I posted a question several days ago on How do you use Bandstand in Finale 2007.

Since there have not been any responses, others may be having problems with this or maybe nobody else cares.

Anyway, I did manage to find out how to use both GPO and Bandstand successfully and thought it might be helpful to some if I posted my experience.

 

I installed Finale 2007 (custom installation) and Finale GPO.

I found that that there was no sound at all with a custom install of Finale 2007 (as others have found), so I did a typical install on a clean partition.

That is, I reinstalled Finale on a restored C: partition which contained no trace of the previous installation.

This cured the no sound problem and there is sound with softsynth and GPO.

I Installed Bandstand (complete to C:) with Bandstand.dll (VST component) into FinaleVST directory

 

CAVEATS:
NOTE that I installed Finale2007 first before installing Bandstand.
Originally I tried it the other way around - actually Bandstand was already installed before I got Finale 2007 and there were problems with the sound driver in Finale2007 when I installed it - I don't know why.

TESTING FOR SOUND OUTPUT:
My midi out setting is set to SmartMusic SoftSynth 1
To test for sound output. I loaded the Bach.mus file from C:\Program Files\Finale 2007\Sample Files directory
This played back fine automatically with the SmartMusic softsysnth
To test Finale GPO, I loaded the file Bach_GPO.mus from the sample files directory and this played back fine with the GPO
instruments (piano only in this case). NOTE that in the Midi Menu 'Play Finale through Native Instruments VST' is checked.

 

USING FINALE GPO:
I am working in Page View.
To use Finale GPO in your own music file, select Native Instruments VST setup from the Midi Menu.
This brings up the Native Instruments VST Dialog Box.
Clicking on the drop down arrow for Finale Channels 1 to 16 allows  the choice of either Bandstand or Kontakt Player 2
Choose Kontakt Player 2
Click on Edit - this brings up the Kontakt 2 Player Graphical Interface.
Load the instruments into the respective channels.
In my case I have a 3 staff score consisting of a vocal part (assigned to Channel 1 through the Instrument List item under
the Windows menu) and a piano part (both parts assigned to Channel 2 through the Instrument List item (New Instrument)  under the Windows Menu.
Inside the Kontakt Player interface, I loaded a solo flute into Channel 1 (make sure the midi channel is set to 1 in the
Instrument header box for FLUTE SOLO).
Then I loaded the Steinway Piano into Channel 2 (make sure the midi channel is set to 2 in the
Instrument header box for STEINWAY PIANO).
Close the Native Instruments VST Setup Dialog Box and leave the Kontakt Player window open.
If you click on Play now, the music will playback through the Smartmusic softsynth.
Instead. choose Play Finale through Native Instruments VST under the Midi Menu. There will be a pause at the beginning as the instruments are loaded,
and then then music will playback back using the Garritan Instruments as you can see in the Garritan window.
You could also have selected the instruments in Studio View, I believe.

 

USING BANDSTAND:
I am working in Page View.
You must have the file Bandstand.dll in the FinaleVST directory.
Load your own music file.
Select Native Instruments VST setup from the Midi Menu.
This brings up the Native Instruments VST Dialog Box.
Clicking on the drop down arrow for Finale Channels 1 to 16 allows  the choice of either Bandstand or Kontakt Player 2
Choose Bandstand.
Click on Edit - this brings up the Bandstand Graphical Interface but you only need this to see what's going on.
Assign your instruments to channels using the Instrument List item under the Windows menu.
This works because Bandstand is GM compatible
If you click on Play now, the music will playback through the Smartmusic softsynth.
Instead. choose Play Finale through Native Instruments VST under the Midi Menu. There will be a pause at the beginning as the instruments are loaded,
and then then music will playback back using Bandstand as you can see in the Bandstand window.
You could also have selected the instruments in Studio View, I believe.

 

I hope this is useful to somebody.

Derek Watson