMuFL-compliant
Finale Maestro font, while a legacy version is also available.
Finale's handwritten default document and document style now use the SMuFL-
compliant Finale Broadway font, while a legacy version is also available.
The default music font for a Finale document can easily be switched between any
SMuFL-compliant font.
Essential libraries have been updated to use SMuFL fonts.
All SMuFL characters, including those specific to fonts used in Finale, are given a clear
description in the Symbol Selection dialog box.
The Symbol Selection dialog box now includes category filters and a search field to aid
in the finding of specific characters.
The Finale Lyrics and Jazz fonts now include support for additional non-English
alphabetical characters.
All fonts shipped with Finale are now available for use under the SIL Open Font License.

Instruments & Sounds

Default settings for notation and playback have been improved for many existing
instruments.
Finale's list of instruments has been expanded to include calliope, cavaquinho,
handchimes, music box, and tabor.
Many instruments that formerly did not make use of an appropriate sound from
Garritan Instruments for Finale now do.
Several duplicate instruments have been removed from Finale, and inappropriate
 Garritan Instruments for Finale sounds are no longer automatically selected for
several percussion instruments.
Clapper/slapstick, flexatone, and bell tree sounds have been added to Garritan
Instruments for Finale (GIFF) and the timpani range has been extended.
Taiko drum ensemble and chime tree sounds are now loaded correctly when added to a
document.
Percussion layouts and percussion note types have been added to accommodate new
and revised percussion sounds in Garritan Instruments for Finale.
Percussion layouts have been improved for a wide range of instruments in the Drums
and Percussion categories.
Percussion layouts and percussion note types have been improved for quad toms,
bongo drums, conga drums, percussion accessories, cymbals, and snareline.
Staff positions for snare drum, bass drum, dollu, and lambeg drum on single-line staves
have been corrected.
The volume of the Fusion Drum Kit has been increased to be in better balance with
other instrument sounds.

High-resolution display
Images used in dialog boxes throughout Finale have been updated for better
readability.
The tool palette and Playback Controls icons have been improved for clarity and are
shown properly at all display scalings.
The Mixer and control modules in Studio View have been updated for legibility at all
display scalings.
Clicking the Add Instrument button and selection dropdown in ScoreManager now
works reliably at all display scalings, including on secondary monitors.

MusicXML 4.0 support

Concert pitch scores with transposed parts are now exported and imported.
Swing playback is now exported and imported.
Roman and Nashville chord styles are now exported and imported.
Alternate bass formatting (After Root, Under Root, As Subtext) is now exported and
imported.
Piano pedal lines that discontinue without an upstroke and resume without a
downstroke are now exported and imported.
Bends created with the bend hat and guitar bend tools are now distinguished from one
another on export.
Expressions whose category uses a staff list that includes the top staff (e.g. tempo
marks and rehearsal marks) now export and import correctly for use with linked
parts.
Measure numbering that use a top or bottom staff now export and import correctly for
use with linked parts.
Staff scaling and line spacing are now handled separately during export and import.
Different SMuFL wavy line characters in custom line definitions are now exported and
imported.
Enclosures created with handwritten fonts that look like an inverted bracket - a
rectangle with the top line missing - are now exported.
Up to 16 simultaneous cross-measure slurs per part can be imported or exported
during very large divisi splits.
Linked parts in compressed files are now supported in a standardized way that all
applications can use.
SMuFL fonts are now used when importing a MusicXML file using a default file or
 opened Finale document that uses SMuFL fonts.
Guitar bends and bend hats are now imported. With files from MusicXML 3.1 and earlier
that do not distinguish these two types of bends, bend hats are imported with
standard notation and guitar bends are imported with tablature.

For a full list of features introduced in previous versions, see New Features in Finale in
the User Manual. For a full list of interface changes and more information regarding
specific menu command changes, see Interface Changes in the User Manual.

Fixes in Finale 27.0

Document Options and Preferences. Buttons in the Document Options and

Preferences dialog boxes are no longer cut off at certain display scalings.
Font annotation. The contents of the Font Annotation dialog box are now positioned
correctly when resizing the dialog box.
Human Playback. The Human Playback Samba and Reggae styles now interpret the
swing setting correctly.
Left or right only printing. Selecting Left Only or Right Only now properly restricts
the printed pages for any page range.
MusicXML. Fixes include: the Restrict Formatting option correctly applies only to
single-file import, not to batch import; staff scaling is imported for 1-line staves;
harmon mute symbols used in expressions or measure-attached text blocks no
longer cause Finale to export invalid MusicXML files; and chord symbols still
export correctly even if they contain non-displaying control characters.
Page range. The Print dialog box no longer has a restriction on the number of
characters in the page range field, especially helpful for booklet printing.
PDF export. PDF export now uses the native Print to PDF device, resolving many long-
standing issues with exported PDFs.
PDF filenames. An extra "x" character is no longer added after the score name when
printing parts to PDF.
Print dialog box. The Help button in the Print dialog is no longer disabled when using
the Microsoft Print to PDF device.
Printing. The print progress bar is now more accurate.
Printing parts and score. Reverse order printing no longer fails when any part has
more pages than the score.
Reverse order printing. Parts of any number of pages can now be printed accurately
in reverse order with any page range specified, including N-up and tiled printing.
Speedy Entry. Navigating to a measure on the next page using Speedy Entry in Page
View now works with all methods of advancing the entry caret.
Time signatures. The Default Music Font is now correctly retained for time signature
numbers and plus signs in parts when set in the Document menu.

For a full list of fixed defects in previous versions, see Fixes in Finale in the User
Manual.