Here are some ideas off the top of my head that I would like to see Finale, Sibelius, another notation program, or a clever plug-in developer (hint, hint) implement:
1. Linkage between scores and extracted parts. If I update one, the other should be updated automatically. Ideally, extracted parts could be viewed in some sort of pop-up window from the main score--triple click an instrument name and its part comes up for editing. 2. Intelligent chord explosion. Currently, if you want to voice sections without switching from staff to staff, you have to create another staff, input your chords, articulations, and dynamics, and then "explode" them onto the real staves (or have I missed something?). I'd like to select a group of staves (say, a sax section), play a chord, and automatically have the notes divided up among the targets. 3. "Section views." In line with the chord explosion technique above (more like carpet bombing really), I'd like a function that would toggle sections between one or two concert staves and individual part staves: i.e., press a key and the sax section collapses into two concert staves, press it again and you get all five staves. 3.5. Voice crossings. Select two notes at the same position on different staves, press a key, and they are exchanged for each other. 4. Intelligent guitar parts. If you have a chord symbol and a slash rhythm, you ought to hear a guitar playing it with no further effort on your part. Granted, the voicings might need tweaking. 5. Reverse input. A lot of composition is deciding on target notes and figuring out how to get there. Being able to input backwards makes more sense sometimes. 6. Shortcuts for common transpositions. Sibelius does this very well. Shift-up arrow transposes up an octave, shift-down arrow goes down an octave. Need a coupling in diatonic thirds? Press shift-3 (main keyboard). Fourths? Press shift-4. 7. Idea notepads. Wouldn't it be nice to have someplace to store your main theme, counter theme, ostinato patterns, riff or whatever, and then be able to point and click them into parts? Point at the proper measure in a flute part, select "main theme" and voila, it's there, with a rational guess made as to the correct octave. Point again to put the counter theme in the violas. Naturally, all of this should be fully editable after it is inserted, and one should be able to select phrases, press a key and record them into the notepad. 8. Editable mirrors. Maybe I want the same basic phrase, except for one or two notes that need to be taken down an octave. Or maybe chord symbols need to be added. Or maybe I only want to mirror the second layer. The mirror should keep the link and also remember what is different, so that if the original is changed, the mirror is updated intelligently. 8.5 Automatic cues. Like above. I should be able to link cue notes to the staves on which they appear, but also continue to be able to edit the target staff. 9. Preset mirrors. Before notes are ever input, you may know that you want flutes and clarinets to double at a certain point. Why not be able to set that up in advance? 10. Full AppleScript implementation. 11. Menu or keyboard access to all functions. Things that can only be clicked on are almost impossible to macro-ize. I'm sure there are more. Richard Walker Yokohama, Japan _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
