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robin2001
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2015
Total Posts : 9

Posted 4/7/2015 5:02 AM (GMT -6)

Hi

Does anyonw know why Finale 2014 is choosing the fret/string combinations that it does.

Its producing totally different results to Guitar Pro and others for something simple like a scale.

Is their an option to set the way it does it so its more like other programs, ie guitar centric.

Thanks
Robin

Post Edited (robin2001) : 4/7/2015 12:39:35 PM (GMT-5)

Ron.
Composer

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 8828

Posted 4/7/2015 7:46 AM (GMT -6)

Can you be more specific? I've used Finale to write for guitar and never encountered any difficulties.

Finale 2014d with Garritan Personal Orchestra 4.0.
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violin and flamenco guitar, composer

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Specializing in contemporary art music

Charles Lawrence
Registered Member

Date Joined Dec 2009
Total Posts : 3638

Posted 4/7/2015 8:18 AM (GMT -6)

When copying standard notation to TAB, Finale always allows you to choose the lowest fret to be used. Granted, sometimes the resulting TAB has some anomalous string/fret settings, so you must always check it carefully. BTW, you must know that a standard guitar is a "transposing" instrument. In the Score Manager, make sure the guitar staff has a transpose setting of "Up an octave". This is because, for readability, a guitar is always written an octave higher than it sounds, otherwise, there would be too many ledger lines in the lower register.

"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about!"

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Realtek High Definition on board audio
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Four 4TB and one 1TB internal SATA HD's
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Finale versions: 2011b.r2, 2012c.r13, 2014d.v5030

GPO4.02

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robin2001
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2015
Total Posts : 9

Posted 4/7/2015 8:59 AM (GMT -6)

Wow, thanks the fast replies.

If I take a C major scale and copy the top staff to the bottom I get the image to left, in Guitar Pro (and some others I tried) I get the result to the right.

See how finale goes up frets rather then use other strings as many guitarist would.

Thanks.

Image Attachment :
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finale-gp.png 265KB (image/png)

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robin2001
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2015
Total Posts : 9

Posted 4/7/2015 9:03 AM (GMT -6)

PS, the reason I am using Finale to make guitar tab is because the exported XML from GuitarPro only contains the tab staff.

Ron.
Composer

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 8828

Posted 4/7/2015 9:03 AM (GMT -6)

That's because, as Charles pointed out, you have the transposition set incorrectly. Your tab staff is set an octave too high.

robin2001
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2015
Total Posts : 9

Posted 4/7/2015 9:20 AM (GMT -6)

Hi,

I did try the transposition setting, however this simply increased the fret numbers.

Thanks
Robin

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2015-04-07 15_18_06-Finale 2014 - [Untitled1].png 146KB (image/png)

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Ron.
Composer

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 8828

Posted 4/7/2015 9:49 AM (GMT -6)

You transposed in the wrong direction.

robin2001
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2015
Total Posts : 9

Posted 4/7/2015 9:53 AM (GMT -6)

When I go the other way I get negative frets.

Thanks,
Robin...

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Charles Lawrence
Registered Member

Date Joined Dec 2009
Total Posts : 3638

Posted 4/7/2015 10:00 AM (GMT -6)

If you want to write your guitar music in standard notation, and then copy it to TAB, I have found that the best way is to do this:

The standard notation staff must be transposed up an octave before placing any notes on the staff. If notes have already been entered on a non-transposing staff, 1st, set the transposition to be up an octave, then 2nd, select the entire region and use the 8 (down octave) or 9 (up octave) to adjust the notes to where they should be..
Select the standard notation, including the entire passage that is to be written in TAB. It cannot be done piecemeal, as the translation algorithm will not be in the same context for each piece if done that way.
Drag and drop onto the TAB staff and select the lowest fret, usually 0.

The resulting TAB may not be what you want. Select the entire TAB and use the 8 (down octave) or 9 (up octave) to adjust the fret/string settings. Usually you can get what you want, but it must be checked carefully, as the algorithm is not perfect.

"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about!"

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-5930K CPU with 6 dual core processors @ 3.50 GHz (12 threads)

Realtek High Definition on board audio
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 GPU with 4GB ram

512 GB SSD

Four 4TB and one 1TB internal SATA HD's
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional with Media Center x64 Edition, (06.03.9600.00)
Finale versions: 2011b.r2, 2012c.r13, 2014d.v5030

GPO4.02

Cakewalk SONAR X3

"There is a world of difference between a person who has a big problem and a person who makes a problem big." – John Maxwell

Post Edited (Charles Lawrence) : 4/7/2015 10:15:46 AM (GMT-5)

Ron.
Composer

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 8828

Posted 4/7/2015 10:41 AM (GMT -6)

Here's a picture of how your tab staff setup should look in the Score Manager. (Remember that the guitar is a transposing instrument that is written an octave above sounding pitch, so it you are looking at a score in "concert pitch" you will see notes in the wrong octave.)

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tab.png 66KB (image/png)

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robin2001
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2015
Total Posts : 9

Posted 4/7/2015 10:54 AM (GMT -6)

Hi,

Ok, I understand.

My original point was not that Finale was wrong, or creating tab data that was invalid.

What I was confused about it why it does it totally differently to other programs, and if a option existed which let you choose between various methods.

Thanks
Robin

robin2001
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2015
Total Posts : 9

Posted 4/7/2015 5:18 PM (GMT -6)

Charles Lawrence, thanks. I got it to work by following your steps.

I now get tab data as I would expect.

Thanks everyone.

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