Craig... several functions are in play here. First, as mentioned earlier, HP does some randomization of note-on and -off times, but I haven't looked at a MIDI file to see how much. Wait until I finish writing my final exams!!
Unfortunately, making many of these adjustments requires use of Finale's MIDI tool, which AFAIK has not changed one bit since Finale 2.0, with which I started in 1989 or so. As you may know, Finale chops up a quarter note into 1024 parts (EDUs), unlike any other program. If you go into the MIDI tool, there is a randomize function for note starts and ends. Apply a few EDUs of randomization if you think HP doesn't add enough. BUT: 1. You will have to tell HP to look at this MIDI data and incorporate it into HP. 2. You must be VERY alert to repeated pitches and make sure they don't overlap, which can happen frequently. Two same notes, if overlapped, will kill playback of the second note. ALSO: 1. If you want certain parts of a piece swung and others straight, you can always use the APPLY HP plug-in in regions as necessary. 2. If you intend to export MIDI to a DAW, then using the APPLY HP plug-in is a MUST. Normal HP is NOT saved upon export to MIDI, whereas anything coming from the plug-in IS saved. 3. If your sections are behaving oddly, make sure that they do not consist of 16ths. If you want swung 16ths, make sure to make the time signature 8/8 but make it display as 4/4. 4. The random movement of faders you noticed is a function of HP, and evidently occurs at times even if no particular instruction is on the score. 5. HP seems to use BOTH volume AND velocity to create dynamics. I question that procedure. 6. It takes some experimentation to find the right level of base channel volume for a given instrument because every ensemble is unique and necessary base volume level is a function of the context in which an instrument might appear. Once you find that proper balance, set it in the Score Manager and use dynamics in Finale for the rest. 7. HP is not necessarily as smart as we'd like it to be in all occasions, so it is frequently necessary to mark up a score very heavily to achieve your desired results...and in some cases, HP seems to impose its intelligence in a questionable manner and/or at questionable times. 8. The arcane nature of the MIDI tool impedes/prevents a lot of expressivity that Finale could achieve had any attention been paid to that tool since 1989. IMHO it is the most user-unfriendly part of Finale since the TCD Watershed Bit setting disappeared. ;-0 Given that the code seems to be undergoing a major update/rewrite, perhaps now's the time to really advocate for an improvement in the MIDI tool. 9. Having said all the above, it's still unclear to me whether putting up with HP is better or worse than putting up with real trumpet players. ;-) Jim James C. Williams, MBA, CFP E. B. Lacy Professor of Business Franklin College Euphonium Player Around several Towns ________________________________________ From: Craig Parmerlee [cr...@acticalc.com] Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2013 11:20 AM To: finale@shsu.edu Cc: Williams, Jim Subject: Re: [Finale] Garritan band library - Avoiding simultaneous attacks On 4/24/2013 9:09 AM, Williams, Jim wrote: > 5.it is imperative to avoid simultaneous attacks. HP does that to some > extent, but I haven't taken the time to determine how much. How do you do that? Is that the setting in HP preferences - Tempo variations called "Don't randomize (exact timing)"? I find that I must keep that box checked on anything that isn't a swing tune because even when I have swing values set to zero, HP still plays SOME of the voices "swingy". This ruins any Latin tune. I find this uncontrollable urge while sitting at my computer to look back over my shoulder and shout at the trumpets "Straight eights, dammit!!". Fortunately the Garritan trumpet section isn't able to retaliate by screeching right into my ears -- at least they haven't so far. So you see, that is clear evidence that HP isn't like real trumpet players. :) _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
